Request for Proposal (RFP) for Consultancy Services for the Development of a Communication, Education, Advocacy and Marketing Strategy for Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage.

RFQ No: FY2514

Issue date: March 7, 2025

Issuing organization: Catholic Relief Services, Liberia Program

Closing date: March 24, 2025, at 4.00 pm

Submission method: Sealed envelope

Type of agreement: Contract

Section I: Request for Proposal

1. Introduction

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) invites reputable and authorized service providers to submit proposals to offer Consultancy Services for the Development of a Communication, Education, Advocacy and Marketing Strategy for Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

Background

CRS in partnership with the Ministry of Health aims to create public awareness around social health insurance in Liberia as the GOL steps up efforts to develop and implement social health insurance. This is in line with the national health policy and plan goal to achieve universal health coverage and by extension the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph N. Boakai, has promised health insurance to the people of Liberia, which aims to reduce out-of-pocket spending and enhance access to affordable, quality healthcare services[1]. Out-of-pocket expenditure has been on the rise over the last decade, even though the health sector has been implementing a free health care policy. This signals a lack of sustainability and financial protection for the poor and vulnerable population and undermines the quality of health care services implemented at public health facilities across the country. Government allocation to the health sector has been steady; however, contributions from philanthropy and development partners have been declining while household out-of-pocket (OOP) spending has been on the increase. Over the last decade, OOP has steadily increased from 35% to 63%[2], exacerbating the status of impoverishment in Liberia and has contributed to decline in service utilization, poor health outcome, due to lack of or limited inputs including drugs and medical supplies.

The objective of the Liberia Health Equity Fund is to create a pool of resources that will be used for strategic purchasing by providers through a defined package of healthcare services on behalf of enrolled members. The pool will ensure that all people, especially indigents (those who cannot afford to pay), in Liberia obtain the quality and affordable health services they need without suffering financial hardship at the point of care, as promised by the President of Liberia.

To achieve this key objective requires a comprehensive communication strategy that will provide a clear framework for effective advocacy and marketing to create public awareness, and education. This will enable the public appreciates the requirement and benefits of social health insurance in Liberia as articulated in the Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage Bill. Adequate public awareness will enhance public support and buy-in and enable the public and civil society to help push for the passage of the bill and support its implementation once passed. The advocacy will also target policy makers including the legislature to deepen their understanding of social health insurance and universal health coverage to facilitate the easy passage of the bill without much change and delay.

This consultancy is expected to develop a clear education, advocacy and marketing strategy that will guide all stakeholders in communicating a clear message during stakeholder’s engagement for the Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage.

Objective of the consultancy

Post-qualification Actions

• Verification of accuracy, correctness and authenticity of the information provided by the bidder on the administrative, technical, and financial documents submitted.
• Inquiry and reference checking with the entity that may have done business with the bidder.
• Inquiry and reference checking with other previous clients on the quality of performance of ongoing or previous contracts completed.
• Physical inspection of the bidder’s branches or other places where business transpires, with or without notice to the bidder.

2. Instructions to Bidders

Bidders are required to submit their proposals in two separate sealed envelopes (technical and financial proposals) enclosed with an outer sealed envelope with the reference number addressed to:

Catholic Relief Services, Liberia Program

16^th Street Gardner Avenue

Seaside, C-140 Building,

Sinkor Monrovia, Liberia

Subject: FY2514

Bids must be received no later than March 24, 2025, at 4:00 PM.

Failure to comply with these instructions may result in disqualification.

Expected delivery time: 30 days after contract signing.

Softcopy of this RFQ, additional information or request for clarification can be requested at liberiarfq@crs.org.

3. Eligibility Criteria (Administrative evaluation)

Bidders must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered:

• Submit bids no later than March 24, 2025, at 4.00 PM

Eligibility criteria

Admin Pass Mark is a pass or Fail

• Submit a valid business registration if applicable
• Submit a valid tax clearance if applicable
• Submit a signed quotation submission form (Annex I)
• Submit a signed experience form (Annex II)
• Company or individual profile or CV including at least 3 references from previous clients

Section II: Specific Requirement for Service Delivery

Contractual Obligation and Future Disqualification

• The selected service provider will be contractually obligated to deliver the services as per the provided terms of references within the required timeframe.
• Failure to meet this obligation without written notice may result in penalties and contract termination.

