RFI-GH-OHS-23-0001 IHSS RFI.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

Request for Information Number: RFI-GH-OHS-23-0001 Issuance Date: March 24, 2023 Closing Date: April 07, 2023; 7:00 PM EDT (Washington, DC)

Subject: Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity, Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health Systems

To: All Interested Respondents/Parties:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Office of Health Systems (OHS) is publishing this Request for Information to obtain information and input from all interested entities for the Integrated Health Systems Activity. The information will be used to help make planning decisions and may inform activity design to improve future development outcomes.

Through this Request for Information (RFI), issued to collect expert industry inputs solely for information-gathering and planning purposes, USAID seeks to enhance the design of the Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity. This RFI does not constitute a Request for Applications (RFA) or a Request for Proposals (RFP). Responses to this RFI are not applications or official proposals and will in no way be deemed to form any binding agreement with the RFI issuing authority. Please do not submit applications, proposals, or resumes as they will be discarded. Proprietary information should not be sent. USAID may use any information provided without incurring any obligation. USAID reserves the right to, or not to incorporate any, some, or none of the comments received from this RFI into any subsequent solicitations or design documents.

Anticipated Term: 5 years Proposed Mechanism(s) Type: TBD

THIS IS NOT A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. This RFI must not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation, award any grant, or pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Responders are solely responsible for bearing all expenses associated with preparation and submission of the response to this RFI.

It is the potential responder's responsibility to monitor the site for the release of any further information. It should be noted that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization in any subsequent procurement. All types of organizations and firms are strongly encouraged to provide information/comments. Any information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary.

All responses must be submitted electronically in accordance with the instructions provided in the RFI in English to OHS_MarketResearch@usaid.gov. Responses to this RFI will be accepted through the dates noted at the top of this letter. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the U.S. Government’s use of such information. USAID is not responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this RFI.

Thank you for your interest in the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health Systems, Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity, and we look forward to your comments.

Best, Imran J. Mahmud Contracting & Agreements Officer

M/OAA/GH/GHI

USAID/Washington mailto:OHS_MarketResearch@usaid.gov

Request for Information Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health Systems

Integrated Health Systems

I. Background and Purpose:

To achieve sustainable and resilient health systems requires localized and context-specific approaches to health system strengthening (HSS) that are built upon high-quality global HSS evidence and coordination. These investments operationalize USAID’s Vision for HSS 2030, and serve as the foundation for sustainable progress in the Bureau for Global Health’s priority areas of preventing child and maternal deaths; controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic; and combating infectious diseases. As a global leader in health systems, USAID’s HSS investments are key to advancing Universal Health Coverage, primary health care,1 pandemic preparedness and global health security, and climate resilience. Effective HSS collaboration and learning, impact measurement, implementation support and capacity building are all critical to advancing global health and development goals and sustainably improving health outcomes.

II. Activity/Program Description

This global flagship project is intended to meet current needs in the field of health system strengthening (HSS), which is dynamic and evolving. COVID-19 demonstrated the importance of strong and resilient health systems, bringing renewed attention to the importance of health systems investments; and there is increasing interest in integrated HSS programming as a cornerstone of advancing primary health care that aligns with country priorities, as an effective approach to sustaining improved health outcomes. Technical assistance needs from both USAID

Missions and partner countries are expected to continue to expand as implementation of HSS activities, and country requests for support in this area, increase.

USAID has a particular interest in strengthening integrated HSS activities that work across health areas to address common system barriers and strengthen system-wide performance to promote

1 USAID defines primary health care (PHC) as “a set of essential services that address an individuals’ needs for health and well-being, delivered across a continuum spanning health promotion to disease prevention, diagnosis, to treatment and palliation.” Strong PHC is delivered by multidisciplinary teams of health workers across the public and private sectors and are supported by optimized health system functions that enable greater service access, continuity, and comprehensiveness of care that is whole-person-centered versus disease-centered. PHC is widely regarded as the most inclusive, equitable and cost-effective way to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), and creates more responsive health systems at lower or equivalent costs, with higher standards of quality, greater efficiencies, and with broader community acceptance. Strong PHC systems reduce burden of disease; improving quality of life, life expectancy, health equity, health system resilience, and emergency preparedness. Scaling up PHC interventions across low and middle-income countries (LMICs) could save 60 million lives and increase average life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030. Now is an ideal time to refocus investments into PHC as a way of combating the recent global reductions in life expectancy and challenges to health systems caused by COVID-19 and foster resilience and preparedness against future health threats.

