REQUEST FOR PROPSAL (RFP)
Issuance Date: November 23, 2021
Due date for submission of questions: January 17th, 2022
Closing Date: January 24th, 2022
Expanding Social Health Protection for Women at Risk of Migration in Honduras
The Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and aims to help low-and-middle income countries transition to sustainable, self-financed health systems as a means to support high performing health systems. The LHSS activity in Honduras will work with the Honduran government and local stakeholders to support improvements to social health protection that consider the health needs, capabilities, and preferences of women who are at risk of migration.
The issuance of this Request for Proposal (RFP) does not constitute an award commitment on the part of Abt Associates, nor does it commit Abt Associates to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of an application. Abt Associates reserves the right to reject any or all applications, if such action is in the best interest of the Project.
Abt Associates is the prime contractor and implementer of LHSS, USAID funded Task Order Contract 7200AA180023/7200AA19F00014, and anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Subcontract as a result of this solicitation. Any resulting award will be subject to Abt’s standard terms and conditions and the applicable Prime Contract terms and conditions, which are available by request. However, the final contract type, terms and conditions will be negotiated with the apparent successful offeror or at time of award.
The Offeror should submit its best proposal initially as Abt intends to evaluate the proposal and may make an award without discussions.
The RFP is composed of three (3) sections including attachments as listed below:
o Section 1 Statement of Work
o Section 2 Instructions to the Offeror
o Section 3 Evaluation and Review Information
o Attachments Cost proposal template
Offeror must submit their technical and cost proposal no later than 2:00 pm, date: January 24th, 2022
o Any questions concerning this solicitation should be submitted in writing by 2.00 p.m. on January 17th, 2022. No questions will be answered by phone. The proposal must be submitted electronically not later than to the closing time/date shown above to:
o Rafael Martinez, at:
Rafael_Martinez@abtassoc.com
o Victoria Kulesza, at:
Victoria_Kulesza@abtassoc.com**
SECTION 1 – STATEMENT OF WORK
Background
The LHSS Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Bureau Activity (LAC Bureau Activity) aims to expand social health protection (SHP) for women migrants and individuals at risk of migration in the LAC Region. In Year 1, LHSS conducted a landscape analysis to better understand the link between SHP and migration behaviors, and to identify promising practices and lessons learned from LAC as well as global experiences for expanding SHP platforms in high-migration contexts. LHSS will provide technical assistance to Honduras to improve SHP for women at risk of migration.
The landscape analysis showed that in Honduras, women’s decisions to migrate are driven by complex factors, including poverty, political instability, their own vulnerability and vulnerability of their families to violence, and lack of access to health. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half of the Honduran population (4.8 million) lived on less than US$5.50 a day, the second highest poverty rate in the LAC region after Haiti, with 14% of the Honduran population living on less than US $1.90 a day[1]. Access to health services is largely dependent on geographic location and socioeconomic status, among other factors, with the lack of health services and information in rural and remote areas severely limiting women’s healthcare. The risk of dying in pregnancy or childbirth is 108 out of 100,000 ̶ almost twice the average of 130 per 100,000 in the LAC region ̶ and only 55% of women give birth in a healthcare facility. The country averages 137 births per 1,000 teens, and one of every five young women has had a child by the age of 19[2]. In addition to health system capacity, deeply entrenched social and cultural norms contribute to these dire statistics and drive migration. Honduras has one of the highest femicide rates in the world, ranking 5th globally in 2015, and in 2019, the country recorded the highest rate in the LAC region, with 6.2 of 100,000 women murdered as a result of femicide[3].
LHSS is currently conducting a desk review specific to the Honduras context that will provide more information about access to SHP for vulnerable women, drivers of migration, as well as the characteristics of women who are at risk of migration. LHSS will adapt the approach successfully applied to the Dominican Republic, working through a local partner to engage relevant stakeholders from the government, private sector, and civil society to build consensus on steps needed to improve SHP for women at risk of migration. Interventions will include an in-depth country assessment to identify existing SHP platforms that can be expanded, the articulation of key strategies and development of a roadmap to improve SHP for vulnerable women who are at risk of migration, and continuous coordination with local stakeholders including USAID Mission contacts, government officials, civil society organizations, international development organizations and private sector members.
Objective:
The objective of this award is to find a local partner to lead in-country implementation of work plan interventions in Honduras.
Approach:
To accomplish this, LHSS will collaborate with a “subcontractor” to engage with the Government of Honduras (GOH) and local partners from the private sector and civil society, to assess the needs of the population of women at risk of migration and to co-design a process for sustainably expanding existing SHP mechanisms for women at risk of migration.
