THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary, and the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government.

Development Problem Statement:

In addition to the lack of sanitation products and construction materials and the inability to repair latrines that often prevent sanitation activities from being sustainable, there are a number of other challenges. Local government officials are not sufficiently involved in the effort to eliminate open defecation; there is not enough follow-up and support to communities that have attained ODF status; and monitoring of progress towards eliminating open defecation is not rigorous enough. There are also significant financial challenges: people who practice open defecation are often unable to afford sanitation products and services; relatively few sanitation products are commercially available; and most households in Liberia generate income from seasonally-variable agriculture, which limits their ability to make upfront investments. Many of the latrines that were constructed under the recent USAID activity are made from very cheap materials that are not able to withstand the environmental challenges such as termites and rain, leading to rapid deterioration.

See additional details attached.