Overview and objectives
The WHO Health Ethics and Governance Unit invites proposals to develop and maintain an online knowledge hub and community of practice for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Ethics Network (PHEPREN).
Led by the World Health Organization, PHEPREN is a global community of bioethicists building on pre-existing expertise and resources to provide real-time, trusted, contextual support to communities, policy makers, researchers, and responders in relation to the ethical issues arising out of global health emergencies, with a current focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The core aims of PHEPREN are to:
- Help coordinate and support real-time, contextual ethical decision-making in public health emergencies
- To build ethics capacity globally and locally, to support both preparedness and response
- To conduct empirical and normative research so that we are:
- better prepared for future outbreaks
- addressing outstanding ethical issues from past outbreaks
- To build fair, collaborative partnerships, so that research can be both generated and conducted by ethicists in low and middle-income settings, with a view to growing capacity for the future
- To support the work of the WHO R&D Blueprint for Action to Prevent Epidemics
- To ensure that the outputs of the Network are coordinated, flexible, globally distributed, and positioned to inform and be incorporated into practice
- To publish regular reports on ethical issues and advice provided
In order to achieve the aims of PHEPREN, the WHO’s Global Health Ethics and Governance unit wishes to develop of knowledge hub.
Proposal development
The proposal and all correspondence and documents relating thereto shall be prepared and submitted in the English language.
Information which the bidder considers confidential, if any, should be clearly marked as such.
In response to the aims of the proposal, the following must be included:
- Development of an online presence (the knowledge hub) for PHEPREN, to help us develop a community of practice amongst ethicists, the research and global health communities and policy makers
- Development and hosting of a resources pages and the technical feasibility to support this – note, we have over 1800 resources to date
- Ongoing hosting and technical support for the knowledge hub from January 2021 until 31 December 2021
- Hosting online seminars and training sessions for the PHEPREN network and wider targeted community
Eligibility and selection criteria
Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:
- Demonstrated understanding of concept, and suitable proposal (50%)
- Organisational capabilities and team composition (30%)
- Appropriateness of budget, and value for money (20%)
Application process
Deadline: 11 December 2020, 17:00 CEST
Bids submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
WHO is a public international organization, consisting of 194 Member States, and a Specialized Agency of the United Nations with the mandate to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work. As such, WHO is dependent on the budgetary and extra-budgetary contributions it receives for the implementation of its activities. Bidders are, therefore, requested to propose the best and most cost-effective solution to meet WHO requirements, while ensuring a high level of service. All bidders must adhere to the UN Supplier Code of Conduct, which is available on the WHO procurement website.
A prospective bidder requiring any clarification on technical, contractual or commercial matters may notify WHO via email at the following address no later than 5 working days prior to the closing date for the submission of offers:
Email for submissions of all queries: ct_ethics@who.int
(use Bid reference in subject line)
WHO may, at its own discretion, extend the closing date for the submission of proposals by notifying all bidders thereof in writing before the above closing date and time.
Successful applicants can expect to be notified within two weeks of the deadline. WHO may, at its own discretion, extend this closing date for the submission of bids by notifying all applicants thereof in writing.
Submissions of bids should be made via email to ct_ethics@who.int. Please use the subject: WHO Bid Ref. Developing a knowledge hub for the PHEPREN Network
Submissions must be not more than six pages (excluding annexes). Format should be standard font size 11, 1.15 line spacing, normal margins.
The following information should be included:
Contact details: Name of the bidding institution, contact details for the project lead, contact details for institutional administrative key contact.
Motivation for applying: (maximum of 250 words) A description of how this work fits in with the project team’s expertise and aligns with current areas of work.
Composition of the proposed team: names, expertise, function in institution, and role in team and experience relevant to the call. The CVs of lead researcher(s) must be included as an annex to the submission.
Approach: (maximum 750 words) Provide an overview of the proposed set of outputs and how they will be achieved. This will include information about processes and technologies used, and how the team will assist PHEPREN build a community of practice.
Proposed timeline: (up to 250 words) Indicate an approximate timeline for achieving different facets of the project requirements. Please note that maintenance and support is expected until 31 December 2021.
Itemized budget. Please also provide a summary budget of the total costs according to the following categories (not all may be applicable): personnel, supplies/facilities, equipment, communications, travel and per diem, and other (meetings, publications, etc.). Institutional overheads should not exceed 13%. Costs should be in USD.
Notes for applicants
- WHO may, at any time before the closing date, for any reason, whether on its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a (prospective) applicant, modify the bid by written amendment. Amendments could, inter alia, include modification of the project scope or requirements, the project timeline expectations and/or extension of the closing date for submission.
- All prospective applicants that have submitted a bid will be notified in writing of all amendments to the bid and will, where applicable, be invited to amend their submission accordingly.
- All project involving research with human subjects will have to undergo research ethics review in line with national regulations and WHO rules.
- Applicants should note that WHO reserves the right to:
- Award contracts to the applicants of its choice;
- Accept or reject any bid, and to annul the solicitation process and reject all bids at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicants of the grounds for WHO’s action;
- Not award any contract at all;
- WHO has the right to eliminate bids for technical or other reasons throughout the evaluation/selection process. WHO shall not in any way be obligated to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how a bid was assessed, or to provide any other information relative to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for elimination to any applicant.
- WHO is acting in good faith by issuing this request for bids. However, this document does not obligate WHO to contract for the performance of any work, nor for the supply of any products or services.
- WHO reserves the right to enter into negotiations with applicants of its choice, including but not limited to negotiation of the terms of the bid(s), the price quoted in such bid(s) and/or the deletion of certain parts of the work, components or items called for under this bid.
- Within 14 days of receipt of the contract, the successful applicant shall sign and date the contract and return it to WHO according to the instructions provided at that time. If the applicant does not accept the contract terms without changes, then WHO has the right not to proceed with the selected applicant and instead contract with another applicant of its choice. The Contract will include, without limitation, the provisions set forth in Annex 2.
- Any and all of the contractor's (general and/or special) conditions of contract are hereby explicitly excluded from the Contract, i.e., regardless of whether such conditions are included in the Contractor's offer, or printed or referred to on the Contractor's letterhead, invoices and/or other material, documentation or communications.
Annexes
- Vendor Information Form
- Contractual provisions