Working through the local partner engaged through this RFP, LHSS will supplement the desk review to conduct a rapid country assessment that will take a deeper look at the SHP experiences, needs, and challenges facing vulnerable women in Honduras, who are at risk of migration. Findings from the literature review will be supplemented by key informant interviews with government agencies, private sector, international partners, communities, and women’s groups.
The subcontractor will engage key stakeholders, including government partners (e.g., Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Social Security), USAID mission officials, civil society organizations (e.g., CBOs and NGOs) working on health, SHP and/or migration issues, international/multilateral organizations working on health, migration and/or SHP, and private health providers offering services to vulnerable women to convene a stakeholder workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss and agree on actions needed to improve existing SHP platforms for women at risk of migration and establish a steering committee that will serve as an advocacy and advisory forum for improving SHP for women at risk of migration. With support from the steering committee and national counterparts, the subcontractor will develop a roadmap for the adaptation and phased implementation of the social health protection platform to improve SHP for women at risk of migration.**
Expected tasks
The Offeror will be responsible for:
1. Conducting a rapid country assessment to understand the Honduras context for expanding social health protection for women at risk of migration. The Offeror will support data gathering to understand the following: available resources and initiatives to improve SHP for vulnerable women; gender and social determinants of health and their impact on women’s decisions to migrate; barriers and gaps in health coverage for women at risk of migration; and financing for social health protection and opportunities to leverage investment from private sector actors and multilateral financial funds.
a. Work with national counterparts to identify key stakeholders for interviews, including health planners, MOH, private sector, international partners, communities, and groups representing migrant women to collect and analyze data.
b. Gather and review current national strategies to understand the overall national context for SHP, migration, and the situation of women at risk of migration, particularly with respect to their health situation and health needs, including access to appropriate health services.
c. Gather relevant documents to review the status of health protection platforms, and challenges with respect to population coverage, especially women.
d. Using information gathered in bullets b and c above, will develop an interview guide to be implemented with key stakeholders identified in bullet a
e. Schedule and conduct interviews with key stakeholders, including health planners, MOH, private sector, international partners, communities, and groups representing migrant women.
f. Develop a report outline and share it with LHSS for review and feedback prior to drafting the report.
g. Develop a draft and final rapid country assessment report summarizing findings from the desk review and key informant interviews and incorporating feedback from LHSS and USAID on the outline and draft report.
2. Organizing a stakeholder workshop with relevant stakeholders (MOH, MOF, and USAID Mission officials, multilaterals, international partners, civil society, CBOs, private sector, etc.) to gather consensus on required adaptations needed to improve existing SHP platforms for women at risk of migration, and the process that will be required to move forward with these and establish a steering committee.
a. Consult with the USAID Mission, government counterparts and other key partners, to develop a list of participants for the workshop, and to identify stakeholders for participation in a steering committee comprised of government partners (MOH and other government agencies), international development organizations, civil society organizations, and private sector partners to serve as an advocacy, agenda setting, and advisory forum to guide the process of improving SHP for women at risk of migration in Honduras and develop feasible strategies that will be included on a detailed roadmap (see task 3 for details).
b. Lead logistical preparations for the workshop. In the event of an in-person meeting (if local COVID-19 regulations allow it), this will include identifying and securing meeting venue, refreshments, supplies, and materials; disseminating invitations; etc.
c. Develop the meeting agenda and materials (power point presentations and handouts) for the workshop and share them with LHSS for review and feedback at least two weeks prior to the event.
d. Facilitate the workshop.
e. Develop a report with the main discussion points regarding barriers and opportunities to improve SHP, key steps needed to improve SHP for women who are at risk of migration, a list of members of the steering committee, and a list of workshop participants.
3. Alongside the steering committee, develop a detailed roadmap for the adaptation and phased implementation of the social health protection platform to improve SHP for women at risk of migration
a. Develop the scope of the modified SHP platform based on recommendations emanating from the rapid country assessment, in-country consultations, and stakeholder workshop.
b. Based on the rapid country assessment findings and stakeholder feedback, collaborate with the steering committee to develop a first draft of the detailed roadmap for the adaptation of the SHP platform, including detailed interventions to improve SHP for women at risk of migration.
c. Develop and implement a process to generate stakeholder feedback from national counterparts (including government, multilateral and international partners, private sector, and civil society partners) on the draft roadmap for strengthening the SHP platform for women at risk of migration
d. Work with the steering committee to finalize the roadmap, and to identify priority capacity needs of key government and civil society agencies
e. Develop a draft and final detailed report in English, including the roadmap for strengthening the SHP platform for women at risk of migration. The report should include an executive summary, a summary of the process to develop and validate the roadmap, priority interventions for pilot implementation, steering committee members and roles and responsibilities, expected results of the modified SHP platform, and potential challenges or limitations. The final report should incorporate feedback from LHSS and USAID.
4. Serves as the primary contact with LHSS headquarters team and as the LHSS local liaison with USAID Honduras, government counterparts, and local partners/stakeholders to provide activity updates, share experiences and learnings from activity interventions, and participate in relevant meetings on behalf of LHSS
a. Delegate a primary point of contact (POC) to serve as the liaison with LHSS headquarters, USAID Honduras, and key stakeholders. The individual should have extensive experience managing relationships with clients and senior government officials, and working on relevant sectors (e.g., health, migration, social health protection, etc.).
b. The POC regularly informs LHSS headquarters team of project progress, achievements, challenges, and strategies to implement interventions. The POC should also inform LHSS headquarters in advance of meetings with USAID Honduras and provide written minutes within 2 days of having the meeting.
c. With guidance from LHSS, POC participates in project meetings with USAID Honduras and/or USAID LAC Bureau to provide activity progress updates, share lessons learned, present strategies for implementation, etc.
d. The POC participates and represents LHSS on relevant in-country meetings from local counterparts (e.g., from the Mesa interagencial, intersectorial de salud y migracion, USAID partner meetings, etc.) as needed
e. The POC participates in two LHSS webinars as a panelist to share experiences, lessons learned, and outcomes of in-country activities
f. Develop one blog post highlighting key aspects of the project in Honduras for publication on the LHSS website (topic to be determined)
The subcontractor is expected to carry out the following tasks:
- Participate in regular check-in meetings with LHSS headquarters staff to discuss progress, raise any implementation challenges, and provide updates on ongoing activities.
- Conduct a rapid country assessment to understand the Honduras context for expanding SHP for women at risk of migration.
- Convene a stakeholder workshop to build consensus and establish a steering committee.
Identify and engage key stakeholders from the government, civil society, private sector, USAID Honduras Mission, and international development organizations to participate in project activities (i.e., stakeholder workshop, key informant interviews) and become members of the steering committee to improve SHP for women at risk of migration.
Lead the development of a detailed roadmap for phased implementation of adaptations to improve SHP for women at risk of migration in Honduras, with support from the steering committee.
Participate in two LHSS webinars to share findings, lessons learned, and experiences from the activity.
Produce a draft Rapid Country Assessment Report and a draft Roadmap to improve SHP for women at risk of migration in English for review.
Submit a final Rapid Country Assessment Report and Roadmap to improve SHP for women at risk of migration in English, integrating feedback and comments from LHSS, Banyan Global (LHSS gender and social inclusion partner), and USAID.
Develop one blog post highlighting key aspects of the project in Honduras for publication on the LHSS website (topic to be determined).
Liaise with local counterparts, including USAID Honduras, government partners, public and private organizations, and participate in relevant meetings (as needed)
Contribute to project monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) by:
Researching and obtaining data for project indicators.
Attending and participating in one LHSS learning session.
Expected deliverables
The Offeror will be responsible for delivering:
Draft Country Assessment Report and Final Country Assessment Report
Consultation Workshop
Draft Roadmap for strengthening a social health protection platform for women at risk of migration and Final Roadmap for strengthening a social health protection platform for women at risk of migration
Draft Blog Post #1 and Final Blog Post #1
Participation as panelist on two (2) LHSS webinars
Data inputs to update project indicators in three (3) quarterly reports
Period of Performance:
Commencement date: February 1, 2022
Completion date: September 30, 2022
Offerors:
The subcontractor should be an academic/research organization, non-governmental organization or community-based organization with presence in Honduras and with demonstrated experience conducting research, working on relevant areas (e.g., migration, social health protection, health, women issues, etc.), and providing technical assistance or consulting with government partners and/or international development organizations.
To access full documents and all information on this opportunity, please visit: https://bit.ly/3rlcd6W
References:
[1] https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/honduras/overview#1
[3] Insanally, Sarah, Marty Makinen, Julia Watson, Yady Ibarra, Lisa Tarantino. The Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) under the USAID Integrated Health Systems IDIQ. June 2021. Social Health Protection for Women in High Migration Areas Landscape Analysis Report. Rockville, MD: Abt Associates.
How to apply:
To access full documents and all information on this opportunity, please visit: https://bit.ly/3rlcd6W
Offeror must submit their technical and cost proposal no later than 2:00 pm, date: January 24th, 2022
Any questions concerning this solicitation should be submitted in writing by 2.00 p.m. on January 17th, 2022. No questions will be answered by phone. The proposal must be submitted electronically not later than to the closing time/date shown above to:
Rafael Martinez, at:
Rafael_Martinez@abtassoc.com
Victoria Kulesza, at:
Victoria_Kulesza@abtassoc.com