REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES UNDER THE NATIONAL HIV AND AIDS STRATEGIC PLAN (NSP 2015-2020 / 2021 – 2025)

Introduction and Background

Since the first case of HIV was recorded in 1986, the country has proactively responded to address the pandemic through the establishment of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) in 1987, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) in 2002 and the preparation and execution of four National HIV and AIDS Strategic Frameworks/Plans (the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF I) 2001-2005, NSF II 2006 – 2010, National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2011-2015 and the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2016-2020.

Building on the successes over the years and the need to respond to the growing needs at the decentralized level is key to achieving epidemic control. In addition the multi-sector and multi-stakeholder cooperation, collaboration and coordination of activities and policy, provide the overarching perspective, position and direction of Ghana, as it continues on its journey to reach the 95-95-95 fast track targets by 2025 and ultimately the SDG 3 specific target 3.3 which calls for an end to the epidemic of AIDS by 2030.

The National Strategic Plan (NSP 2021-2025) which replaces NSP (2016-2020) is guided by the four HIV and AIDS Policy pillars of: Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS; alignment with global concepts and frameworks; decentralized multisector and multidisciplinary planning, its execution and; partnership and collaboration with public, private, local and international institutions.

The Policy sets out to:
1.    Empower the population to prevent new HIV infections.
2.    Ensure the availability of and accessibility to prevention, treatment, care and support services.
3.    Mitigate the social and economic effects of HIV on persons infected and or affected by HIV.
4.    Ensure the availability of adequate funding to execute the policy strategies.

Objectives of NSP 2021 – 2025
•    To reduce new HIV infections in the general population by 85% by 2025
•    To reduce new HIV infections in the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) by 85% by 2025
•    To reduce new HIV infections among KPs (FSW and MSM) by 85% by 2025

The Current Situation
The 2019 National and sub-national Estimates Report has the adult national HIV prevalence at 1.7%, with 342,307 PLHIV, including 20,068 new HIV infections and 13,616 HIV related deaths.

Ghana is classified as having a generalized HIV epidemic. The country has slowly but steadily made good progress in its response to HIV and AIDS. Regional HIV prevalence for 2019 ranged from 2.66% in the Bono Region as the region with the highest prevalence to 0.24% in North East Region, the lowest. All five Regions in Northern Ghana show a prevalence of less than 1%. Seven Regions (Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Eastern, Greater, Western North) exceeded the national prevalence, with the remaining regions below the national prevalence. HIV prevalence was higher in urban than rural locations (2.01% compared to 1.27%). HIV prevalence among the young population (15-24 years), a proxy for new infections, remains at 1.70%.

Principles of the NSP 2021-2025

The NSP 2021-2025 is informed by the following principles
•    Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV including key populations and the communities in general.
•    Alignment with global concepts and frameworks.
•    Decentralized, multi-sector and multi-disciplinary planning and execution.
•    Partnership and collaboration with public, private, local and international institutions.
•    Evidenced-based targeted interventions for HIV prevention, treatment and care.
•    Integration of the national response into all national plans and strategies.
•    Shared accountability and transparency for national response.
•    Gender-sensitive response.
•    Rights-based approach.

Priorities Areas
The priority areas (population and interventions) in the NSP which are expected to be considered in the strategies contained in your proposals are enlisted below:   
•    General Population with particular focus on Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) and partners: Providing Combination prevention for AGYW and their partners.
•    PrEP and PEP: For KP, discordant couples and persons exposed to HIV.
•    HIV Self-Testing (HIVST): Enhancing knowledge, understanding, use and linkages of HIVST particularly for KP, AGYW with the participation of the private sector.
•    Human Rights, Social Protection, Stigma and discrimination
•    Health and Social Justice
•    Integration of other health services: Integrating HIV services into SRHR and other related services to improve the principles and agenda of Universal Health Coverage.

Impact Indicators:

•    HIV prevalence amongst the general population, AGYW and KPs.
•    HIV incidence amongst the general population, AGYW and KPs.

Desired Outcome:
A population that adopt lifestyles and behaviours to reduce or eliminate their risk of acquiring HIV infections or getting re-infected.

Justification

The Ghana AIDS Commission intends to apply government funds to support the achievement of the above objectives and aspiration of the draft NSP and the National Response through the engagement of civil society organisations. This is because CSOs have given communities a voice in HIV prevention efforts. They have contributed to national AIDS strategies and action plans, advocacy, and the development of key legal and policy documents related to treatment, general and key population interventions, support for children and caregivers affected by HIV, and assurance of confidentiality for HIV infected children and caretakers.

As the country strive towards the 95-95-95 global UNAIDS targets, NGOs and CBOs must play an increasingly important role in HIV case finding (testing services), referring clients to outpatient care, supporting treatment adherence and PMTCT, delivering home-based care, and providing social, psychological, and economic support to people living with HIV and their families. CSOs must continue to contribute to stigma and discrimination reduction by raising their voices against stigma, being watchdogs, reporting and contributing to providing redress to human rights violations.

Scope

CSO proposals must be tailored to respond to ONE of the following service delivery categories:
A.    General population
?    Provision of prevention education, community mobilization and strategies/activities to ensure linkages and uptake of treatment services. Particular focus should be on adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), persons with disability, tertiary institutions.
B.    Key population
?    Provision of prevention education, community mobilization and strategies/activities to ensure linkages and uptake of treatment services.  
C.    PMTCT
?    All four prong approaches should be addressed with focus on improving uptake of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), treatment and retention in care services to children. Interventions and activities should be fashioned along the mother to mother (m2m) model.
NB. The chosen service delivery area must be clearly indicated in the proposal document.

CSO proposals must be in line with the population and intervention priorities outlined above.
How HIV preventive services such as testing services, condom distribution, BCC activities and linkages between community and health facilities are to be carried out in line with the Differentiated Service Delivery Models must be clearly stated. Interventions and strategies to prevent lost to follow up, increase knowledge and uptake of PMTCT and ART services should be part of the proposals.
Proposals from CSOs must also demonstrate how new initiatives are to be supported to strengthen community systems and community based approaches such as Mentor Mothers, Models of Hope/Treatment supporters, Community Adolescent Treatment Supports (CATS), community case managers, social accountability and monitoring committees etc.

Additionally
•    Organizations must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current HIV issues and dynamics both nationally and within their proposed implementation jurisdiction
•    Organizations must demonstrate practical experience in grant management and the availability of competencies (financial and programmatic) to execute the intended project
•    Organizations must propose innovative responses in the form of implementable strategies and approaches to achieving the priorities outlined above
•    Organizations should indicate their intended strategies in delivering results amidst COVID restrictions and also contributing indirectly to address COVID-19 related issues.
•    Organisations must demonstrate capacity to track and report results (financial and programmatic) timeously using the standardized tools of the national HIV response
•    Organisations must demonstrate capacity to work with existing structures and systems at the decentralized level to facilitate

implementation
The following details, (including appendices), should be included in all submissions:
1. Name of Applicant organization or consortium with contact details
2. Capacity statement of the implementing agency or agencies which includes past organizational performance
3. Technical Approach (Problem Statement, Project Description, Implementation Plan, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan)
4. Project Management and Key Personnel (attach organogram) 5. Indicative Budget and Budget Notes – Cost Realism

Duration
The duration of the assignment shall not exceed one year, starting from the day of signing of a contract. However, Ghana AIDS Commission shall submit a timetable regarding activities related to the production of quarterly reports.

Recruitment Process
Received proposals from the current 56 shortlisted applicants of the entire processes would be subject to evaluation by an Independent Review and Appraisal Committee (IRAC), using a standardized and approved criteria.

The criteria broadly covers:

S/N    Category    Mark
1    Technical Approach and Quality Control    50
2    Project management     20
3    Indicative budget    15
4    Experience (Institutional & Key staff)                    15
    Total    100

Qualified CSOs would be subjected to the next stage of the process.

Mode of Proposal Submission
One hard copy of signed proposal is expected by post or through hand-delivery to the address below. In addition a soft copy in PDF should be sent to info@ghanaids.gov.gh (cc: fnanapoku@ghanaids.gov.gh) but does not preclude the requirement to send a hard copy as per the instruction below. The file name of the pdf proposal document should be the CSO’s name.

The deadline for submission is 20th August 2020, 17:00hrs GMT. Proposals submitted after the deadline shall not be considered.
NB.
1.    Proposal should include an Appendices with the following:
(i)    Copy of organization’s registration certificate, or legal documents or approval of the applicant’s operations in Ghana
(ii)    Names of the applicant’s Board of Directors and their current positions, roles and qualifications
CV of the organization’s key staff (Project/Program Manager, M&E Officer, and Finance Officer)
2.    All items should be properly bound into a single document which should be submitted to the Commission by post or hand delivery
3.    One hard copy is expected; and a soft copy in PDF format via email
4.    The front cover of the hard coy should be marked “ORIGINAL”
a.    Indicate clearly, the Target Group of your proposal on the Cover Page

For further enquiries you may contact:
Dr. Fred Nana Poku & Mr. Michael Gold
Technical Services Division, Ghana AIDS Commission
Tel: 0302 218 278/ 0302 919 259/ 0302 919 260
E-mail: info@ghanaids.gov.gh

Address all Proposals to:
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
GHANA AIDS COMMISSION
(4TH FLOOR, OLYMPIC COMMITTEE BUILDING)
POST OFFICE BOX CT 5169
CANTONMENTS, ACCRA