Deadline: 18 May 2020
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands challenges entrepreneurs, companies and organizations to develop innovative products and services that can support the COVID-19 approach itself and the collateral damage on public health caused by prevention measures taken. This includes the mitigation of some socio-economic consequences.
The Ministry is looking for entrepreneurs, companies and organizations that can quickly adapt existing solutions or technologies to the country-specific contexts in co-creation with (a) local partner(s) in the countries to which this call is directed (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger and Uganda). Solutions must have the potential to be rapidly deployed at scale. The Ministry specifically encourages entrepreneurs, companies and organizations that have networks and established activities in various low- and middle-income countries and therefore are able to develop and implement innovative solutions in multiple countries simultaneously to submit proposals. Proposals directed at multiple countries should include at least one of the aforementioned focus countries.
Although in Africa the number of known COVID-19 cases is still relatively small the number can increase in the coming period. A health crisis of significant proportions looms as health systems are insufficiently equipped to deal with Corona patients (at a distance) and maintain the regular healthcare. Aggravated by the lockdowns imposed by governments that lack reliable data to take evidence-based decisions. On the economic front, the impact of global and local lockdowns on formal and informal sector jobs and livelihoods is enormous, hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest.
Sub-Themes
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking for innovative solutions and invites entrepreneurs, companies and organizations to submit proposals for the following three sub-themes:
- Subtheme 1: Strengthening primary health care systems
- The main objective is to maintain access to and trust in regular health support services during the COVID19 response. PHC providers communicate essential public health messages to people, support symptom management and secondly play a crucial role in identifying, referring and tracing COVID-19 patients. While doing this, direct contact between potential Corona patients and medical personnel must be minimized to avoid contagion. Healthcare information related to the pandemic changes and develops rapidly. PHC providers, both in urban and rural communities, must be kept up-to-date and trained for medical response (i.e. applying protocols).
- Potential solutions could entail:
- Solutions for streamlining and finetuning emergency response (COVID-19) services with regular primary health care services (through consultations, coaching and monitoring of medical staff)
- Awareness and risk communication tools (digital)
- Mobile health diagnosis and consultations
- Self-monitoring tools
- Solutions that create local supply of PPE
- Zoning solutions for physical distancing and isolation in high density camp-like situations
- Subtheme 2: Epidemiological intelligence for policy and political decision makers
- In response to the crisis, governments take crucial decisions that -to a significant extent -determine the spread of the virus as well as its socio-economic consequences. These decisions pertain to the question whether to impose a lockdown, a curfew or have no restriction on mobility. And also, how to divide scarce resources and when to reopen (parts of) the economy. One basis for taking such decisions is the availability of data. Yet, in many of the countries to which this call is directed, leaders and experts lack (access to) high quality, reliable data that give tailor-made guidance on key questions such as: How fast is the spread of the disease? Where does the disease spread? How do populations move? What is the resilience of people and systems to cope with the virus? Do people with other diseases avoid health centres?
- Potential solutions could entail:
- Solutions to monitor the pandemic at the national level in country specific contexts
- Solutions to monitor access to and utilization ofof regular primary health care, incl. feedback options for patients
- Solutions to monitor social-economic, protection and psycho-social impact of measures put in place
- Solutions for case investigation and contact tracing
- Tools to improve the effectiveness of public communication
- Subtheme 3: Access to health care and social financial support programmes
- Projections show that over 150 million jobs and incomes are at risk due to the economic consequences of the global crisis. The poorest part of populations bear the most severe consequences as they have nothing to fall back on. Many governments are launching direct cash-transfer programs to provide support and mitigate the socio-economic consequences of the crisis. There are however significant challenges to identify and provide quick social support to vulnerable households. Countries do not have national databases for identification of vulnerable households, administrative and digital infrastructure is lacking, and households do not have access to internet and financial accounts.
- They are looking for integral solutions that identify recipients, provide solutions for the verification of ID’s and provide efficient (digital) payment mechanisms. The major challenge is to identify vulnerable groups who do not necessarily have access to cyberspace. For instance: disabled people, elderly people and people living in remote areas. Solutions should consider the different positions of various household members in society and adapt communication strategies accordingly.
- Potential solutions could entail:
- Tools for linking identified vulnerable groups with (government) cash-transfer programs
- Tools for improving national database systems with more inclusive approach to vulnerable households
- Digital solutions for distributing remote cash or vouchers for access to health care
- Adaption of solutions used in refugee/Internally Displaced Persons programmes
Phases
The SBIR system has two phases:
- Phase 1: feasibility study. In phase 1 you will investigate the feasibility of adapting your innovation to the local context, finding reliable reliable partner (s) and parties that can contribute to the implementation of (large-scale) tests.
- Phase 2: prototype development for local situation, (large-scale) practical tests.
Funding Information
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides a budget of max. € 75,000 for phase 1 of this SBIR. The maximum budget per project for a feasibility study in phase 1 is € 7,500.
- At least € 925,000 is available for SBIR phase 2, the maximum amount per project is € 200,000. Projects that have successfully completed the feasibility study (phase 1) can make an offer for phase 2.
- The number of projects to be awarded for the various phases depends on the price and the quality of the best-rated offers per phase.
Residual budget from phase 1 can be used in phase 2.
Eligibility Criteria
Call for companies / entrepreneurs / organizations to develop innovative products and services that support the COVID-19 approach and limit damage to public health. The call is specific to Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger and Uganda.
For more information, visit https://www.rvo.nl/subsidie-en-financieringswijzer/sbir/sbir-oproep-oplossingen-gezondheidszorg-covid-19-burkina-faso-ethiopie-mali-niger-en-oeganda