DEADLINE: 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2023
GAVI ALLIANCE
(165-2023-GAVI-RFP)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES TO SUPPORT NIGERIA ZERO DOSE WORK ON IMMUNISATION.
Address Technical, Financial Proposals and required documents via email to procurement@gavi.org
ANNEX 1: RFP SCOPE AND REQUIREMENTS
Background and Introduction:
RFP Timelines:
Procurement Activity Responsible Party Due Date RFP Issue Date Gavi 18 Aug. 23 Intent to Participate due Bidder 28 Aug. 23 Final date for submitting Questions Bidder 28 Aug. 23 Gavi Response to Questions Gavi 08 Sep. 23 Bid submission deadline (CET) Bidder 15 Sept. 23. 24:00 (CET) Estimated Contract Award Date Gavi 02 Oct. 23 Estimated Contract Start Date Gavi 09 Oct. 23
The proposed timeline set out above indicates the process Gavi intends to follow. If there are any changes to this time plan, Gavi will notify all Bidders of this in writing.
(1) Gavi Project
Background.
The mission of GAVI Alliance is to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower income countries – with a focus on equity, seeking to fully immunize every child especially in underserved communities and zero-dose children. Gavi alliance’s 2021 – 25 strategy – also known as ‘Gavi 5.0’ aims to build on successes achieved through efforts of countries and partners to further accelerate progress towards universal immunisation. The Alliance has proposed a common framework for countries to design tailored programmes to reach zero-dose children and missed communities, against which Gavi support can be programmed.The Identify-Reach-Monitor-Measure-Advocate Framework:As described further in Gavi’s Zero-Dose Funding Guidelines, and illustrated below, the Alliance is proposing a common framework for countries to design tailored programmes to reach zero-dose children and missed communities, against which Gavi support can be programmed. Sometimes referred to as the “IRMMA Framework”, it reflects the following components:
- Identify where zero-dose children and missed communities are and why they are missed.
- Reach these communities sustainably with tailored context-dependent programmatic approaches.
- Monitor the implementation of programmes that aim to reach zero-dose children.
- Measure the effectiveness and efficiency of programmes.
- Advocate for zero-dose children and missed communities with one voice as an Alliance.
Gavi supports countries through various funding levers including health systems strengthening (HSS), equity accelerator funding (EAF), vaccine support for both vaccines, introduction and switch grants and campaign operations costs, COVID-19 vaccine delivery support (CDS), and targeted country assistance (TCA) among others. TCA is important to augment government and partner support to design, implement, monitor, and measure impact of various investments and approaches funded by Gavi and other sources. The partnership engagement framework (PEF) TCA is an important part of countries’ routine immunisation (RI) support in efforts to reach zero dose children and accelerate recovery of RI and catch up for missed children.
(1.1) Work Context
The tasks shall be performed for the Government under the supervision of NPHCDA in close collaboration with the Gavi Nigeria Country Team (CT) working with other teams across the Gavi secretariat.
Nigeria Context
Nigeria has had significant improvements in immunisation coverage with Penta 3 WUENIC estimates at 56% for 2021 against 33% in 2016. Still, the country grapples with over 2.2 million zero-dose children – the second-highest zero-dose burden globally. Major systemic challenges include weak management and coordination especially at sub-national levels, inadequate supervision of implemented activities, poor data management, inadequate funding, insecurity, and an increased burden on the human resource for health. These gaps, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic pose a high risk of increasing zero-dose children and backsliding on gains made over the Gavi 4.0 strategic period.
Nigeria, through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) developed the National Strategy for Immunization and Primary Health Care Systems Strengthening (NSIPSS) that guides efforts to improve immunisation coverage – attain Penta 3 coverage of 90% by 2028 and significantly reduce the number of zero dose children. The country, through various analyses, has identified 100 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 18 states that are home to the highest numbers of zero dose children.
These 100 LGAs have been prioritized for focused efforts and investments with the aim to reduce the number of zero dose children by 35% by 2025 and with annual targets to reduce by at least 15% in each of the 100 LGAs. NPHCDA has already initiated engagements with partners and states to develop zero dose reduction operational plans (ZDROPs) that will be critical to country ambitions as well as included the 100 LGAs in routine immunisation intensification efforts and campaigns. The Gavi Country team has equally identified zero dose reduction among its priority ‘must-wins’ for Nigeria – in support of Government’s efforts. The proposed technical assistance (TA) is meant to provide support for these efforts.
(1.2) Objectives: Gavi seeks to recruit a technical assistance (TA) partner (s) to provide technical support for zero dose reduction in Nigeria. The TA partner(s) will work with NPHCDA and respective state and local government areas to implement the IRMMA framework leveraging investments from Gavi HSS, Vaccine Programmes, CDS and other funding, as well as funding from other partners. The required TA aims at acceleration of zero dose reduction through the entire intervention cycle from planning to monitoring/measurement and evaluation of deployed interventions and approaches.
