Implement the Local Health Systems Playbook for Equity-based COVID-19 Vaccination through CSO Initiatives to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Areas with High Unvaccinated Populations

WHO
Implement the Local Health Systems Playbook for Equity-based COVID-19 Vaccination through CSO Initiatives to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Areas with High Unvaccinated Populations Request for proposal

Reference: WHE-05-2023
Beneficiary countries or territories: Philippines
Registration level: Basic
Published on: 08-Jun-2023
Deadline on: 21-Jun-2023 17:00 (GMT 8.00)

Description

The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking offers for Technical Assistance to Implement the Local Health Systems Playbook for Equity-based COVID-19 Vaccination through CSO Initiatives to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Areas with High Unvaccinated Populations.

BACKGROUND

The first case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was reported on January 30, 2020, with the first local transmission confirmed on March 6, 2020. At the time of writing, there are 4,075,757 documented cases and 66,051 Filipino lives have been lost due to the pandemic.

As of 19 February 2023, there are 73.9 million or 67.75% vaccinated from the total population (with the last dose of primary series). The Philippine government aims to build the immunity of the population, especially vulnerable groups, to protect their health and well-being amid the continuing threat of COVID-19.

The WHO Philippines COVID-19 Incident Management Team (IMT) together with the Department of Health, through its Health Promotion Bureau (DOH-HPB) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have been providing Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) resources, materials, and toolkit to help raise awareness of the general public especially the vulnerable and marginalized.

However, there is a need to undertake a more targeted and grassroots approach on COVID-19 vaccine demand generation to reach vulnerable populations residing in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), especially women, children, elderly, indigenous peoples, and other groups.

In order to reach these communities in GIDAs, the DOH-HPB developed the Local Health Systems Playbook on Equity-based COVID-19 Vaccination to respond to the specific contexts and conditions of communities and ensure that national policies on equity, inclusively, and gender mainstreaming are fulfilled accordingly. In 2022, the DOH-HPB through the support of the Philippine Disaster Relief Fund (PDRF) piloted the Playbook in Cebu province. This pilot highlighted the role of social mobilizers and other local health partners and advocates aside from the local government units (LGUs) in reaching the goals of equity in vaccination. This must be done by enhancing their capacity and properly equipping them with knowledge and tools to effectively convey messages and combat COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. The goal is to expand the implementation of the playbook in order to ensure equitable, inclusive, and gender-responsive implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

To support this, WHO Philippines will hire institutional contractual partner/s to undertake the implementation of the Local Health Systems (LHS) Playbook on Equity-based COVID-19 Vaccination with available tools and mechanisms, along with the development of innovative and gender-responsive strategies and mechanisms to promote vaccination among vulnerable groups in GIDAs with high unvaccinated population.

REQUIREMENTS/WORK TO BE PERFORMED

Output 1: Development of Inception Report. The Inception Report shall include: 

Deliverable 1.1: Rapid Risk Assessment (RRA). Reference: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/risk-communication-and-community-engagement-(rcce)-action-plan-guidance  

Deliverable 1.2: Develop a Risk Communications and Community Engagement Strategy.

Deliverable 1.3:  Workplan including timetable (Gantt Chart)

Deliverable 1.4: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan aligned with the Equity Playbook.  

Output 2: First Progress Report.

Deliverable 2.1: Accomplishment report based on the updated RRA and agreed upon indicators in the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan.

Deliverable 2.2: Community-based tools and information, education, and communication (IEC) materials developed from the first month of project implementation

Deliverable 2.3: Implementation Report of the Risk Communications and Community Engagement Microplanning tool

Output 3: Second Progress Report.

Deliverable 3.1: Updated Report on the Implementation of the Risk Communications and Community Engagement Microplanning tool

Deliverable 3.2: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Report of the RCCE materials

Output 4: Final Report

Deliverable 4.1: Updated results of RCCE microplanning tool and MEL

Deliverable 4.3: Manuscript of the Equity Playbook with inputs from the CSO Initiative.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTRACTOR

Mandatory experience:

  • Evidence of successfully managing and implementing community-based projects with grants between USD 10,000 to USD 100,000.
  • Evidence of successfully managing projects with community engagement and community mobilization indicators.
  • Relevant experience in communication, education campaigns, advocacy and partnership building, development of policies and legislation, conducting assessment and research, organizing, and facilitating meetings and workshops, and technical meetings, writing technical reports and documents.
  • At least seven (7) years experience implementing community-based projects in the Philippines
  • Significant experience collaborating with relevant government agencies at the local, regional and/or national levels.
  • Efficient organizational and management skills.
  • Excellent community organization skills and good community relations.

Desirable experience:

  • Previous experience working with WHO, other United Nations agencies, the Department of Health, non-governmental organizations or other health-related organizations is desirable
  • Relevant experience working with international and multilateral agencies (especially UN agencies) is an advantage.
  • Experience in public health is an advantage.

SUBMISSIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit the following documents to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 21 June 2023

  • • Company Profile {for institutional applications}
  • • Technical proposal indicating methodology and timelines, in addition to the below annexes
    • Annex 2: Confidentiality Undertaking
    • Annex 3: Vendor Information Form
  • • Financial proposal

Please use Tender Notice No.  WHE-05-2023 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

Last day of receiving queries for this tender is on 15 June 2023