https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/health-systems-innovation/health-systems/Vision-HSS-2030 https://www.usaid.gov/global-health sustainable improvements in health outcomes. This includes activities to promote financial protection, efficiency, and affordability of health services in general; ensure the quality or availability of an essential package of prevention, promotion, treatment and care services;

enhance equitable access to priority services by under-served, marginalized and other high priority groups; and ensure responsiveness to community expectations. The Agency recognizes that further progress in reaching health outcomes requires simultaneous and collaborative health system improvements driven by multi-faceted HSS approaches. Specific investment areas will be refined, including through consideration of responses to this RFI, but are currently anticipated to include innovative country-led implementation, global technical leadership and collaboration, and adaptive learning, research, and evidence. This design would strengthen technical collaboration on key HSS topics, such as (but not limited to) health financing, the health workforce, health system resilience, multi-sectoral integration, locally led implementation, and others.

III. RFI Questions for Response:

A. Global Leadership

1. What are the most significant barriers to health system performance improvement related to global leadership, collaboration and alignment?

2. What are the emerging global priorities or future needs that USAID should prioritize to address these barriers?

B. Technical Approaches

1. What are the most significant technical barriers or challenges to health system performance improvement?

2. Which areas of investment provide the most promising approaches in addressing country-level HSS needs?

3. What are the most promising practices and approaches to supporting the implementation of health sector reforms while strengthening health system performance?

C. Local Systems and Capacity-Building

1. How can USAID strengthen the HSS capacity of nontraditional partners (including but not limited to local entities, stakeholders and institutions) to better engage with donors and development partners in HSS work and to lead and/or implement HSS programs?

What types of management and technical capacity are needed?

2. What are the gaps or opportunities that allow organizations to effectively partner with country governments for their leadership on HSS and to build capacity at all levels of a health system?

3. What barriers or gaps exist among local health system stakeholder capacity that must be overcome to improve locally driven implementation?

D. MERL and Knowledge Management

1. What critical gaps exist in HSS monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) that need greater attention?

2. How can we strengthen metrics for HSS and improve data quality and utilization of data for HSS programs?

RFI and Submission Instructions:

Through this RFI, OHS seeks ideas, comments, and information from the public on Integrated

Health Systems programming that will assist in developing a portfolio of programs that will most effectively advance the topic areas described above. OHS asks that the public submit short submissions (no more than 8 pages) that outline recommendations or other information pertinent to the design and implementation of integrated health systems. Responses do not need to respond to all questions listed. Please also provide your name, title, organization, and contact information in the response. OHS requires the use of the response template (Annex 1). USAID reserves the right to potentially issue subsequent RFIs on this topic that target more specific questions or approaches.

Respondents must use the response template at the end of this RFI (Annex 1). All submissions must be in English. Respondents are encouraged to copy and paste Annex 1 into a new document, provide their responses in that document. Please email that document with a Subject Line that includes “[RFI-GH-OHS-23-0001]” to OHS_MarketResearch@usaid.gov. Please note the file name for the response should be saved as “RFI-GH-OHS-23-0001 (Respondent’s institution)”. Please see Page 1 of this RFI for submission date and contact information.

[END OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION]

mailto:OHS_MarketResearch@usaid.gov

Annex 1

Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health Systems

Request for Information (RFI) Response Template

All submissions must be in English on letter-sized 8.5 x 11 paper, in size 12 Arial font, and must not exceed 8 pages in total length, single-spaced with one-inch margins, no graphics, and pages numbered consecutively. Responses may include links. Responses may not include additional information in annexes. Annexes beyond the page limit will not be reviewed.

Name:

Title:

Email:

Organization Name:

Organization Type: (current international partner, new international partner, locally established partner, non-profit, for-profit, or nontraditional partner including local entities) Organization’s geographic area of practice:

RFI Responses:

A. Global Leadership

1.

2.

B. Technical Approaches

1.

2.

3.

C. Local Systems and Capacity-Building

1.

2.

3.

D. MERL and Knowledge Management

1.

2.

https://www.usaid.gov/npi/npi-key-definitions