INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyze action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Adapting to impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for livelihoods, food security, water supply, health, security, and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam.

The GCA’s ambitious 2020-2025 business plan and strategy have three pillars:

• Programs: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership.
• Knowledge: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Adaptation Knowledge Portal.
• Advocacy and Awareness: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward.

Introduction to GCA’s Work on Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) 
The impacts of climate change are most acutely felt by socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged and marginalized people and groups because of their higher vulnerability and lower adaptive capacity. Recognizing the highly localized nature of climate impacts; the importance of local adaptation action; the potential and creativity of communities to develop locally appropriate and innovative solutions; the ownership benefits of community-driven action; and the strong need for accountability to poor and marginalized communities affected by climate change, the GCA is strongly committed to addressing barriers to accelerating and scaling up LLA through the Global Hub on Locally Led Adaptation. The Hub aims to promote LLA at scale, with speed, to reduce climate risks for populations and sections of society that are most vulnerable to climate change. The activities of the Hub are guided by the eight Principles for Locally Led Adaptation.   

In addition to knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer learning and capacity strengthening, the Global Hub on LLA supports the development of People’s Adaptation Plans, based on the local contextualization of this Guide, as part of the GCA’s Adaptation Acceleration Program. The Hub is currently supporting People’s Adaptation Plans in multiple countries across Africa and nine cities in Bangladesh. These Plans are produced by communities exposed to vulnerability, with facilitation by GCA partners, to inform investments by projects from International Financial Institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank. 

Background of this Assignment  
GCA’s national infrastructure stress test estimates that the road network in Bangladesh can suffer annual damages as high as €7.4 billion – 1.6% of the national GDP in 2023 – during coastal flood events (RCP4.5, 50-year events). According to the GCA study, 95% of the road network (170,782 km) is exposed to at least one type of climate hazard.   

Roads can also block the natural flow of water if they are not well planned, resulting in flooding, land erosion, sedimentation, reduced recharge of aquifers and rivers, and damage to personal and public property, infrastructure and agricultural assets. The roads themselves are damaged due to the disrupted water flow, causing further negative impacts on poor communities by restricting access to markets and health care and educational facilities, and negatively contributing to road safety. On the flip side, if roads are well planned, designed and maintained, they can result in multiple benefits to communities, including improved agricultural productivity and access to water and other public services. 

The World Bank is currently preparing the US$ 200 million “Climate Smart Rural Transport Project (CSmaRT) which aims to enhance the climate resilience of the transport network in rural Bangladesh by implementing integrated rural transport planning and resilient transport asset management in 41 out of 64 districts in Bangladesh. It focuses on designing climate-resilient and safer rural roads, establishing an integrated rural transport planning and resilient asset management, and adopting sustainable road maintenance approaches through Performance-Based Maintenance Contracts (PBMCs). Additionally, it includes pilot dredging of rural waterways and ports to explore alternative modes of transport in rural Bangladesh.  

Despite the ambitious plan to invest in rural transport network in 41 districts, there are limitations to adequately address potential climate risks to rural roads, and direct and cascading climate impacts on key sectors (such as agriculture, energy, and public health), which can impede national efforts to reduce poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Several sectors rely heavily on the rural transport system in Bangladesh, and disruptions in transport typically have knock-on effects on these sectors, well beyond the affected areas.   

Recognizing this, the World Bank has requested GCA’s support to engage low-income communities, particularly women, living in the hinterland of the roads in select project areas through Women’s Adaptation Labs. The goal is to inform the planning and design of roads under the project, maximizing not only benefits such as improved mobility and access to essential services, but also enhancing water management by better managing road runoff and making it available for various purposes, such as agriculture and groundwater recharge. To achieve this, the Green Roads for Water approach will be followed, which promotes the use of roads as tools for water management and climate resilience. Various Green Roads for Water measures will be applied when designing new roads or maintaining and upgrading existing ones. These measures include capturing runoff through strategic channels, (gated) culverts, and side drains, storing it in ponds or trenches, and making it available for uses such as agricultural irrigation or livestock drinking water. 

Purpose of this Assignment 
GCA seeks an implementation partner (who will work in partnership with another local partner based in Rajshahi) with substantial expertise in community engagement and community-led development, climate adaptation planning, and facilitating multi-disciplinary dialogues, to engage and support women’s groups living in the hinterland of two selected stretches of roads (not more than 10 KM each) in Rajshahi to identify key climate vulnerabilities, and collaborate with technical experts through Women’s Adaptation Labs that can inform the planning, design and future O&M of the roads.  The resulting Women’s Adaptation Plans will guide investments by the CSmaRT project.  

Submission of the Proposal 
If you are interested in participating in this Request for Proposal, you are requested to submit your proposal in PDF format to the link: GCA-PR-25-702 – Submit Proposal no later than 9 April 2025, 16:00:00 hours (04:00:00 p.m. o’clock), Central European Time (CET) (hereinafter referred to as “the closing date and time”). 

Bidders are cautioned that the timing of submission is based on when the proposal is received by the GCA, not when a proposal is submitted by a bidder. As transmission can be delayed due to file transfer size, transmission speed or other technical factors, bidders should plan to submit proposals well in advance of the Submission Deadline to avoid submitting late due to technical issues. Bidders submitting near the Submission Deadline do so at their own risk. 

Proposals received after the closing date and time will be rejected. GCA will confirm receipt of proposals within 24 hours from the closing date and time. Bidders that do not receive this confirmation must contact GCA within 48 hours from the closing date and time. After 48 hours from the closing date and time, GCA shall not respond to any queries related to whether a bidder’s proposal was received. 

Please download the full RFP on this page for more information