Public Supply Chain Madagascar USAID MAHENIKA | 72068724RFA00005

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72068724RFA00005

USAID/Madagascar is soliciting applications for a health supply chain activity called "Public Supply Chain Madagascar USAID MAHENIKA" under Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) number 72068724RFA00005. "MAHENIKA" is a Malagasy term meaning "fully satisfied" or "fully covered," which reflects the program's overarching intent to ensure consistent, reliable availability of essential health commodities across Madagascar. The award is anticipated to total up to $45 million over five years (2024 to 2029) and will be implemented as a cooperative agreement managed by USAID/Madagascar's Health, Population and Nutrition office. The opportunity is listed as mandatory in the posting and is open to unrestricted applicants.

At its core, MAHENIKA is positioned as USAID/Madagascar's primary mechanism for distributing U.S. Government-funded health commodities and providing technical assistance to strengthen the public health supply chain system from the central level down to the "last mile." The commodity scope explicitly includes, but is not limited to, Maternal and Child Health (MCH), malaria, and family planning (FP) products. In practical terms, this means the awardee is expected to help move health products through the national logistics system efficiently and safely, while also improving the underlying systems that prevent stockouts, reduce wastage, and ensure product quality throughout storage and transport.

The activity is intended to build Madagascar's technical capacity to operate an integrated public health supply chain aligned with national policies, standards, and procedures. This emphasis on integration suggests a focus on harmonizing processes across programs and levels of the system, improving coordination, and strengthening end-to-end logistics functions such as forecasting and quantification, procurement planning interfaces, warehousing and inventory management, distribution planning, logistics data visibility, and performance management. The stated goal is increased availability of quality health commodities for the population, which typically translates into improvements in service readiness at health facilities and more reliable access for communities.

While the program primarily supports the public supply chain, it also anticipates engaging private sector actors, local associations, and NGOs, particularly to strengthen last-mile distribution. The opportunity highlights the use of local solutions for transport and other logistics services, implying that implementers may be expected to identify and contract or otherwise collaborate with in-country logistics providers and community-based networks to reach hard-to-access areas. A notable feature is the program's intent to provide capacity building and conduct regular assessments of distribution capacity among these partners. Based on assessment results, USAID indicates there may be a transition pathway toward more direct USAID awards to local entities, reinforcing a localization and sustainability direction where capable Malagasy organizations can increasingly take on direct implementation roles.

Finally, the notice indicates the activity will "explore underutilized players to optimize" the distribution network, which signals openness to identifying non-traditional or currently underused actors that could improve efficiency and coverage. This could include smaller logistics firms, regional transport providers, faith-based or community organizations, and other delivery networks that can be mobilized to improve reach, timeliness, and reliability. The posting lists an original closing date of August 21, 2024, associates the activity with CFDA number 98.001, and notes an award ceiling of $45,000,000, with the expectation field listing 30 awards in the source data (though the narrative framing describes this as a single large five-year activity).

• The Madagascar USAID-Antananarivo in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Supply Chain Madagascar USAID MAHENIKA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $45,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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