| Overview : The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to provide the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the latest knowledge of companies offering small and medium-scale Waste-to-Energy solutions which could be used to support UNDP’s Country Programmes. UNDP expects to follow this RFI with an international bidding exercise for Waste-to-Energy solutions and the information provided in the RFI will be used to determine the feasibility, scope, timeframe and approximate resource requirements for such processes. UNDP wishes to explore potential applications of nascent cutting-edge technology solutions that couple safe waste management with sustainable energy production to address waste management constraints in countries facing man-made or environmental crisis. Lack of proper waste management has significant health and environmental costs globally. These effects are exacerbated in developing countries where many communities are overpopulated and are exposed to unhealthy living conditions. Infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles, and cholera are accelerated as a result of inadequate sanitation. Environmentally conscious methods of processing garbage significantly improve local environmental conditions and decrease toxic additions to soil, water, and air. Reduced environmental impact of settlements protects precious sources of ground water. Without options for safe garbage disposal and recycling, plastics and other waste end up in unprotected dump sites, rivers, and the ocean. Safe disposal of hazardous material can be difficult in many impoverished communities due to lack of education, transportation, adequate space, and infrastructure. Nowhere is it more difficult than in areas experiencing conflict, often home to transient populations and broken infrastructure. Migration flows and a growing influx of refugees has caused population size to increase rapidly in areas affected by conflict. Unplanned growth strains local municipalities and their ability to deliver basic services to residents. Additional investment in health and sanitation services can help maintain residential and recreational spaces in good condition, and reduce tensions that are caused by resource constraints. Poor waste management can have a negative impact on social cohesion between host and refugee communities. Setting up new and innovative models of waste management reduces pressure on local municipal systems and acts as an intervention to maintain political stability in fragile situations. Against this background, UNDP is interested in exploring the potential application of emergent technologies that address two challenges concurrently, namely: (a) waste management – for example in connection with temporary migratory flows and population movement the likes of which occur with increased frequency wherever there is war or crisis; and (b) lack of adequate sources of energy for household or community consumption. | 
