Sponsor Deadline
Posted: 4/5/2022

Vietnam Action Against Plastic Pollution

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the Vietnam Action Against Plastic Pollution Activity. Eligibility for this award is not restricted. The authority for the NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Ocean plastic pollution has drawn significant attention from the international community and national governments due to the serious impacts it causes on the environment, marine life, local economies, and human health, and its contributions to climate change. Each year, 11 million metric tons of plastic waste enter our oceans, equivalent to more than one garbage truck every minute. This rate is expected to double by the end of this decade and triple by 2040. Once plastic is in the ocean, it is very difficult and expensive to remove, therefore preventing plastic from getting into the natural environment is the most efficient way to address this issue. The majority of marine debris, including ocean plastic, originates on land. Poorly managed solid waste and especially plastic waste discarded in the environment is clogging drains and small rivers causing flooding, transmitting vector-borne diseases, and, when burned, increasing respiratory diseases and affecting air quality. This mismanaged plastic waste harms animals, on the land and in the ocean, when they ingest or get tangled in it; alters river flows; and affects coral health, fisheries, and mangroves. This costs billions of dollars to fisheries, tourism, and other industries, threatening economies and livelihoods across the globe.

Vietnam is one of the top plastic polluters of the world’s ocean, with estimated leakage of between 280,000 and 730,000 metric tons of plastic annually1. Surveys conducted by the Center for Supporting Green Development (GreenHub) in 38 coastal and river sites in 10 provinces and cities in Vietnam in 2020-2021 show that plastic waste is the most abundant type of solid waste collected (94% in number and 71% by weight). This urgency is even more challenging due to the surge of Personal Protective Equipment waste such as masks, gloves, clothes, and healthcare waste, together with home and office delivery packaging during the COVID-19 lockdowns, resulting in more plastics packaging discarded.

The “Vietnam Action Against Plastic Pollution” activity aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution at its source in Vietnam through strategic approaches such as convening stakeholders’ power, promoting the creation and implementation of data-driven policies, enhancing knowledge and sharing learning, promoting appropriately scaled technology and solutions, and providing technical expertise and building capacity of local governments to manage waste at its source and prevent plastic pollution in our oceans.

Each applicant is limited to one application submission under this NOFO as the prime Applicant. There is no limitation on being included as a potential sub-awardee across multiple applications. The use of exclusive teaming arrangements is discouraged. Interested applicants from within Duke should contact dukeiln@duke.edu as early as possible.

 

Deadline: May 5, 2022

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted.

Amount Description

Subject to funding availability, USAID intends to provide up to $21,400,000 in total USAID funding. USAID intends to award one (1) Cooperative Agreement pursuant to this NOFO. USAID reserves the right to fund any one or none of the applications submitted.

Funding Type
Eligibility
Posted
4/5/2022
Deadline
Sponsor: