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Request for Applications
RFA # Jhp-SD-002
Issuance Date: March 17, 2016
Deadline for Questions: March 26, 2016 (4:30pm Afghanistan local time) Closing Date: April 12, 2016
Closing Time: 4:30pm, Afghanistan Local Time
Subject: Piloting ICT4D supported referral system in three provinces (Balkh, Jawzjan and Faryab)
The HEMAYAT Project is a five year (2015-2020) project to increase utilization of high quality health services through the introduction and scale-up of culturally-appropriate, cost-effective, high-impact interventions that strengthen and enhance existing primary care services provided by the public and private sectors. The project is led by Jhpiego with partners FHI360, Futures Group and the Afghan Social Marketing Organization.
The potential applicant will closely work with HEMAYAT and relevant Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) departments to improve the existing referral1 services through piloting Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) supported referral system in Balkh, Jawzjan and Faryab provinces (three strings) and sharing the result with MoPH and other relevant stakeholders for future planning. This Request for Applications is being issued and consists of this cover letter with the following information:
Section A – General Description of Funding Opportunity Section B – Application Instructions
Section C – Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria Section D – Award Administration
Section E – Required Certifications Annex 1 – Detailed Work plan Template Annex 2 – Budget Template
Annex 3 – Budget Notes Guidelines
Annex 4 – Institutional Capability and Past Performance Table Annex 5 – USAID Information Form
1 A referral can be defined as a process in which a health worker at a one level of the health system, having
insufficient resources (drugs, equipment, skills) to manage a clinical condition, seeks the assistance of a better or differently resourced facility at the same or higher level to assist in, or take over the management of, the client’s case
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The HEMAYAT Project anticipates awarding one (1) award as a result of this solicitation to a responsible applicant that offers the greatest value to the project.
Applications, as well as questions regarding this RFA must be received by the respective closing dates and time indicated on the top of this cover letter. No late applications will be accepted after the deadline.
Questions should be submitted to [email protected]. Please state “Piloting ICT4D supported referral system” - Questions” in the subject line of your email.
Applications should be submitted along with the mandatory annexes attached to this RFA.
Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Please state “Piloting ICT4D supported referral system” - Applications” in the subject line of your email.
Issuance of this solicitation, or the submission of an application, does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the United States Government (USG)and/or the HEMAYAT Project, nor does it commit the USG) and/or the HEMAYAT Project to pay for costs incurred in the preparation or submission of an application. The HEMAYAT Project reserves the right not to fund any of the applications received.
Jhpiego/HEMAYAT project reserves the right to accept or reject (with or without assigning any reason) any application, and to cancel the solicitation process and reject all applications at any time prior to making the actual award, without thereby incurring any cost/loss/liability to applicant(s) or any obligation to inform the applicants of the grounds for Jhpiego/HEMAYAT project action.
The Jhpiego/HEMAYAT project further reserves the right to amend this Request for Application (RFA) upon written notice to the interested applicants and/or through making an advertisement.
Any decision made in all aforementioned instances including actions that may or may not result in making an award shall be absolute, final and binding on all the interested and participating applicants. Thank you for consideration of this initiative. We look forward to your participation.
Sincerely,
Chief of Party HEMAYAT Project
Table of Contents
SECTION A: General Description of Funding Opportunity ...1
A1. Introduction and Background ... 1
A2. Objective ... 2
A3. Scope of Work and Responsibilities... 2
SECTION B: Application Instructions...4
B1. General Application Guidelines ... 4
B2. Technical Application (Maximum: 20 Pages) ... 5
B3. Budget Guidelines ... 6
SECTION C: Eligibility and Selection Criteria ...8
C1. Eligibility ... 8
C2. Selection Process ... 8
C3. Evaluation Criteria... 8
SECTION D: Award Administration ... 10
D1. Notification to Applicants ... 10
D2. Anticipated Timelines ... 11
1 SECTION A: General Description of Funding Opportunity
This section describes the activities that the awardee is expected to implement in collaboration with the HEMAYAT Project. Interested applicants should read through this section carefully and make sure they are comfortable with implementing all activities described in this section. Any organization who is not committed to conducting the activities described in this section should not submit an application.
A1. Introduction and Background
An effective referral system ensures a close relationship between all levels of the health system and helps to ensure people receive the best possible care closest to home. It also assists in making cost-effective use of hospitals and primary health care services.
Over the last two decades, Afghanistan’s health sector had extensive progress improving access to health services; however poor referral services have always been a challenge for provision of appropriate services to the patients as well as efficient utilization of health services at different levels. Considering the fact, HEMAYAT project plans to support Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to strengthen the existing referral system through piloting an ICT4D supported referral system in three provinces (Balkh, Jawzjan and Faryab), sharing the finding with MoPH and other stakeholders and using the findings for improvement of the existing system.
