UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID
USAID GLOBAL HEALTH SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAM
PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
NATIONAL INTEGRATED SPECIMEN REFERRAL NETWORK (NISRN) TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN NIGERIA
DEADLINE: 1ST DECEMBER, 2020
1. Background
USAID awarded the Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management project (GHSC-PSM) to Chemonics International Inc., a parent company of SAIIAssociates Ltd/Gte, as the lead contractor. The project provides direct procurement and supply chain management support to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), Population and Reproductive Health, and Maternal and Child Health. The overarching goal of this global project is to ensure uninterrupted supplies of health commodities in support of United States Government (USG)-funded public health initiatives around the world, including Nigeria. GHSC-PSM endeavors to supply lifesaving pharmaceutical and medical supplies and simultaneously build the capacity of government organizations and
agencies, as well as health care facilities. SAII Associates Ltd/Gte is implementing GHSC-PSM in Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the various state governments are responsible for providing high quality diagnostic and treatment services throughout the health systems in Nigeria. Akey part of achieving this goal is ensuring the optimal operating capacity of various and strategically placed diagnostic equipment across health facilities in the country.
Poor testing referral systems for laboratory diagnosis of clients’ clinical samples have prevented full optimization of laboratory diagnostic equipment use, and the prompt management of infectious diseases. The transportation of clinical
samples in an integrated manner is a major challenge in Nigeria. An integrated sample transfer network is currently being implemented in Nigeria using third party logistics (3PLS) service providers to collect and deliver diagnostic clinical samples from health facilities to various testing laboratories across the country, and to collect results from testing laboratories and return to health facilities. The clinical samples include dried blood spot (DBS) for Early Infant Infection of HIV diagnosis, whole blood/plasma for viral load and or CD4,whereas TB samples utilize Sputum, and malaria clinical samples utilize whole blood or slides for microscopy and detection as well as speciation of malaria parasites. The integrity of samples for diagnostic tests must be adequately maintained through proper sample collection, labelling, picking packaging, transportation, and storage in temperature controlled environments to ensure quality and acceptable results are generated and reported.
This system has been successfully implemented leading to short turn-around times for results delivery and subsequently resulting in timely initiation of treatment for clients. GHSC-PSM is scaling up the implementation of the sample referral system across all the health facilities and disease area testing centers across 36+1 states in Nigeria. The systems include collection, packaging, transportation and storage practices.
The use of this integrated sample transportation and results delivery model created opportunities to leverage the HIV and TB sample transportation networks, thereby reducing cost and logistics burden. It also boosted equipment utilization and optimization in a coordinated manner. It is envisioned that the GHSC-PSM project will continue to carry out the integrated referral transportation system and will expand the network to cover other disease areas.
SAII Associates Ltd/Gte/GHSC-PSM seeks to partner with transporters who have experience providing transportation and distribution services and are interested in developing skills in the transportation of temperature and time sensitive specimen, with the capacity to achieve industry standard performance indicators for delivery accuracy, and the ability to scale its operational capacity to meet the growing needs of the national integrated sample referral network throughout Nigeria.
Please note: That this is NOT a request for proposals. GHSC-PSM is seeking to identify and pre-select organizations to receive the RFP based on the criteria outlined below.
2. Purpose
The purpose of the EOl is to identify interested transporters who would like to work with GHSC-PSM to provide temperature and time sensitive specimen transportation services. This includes the handling, transportation and delivery of temperature sensitive bio hazard clinical samples and return of reports to designated facilities serviced by a network of medical laboratory testing sites.
- Prequalification Criteria
Companies and organizations interested in receiving a copy of the RFP shall submit the following documents and information outlined below. GHSC-PSM will select pre-qualified vendors based on the documentation submitted who will be
invited to take part in training sessions (pre-offeror’s conference)where theybe instructed on the requirements of the scope of work, the cost implications, and guidance on how they could become eligible offerors when an RFP is released.
| S/N | Requested Documents |
| 1 | Summary profile of company or organization, including the type (e.g.non-governmental, public voluntary, faith-based organization, limited liability, etc.): core area of specialization of the organization or company, ownership, contact person and details. (one page). |
| 2 | Summary of current key high-level employees, and a concise resume of employees with proven competency level to manage a similar transportation service (similar to transportation and delivery of temperature sensitive biohazard clinical samples and return of reports to designated facilities). |
| 3 | Company/Organization’s summary description of past performance/technical expertise and experience of at least one -two years providing transportation and distribution services |
| 4 | Detailed proof (pictures, vehicle registration numbers etc.) of ownership or documented evidence of access to appropriate, well-covered vehicles suitable for the transportation of cold chain delivery services outlined above or proof(agreement, MOU or any kind of formal arrangement) of being able to obtain such vehicles within 30 days upon award. |
| 5 | Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) that are relevant to management and transportation of goods. SOPS can include but not limited to: -Guidelines for temperature control during storage and transportation -Guidelines for security of samples during picking, packing, transportation and storage -SOP for Vehicle Maintenance -Evidence that the staff has been trained in these SOPS If these SOPS do not exist or need to be updated, please submit proof of being able to develop (SOP or procedures) within 30 days upon selection for award. (Please note, copies of SOPS will be required prior to signing the subcontract. No subcontract will be signed without these documents) |
| 6 | Proof of business registration in Nigeria, and relevant license with regulatory organizations for staff. |
| 7 | Last one -two year(s) (depends on years of existence) audited financial statements. |
Procurement steps:
S/N Activity Proposed Dates 1 Issuance of EOI 24 November 2020 2 Final date to express interest (EOI) 1 December 2020 3 Evaluation of EOI 2-7 December 2020 4 RFP release date 14 December 2020 5 Final date for questions about RFP 21 December 2020 6 RFP Pre-Offeror Virtual Conference 28 December 2020 7 Answers to Questions (in writing) 30 December 2020 8 Final date for Submission of proposals 14 January 2021 9 Evaluation of proposals/ Negotiations 15-29 January 2020 10 Estimated date for Award of subcontracts 10 February 2021
Please note: The selected subcontractor(s) will implement and follow World Health Organization (WHO) good distribution practices relevant to handling and transportation of such clinical samples as well as Guidance on regulations for the Transport of Infectious Substances 2019-2020 (WHO/WHE/CPI/2019.20). In coordination with GHSC-PSM in Nigeria, the selected subcontractor(s) will build national capacity infrastructure by contributing to the establishment of a sustainable outsourced model for the integrated sample referral network, in accordance with policy guidelines as stipulated in the National Medical Laboratory Strategic Plan (2015-2019), existing national policies relating to specimen transport and all requisite policy documents, and guidelines related to the National Integrated Sample Referral Network (NISRN).
1. Contact Information
Please submit an expression of interest no later than 1st December 2020. Email to PSMNigeriaTLPQuotes@ghsc-psm.org
The EOl must align with requested documentation.
Please note: This is NOT a request for proposals (RFP). Responses to this call for expressions of interest are not binding on GHSC-PSM and do not obligate GHSC-PSM to issue a solicitation, nor does it commit GHSC-PSM to pay
any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of comments or EOI. Should GHSC-PSM issue an RFP, only organizations that meet the criteria outlined above and as presented in responses to this EOl will be considered.
