CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTERESTS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN HIV/TB RESPONSE IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM

Background

The Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund in Rwanda (CCM-Rwanda) submitted a 3 years proposal to the Global Fund for funding HIV & TB programs (2024-2027). The funding proposal was prepared in line with the extended TB and HIV National Strategic Plans (2024-2027).

For the HIV program, following key strategies have been highligheted to drive the response towards sustainable HIV epidemic control and ending AIDS by 2030:

• Increased access and uptake of prevention services for HIV, Hepatitis, and Syphilis
• Reducing new HIV infections transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse
• Improve access to integrated HIV prevention and sexual & reproductive health services among most at risk populations
• Provide comprehensive prevention services for HIV, STIs, Viral hepatitis, and other bloodborne infections among key and priority populations at community and facility level
• Deliver a complete and comprehensive e-MTCT package for HIV, syphilis, and Viral Hepatitis B to ensure triple elimination among pregnant women
• Increase linkage to care, ART retention and VLS among PLHIV (especially children and Youth)
• Provide enhanced community-based people centered support services to people affected and infected with HIV
• Advancing data-driven decision-making through enhanced monitoring, evaluation, and surveillance systems For TB prevention

• Identifying people with TB symptoms for early accompaniment to TB diagnosis at nearest health facility to reduce the risk of TB disease transmission in the community,
• Scaling-up of contact tracing for TB screening among all close contacts of bacteriologically positive index patients regardless of age;
• Improve the knowledge of population on TB disease: TB symptoms, TB transmission and treatment, and educating for health care seeking if TB symptoms present.

Call for Proposals by qualified CSOs

It is from the above background that CCM-Rwanda is calling qualified and experienced local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) willing to express their interest to implement activities in the following four main areas around priority people and key populations:

• Implementing HIV and TB prevention activities targeting Key populations and their cleints. Four (4) CSOs shall be selected in ithis category v/ Implementing HIV and TB prevention activities targeting AGWY and Youth in and out of schools. Four (4) CSOs shall be selected in ithis category v/ Implementing HIV and TB prevention activities targeting vulnerable children and addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). One (1) CSOs shall he selected in ithis category ^v/ Cross cutting area: social marketing for Condoms, lubricants, HIV self testing and other applicable HIV prevention tools for community interests. One (1) CSOs shall be selected in ithis category
• This call for proposal is targeting to select ten (10) CSOs that will be ready to implement activities related to HIV and TB across the country. After selection, the geographic deployment will be based on the burden of HIV and TB at a sub-national and sub-population level. Before signing the MOUs, selected CSOs shall be required to submit to the CCM, the collaboration letters with the allocated districts.
• Seleceted NGOs will be required to implement targeted interventions more effectively, by engaging the community of beneficiaries. Specifically, they will aim to implement prevention interventions among general population in high burden area like the Eastern province while focus intervention on key populations (KPs), youth especially adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in other provinces.

Eligibility criteria

• Submit a copy of valid legal certificate as provided by Rwanda Governance Board
• Submit a copy of pages of the official gazette containing its Bylaw
• Collaboration letters from at least two districts
• Experience of at least 3 years in the health sector, particularly in HIV interventions
• Present CVs of at least 5 staff currently employed by the CSO with atleast 2 of them having minimum 3 years experience in HIV/TB program implementation.

Expectations from the Applicants

As part of their application documents, respondants to this call for proposals are expected to:

• Develop an action plan with tailored approaches to address specific interventions for priority population, Key Population, social marketing, GBV and TB prevention and its implementation plan;
• Show ability to implement technically sound, high quality approaches for priority population and for TB contact tracing or Key Population or Social Marketing ; or sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and communication for behavior change on health seeking.
• Develop a capacity building plan for local implementing organizations in their catchment area for planning, implementation, monitoring/reporting and financial management tailored to the specific needs of each organization;
• Show ability to closely collaborate with local leaders and other organizations working in their catchment area; this can be presented by showing existing programs under implementation and how various stakeholders are engaged o Present a staffing plan, list of equipment and services needed for efficient execution of the proposed activities as well as their respective acquisition plan if not already available; o Present a monitoring and evaluation plan for activities for the totality of their HIV/TB activities included in the approved action plan covering their area of operation;

Format and Content of the Proposal

• Expression of interest should clearly indicate the preferred area of implementation andshould not exceed a maximum 25 pages (pages beyond the limits will not be considered for evaluation), and should include the following:
• Cover Page: Name of organization submitting proposal Postal and physical address; and e-mail address; Name and title of contact person; Telephone numbers;
• Executive Summary: (not to exceed one pages) • Briefly describe the existing gaps in the programs, challenges they pose, proposed activities and anticipated results;
• Program Situation Analysis: (not to exceed two pages) to show your understanding of HIV and TB program and response interventions, make a summary of recent program performance, existing gaps, the need for action and the risk for inaction with a focus to the four areas around key population and priority population as mentioned under section two.

Technical Proposal: (not to exceed 15 pages): Develop the proposed activities, and anticipated results for:

• HIV and TB prevention activities targeting Priority Population and Key Population including sexual and gender-based violence. A special focus should be put on explaining the proposed strategies to Identify and support sustained behavior change among MSM, sex workers and their clients, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), HIV-negative members of sero-discordant couples, and female youth (15 — 24 years old).
• Contact investigation among TB index cases and their referral for appropriate treatment as well as improving behavior of community on TB health seeking care
• Addressing the rights promotion and protection for people living with HIV (PLWH)
• Capacity building to local organizations in planning, implementation, monitoring/reporting and financial management management tailored to the specific needs of each organization.

Briefly describe the technical and managerial capacity of your organization to perform the proposed activities and any innovative ways to achieve proposed results.

Management and Coordination Strategy: (not to exceed two pages) Describe how the overall program will be managed. Describe how activities will be coordinated at the central level, district level with local leaders, local organizations receiving capacity building support, and other partners working in the district.

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: (not to exceed two pages) Describe the plan to monitor and evaluate program progress and impact. Describe how the project will ensure the use of technically sound, high quality approaches to support sustained behavior change. Describe the plan to measure the progress of capacity building for local organizations. Provide example indicators that will be used to measure expected results;

Organizational Capability: (not to exceed two pages) Briefly describe the qualifications and experience of the organization to carry out the proposed activities and programs. Specifically,

• describe previous activities (location, duration, results) in local organization capacity building and program implementation.
• Proposed Personnel: List the proposed personnel and qualifications of staff to work on this program. Include at least three CVs for relevant personnel;
• Proposed Budget: Provide a proposed budget for each year of the program;
• Detailed Action Plan: (annex not counted in the 25 pages) Propose a timeline of key activities to be implemented in year one and the corresponding budget.

Submission of Proposals

The application documents prepared either in English must be sent in sealed envelopes to the CCM Secretariat, third floor of the Ministry of Health Building, not later than the 30^th August, 2024 at 5:00 PM with the subject: Proposal for GF GC7 HIV/TB Implementation. Late submissions shall not be received.

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation shall be done at two stages as follow:

Technical evaluation: the quality of technical proposal shall be assessed against set check list and proposasal meeting the minimum score shall qualify for administrative evaluation.

Administrative evaluation: only recognized CSOs by RGB shall undergo through the technical assessment and then technically qualified CSOs shall undergo an administrative assessment that shall include field visit to offices and verification of submitted documentations for due diligence where necessary.

In case of need for more information, please contact us oninfo@ccm.rw" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(49, 158, 98); text-decoration: none; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"> info@ccm.rw

Done in Kigali, 16^th August

Zachee IYAKARE

CCM Chair

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