The result of ICT4D supported referral system pilot testing will be used for strengthening referral system, which in turn contributes in increasing people, especially, women and children access to quality services at national level. A set of planned activities for piloting referral system in three selected provinces will, therefore, be sub-contracted with a qualified organization through a transparent competitive process.
2 A2. Objective
The specific objectives are to:
• To strengthen existing referral services through piloting an ICT4D supported referral system in three provinces.
• To develop a long term plan for improvement of existing referral services using the findings from ICT4D supported referral system pilot testing.
A3. Scope of Work and Responsibilities
The implementing agency will be required to perform the followings:
1. Review and reinforce existing referral procedures in Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS), Essential Package of Hospital Services (EPHS) and other relevant documents
• Conduct facility referral procedures and tools review including BPHS, EPHS and other promising practices and provide on the job coaching for correct implementation of HMIS referral procedures using the right forms and tools
• Develop referral system training package and train health workers of the selected facilities accordingly
• Monitor implementation of the referral procedures according to Health Management Information System (HMIS).
2. Introduce mobile phone support parallel to paper-based referral system of HMIS using phone calls and SMS for facilitation, reinforcement and follow up of referral protocols according to BPHS/EPHS
• Define standard operational procedures for use of mobile (phone calls and text messages) parallel and integral to the HMIS paper-based referral system, and design and implement the necessary modifications and enhancement in HMIS tools.
• Work with mobile network operators to provide dedicated centrally paid for mobile calls and text messages services for predefined geographic areas, facilities and individual phone numbers tied to the facilities of the same referral chain.
• Train health providers and managers of the predefined clinics involved in the mobile supported referral system as described above
• Monitor use of mobile phones for referral out, referral in and referral back services
• Explore possibility of developing Android application for automation of the mobile phone supported referral services.
3. Assess the selected strands
• Undertake a rapid assessment of the selected strands to obtain some insight in referral situation:
Number of referral-in and referral-out and referral back of the facilities involved during the eight months from HMIS.
An open discussion with managers of each facility either face to face or by phone communication and explore the perceived bottlenecks for effective referral from and to the selected health facilities
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A series of meetings to be held with BPHS provincial manager, provincial supervisor(s) responsible for the selected facilities, and provincial Reproductive Health (RH) and Community Based Health Care (CBHC) Officers to discuss the referral strengthening activities and adjust them as per the specific factors concerned with the demonstration areas.
4. Disseminate Results
• Conduct dissemination workshop to share the result with MoPH and other relevant stakeholders and develop a plan for its scale up at national level based on pilot findings.
Technical Deliverables* 1. Referral training package
2. Standard operational procedures for use of mobile for referral services 3. Developed tools and documents including success stories
4. Monthly progress updates 5. Quarterly progress report
6. Project final report with result of selected strands’ assessment 7. Result dissemination workshop report
8. List of facilities included in close your group network
9. Meeting minutes for documentation purposes; should be attached in quarterly reports. *For documentation purposes; minute of all meetings should be attached in quarterly reports. * Financial deliverables will be outlined based on the type of award and schedule of payments determined post-award.
*All reports shall be submitted by the due date for approval by the HEMAYAT Project. The recipient will consult HEMAYAT Project contacts on the format and expected content of reports prior to their preparation.
4 SECTION B: Application Instructions
This section provides instructions on how to prepare applications for this award. Applicants should read through this section completely and make sure they follow the instructions carefully.
B1. General Application Guidelines
The application should be prepared simply and economically, with emphasis on completeness and clarity of content. Responses to this RFA shall reflect the applicant’s capacity to deliver the scope of work as defined herein. All pages in the technical applications and required annexes should be numbered consecutively to assist in easy location of the information presented during application evaluation.
All applications received by the deadline will be reviewed for responsiveness to the specifications outlined in these guidelines and the application format. Sections C2 and C3 “Selection Process” and “Evaluation Criteria” addresses the technical evaluation procedures for the applications. Applications that are submitted late or are incomplete will not be considered for review.
The application shall be submitted along with the required annexes. All applications shall be in English. The format for each of these parts of the application is outlined below.
Technical applications should set out an approach and methodology for executing the scope of work described above. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to further refine and finalize plans in collaboration with HEMAYAT Project co-investigators.
Applications must be submitted with detailed budget and budget notes. Detailed guidance is provided in section B3 budget guidelines.
Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter typed on official organizational letterhead and signed by a person who has signatory authority for the applicant. This person will be the point of contact for any further communication from the HEMAYAT Project.
Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Please state “Piloting ICT4D supported referral system” - Applications” in the subject line of your email.
Applicants whose applications are recommended for funding will be notified in writing by the HEMAYAT Project. A recommendation for funding is contingent on the availability of funds. Application(s) and feedback on the process will not be entertained and regrets will not be sent to the unsuccessful applicants.
