The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has launched its Call for Proposals from private sector entities seeking DFC support for health-related investments in DFC-eligible emerging market countries via equity financing, debt financing, political risk insurance, feasibility studies, technical assistance, investment funds, and related DFC products.

Through the initiative, DFC aims to mobilize private sector investment in support of global health resilience.

DFC will focus attention on projects that support the global COVID-19 pandemic response, especially through investment in health system capacity, including supply chains that expand the distribution of diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, and other medical supplies, products, and equipment.

Funding Information

• The agency seeks to invest between $5 million and $500 million per eligible project through its full range of financial tools, which includes equity and debt financing, political risk insurance, and technical development.
• Through the initiative, DFC seeks to commit up to an aggregate $2 billion across eligible projects and mobilize an additional $3 billion in private sector capital alongside its investments.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants should be seeking DFC support for private sector-led investments that support the COVID-19 response or other projects in health system capacity, including supply chains (including the production and distribution of PPE, ventilators, therapeutics, diagnostics, vaccines, and other medical supplies); innovative care delivery systems; digital health and related IT systems; health care financing and insurance; data science innovations; medical technology and devices; water and sanitation (WASH); nutrition; pharmaceuticals (with FDA certification or equivalent); biomedical research; and other related investments.
• Additional consideration will be given to proposed investments that support USG government priorities, including to enhance two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and Africa as envisioned by the U.S. Government’s Prosper Africa initiative; investments that support women through the DFC’s 2X Women’s.
• Initiative; investments that complement other U.S. Government global health programs such as PEPFAR, PMI, and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA); and investments with the potential to have highly impactful health outcomes for COVID-19 or NCDs.
• Proposed opportunities and target countries should be described in the applicant’s submission.
• The investment thesis should reflect the management team’s prior experience and track record of impact and financial performance.
• Applicants must be privately owned and managed entities.

Selection Criteria

• Credibility and thoughtfulness of the proposal; consistency and clarity of the investment thesis and proposed strategies.
• Previous track record of the management team making or managing investments in emerging markets, and the team's experience in the health sector.
• Experience, depth, credibility, and cohesiveness of the management team.
• Ability to show a compelling business plan that addresses a market opportunity and logistics delivery capacity needed to improve health outcomes.
• The management team’s experience servicing debt obligations or acting as a fiduciary in managing institutional capital, and meeting reporting requirements.
• Ability to mobilize additional capital within a reasonable time.
• Demonstration of how the proposed investments may have a sustainable, positive developmental impact on the host country/countries in support of country priorities in areas including, but not limited to health outcomes, job creation, infrastructure improvements, social policies, and corporate social responsibility initiatives, as well as innovation, technology and knowledge transfer.
• Ability of project to comply with DFC’s policies related to environmental and social sustainability as well as respect for human and workers’ rights.
• DFC prefers, but does not require, a “U.S. Connection,” which means that the project company must either (i) be a U.S. entity that is at least 25% U.S.-owned or a foreign entity that is majority U.S.-owned, OR (ii) raise investment capital from U.S. investors that is equal to or greater than 25% of the DFC loan or other support.

For more information, visit DFC.