Closing Date: October 25,2013.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) seeks to establish a regionally-based platform (the Regional Health Research and Knowledge Management Center) to undertake and support scientific research and knowledge management in health programs in the Asia Region. It will initially involve research activities in Laos and Thailand with the possibility of extension to other countries in the Asia Region (as defined in Footnote 1 below) that are U.S. foreign assistance eligible1 . In addition, this platform is intended to strengthen local/national capacity by utilizing local institutions in the region to participate in the envisioned research and knowledge management activities. The platform will be implemented through the establishment of a Leader With Associate Award2 (LWA) Mechanism (hereafter referred to as the “Program”).

USAID/RDMA is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) with the intent to award one LWA Leader Award Cooperative Agreement (also referred to as the Leader Award) for the implementation of this Program. Subject to availability of funds, it is estimated that USAID’s contribution to the Leader Award will total approximately $5,000,000, to be implemented over a five-year period (o/a January 2014 – January 2019). The anticipated Leader Award in addition to any future Associate Awards will not exceed $15,000,000.

The primary purpose of the Program is to conduct and support strategic health-related research in the region and disseminate the findings for policy development and programming. While the Program’s LWA mechanism will be broad enough to include any health-related research anywhere in the region, the initial Leader Award will focus specifically on HIV-related studies in the Mekong Region. Future Associate Awards and/or activities under the Leader Award, either from USAID/RDMA or from bilateral missions in the region will fall within the larger program description of the Leader Award (as laid out in Section 3 of this Program Description: Program Framework). A secondary, yet highly important purpose of the Leader Award, is to help build the research and management capabilities of research/academic institutions throughout the region such that they will be able to apply for and successfully implement direct awards from USAID and other donors in the future.

The successful application will present a partnership, network, or consortium consisting of a group of institutions that will work together to perform the work envisioned by this Program. It is highly encouraged that regional institutions (based in the eligible countries previously described) be included as key partners in the implementation of the Program. Such organizations might include, for example, foundations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, community based organizations, or civil society organizations based in the region.

Overall, the Program aims to contribute to providing the knowledge necessary to implement effective health services and to support health system strengthening in the region. It will support efforts to improve the availability and use of data to guide the allocation of limited resources while also strengthening the capacity that is integrated within health systems to improve program outcomes and efficiency. The project will result in: 1) stronger evidence concerning the effectiveness and efficiency of local or regional public health policies and initiatives; 2) the regional and global dissemination of research findings; and 3) the enhanced application of research findings to public health practice. It is anticipated that this regional technical health platform will take advantage of economies of scale by increasing the number of collaborating institutions and researchers available for health research in this region.

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