5 B2. Technical Application (Maximum: 20 Pages)
The Technical Application describes the applicant’s existing technical and organizational capacity to in order to meet Project objectives. It should be concise, specific, complete, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the project. The Technical Application must be submitted in English. Greater details than necessary, as well as insufficient detail, may detract from the applications clarify. Minimize or avoid the use of jargon and acronyms as much as possible. If acronyms or abbreviations are used, include a separate page explaining the terms.
Applications may be no more than 20 pages in length. The following are not included in the maximum 20-page technical application limit: table of contents, acronym list and annexes/attachments. All applications should be typed on standard letter-sized paper (8 1/2 x 11”) with 1” margins, using a font size of 12 Times New Roman, except within tables and in the budget where the font size may be smaller but must be easily readable.
1. Cover page - Include the name of the organization submitting the application, total proposed amount in local currency, and name/office address/phone/email of the primary individual responsible for the application and one alternate contact.
2. Table of contents 3. Executive summary 4. Acronym list (if needed)
5. Technical understanding and approach – This section of the application should demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the SOW and objectives, and describe the plan for executing the scope of work described above. The approach should include methodology for planning and implementing the assignment and a work plan/timeline for completion. It should take into account the technical selection criteria and evaluation procedures found in Section C.
6. Staffing and management plan- This section of the application should a clear, brief description of how the activity will be managed, including the approach to addressing potential problems. This section should include specifics on the composition and organizational structure of the entire project team and descriptions of each staff member’s role, technical expertise, and estimated amount of time each will devote to the project. It should also include an organizational chart, which will reflect proposed roles and responsibilities and lines of authority and reporting within the project including both technical and administrative. Curriculum vitae and biographical sketches of Key Personnel should be provided as annexes to the application. 7. Institutional capacity and past performance – This section should provide information about
the applicant’s capacity to undertake the project, as well as the applicant’s past performance record in implementing projects with similar magnitude and complexity. This section should discuss how the applicant possesses the array of skills needed to effectively and efficiently plan, implement and support and range of activities described within the scope of work above.
6 B3. Budget Guidelines
Applicants must include a detailed budget with accompanying budget narrative, which provides in detail the total costs for implementation of the proposed activities listed in the SoW above.
The budget (attachment 1) should be submitted using local currency. Budget should be accompanied with detailed budget narrative (attachment 2).
• Detailed Budget in Microsoft Excel: Applicants must follow the budget template provided in Attachment A of the RFA. Line items should include: Personnel; Fringe; Travel; Equipment; Supplies; Contractual; Other Direct Costs; Total Direct Costs; Indirect Costs; Total Budget. The description below provides a summary of information that should be provided by line item. • Personnel: Name, title, unit, and level of effort of all positions that will support the project and
achieve objectives. Home or regional office support should be separated from in-country support.
• Fringe: Type of benefit and benefit calculation should be provided, including the fringe benefit rate (%).
• Travel: International travel and local travel should be separated. Average cost per trip should be included: mode of transportation (e.g., airfare, bus, etc.) and cost, per diem cost, miscellaneous cost, and average number of days. A description of the purpose of all proposed travel should be included.
• Equipment: Unit and unit cost. • Supplies: Unit and unit cost.
• Contractual: Amount by sub-award.
• Other Direct Costs: Unit costs for areas such as telecommunications, rental equipment, office rent, room rental, printing, utilities, leasehold improvements, insurance, bank charges, repairs and maintenance, courier services, staff training/development, meals-non- travel.
• Indirect: Indirect rate and total cost.
Pricing must be presented in Afghani Currency (AFN).
To ensure the applicant has the capacity to undertake such an award, the HEMAYAT Project may be requested to provide information on its financial status and management, including:
• Audited financial statements for the past three years
• Organizational by-laws and articles of incorporation, if applicable
Please note that a positive responsibility determination is a requirement for award, and all organizations shall be subject to a pre-award survey to verify and substantiate the determination.
Restrictions: The Grant Funds provided under the terms of this Agreement shall not be used to finance any of the following:
1. Goods or services which are to be used primarily to meet military requirements or to support police or other law enforcement activities,
7 3. Equipment, research and/or services related to involuntary sterilization or the performance of abortion as a method of family planning,
4. Gambling equipment, supplies for gambling facilities or any hotels, casinos, or accommodations in which gambling facilities are or are planned to be located,
5. Activities which significantly degrade national parks or similar protected areas or introduce exotic plants or animals into such areas,
6. Establishment or development of any export processing zone or designated area where the labor, environmental, tax, tariff, and/or safety laws of the country in which such activity takes place would not apply.
