Call for Proposals: Prepositioning Assistive Products for Humanitarian Emergencies

Deadline: 13-Sep-2024

The ATscale Secretariat, hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Geneva, Switzerland, invites interested and eligible non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other non-profit organizations, as well as UN entities, to respond to a call for proposals for the grant project: ‘Prepositioning of assistive products for humanitarian emergencies’.

The objective of the grant is to support the establishment of a stock of prepositioned assistive products at a UN logistics center in partnership with other UN agencies/international organizations and to respond to urgent needs of priority assistive products during humanitarian emergencies.

ATscale works to strengthen policy, systems, and service delivery for AT at global and country levels to increase access to high-quality, affordable AT. This is achieved through identifying and supporting interventions to address the enabling ecosystem, particularly at the country level, including in humanitarian settings. ATscale also invests in interventions to overcome supply- and demand-side market barriers to build and shape markets for APs and their related services. The effectiveness and impact of all ATscale investments are supported and fortified through advocacy and communication activities that raise awareness and mobilize action at all levels – from community to global.

ATscale, hosted by UNOPS, has a mission to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. By expanding the ability of the UN, governments, and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure, and procurement operations sustainably and efficiently in some of the world’s most challenging environments. UNOPS supports more than USD 1 billion worth of projects annually.

Scope 

• Capacity for APs within the existing global prepositioning mechanisms is very limited. The quantity and quality of APs required in emergency responses can therefore result in excessively long procurement processes. Such procurement delays can threaten the effectiveness of the emergency response.
• ATscale is investing in the prepositioning of AT10 kits (ten mobility and self-care products). Quantities are estimated based on a population of 10,000 displaced people or refugees. The kits have been developed and recommended by the World Health Organization, as they present the following advantages:
  • They can respond to the needs of both persons with pre-existing disabilities/AT users and to the needs of persons newly injured and rapidly discharged from the hospital;
  • They include a large variety of items, such as incontinence products, to respond to different needs.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: USD 350,000
• The proposed start date for the grant will be 1 November 2024, and it is expected to be concluded within one (1) year, i.e., by 31 October 2025. ATscale may extend the grant duration by three months based on a no-cost extension during implementation, subject to ATscale approval.

Targeted Impact 

• The grant funding intends to increase access to essential and life-saving AT during humanitarian emergencies such as natural disasters or conflicts.

Activities 

• In order to cover the prepositioning component of ATscale’s investment in humanitarian settings, this Call For Proposals is released to select a suitable implementing partner with the capacity to:
  • Procure AT10 kits to cover the needs of a minimum of 40,000 displaced people or refugees with injuries/disabilities, that is, at least 4 (four) AT10 kits:
    • Applicants are expected to provide a procurement plan that includes unit price and technical specifications, and expiration dates/warranty coverage and duration for each product. Expiration dates/warranty coverage should be of at least 24 months at the purchase/procurement date.
  • Store the procured kits and items in one relevant logistic hub for a minimum period of 1 year (12 months). The location will be chosen according to other prepositioning strategies from other UN agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP, and ultimately validated with UNOPS-ATscale; applicants should describe the proposed approach in the proposal.
  • In case of emergency onset, ensure the transportation of prepositioned AP to the geographical area(s) affected by the emergency, including clearing customs. Final destination of the products cannot be predicted at the time of writing.
  • Collaborate with local authorities and other relevant partners to ensure the suitable provision of the delivered kits, including with the necessary workforce to follow international standards on quality provision of AT services.
  • Develop a sustainable financial plan to ensure the AT stock maintenance/rotation/replenishment and associated storage costs at the end of ATscale’s support period. Through this Grant, ATscale will invest in the initial scale-up (procurement storage, coordination) of prepositioned APs and associated costs for a period of 12 months.

Target Beneficiaries 

• The programme targets the population in need of AT in humanitarian emergencies. When considering final beneficiaries, greater attention should be paid to girls, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, the vulnerable and other disadvantaged groups.
• Direct beneficiaries of the prepositioned AT can be health facilities and/or specialized organisations with the appropriate workforce and infrastructure to provide AT services according to international standards.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following categories of applicants are eligible to apply under this CFP:
  • International non-governmental organizations (INGOs)
  • UN system organizations
• All applicants (including consortium partners, if any) should be legally registered in countries where they have their headquarters.
• All applicants should have the necessary authorization to use storage facilities in the country selected for AP pre-positioning.

For more information, visit UNOPS.