Innovation Challenge UNDP-UZB-01962 - Innovative solutions for restoring degraded and saline lands in the Lower Amu Darya

Call for Proposals for the Challenge

The UNDP Uzbekistan aims to respond to the development challenges under the initiative of "Aral Sea Wetlands Innovation Challenge 2026". Specifically, Innovation Challenge is to research and find innovative solutions for restoring degraded and saline lands in the Lower Amu Darya.

Challenge Areas:

Amudarya and Muynak districts, Republic of Karakalpakstan

Pre-proposal conference / webinar on innovation challenge

Interested applicants are invited to attend the pre-proposal conference / webinar on innovation challenge: 

Date and time: 15:00 hours on 25 August 2026 (GMT +5 / Tashkent time)

Zoom link: https://undp.zoom.us/j/85913737770

Objective of the Challenge:

The Government of Uzbekistan has made restoration of the Aral Sea region a national environmental priority. The Aral Sea Wetlands Project is implemented by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change together with UNDP and financed by the Global Environment Facility. The Project promotes integrated land and water management, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation and resilient livelihoods in the Lower Amu Darya.

Land degradation remains a major challenge in the target landscape. Salinity, declining soil fertility, loss of vegetation cover, wind erosion and reduced productivity weaken ecosystems and livelihoods. The Project has generated land degradation neutrality assessments and sustainable land management recommendations, but locally suitable solutions still need practical field testing and evidence before wider replication.

The Aral Sea Wetlands Innovation Challenge is therefore inviting pilot-ready innovations from businesses, research institutions, civil society and community-based actors. The competition will reward solutions that can deliver measurable restoration results in eligible degraded areas of Amudarya and Muynak districts and generate evidence for scaling.

Eligible applicants:

Applications may be submitted by legally constituted entities individually or as a consortium. Eligible applicants include:

·     start-ups, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and other private companies

·     non-governmental and community-based organizations

·     farmers’ associations and producer groups

·     universities, academic and research institutions

·     innovation centres and technology developers

·     women-led enterprises and women’s organizations

·     youth-led organizations and other eligible legal entities

Consortia are encouraged where partners bring complementary scientific, technical, commercial or community expertise. One lead applicant must be designated to sign the Prize Agreement, receive the prize and remain accountable for implementation and reporting.

Expected date of contract start: End of September 2026

Expected length of contract: Maximum 90 calendar days (please, refer to the Terms of Reference)

Estimated prize: USD 40,000 — up to four prizes of up to USD 10,000 each (excluding VAT)

Other information on this Innovation challenge and forms/templates are listed below:

Annex 1 - Terms of Reference & Evaluation criteria

Annex 2 – Proposal submission Form including Bidders Declaration

Annex 3 – Technical and Financial proposal Form

Annex 4 - Any other information and forms for filling and submission related to this Innovation Challenge (Refer to the Annex A, B, C, and D)

Important: All the bidders bidding from abroad must propose their proposals in USD (United States dollar) and the bidders from Uzbekistan must submit their offers in Uzbek soums (UZS) that must not exceed USD 10,00 (ten thousand) excluding VAT when the UNORE rate at USD 1 = UZS 11,912.73 applied. Any offer that exceeds USD10,000 (ten thousand) will be disqualified and the proposal will not be reviewed by the evaluation committee. 

When preparing your proposal, please be guided by the Instructions and Data. All the details regarding the background of the call, criteria for selection and evaluation can be found in the Terms of Reference.  The applicants must submit their proposals using the forms and templates provided in the system.

Please note that proposals must be submitted  directly in the system responding to the questions and uploading required documents by the date and time indicated in the online portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that your proposal is submitted before the deadline. Proposals received after the submission deadline outside the online portal, for whatever reason, will not be considered for evaluation.

Proposals must be submitted directly in NextGenERP supplier portal following this link: http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org using the profile you may have in the portal.

Follow the instructions in the user guide to search for the tender using Negotiation ID in this document.

In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link shared via the procurement notice and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources- for-bidders. Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration.

Thank you and we look forward to receiving your Proposals.

Kind regards,

Procurment Unit