7. Pharmaceuticals, 8. Pesticides,
9. Logging equipment,
10. Luxury goods (including alcoholic beverages and jewelry),
11. Establishing or expanding any enterprise that will export raw materials that are likely to be in surplus in world markets at the time such production becomes effective and that are likely to cause substantial injury to U.S. producers,
12. Activities which would result in the loss of forest lands due to livestock rearing, road construction or maintenance, colonization of forest lands, or construction of dams or other water control structures, 13. Activities which are likely to have a significant adverse effect on the environment, including any of the following (to the extent such activities are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment):
i.) Activities which may lead to degrading the quality or renewability of natural resources;
ii.) Activities which may lead to degrading the presence or health of threatened ecosystems or biodiversity;
iii.) Activities which may lead to degrading long-term viability of agricultural or forestry production (including through use of pesticides);
iv.) Activities which may lead to degrading community and social systems, including potable water supply, land administration, community health and well-being or social harmony.
8 SECTION C: Eligibility and Selection Criteria
C1. Eligibility
The HEMAYAT Project is seeking applications from national and international organizations. For applications to be considered the organization must be registered in Afghanistan and eligible to receive, or have adequate financial controls and can reasonably expect to be eligible to receive USAID funds. Organizations responding to this RFA must submit a copy of their official registration or business license along with their applications.
• Be a registered organization with experience in delivering of similar assignments stated in the scope of work.
• Maintain annual financial records in accordance with good financial practices and standards. • Operate a bank account in the name of the entity.
• Have sufficient staff or affiliated consultants to perform the required activities.
• Has the capacity to deliver the proposed activities in the mentioned time frame in all the provinces covered under the project.
The applicant must have the required experience and capability to administer the funds according to USAID roles and regulations. Please see Section D for more details.
C2. Selection Process
Applications will undergo a preliminary review by HEMAYAT Project staff for completeness and responsiveness. Incomplete applications judged to be unresponsive to this RFA, and applications submitted after the due date will be ineligible and will not be considered for an award.
Complete applications will be reviewed by a technical committee that will evaluate the Technical Applications according to criteria provided within. The HEMAYAT Project will use the conclusions and recommendations of the technical evaluation, along with an evaluation of the budget and other annexes to negotiate an award with the successful applicant.
C3. Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated and scored against the following criteria:
Completeness of Applications (10 points)
Technical quality of the application, understanding of the work, methodology and approach for undertaking the scope of work/ achieving the deliverables, implementation plan, monitoring and quality assurance processes, (40 points)
Proposed management team (20 points)
Demonstrated technical experience and institutional capacity in conducting similar projects (15 points)
Budget (15 points) Total: 100 points
9 The applicant whose application offers the greatest value based on these selection criteria will be recommended for award.
The HEMAYAT Project reserves the right to request further information from all applicants deemed to have met initial evaluation criteria, as needed to make a final selection.
10 SECTION D: Award Administration
Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400 (g), it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments such as grant awards. However, all reasonable, allocable and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable, cost standards 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 700 for non-profit organization may be paid under the grant.
For Nongovernmental Organizations the Standard Provisions at ADS Chapter 303 are mandatory and shall be included as applicable at the time of grant award. Also, the Standard Provisions as applicable for Non-US Nongovernmental Recipients will also be incorporated at the time of grant award.
All Mandatory Standard Provisions and Required as Applicable will be included and be part of the resultant grant award(s).
Mandatory Standard Provisions for Fixed Amount Awards to Nongovernmental Recipients: (http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303mat.pdf)
And/or
Mandatory Standard Provisions for Non-US Nongovernmental Recipients: http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303mab.pdf
OMB Circular A-110 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a110/a110.html
D1. Notification to Applicants
A notice of award signed by an authorized HEMAYAT Project representative will be provided to the successful applicant as notification of its selection to be further considered for negotiation of a sub-award under the HEMAYAT Project. Notification will be provided electronically to the person designated to receive this information on the application.
In order to comply with the Pre-Award Responsibility Determination (ADS 303.5.9) Jhpiego will determine whether the applicant has the capacity to adequately comply with USAID management requirements. Jhpiego will also determine if the potential Grantee possesses the necessary management competence to plan and carry out the proposed program and that it will practice mutually agreed methods of accountability.
The assessment will be undertaken at the applicant’s office/facility. A Pre-award Survey Team will be established to carry out technical and management review of the short-listed applicants. The team will consist of, as a minimum: The Grants Manager and/or the Senior Grants Officer, and a technical Manager.
11 D2. Anticipated Timelines
It is anticipated that the award start date will be in the month of June 2016 and the project must be completed by January 2016 with possibility of extension to one year subject to availability of funds.
Section E: Required Certifications
The applicants are required to print, sign and send the scan copy of the certifications by visiting the following link.
http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303mav.pdf