East Asia and Pacific Environmental Initiative USAID and State working with partners protecting the environment and improving livelihoods

The East Asia and Pacific Environmental Initiative (EAPEI) was established in FY 1999 to increase environmental quality in the East Asia and Pacific region by increasing environmental capacity and knowledge through joint State/USAID and partner efforts. See http://eapei.home.att.net for details. The three focus areas are:

Improved Forestry and Land Use Management
Improved Coastal Resources Management
Improved Environmental Planning and Management

The EAPEI is programmed from Economic Support Funds by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and managed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Asia and the Near East (ANE) under its Regional Program (SO 498-015). Program decisions are approved by the A/S State/EAP, in consultation with the Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), the USAID Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support and Research, Center for the Environment (G/ENV) and the USAID Bureau for Asia and Near East. A final decision by the Department of State EAP Assistant Secretary will be made on or about March 31, 2001.

The goal of the EAPEI is to increase environmental quality by increasing environmental capacity and knowledge in the East Asia and Pacific region through joint State/USAID and partner efforts. The Strategic Objective is to establish an efficient, transparent and effective grants program contributing to accomplishing the EAPEI goal. The EAPEI implements through agreements with US federal agencies, international and regional organizations, universities and USAID-registered non-governmental organizations.

State and USAID objectives in funding activities under EAPEI are to:

1. Promote rational use of renewable natural resources in East Asia and the Pacific;
2. Increase the capacity of national and regional institutions, both governmental and non-governmental, to manage the natural resource base for the next two years and beyond; and
3. Share knowledge for improved management of natural resources among East Asian and Pacific Island nations.

Review Process and Responsibilities

Proposals in response to the EAPEI FY2001 Request for Application (RFA) were due to USAID Monday, January 8, 2001. The Request for Application is located at http://eapei.home.att.net/EAPEI-RFA1122.htm. There are 44 applications for support (24 Forestry and Land Use, 16 Coastal and Marine Resource Management and 5 Environmental Planning and Management) requesting $15 million in resources and offering $6 million in matching effort for a total of $21 million. EAPEI is presently allocated $3.5 million for its FY2001 program.

EAPEI proposals will be reviewed by a joint State/USAID Review Committee chaired by Bruce Malkin of State/EAP and also consisting of EAPEI Manager, Tim Resch representing USAID/ANE, Lisa Brodey of State/OES and Rolf Anderson representing G/ENV.

The Review Committee will be supported by comments from US government technical advisors. Technical advisors to the Review Committee will review selectively proposals in areas where they have technical or geographic competence and make recommendations to the Review Committee on the merits of the proposals they have reviewed. This will include staff from the various technical teams within USAID/G/ENV (eg. Forestry Team, Water Team, Biodiversity Team), technical staff within USAID/ANE in ANE/SPOTS (John Wilson for all proposals but especially Marine and Coastal, AAAS Joe Dudley for wildlife and urban, and Cindy Lowry for energy) and field missions in the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia; and geographical specialists in State and USAID such as desks and field staff. Review opportunities would be offered on a "right of refusal" basis. Per the "Request for Application" (RFA), once the Review Committee has determined its "short list" of applications, the Review Committee would solicit comments from US Embassies and USAID Missions, if any, in the impacted countries.

For the Review Committee and its technical advisors, the applications will be available in hard copy in Washington, DC and also for download via a password-protected Intranet site at http://eapei.intranets.com. Once registered and accepted, intranet members will be able to review electronically or download applications for EAPEI support as well as post group announcements, group events, provide contact information. Also available will be rating sheets for reviewers to use in evaluating the applications against EAPEI selection criteria (100 point scale) and for providing comments on the consistency of the application with EAPEI objectives.

State plans to request the Science and Technology Officers in Indonesia (Robin McClellan) and the Philippines (Lauren Catipon) take primary responsibly for reviewing applications impacting their respective countries. The Regional Environmental Hub of State/OES based in Bangkok, Thailand will focus his review on other countries in the region and regional applications.

The Review Committee plans a rolling review by cluster of proposals. The Committee members must mix EAPEI application, reading, inquiry and ranking with other work responsibilities over the January and February time frame. Order of review will be as follows: 1) Forestry and Land Use Management; 2) Coastal and Marine Resources Management; and 3) Environmental Planning and Management. The Review Committee will read all of the proposals and rank them individually and communally for a consensus recommendation to USAID/ANE, USAID/ENV, State/OES and finally State/EAP for approval.