APNEC Capacity Development

BACKGROUND

Health ethics promotes the consideration of values in the prioritization and justification of actions by health professionals, researchers and policy-makers that may impact the health and well-being of patients, families and communities. National ethics committees, comprised of experts and stakeholders, may be established by the government to ensure robust assessment of issues and offer empirically informed identification of ethical solutions and policy recommendations. With competing interests under limited resources, a health ethics framework provides for a systematic analysis and resolution of conflicts through the evidence-based application of general ethical principles, such as respect for personal autonomy, beneficence, justice, utility and solidarity. Health ethics is integral to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whereby countries commit to realizing a holistic vision for economic, environmental, political and social development through 17 interlinked and indivisible goals. As such, achieving health in the SDGs through universal health coverage is reinforced by health ethics, both in principle and in practice.

WHO supported the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting for National Ethics/Bioethics Committees (AP-NEC), it provided a platform for participants to exchange ideas, build support and foster collaboration on health ethics, including public health ethics, clinical care ethics and research ethics, with a focus on regional priority issues in the context of the SDGs. APNEC Meetings were convened in October 2017 and October 2019. During the last APNEC Meeting, WHO was requested to provide assistance to Member States in advancing actions for health ethics, such as through supporting the establishment of NECs, support for specialist training on technical areas and ethics processes, e.g. writing guidelines; the facilitation of country-to-country learning; and the development of international guidelines and standards on specialist topics, e.g. use of artificial intelligence in health and climate change–related ethical guidance. WHO also created the APNEC Working Group Meeting on COVID-19 which has been virtually meeting monthly since April 2020.

To further support Member States in strengthening their health ethics frameworks, WHO is now seeking an organization who will conduct a mapping of ethics institutions and personnel; support up to 3 countries on specific ethical issues and/or NEC organizational and governance support; and conduct 10 technical seminars to APNEC members. The documents produced will be used to assist WHO staff, government counterparts and development partners gain a stronger understanding of national priorities of Member States in relation to health ethics; and may be used by Member States in sharing best practices and improving their national health ethics capacity.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

This agreement for performance of work is looking for a team who can support WHO’s secretariat role in the Asia-Pacific National Bioethics/Ethics Committees (APNEC) Working Group on COVID-19.
 

DESCRIPTION/METHODS OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Output 1: Mapping of national ethics institutions and personnel of APNEC members, including linkages with countries between different ministries and/or non-state actors engaged in ethics activities

Output 2: Revision and/or development of national priorities for all APNEC members to assist in WHO engagement and support to countries (included in above mapping).

Output 3: Direct technical support for up to 3 APNEC countries on specific ethical issues and/or NEC organizational and governance support.

Output 4: Provision of technical seminars and related information to APNEC members at the APNEC Working Group Meeting on COVID-19 (held each month). Approximately 10 seminars (2 days preparation, 1-day delivery).

• • Develop an agenda in collaboration with stakeholders and secretariat
• • Develop and disseminate a meeting note with list of attendees for each seminar

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

1. The Proposer or its key personnel must have 10 years’ experience in public health ethics and/or writing technical projects.
2. The Proposer or its key personnel must have worked on at least three comparable projects, please include contact details of former clients as reference;
3. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in facilitating technical seminars.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Requirements for Team/Organization:

• • Cover Letter. A letter signed by an officer of the firm, company or corporation, binding the firm/company/corporation to all comments made in the proposal. Include a primary contact person for the proposal.
• • Qualifications and Experience. Provide a description of the history, experience, and qualifications of your firm/company/corporation and any proposed subcontractors* to perform the Scope of Work.
• • Documents
  • Resumes and biographies of all principals assigned to the project.
  • List of capabilities corresponding to the scope of work.
  • List of similar/relevant projects your firm/company/corporation has undertaken including results achieved.
  • References from similar projects your firm/company/corporation has undertaken.
• • Approach to Scope of Work. Provide a detailed description of your approach the deliverables.
• • Service Timeframes. Provide a detailed description of the services to be performed based on the scope of work and the average timeframes required to complete each. This should include:
  • The estimated number of staff hours to complete scope of work;
  • All personnel anticipated to be involved in each task.
• • Project Cost. Provide detailed costs for the services to be performed based on the scope of work.

*If any element of the scope will be subcontracted, please provide the same information for the subcontracting firm.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Qualifications and range of experience of Proposer or its key personnel - 25 pts
• Knowledge of project requirements as demonstrated under “Methods of activities” - 25 pts
• Written presentation, including readability and conveyance of technical aspects - 25 pts
• Project Costs - 25 pts

TOTAL: 100 pts. 

After review of the submissions WHO may request to meet (virtually) with potential service providers prior to selecting a vendor.

PROVISION

WHO Assumes no responsibility and no liability for costs incurred relevant to the preparation and submission of the Request for Proposal by prospective vendors, or any other costs prior to issuance of a contract.

WHO also retains the right to reject any and all of the proposals submitted, and to make any award deemed to be in the best interest of WHO.

"All rights in the work, including ownership of the original work and copyright thereof, shall be vested in WHO, which reserves the right (a) to revise the work, (b) to use the work in a different way from that originally envisaged, or (c) not to publish or use the work."

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Starting Date: 19 October 2020
• Duration of Contract: 8 months 

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested organizations should submit their technical and financial proposals to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at  wproungm@who.int by 03 October 2020. 

Please use Tender Notice No. 114369 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.