Section III: Proposals Content

The following documents must be submitted for the submission to be considered:

1. Technical proposal envelope

• Bid submission Form (Annex I)
• Submit a signed experience form (Annex II)
• Valid Business registration & Tax Clearance
• Cover Letter (Maximum one page)
• Technical proposal with a focus on addressing the assignment’s purpose and objectives, methodology, terms of references and key selection criteria.
• Work plan based on the methodology outlined.
• Company or individual profile or CV including at least 3 references from previous clients.
• Business registration and tax clearance for the company.
• Report on similar research work conducted in the past 5 years.

2. Financial Proposal envelopes

• Detailed budget including budget notes which complies with the terms of references provided.

Section IV: Terms and Conditions

• Delivery Location: Catholic Relief Services – 16th street Sinkor and Gardiner Avenue, Seaside, C-140 Building
• Latest Delivery Date: As per contract.
• Payment terms: N30.
• Currency: USD.

Section V: Proposals Submission

1. Submission instructions

Bids are to be delivered to CRS office before 4:00 PM no later than March 24, 2025.

Envelopes Labeling:

• Technical Proposal: Clearly labeled as “Envelope 1: Technical Proposal – Tender for Consultancy Services for the Development of a Communication, Education, Advocacy and Marketing Strategy for Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage “
• Financial Proposal: Clearly labeled as “Envelope 2: Financial Proposal – Tender for Consultancy Services for the Development of a Communication, Education, Advocacy and Marketing Strategy for Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage “

Both envelopes should be enclosed in an outer sealed envelope labeled with:

RFQ Number: FY2514

RFQ Name: Consultancy Services for the Development of a Communication, Education, Advocacy and Marketing Strategy for Liberia Health Equity Fund for Universal Health Coverage

Bidder’s Name and Contact Information

2. Important Notes

• Late submissions will not be considered.
• Incomplete or improperly labeled submissions may result in disqualification.
• Bidders may be required to provide additional information or participate in a clarification meeting.
• CRS reserves the right to accept or reject any quotation and annul the bidding process and reject all proposals at any time prior to the award of the contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Section VI: Selection Process

CRS will review received proposals within the deadline through a three-step process:

• Determination of eligibility.
• Technical review of eligible proposals.
• Scoring and ranking of the eligible proposals based on the assessment criteria outlined in the Evaluation Methodology section to identify the highest-ranking proposal.

Section VII: Evaluation Methodology

The methodology of evaluation will be based on “Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS)” as follow:

• Technical quality and cost are both considered.
• Weighting is applied to quality and cost scores to determine the overall score.
• The proposal with the highest combined score is selected.

Section VIII: Evaluation Criteria

Only submission that meets the eligibility criteria (administrative evaluation) will be considered for technical and financial evaluation.

1. Technical Evaluation – Weight: Tech Weight is 60%

The technical Pass mark is 70 points

2. Financial Evaluation – Weight: Fin Weight is 40%

Arithmetical errors will be rectified on the following basis:

• If there is a discrepancy between the unit price and the total price that is obtained by multiplying the unit price and quantity, the unit price shall prevail and the total price shall be corrected.
• If the Supplier/Vendor does not accept the correction of errors, its quote will be rejected.
• If there is a discrepancy between words and figures, the amount in words will prevail.

Offers that are found technically compliant shall be evaluated based on the lowest offer.

Financial scores are assigned to each proposal based on the cost evaluation, using the following formula: the lowest cost proposal receives the highest score PointLowestFin, and other proposals are scored relative to the lowest cost. The supplier with the lowest total price will receive a score of 100

Illustration: X and Y represent the lower offer and the offer for which the score needs to be calculated, respectively: Score = (X/Y)* 100 (PointLowestFin)

3. Combining Score Calculation

The total score for each bidder will be the sum of the weighted technical score and weighted price.

• Technical score and financial score are combined using the predetermined weights.
• Combined Score = (Technical Score x TechWeight) + (Financial Score x FinWeight).

Section IX: Award Criteria

The contract will be awarded to the bidder with the highest combined score, calculated based on the weighted technical score and the financial score. The evaluation committee will consider both technical and financial criteria to determine the bidder that offers the best overall value for money, ensuring the required technical specifications are met while achieving cost-effectiveness.

