Request for Proposal (RFP): Non-Thai Sex worker SOP development Consultant

About FHI 360:

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research, technology, communication, and social marketing- creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories.

EpiC Project Background:

The USAID and PEPFAR funded Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) Project, managed by FHI 360, aims to close remaining gaps in the continuum of HIV services towards achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals.

EpiC Thailand has been a pivotal force in advancing HIV prevention, care, and treatment initiatives among Key Populations, with a primary focus on Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women (TGW) in Thailand.

In recent data from FY 23Q1 – Q3 high HIV case-finding rates among non-Thai sex workers highlight an urgent need for tailored HIV prevention, care, and treatment protocols. Specifically, case-finding rates stand at 18.4% for Laotian, 12.1% for Burmese, and 22.2% for Cambodian sex workers, compared to just 5.4% among their Thai counterparts. This disparity points to a range of possible challenges faced by non-Thai sex workers, including language barriers, cultural stigma, limited access to health services, and legal vulnerabilities that may hinder effective HIV prevention and treatment.

EpiC seeks to address these issues by developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that provides practical and culturally sensitive guidelines for delivering HIV services to this group. The SOP will aim to standardize and improve the quality of HIV care provided to non-Thai sex workers (NTSW) , focusing on enhancing service accessibility, fostering culturally competent care, and ultimately, reducing case-finding rates through improved outreach and support.

The consultant engaged for this task will leverage their expertise to develop a comprehensive SOP, enabling service providers to meet the unique needs of migrant sex workers and bridge the gap in health outcomes between non-Thai and Thai sex workers.

1. Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive HIV/AIDS standard operating procedure (SOP) tailored to the needs of non-Thai sex workers in Thailand. The SOP will include essential skills for staff, operational guidelines for health services, and a focus on advocacy, cultural competence, and crisis management.

2. Key Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Conduct a comprehensive review: Examine existing SOPs, training programs, and best practices related to HIV/AIDS services for NTSW. This process may involve site visits to key locations, such as Bangkok and Pattaya, to observe field operations and gather relevant information for the development of the new SOP.
• Engage with key stakeholders: Collaborate with EpiC Thailand implementing partners, key stakeholders, healthcare providers, NGOs, and NTSW community to gather insights and feedback. This will include conducting a pre-SOP writing workshop to assess needs and obtain input from various stakeholders, which will inform the development of the NTSW SOP.
• Develop the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – ‘Promoting Access to Health Services for Non-Thai Sex Workers (NTSW)’: Draft the SOP to outline strategies for reaching and linking NTSW to health and support services, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB, and other related health concerns. The SOP will be informed by a comprehensive review of existing guidelines, SOPs, and lessons learned, particularly drawing on the experience of SWING, which has extensive on-the-ground expertise in working with NTSW in Thailand.
• Collaborate with SWING and facilitate a workshop: Pilot the NTSW SOP by conducting a training and dissemination workshop with partner community-based organizations (CBOs). During the workshop, gather feedback from staff members on the curriculum content and its practical application to ensure the SOP is effective and tailored to their needs.
• Finalize the NTSW SOP and training package: Based on the feedback and recommendations from key stakeholders, finalize the MGSW SOP, including the complete training package with slide presentations and related media materials.

3. Expected Deliverables

1. Finalize SOP: Deliver a finalized operational procedure: ‘Promoting Access to Health Services for Non-Thai Sex Workers (NTSW), focused on HIV/AIDS care, STIs, TB, and other related health concerns for NTSW, including comprehensive training materials and guidelines for implementation.
2. Facilitate Two Workshops:
   1. Pre-SOP Writing Workshop: Facilitate a workshop to gather needs and inputs from key stakeholders, including EpiC, SWING, partner CBOs, and MGSW community representatives, to inform the development of the SOP.
   2. NTSW SOP Training and Dissemination Workshop: Conduct a training and dissemination workshop to introduce the SOP, gather feedback from partner CBOs and stakeholders, and ensure the SOP’s practical applicability.
3. Finalize SOP: Deliver a finalized operational procedure: ‘Promoting Access to Health Services for Non-Thai Sex Workers (NTSW), focused on HIV/AIDS care, STIs, TB, and other related health concerns for NTSW, including comprehensive training materials and guidelines for implementation.

4. Qualifications and Minimum Experience and Skills:

• Thai Nationality
• A degree in public health, nursing, medicine, business administration or any other relevant public health and social science Knowledge and experience in working with key populations in health programming.
• Experience in HIV prevention, care, and treatment among Thai and Non-Thai MSM and TGW who engage in transactional sex.
• Minimum of 10 years of cumulative experience in public health, project management, evaluator or consultant and experience in working with a wide range of stakeholders. Experience working with a national or international development organization or agency.
• Experience in working with communities and local health authorities.

5. Evaluation Criteria

• Proposal Approach 35%
• Relevance Experience 40%
• Total cost 20%
• Reference 5%

Duration/Period of Performance: January – September 30,2025

Disclaimers and FHI 360 Protection Clauses:

• FHI 360 will not compensate offerors for preparation of their response to this solicitation.
• Issuing this solicitation is not a guarantee that FHI 360 will award a subcontract.
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue a subcontract based on the initial evaluation of offers without discussion.
• FHI 360 may choose to award a subcontract for part of the activities in the solicitation. FHI 360 may choose to award subcontracts to more than one offeror for specific parts of the activities in the solicitation.
• FHI 360 may request from short‐listed offerors a second or third round of either oral presentation or written response to a more specific and detailed scope of work that is based on a general scope of work in the original solicitation.
• FHI 360 has the right to rescind a solicitation or rescind an award prior to the signing of a subcontract due to any unforeseen changes in the direction of FHI 360’s client, be it funding or programmatic.
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive any deviations by offerors from the requirements of this solicitation that in FHI 360’s opinion are considered not to be material defects requiring rejection or disqualification; or where such a waiver will promote increased competition.
• Data produced under this solicitation belongs to FHI 360. Any distribution of data must first have written authorization from FHI 360 or its designated representative.

How to apply

Submission Guideline

Interested applicants should submit the following document in English to procurement.EpiC.TH@fhi360.org by November 15, 2024

• A cover letter summarizing relevant experience and understanding of the project.
• A technical proposal outlining the approach and methodology for developing the SOP.
• A detailed timeline and work plan.
• A financial proposal with a breakdown of fees and any additional costs.
• CVs of the consultant or team, highlighting relevant experience.

Contact Information:

For inquiries or clarification regarding this RFP, please contact Thirdchai Sattayapanich via email at tsattayapanich@fhi360.org.