CFAs: Fresh Food Support Initiative in La Paz and El Alto (Bolivia)

Deadline: 11-Sep-2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking partners to support the continuous provision of fresh foods to hospitals, shelters, and prioritized community canteens in the metropolitan areas of La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia. The call for expression of interest responds to recent disruptions in food access caused by nationwide protests and logistical blockades. These disruptions have contributed to scarcity and rising prices of essential goods, particularly fresh foods, increasing food insecurity among vulnerable urban households. The initiative seeks capable partners to help maintain a reliable supply of fresh food while ensuring food safety, effective voucher management, accurate beneficiary records, and strong community feedback and accountability systems.

About the WFP Bolivia Initiative

The initiative has been developed in response to serious disruptions in food access across Bolivia. Nationwide protests and logistical blockades have affected the movement and availability of essential goods. In La Paz and El Alto, these disruptions have contributed to: - Increased food prices. - Scarcity of essential goods. - Higher transportation costs. - Reduced household purchasing power. - Greater food insecurity. - Increased pressure on households dependent on informal or daily incomes. Fresh foods have been particularly affected by these disruptions, making reliable supply to essential community and institutional food outlets a priority. Main Objective The primary objective is to ensure the continuous and timely supply of fresh foods to priority locations in La Paz and El Alto.

The initiative focuses on supplying:

- Hospitals. - Shelters. - Prioritized community canteens. The selected partners will play an operational role in maintaining food availability for people relying on these essential services. Why Fresh Food Supply Is Important Disruptions to transportation and food distribution can have an immediate effect on access to fresh foods. Fresh food supply chains can be particularly vulnerable to logistical interruptions because many products require timely transportation and appropriate handling. By supporting reliable supply to hospitals, shelters, and community canteens, the initiative aims to help maintain access to essential food during a period of disruption and economic pressure. Who Will Benefit? The programme is focused on people receiving food assistance through priority institutions and community facilities.

Key beneficiary settings include:

- Hospitals. - Shelters. - Prioritized community canteens. The wider context also includes vulnerable urban households affected by food insecurity, inflation, transportation costs, and reduced purchasing power. Food Voucher Management An important responsibility under the partnership is the operational management of food vouchers. Partners will need to ensure that voucher-related processes are managed effectively and that records are maintained accurately. Effective voucher management can help support transparent distribution and ensure that food assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries and priority facilities. Food Safety Standards Food safety is a key operational requirement.

Partners will be expected to maintain appropriate food safety standards during

- Transportation. - Handling. - Distribution. Fresh foods require careful management throughout the supply chain to protect food quality and safety. Partners should therefore demonstrate the operational capacity to manage fresh food distribution in accordance with applicable food safety requirements. Beneficiary and Food Usage Records Reliable record-keeping is another important component of the initiative.

Partners will be expected to maintain accurate information regarding

- Beneficiaries. - Food distribution. - Food usage. - Voucher operations. Strong documentation will help WFP monitor implementation, verify food assistance, and strengthen accountability. Community Feedback and Accountability The initiative also emphasizes community participation and accountability. Partners are expected to strengthen community feedback mechanisms so that beneficiaries and participating communities have appropriate channels to communicate their experiences, concerns, or feedback. Effective accountability mechanisms can help identify operational problems and improve the quality and responsiveness of food assistance. Operational Management Responsibilities Selected partners are expected to support the operational delivery of the programme.

Key responsibilities include:

- Ensuring continuous fresh food supply. - Coordinating timely deliveries. - Managing food vouchers. - Maintaining food safety during transportation and distribution. - Keeping accurate beneficiary records. - Documenting food usage. - Supporting community feedback mechanisms. - Strengthening accountability. Response to Food Access Disruptions The partnership opportunity is directly linked to the food access disruptions experienced during recent nationwide protests and logistical blockades. These disruptions have affected the availability and affordability of essential goods in Bolivia. La Paz and El Alto have experienced particularly significant pressures, including inflation and shortages of fresh foods. The WFP response is therefore designed to help maintain food assistance and supply continuity in priority settings during this challenging period. Impact on Vulnerable Urban Households Households dependent on informal or daily incomes can be particularly vulnerable to sudden increases in food and transportation costs. When prices rise and supplies become scarce, these households may have fewer resources available to compensate for increased expenses. The resulting loss of purchasing power can intensify food insecurity. Supporting hospitals, shelters, and community canteens helps maintain access to food for people using essential services and community-based assistance mechanisms. Who Should Consider Applying? The call