Section X: Rejection of Award

CRS may reject any quote that is not substantively responsive to the terms and conditions of the RFQ.

CRS is not bound to accept the lowest or any quote and reserves the right to accept any quote in whole or in part and to reject any or all quotes without assigning any reason therefore and to Contract on any of the terms offered or on different terms.

CRS will send a Notice of Award to the winning bidder. The winning bidder agrees to acknowledge the purchase order or contract by email upon award within one (1) business day under the terms and conditions stated herein.

Section XI: Cost of Providing Quotes

Bidders shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of the quote, and CRS will not be liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the solicitation.

Section XII: Clarification and Amendments of Request for Quotation

To assist in the examination, evaluation and comparison of Quotes, CRS may, at its discretion, ask the Supplier/Vendor for clarification of its Quote. The request for clarification and the response shall be in writing and no change in price or substance of the Quote shall be sought, offered, or permitted.

CRS may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective supplier/vendor, amend the Request for Quotation. To afford prospective suppliers/vendors reasonable time to consider the amendments in preparing their offers, CRS may extend the deadline for the submission of quotes. Any amendments will be published in the same manner as the present tender.

Section XIII: Important Additional Information

General terms and conditions of CRS applicable to goods and services can be downloaded at the following address: http://CRS.org/vendor-terms/vendor-terms.pdf or obtained upon request from the CRS’ office and are applicable within the national legal context.

Vendors must not be associated or have been associated in the past directly or indirectly with a firm or any of its affiliates which have been engaged by CRS to provide services for the preparation of the design, specifications, and other documents to be used for the procurement of the goods under this request for quotation.

Bidders, Suppliers and Service Providers, while conducting their activities, are expected to comply with the following policies and regulations:

• CRS Terms and Conditions: http://CRS.org/vendor-terms/vendor-terms.pdf.
• CRS Suppliers and Service Provider Code of Conduct: https://www.CRS.org/sites/default/files/supplier_code_of_conduct.pdf.
• Global Fund Code of conduct for supplier: https://www.theglobalfund.org/media/3275/corporate_codeofconductforsuppliers_policy_en.pdf.

Annex I. Quotation Submission Form FY2514

The following document is part of this request for quotation and must be completed and returned with your offer.

Quotations must be completed according to the instructions in this request. Quotations must be completed in English, signed, and returned to CRS before the specified deadline. CRS’s terms and conditions applicable to goods and services are provided in Section XII: Important Additional Information.

I, the undersigned, having read CRS’s terms and conditions applicable to goods and services for the request for quotation No. FY2514, as stated in the attached document, hereby offer to provide the goods and services specified in this request for quotation at the price or prices indicated, in accordance with all specified specifications, and subject to CRS’s terms and conditions applicable to goods and services established or specified in the document.

I, the undersigned, declare that:

1. Our company and our personnel have no conflicts of interest in any activities that could represent, if we are selected, a conflict of interest with CRS.
2. Our company confirms that the bidder or subcontractors have not been associated, or in any way involved, directly or indirectly, in the preparation of the project, specifications, and/or other documents used in this tender.
3. Our company, its affiliates, or subsidiaries (including subcontractors or suppliers of any part of the contract) have not been declared ineligible by CRS in accordance with Section I. 3: Eligibility Criteria.
4. We have not offered and will not offer any gift and/or favor of any kind in exchange for this request for quotation and will never do so during the execution of any awarded contract.

I, ____________________________________ (Name of authorized signatory) , certify that I am the_____________________________(position) _____________________of (legal name of the company)________________; by signing this request for quotation for and on behalf of (legal name of the company) _______________________________, I certify that all information contained in this document is accurate and true and that signing this offer falls within my authority.

Annex II. Past Experience Form for FY2514

Purchases orders or contracts signed by both parties must be provided for each experience.

Annex III. Submission Checklist for Bidders

Bid submission Form.

☐Price Quote which complies with the specifications provided (detail of quantities in each pack/carton)

☐Signed Quotation Submission Form (Annex I)

☐Reference list- Past Experience Form (Annex II)

☐Business registration and Tax Clearance,

☐Business Brochure/ individual Profile including names of management team/partners

[1] https://www.emansion.gov.lr/publications/document-type/annual-message

[2] MOH, National Health Accounts, FY19/20