RFAs: National Co-Lead and Ecosystem Partnership Opportunity for RE:ACT (Viet Nam)

Deadline: 07-Sep-2026

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Viet Nam is seeking a national innovation ecosystem organisation to serve as a co-lead and mobilise stakeholders for the RE:ACT Youth Innovation Challenge for Resilient Communities. The assignment will support youth-led innovation, connect young innovators with universities, startups, innovation hubs and other ecosystem actors, and strengthen community resilience across Viet Nam.

What Is the RE: ACT Youth Innovation Challenge?

RE:ACT – Youth Innovation Challenge for Resilient Communities is a UNDP Viet Nam initiative focused on strengthening youth-led innovation to address community resilience challenges. The programme aims to build a nationally recognised platform where young people can develop and implement innovative solutions to local challenges. A central objective is to connect youth innovators with a broader ecosystem of: - Universities. - Innovation hubs. - Startup communities. - Technical experts. - Public-sector institutions. - Private-sector organisations. - Community organisations. - Living Labs. - Innovation support organisations. Why It Matters Young people can play an important role in developing practical solutions to community-level challenges.

RE: ACT seeks to strengthen the infrastructure around youth innovation rather than supporting youth teams in isolation.

The initiative aims to:

- Increase youth participation in innovation. - Identify promising youth-led solutions. - Connect innovators with technical expertise. - Strengthen collaboration across sectors. - Expand innovation networks throughout Viet Nam. - Support community resilience. - Create stronger pathways from ideas to implementation.

- Establish RE: ACT as a sustainable national innovation platform.

Role of the Selected Organisation The selected national innovation ecosystem organisation will work as a co-lead for the RE:ACT initiative. Its primary responsibility will be to mobilise relevant stakeholders and create a strong national pipeline of youth innovators. The organisation will use its networks, partnerships and convening capacity to connect RE:ACT with innovation communities throughout Viet Nam. Stakeholder Mobilisation The selected organisation will engage organisations and networks including: - Universities. - Innovation centres and hubs. - Startup ecosystems. - Youth innovation communities. - Technical advisors. - Private-sector partners. - Public institutions. - Academic stakeholders. - Community organisations. - Other ecosystem support organisations. This stakeholder engagement is intended to create stronger connections between youth-led teams and organisations that can provide expertise, mentoring, resources and implementation support. Youth Outreach and Application Target One of the major objectives is to attract a broad and diverse pipeline of youth innovators. The selected organisation is expected to help generate at least 200 eligible applications from young innovators across Viet Nam. Outreach should extend beyond Hanoi and reach youth innovation communities across different regions of the country.

Effective outreach may involve:

- University networks. - Innovation hubs. - Startup communities. - Youth networks. - Digital communication channels. - Ecosystem events. - Partner organisations. - Local innovation communities. Living Labs and Technical Support The programme will connect youth teams with technical advisors, Living Labs and support organisations. Living Labs provide practical environments where innovative ideas can be tested, refined and connected to real community needs. The selected organisation will help coordinate these ecosystem relationships and facilitate collaboration between participating youth teams and relevant stakeholders. Key Responsibilities The selected organisation will be responsible for supporting several stages of the RE:ACT programme. Outreach and Ecosystem Engagement The organisation will develop and implement an outreach approach capable of reaching youth innovators throughout Viet Nam. It will also establish relationships with universities, innovation hubs, startups and other ecosystem partners. Application Review and Selection Support The organisation will contribute to the technical review and selection process. This includes preparing appropriate documentation and supporting a transparent process for identifying promising youth-led solutions. Living Lab Coordination The organisation will facilitate connections between selected youth teams, technical advisors, Living Labs and relevant support organisations. The objective is to help innovators strengthen their solutions through practical engagement and expert input. Final Showcase The organisation will support the final showcase of RE:ACT projects and help communicate the achievements and outcomes of participating youth innovators. Sustainability and Closure The assignment will also contribute to the longer-term sustainability of the RE:ACT platform. The final project package should capture lessons learned, outcomes, stakeholder engagement and recommendations for future implementation. Project Period and Location The engagement is expected to run from September 2026 to March 2027. The primary base is Hanoi, Viet Nam. However, the selected organisation will be expected to undertake travel across Viet Nam for outreach, stakeholder engagement and coordination activities. Key Deliverables The assignment includes several major deliverables. Inception and Outreach Package This will establish the initial implementation approach, stakeholder engagement strategy and outreach activities. Technical Review and Selection Documentation The organisation will support the technical review and selection process and prepare the required documentation. Living Lab Coordination This component will focus on coordinating youth teams with Living Labs, technical advisors and other ecosystem partners. Final Showcase and Closure Package The final stage will document pro