Locations
Funded by the EU and implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership aims to support the Philippines’ transition towards a green economy, including a circular economy, sustainable consumption and production, reducing waste and plastic, as well as increasing energy and material efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation. The added benefits of a circular economy include reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, improved biodiversity and natural capital, decreased pollution levels, and enhanced climate change adaptation.
The Programme has four Specific Objectives (SOs) with the following lead agencies:
- SO1: Improved systemic circular economy and climate change policies and reduced GHG emissions. This is led by Germany’s development agency, GIZ, with the DENR.
- SO2: Enhanced practices of circular economy by LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and the civil society sector, with a focus on youth and gender equality. This is co-led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and UNDP Philippines.
- SO3: Focuses on enhanced engagement of the private and financial sectors in a circular, waste-reduction economy. This is being implemented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Expertise France, and the Global Green Growth Institute.
- SO4: Focuses on increased energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment (crosscutting). This initiative is being implemented by the Department of Energy (DoE) in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank.
This challenge is open for all, including individuals, organizations, NGOs and corporations, academe with demonstrated operational capacity and business viability, making them well-positioned to pilot circular economy solutions. These include (but is not limited to):
- Technology startups
- Social enterprises (to achieve social or environmental impact)
- MSMEs; enterprises with less than 200 employees and Php 100,000,000 worth of company assets
- Private Sector Institutions (i.e., Chambers of Commerce, Private Coalitions, Business Cooperatives)
Further, applicants must:
- Be legally registered (SEC, DTI, CDA, BIR, or equivalent registration)
- Have an active bank account with the same legal name as the organization/ individual applying
- Proposed technology, product, or service must have been commercialized and in use for at least (1) year
- Have a ready team and the tools to implement
- Not receiving or seeking funding for the same project from other EU-PH Green Economy Partnership initiatives (e.g., SO3 Green Up to Scale Up Innovation Grant or awarded ESO programmes)
No. Your innovation/ organization doesn’t need to be physically based in a target LGU, as long as your project addresses the needs and CE priorities of that LGU and is willing to execute in one of the target local government units.
Foreign-founded organizations may apply as long as they have legal registration.
City of Bacoor, Cagayan de Oro City, Cotabato City, City of Ilagan, Isabela City, Koronadal City, Maasin City, City of San Carlos, City of San Jose del Monte, and the City of Sorsogon
You can apply across multiple LGUs—if your solution matches their priorities. Kindly apply to each Quantum link per LGU.
Each LGU will review proposals separately. You might be shortlisted for more than one city, but UNDP may assign you to just one to make sure all LGUs are covered. However, selected innovators can only receive one contract under this challenge.
Solutions aligned with any of the three focus areas:
- Plastic circularity: refill models, recycling tech, EPR, product redesign, reuse models
- Organic and food waste: composting, food rescue, biodigesters, sustainable agri inputs
- Green tourism: waste-reducing tourism models, sustainable lodging, circular tourism products and services
Please refer to the handbook for the Challenge Statements that each LGU supports.
No, but it must show significant innovation or improvement. Your proposal should show how it adds value, scales up, or introduces new practices as well as answer the challenge statement of the local government unit.
The proposal amounts may range from a minimum of US$ 35,000 to a maximum of US$ 40,000 per organization to be used for implementation in one LGU for a duration of 10-15 months from contract signing.
The fund can be used for project management costs including salaries of project staff (maximum of 25% of the total project proposal); technology, design, business, development or consultancy services ; advisory inputs, operations; materials, technologies; community engagement; monitoring and evaluation; and travel costs directly related to the implementation of the project (max 15% of the total budget).
The fund will not cover capital expenditures; interest or debt owed to any third party; expenditures and provisions for possible future losses or debts; Items already financed through another similar scheme, program or institution, financial awards; bank and currency exchange expenses, losses, fees and penalties; marketing, sales and distribution costs for promoting the technology, product or service, feasibility studies.
UNDP values innovation and the contributions of all participants. To maximize public benefit, IP rights for funded solutions will be held by UNDP. However, innovators will receive appropriate licenses to continue developing, showcasing, and using their solutions beyond the challenge. Solutions will be made public to encourage open exchange, collaboration, and community-driven development.
This aims to ensure that:
- Innovations with high public benefit become public goods or services accessible to all
- No single entity has monopoly control over the solution
- Solutions remain affordable for intended beneficiaries
If other LGUs or organizations express interest in adopting your solution, UNDP will help connect you with them to encourage scaling and replication as a public good.
Visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/, search for the LGU’s Innovation Challenge and follow instructions.
Feel free to email procurement.ph@undp.org for quantum related concerns.
You may send inquiries until 31 July 2026 to eu.gepp@undp.org
