Procurement Notices

Project Title: UNAIDS Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF)-supported Joint UN Plans on AIDS

Project Description 

The Philippines has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia Pacific. In fact, according to UNAIDS Data 2018, the Philippines has the highest percentage change of new HIV infections in the region, with an increase of 173% in only seven years. Official statistics also show that the number of new cases of HIV infection among Filipino men who have sex with men (MSM) has increased by around 21 times from 2008 to 2018[1].

In addition, the Department of Health (DOH) reported in 2015 that at least 11 cities have recorded HIV prevalence rates greater than 5% among MSM. These statistics are alarmingly higher compared to the 0.2% overall HIV prevalence rate for the Asia-Pacific region and 4.7% overall HIV prevalence rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the most serious HIV epidemic in the world.

[1] Department of Health - Epidemiology Bureau. HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines. 2019.

Since the first case of HIV infection in the Philippines was reported in 1984, a total of 68,401 HIV diagnoses, 8,211 (12%) of which with advanced infection[1], has been reported to the HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) of DOH. In June 2019 alone, more than a thousand new cases of HIV infection were reported to HARP. These new cases bring the total number of reported cases from June last year to June this year to 12,126, with an average of 35 new cases reported per day for the first half of 2019. In comparison, a daily average of only 16 people who are newly diagnosed with HIV was reported in 2014, translating to an increase of 119% in the span of five years. As shown in Figure 1, among the new cases reported nationwide, 50% are from Metro Manila and neighboring provinces in Region IV-A, despite only comprising 27% of the general population of the country.

The accelerated increase of HIV prevalence in the Philippines—together with the challenges in increasing HIV awareness among Filipinos—emphasizes the need in scaling up and improving the response of the country to HIV and AIDS. This also implies that there is a need to better determine the investment targets and allocate sufficient budget for HIV-related interventions and programs.

[1] WHO clinical stage 3 & 4

The development of a local investment plan for HIV helps in addressing this issue as the plan takes into account the HIV situation in a city or municipality, while ensuring that the 6th AIDS Medium Term Plan and the National Investment Plan for AIDS are implemented and reflected at the local level. Consequently, it is expected that a local investment plan will also help achieve national objectives, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. Furthermore, a local investment plan for HIV, being anchored to the investment plan for health of each city or municipality, serves as a good basis for the preparation of each local government unit’s annual investment program, and as an advocacy tool for mobilizing resources within the local government, or from the national government, the private sector, and other development partners.

Such initiative also strengthens UNDP’s collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local government units (LGUs) to demonstrate LGU experiences in ensuring that HIV and AIDS plans and programmes are funded.  Consequently, policies were issued such as DILG Department Order enjoining LGUs to design and implement their respective local AIDS response and Joint Memorandum Circular of DILG, Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to work together by way of formation and operationalization of sub-national mechanisms such as Regional AIDS Assistance Teams (RAATs).

In 2018 and 2019, UNDP supported and organized workshops on the development of Local Investment Plans for HIV with several LGUs across the Philippines. These areas include Angeles City, Dasmariñas City, Mabalacat, Puerto Princesa City, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Danao City, Minglanilla, Toledo City, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Manila City, Quezon City, Caloocan City, Las Piñas City, Makati City, Malabon City, Mandaluyong City, Marikina City, Muntinlupa City, Navotas City, Parañaque City, Pasay City, Pasig City, San Juan City, Taguig City, Valenzuela City, Pateros, Bacoor, Imus, Sta. Rosa, San Pablo, and Biñan.

With the physical distancing measures currently in place in the Philippines and uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, UNDP, in collaboration with UNAIDS and DOH, will develop massive open on-line courses on HIV and LGBTQI. The initiative will include at least nine courses across three areas that will include local investment planning for HIV.

Massive Open On-line Courses

Massive Open On-line Courses or MOOCs are on-line courses aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. In addition to traditional course materials, such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets, many MOOCs provide interactive courses with user forums or social media discussions to support community interactions.

MOOCs also offer adaptive learning methods amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, they improve access to classes, educational workshops, and seminars by providing an affordable alternative to residential learning and offering a flexible learning schedule. MOOCs help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG 4, by promoting inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

In line with this, UNDP is developing an MOOCs on local budget cycle and processes for HIV intended for HIV Program Managers and Staff.

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will be under the supervision of the Programme Analyst, and Programme Team Leader of UNDP Philippines Institutions and Partnerships Team. The IC shall work in collaboration with HIV and LGBTI Focal, UNDP Institutions and Partnerships Team and UNDP HIV, Health and Development Team, Bangkok Regional Hub.  Outputs submitted by the consultant will be reviewed by the HIV and LGBTI Focal and approval will be from the Policy Advisor and Programme Analyst.

Duty Station

The Consultant’s duty station is at Manila. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work of the Consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local government. During the quarantine period, the Consultant shall NOT ENGAGE in any meetings or activities OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES. Coordination/meetings shall be done through phone or online communication until such time that the quarantine is lifted. This is STRICTLY a HOME-BASED assignment; NO TRAVEL IS REQUIRED for the Consultant to complete their abovementioned tasks

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Consultant must send a financial proposal based on all-inclusive lump-sum amount including all costs components required to deliver the goods and services identified above such as professional fees and any other applicable costs (i.e., medical and health insurance, transportation/travel to and from residence for meetings within Metro Manila, supplies and materials, equipment, reproduction, communications, etc.). Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual, and upon award of contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration.

Payments will be released following the table below:

Duties and Responsibilities

To ensure successful implementation of the project, it is proposed that an individual contractor (IC) or technical expert on Budget Advocacy for HIV Programming will be engaged to lead the development of the technical document and course content for the massive open online course on local investment planning for HIV and monitoring of local HIV investments. The IC is expected to produce one report containing the contents for the MOOC on local budget cycles, processes, and FAQs. In particular, the scope of work includes:

• Conduct of cursory review of literature, including national and subnational policies, on local budget cycle, processes, and FAQs related to HIV programming; and
• Development of technical documents and course content for the MOOC on local budget cycles, processes, and FAQs intended for HIV program managers and staff.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Competencies

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional and technical competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

Required Skills and Experience

Candidates will be evaluated based on the Combined Rating methodology:

• Technical qualifications = 70%
• Financial Proposal =    30%

Applicants who will only receive 70 points from the assessment of the CV will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal. 

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested applicants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications at this given link https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=94405. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document. 

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references; and
2. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP; ?Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. 
3. Submission of 1 previous report

Interested applicants to note that personal Medical/health insurance (to be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense) is mandatory for the issuance of contracts. Upon award of the contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during the contract duration.

The following templates / Annexes and IC General Terms & Conditions can be downloaded from http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU:

• General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contract
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
• P-11 form

In view of the volume of applications, UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.