1. Background Information on Plan International

Background and Rationale

The Liberia Women Empowerment Project (LWEP), funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), supports women’s economic empowerment, social norm shifts, improved access to services, and institutional strengthening across six counties.

To ensure safe, effective, and compliant implementation of field activities, LWEP staff; including consortium partners, Community-Based Agents (CBAs), Social Mobilizers, Safeguard Focal Persons, and technical officers, are regularly required to travel to remote communities, engage with beneficiaries, monitor activities, and conduct field assessments.

These activities expose staff to several occupational risks such as:

• Harsh weather conditions (rain, heat, dust)
• Unsafe roads and long-distance commuting
• Interactions at construction, farming, and livelihood sites
• Exposure to environmental and social hazards
• Field-related incidents, including slips, falls, and injuries

To minimize risks and promote compliance with World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESS2: Labor and Working Conditions) and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements, the procurement and distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential.

2. Background/Context

This term of reference seeks approval to procure adequate and appropriate PPE for 500 LWEP staff across the six project counties. These PPEs are required to ensure:

• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) compliance
• Safe mobility and field operations
• Reduced exposure to environmental and physical hazards
• Professional and standardized field representation
• Compliance with the GRM, ESF, and OHS guidelines

3. Description & Objectives

The overall objective is to enhance the safety, wellbeing, and operational efficiency of LWEP staff through the provision of standard PPEs that support safe execution of project activities.

The key and specific objectives:

1. To protect staff from environmental, occupational, and travel-related hazards.
2. To standardize field operations and improve professional visibility across all counties.
3. To comply with World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESS2 and ESS4).
4. To reinforce safeguarding, risk management, and incident prevention.
5. To support efficient field monitoring, community engagement, and implementation.

Purpose

This activity will ensure access to quality safety and safety equipment that would prevent risk of injury when executing work for LWEP

Target Beneficiaries

A total of 500 LWEP staff working across the six counties will benefit from the PPE procurement. The target group includes:

• Lead Service Provider (LSP) staff
• Consortium partner staff (DCI, FCI, KEEP, Medica Liberia)
• Community-Based Agents (CBAs)
• Influencers / Community Facilitators
• Safeguard Focal Persons
• Field Monitors and Supervisors
• Beneficiary Feedback Mechanism (BFM) Officers
• Agriculture, Education, Gender, and Health Officers engaged under LWEP
• Temporary project assistants assigned for field operations

1.6 Methodology for Proposed Activity Delivery

State the methodology/ how you intend to deliver the activities (a step-by-step guide to achieve the activity) (if the project document has clearly described the methodology please use)

Procurement Method

To ensure transparency, value-for-money, and compliance with World Bank Procurement Regulations:

• Bid tendering will be required to last for at least two weeks
• Specifications will align with industry OHS standards
• Competitive bidding and selection will follow PMU procurement procedures
• Quality inspection will be conducted before acceptance
• Distribution will be recorded and documented

Duration: 8 Weeks (2 Months)/ Key Deliverables and Timeline

1. Selection Criteria

Bids will be assessed against predetermined criteria which has been developed and agreed by the Tender Panel before launching this Tender process. Please find further details in the table below:

Kindly use the below email address to request for Annex B, D and E if interested to apply for this Liberia.Proculwep@plan-international.org

Cc: Edward.fallah@plan-international.org

1. Evaluation of offers

The Tender Panel will review all Bids to ensure they meet the minimum requirements listed under the ‘Compliance’ section in the above table. Following this, each Bid will be assigned a score based on predetermined criteria and their associated weights.

The contract(s) will be awarded to the Bidder(s) who represent the best overall value for Plan International in terms of the evaluation criteria set out above. By participating in this tender, you acknowledge and understand that Plan reserves the right to:

• Decide not to award to any supplier
• Decide to award to one or more suppliers
• Decide to re-advertise the opportunity
• Not necessarily accept the lowest cost offer

Notification of the contract award will be issued via email.

2. Terms & Conditions

By submitting a Bid as part of this Tender process, you also acknowledge and understand that:

• Plan International will not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred in the preparation of your offer
• You or your company will undergo vetting checks against an Anti-Terrorism and Sanctions Database as part of due diligence protocols
• Plan International reserves the right to keep confidential the circumstances that have been considered for the selection of the offers
• Part of the evaluation process may include a presentation from the Bidder and a site visit by Plan International staff, where applicable and necessary
• Plan International reserves the right to alter the schedule of tender and contract awarding
• Plan International reserves the right to cancel this tender process at any time and not to award any contract
• Plan International reserves the right not to enter into or award a contract as a result of this invitation to tender
• Plan International does not bind itself to accept the lowest, or any offer
• Any attempt by the Bidder to obtain confidential information, enter into unlawful agreements with competitors, or influence the evaluation committee or Plan International during the process of examining, clarifying, evaluating, and comparing tenders will lead to the rejection of its offers and may result in the termination of a current contract, where applicable
• You accept in full and without restriction the conditions governing this tender as the sole basis of this competition, whatever its own conditions of sale may be, which you hereby waive
• You have examined carefully, understood, and complied with all conditions, instructions, forms, provisions, and specifications contained in this tender dossier. You are aware that failure to submit a tender containing all the information and documentation expressly required, within the deadline specified, may lead to the rejection of the tender at Plan International’s discretion
• You are not aware of any corruption practice in relation to this competition. Should such a situation arise, we shall immediately inform Plan International in writing
• You declare that you are affected by no potential conflict of interest, and that you and our staff have no particular link with other Bidders or parties involved in this competition. Should such a situation arise during performance of the contract, you shall immediately inform Plan International in writing
• You accept Plan International’s standard terms of payment, which are 30 days after the end of the month of receipt by Plan of a proper invoice or, if later, after acceptance of the Goods or Services in question by Plan International Ltd

3. Plan International’s Ethical & Environmental Statement

• The organisation should establish environmental standards and good practices that follow the principles of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, and in particular to ensure compliance with environmental legislation.
• The organisation should seek to set reduction targets in areas where the organisation’s activities lead to significant environmental impacts

4. Submission Checklist

5.Submission of offers

Please send your application to Plan International <in a Hard Copy and in a Sealed envelope > by <please insert

exact date> referencing “Consultation for <Liberia Women Empowerment Project>” in the subject line and including support documents as outlined.

7. Contract & Payment terms

Please note that, if successful, Plan International’s standard terms of payment are 30 days after the end of the month of receipt of invoice, or after acceptance of the Goods/Services/Works, if later.

8. Plan International’s Ethical & Environmental Statement

The supplier should establish environmental standards and good practices that follow the principles of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, and in particular, ensure compliance with environmental legislation

9. Clarifications

The onus is on the invited individual/companies to ensure that their offer is complete and meets Plan International’s requirements. Failure to comply may lead to the offer being rejected. Please, therefore, ensure that you read this document carefully and answer fully all questions asked.

If you have any queries in relation to your submission, or to any requirements of this RFP, please email: <Liberia.Proculwep@plan-international.org>

CC: Edward.fallah@plan-international.org

Thank you for your proposal

Note:

Prepared by: Diana Clinton __________________________________________

Operations Officer

Reviewed by: Edward Fallah __________________________________________

Acting Lead Procurement Specialist

Approved by: John Mbusa Tumwesige ________________________________________

Head of Operations