SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS)
- Notice Date
- 11/4/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Washington D.C., USAID/Washington, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Room 7.10-006, Washington, DC, 20523
- ZIP Code
- 20523
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-PMI-IRS-2005
- Response Due
- 11/23/2005
- Description
- USAID/GH/HIDN is seeking interested firms/organizations to provide information to enable it to assess the level of interest and capabilities of firms/organizations to implement the indoor residual spraying (IRS) component of the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) and provide support for IRS in USAID malaria programs in other countries, if needed. The requested information will also assist USAID/GH/HIDN to plan the proposed procurement. This announcement is a Request for Information (RFI), not a Request for Proposals (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the USAID/GH/HIDN to issue any solicitation or ultimately to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or otherwise to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. It is highly recommended that firms/organizations that intend to submit proposals when USAID subsequently issues an RFP respond to this RFI to enable USAID to determine the level of interest and available capabilities for the subsequent procurement. However, it should be noted that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any firm/organization in the subsequent procurement. USAID is interested in receiving responses from a wide range of firms/organizations world wide, including Africa, Europe, and other places outside the United States. General: On June 30, 2005 President Bush pledged to increase funding for malaria prevention and treatment by more than $1.2 billion over five years with resources increasing each year. USAID is the lead US Government Agency implementing the PMI. The goal of the PMI is to reduce malaria deaths by 50% in target countries after three years of full implementation by achieving 85% coverage of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), insecticide treated nets (ITNs), intermittent preventive treatment for all pregnant women (IPT), and indoor residual spraying (IRS). This effort eventually will cover up to 175 million people in about 15 of the African countries most affected by malaria. In addition, USAID supports malaria programs in over 30 countries, primarily in Africa, but also in Latin America, Asia and Eurasia. Background: USAID uses a comprehensive strategy combining proven approaches to prevent and treat malaria that are effective in reducing sickness and death from this disease as follows: (1) prompt treatment of active malaria cases with effective treatment, primarily artemisinin-based combination therapies; (2) increased access to insecticide-treated bednets for children and pregnant women; (3) intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) for all pregnant women living in high malaria transmission areas; and (4) indoor residual spraying (IRS), the organized, timely spraying of an insecticide on the inside walls of houses to reduce malaria transmission. Indoor Residual Spraying: IRS, the organized, timely spraying of an insecticide on the inside walls of houses, is designed to significantly reduce and ideally interrupt malaria transmission by killing adult female mosquitoes when they enter houses and rest on the walls after feeding but before they can transmit the infection to another person. USAID supports the use of spraying in settings where appropriate infrastructure is available to ensure that spraying is done safely and effectively. In the last year, USAID supported spraying programs in eight countries. Epidemiological evidence collected since 1950 suggests that IRS can be effective in all types of endemic areas, if properly implemented. Using mainly dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), malaria was eliminated as a public health problem in large parts of the temperate zones of the world. Today, however, few IRS programs operate in the many highly endemic countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Selection and use of insecticides: Selection of insecticides is normally based on national policies, WHO guidelines and the best locally available technical information, such as mosquito susceptibility data. While USAID does procure insecticides for some of its health programs, activities to support purchase or use of insecticides require an environmental risk assessment. This is a mandatory legal requirement, based on the fact that insecticides are toxins and if inappropriately selected or used they can create serious health problems, such as poisoning, and can damage the environment on which the local people rely for essential food supplies and often for their livelihood. The required environmental assessment procedures are described in Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 216 (22 CFR 216), the text of which is available to the public at: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/compliance/regulations.html In general terms, an assessment consists of an evaluation of which pesticides may be procured or used (including ones procured by USAID partners) based on scientific selection of the safest, most efficacious pesticide(s), using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration data. The assessment also includes a plan for safer use, in order to reduce to a minimum any risks to humans or the environment. This incorporates a fully funded mechanism for ongoing monitoring and compliance throughout the life of the activity. Insecticide resistance remains a constant threat to the effectiveness of IRS, as demonstrated recently in South Africa with the emergence of pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles funestus. Currently, a large choice of products exists to address this problem, although the cost may increase with the use of newer compounds that progressively are replacing DDT. DDT is one of several insecticides that can be deployed using IRS; this is DDT?s only remaining use under the terms of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Treaty. USAID can procure and/or use DDT for malaria IRS when safe, effective and affordable alternatives do not exist and where an activity is designed and funded to ensure its proper use. However, as with any other insecticide, procurement or use of DDT in a USAID supported activity requires completion of the appropriate 22 CFR 216 environmental assessment. Goods and Services Required: (a) Day-to-day operational management support to on-going USAID-supported IRS primarily in the focus countries of the PMI, but also in other countries as requested; (b) Preparation and execution of an IRS logistical plan, including the purchase and handling of sprayers, insecticides and any other supplies that are required to carry out the proposed IRS operations; (c) Compliance with all related USG environmental regulations, including the provision of an Environmental Impact Assessment in compliance with 22 CFR 216; (d) Expert short and long-term technical assistance for IRS activities; (e) Skills training and ongoing supervision/monitoring for safe and effective spraying in accordance with WHO guidelines. Requested Information: USAID/GH/HIDN requires brief ?Yes? or ?No? answers to and/or information on issues raised by the following questions. (Please note we are not seeking a full description of your capabilities at this time.): Has your firm and/or organization the (1) Capacity to provide technical advice and support in the planning and implementation of sustainable IRS activities for routine malaria control operations?; (2) Capacity to design, implement and evaluate training and supervision in key IRS skill areas, such that for each country where this program works, the Malaria Control Program could have a functioning IRS component by the end of the PMI?; (3) Capacity to design, implement and monitor an IRS procurement logistics plan, including adequate safeguards to prevent ?leakage? of insecticides to non-vector control uses, stock rotation, and secure storage?; (4) Capacity to build the capacity of each country?s MCP such that its national staff are able to conduct entomological monitoring of relevant factors, including detecting behavioral as well as physiological insecticide resistance among the mosquitoes in its target spraying areas?; (5) Capacity to prepare an environmental impact assessment in accordance with 22 CFR 216?; and (6) Capacity to conduct performance monitoring and reporting of the program?s adherence to WHO?s IRS technical standards, the quality of training and ongoing supervision, the efficiency and reliability of procurement activities, and compliance with environmental procedures as listed in 22 CFR 216? Also, for each and every possessed capacity, please indicate the country in which your firm has that capacity. The information provided in response to this RFI should not exceed one (1) page. Your brief, precise responses should be addressed to: bduodu@usaid.gov. All responses should be received electronically by November 23, 2005. END OF RFI. Suzanne H. Johnson, Contracting Officer, USAID/M/OAA/GH, Room 7.09-32, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20523; sjohnson@usaid.gov
- Place of Performance
- Address: Worldwide
- Record
- SN00926238-W 20051106/051104211516 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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