Solicitation No. 7200AA24R00016 - STRIDES Activity.pdf

Issuance Date: February 26, 2024 Due Date for Receipt of Written Questions: March 11, 2024

Due Time for Receipt of Written Questions: 4:00 p.m. D.C time Closing Date for Receipt of Proposals: April 11, 2024

Closing Time for Receipt of Proposals: 4:00 p.m. D.C time

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) - Solicitation Number 7200AA24R00016 STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Activity

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks proposals from qualified organizations interested in providing technical services under the STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Activity (hereinafter called STRIDES Activity) for USAID Global Health, Office of Infectious Disease, Emerging Threats Division (GH/ID/ETD) as described in the attached Request for Proposals (RFP).

USAID invites all interested and responsible organizations to submit offers in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation. Participation to the maximum extent possible of small business concerns, small, disadvantaged business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in this activity as prime contractor or as a subcontractor is also highly encouraged. USAID will conduct this procurement as a full and open competition under which any type of organization may submit a proposal. The procedures set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) Part 15 will govern the procurement.

USAID anticipates the award of a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee, Term-Type Contract for a five (5) year period of performance as a result of this RFP. USAID anticipates that the total estimated cost will be approximately $245-$255 million. Revealing the estimated cost for the contract does not mean that the Contractor should necessarily strive to meet the maximum amount estimated. Cost proposals will be evaluated as part of a best value determination for the contract award. The offeror is to propose the activities and staffing according to the offeror's approach for achieving results.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this solicitation is 541611 and the small business size standard is $24.5 million. The authorized geographic code for the prime contractor of this procurement is 935.

Please refer to Section L of the attached RFP, for information regarding proposal requirements.

Offerors are advised to read this solicitation carefully. Offerors must take into account the expected delivery time required to submit proposals, and they are responsible to ensure that proposals are received by the due date and time as specified in this cover letter and Section L of the attached solicitation. Proposals received after the closing date and time will be processed as late and handled in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. Faxed proposals are not acceptable, nor will they be reviewed or evaluated.

All questions related to the RFP must be submitted electronically to e-mail:

ghswprocurements@usaid.gov, by the date and time indicated above. Unless otherwise notified by an amendment to the RFP, no questions will be accepted after this date.

This solicitation and any future amendments can be viewed and downloaded in its entirety from http://sam.gov/. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from download or conversion processes. Offerors are encouraged to check this website (http://sam.gov/) periodically as acknowledgement of any such amendment is required to accompany the Offeror’s proposal.

We encourage Offerors to visit WorkwithUSAID.org, a resource hub for current and prospective partners to access innovative tools and curated resources to navigate how to work with the Agency.

If new to USAID, you can follow these steps to get connected and familiarize yourself with the website platform.

1. Check out our Start Here Guide: You can get a quick overview of what you need to know to be prepared to work with USAID

2. Create a profile in the Partner Directory: Here you can boost your organization’s visibility and unlock the potential to collaborate with partners near you and around the world.

3. Take the Pre-Engagement Assessment: With this questionnaire learn about your organizational capacity and receive a customized report that offers tools and resources tailored for your organization’s needs.

Once those three steps are taken, there is a wealth of information and resources to help learn more about partnering with USAID. We encourage Offerors to take some time to explore the resources available and to look up answers to the questions you may have. On WorkwithUSAID.org you can:

● Explore the Resource Library with its wide range of curated free resources to help build knowledge and skills.

● Learn about stories with valuable lessons of partnership in our Insight Blog.

● Participate in an upcoming USAID event.

● Visit our FAQ page to learn more about navigating USAID.

Pursuant to Block 12 of Standard Form 33 of this RFP, USAID requires that offers remain valid for 240 calendar days from the RFP closing date.

mailto:ghswprocurements@usaid.gov http://sam.gov/ http://sam.gov/ http://workwithusaid.org/ https://www.workwithusaid.org/start-here https://www.workwithusaid.org/start-here https://www.workwithusaid.org/directory https://www.workwithusaid.org/directory https://www.workwithusaid.org/pre-engagement https://www.workwithusaid.org/pre-engagement https://www.workwithusaid.org/resource-library https://www.workwithusaid.org/resource-library https://www.workwithusaid.org/blog https://www.workwithusaid.org/blog https://workwithusaid.org/events https://workwithusaid.org/events https://www.workwithusaid.org/faq https://www.workwithusaid.org/faq

Issuance of this solicitation does not in any way obligate the U.S. Government to award a contract, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. FAR 52.232-22 - Limitation of Funds applies to this award. The Government reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Gerald T. Smith Supervisory Contracting Officer

Attachment: RFP Solicitation Number 7200AA24R00016

7200AA24R00016

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

1 184

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

I

J

K

L

M SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

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G

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B

A

SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

(Type or print)AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

REQ-GH-24-00002002/26/2024

X

7200GH

USAID GH

20523-1000

1400 ET 04/11/2024

GHSWprocurements@usaid.gov

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PAGE(S)

Gerald Smith

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

1-2 3-6

7-33 34-36 38-58 59-63 64-116

117-137

139-155

156-179

180-184

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____240_________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

2 184

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

7200AA24R00016

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection

Systems (STRIDES) Activity

OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

NSN 7540-01-152-8067

Request for Proposals (RFP) - Solicitation Number: 7200AA24R00016

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this Contract is to provide technical services that fall within the Statement of Work (SOW) specified in Section C for the “STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Activity.”

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) term (level of effort) type contract which will provide field support and include mission funding. The contract will be centrally managed. The Contractor shall achieve the objectives and deliverables or outputs for the results described in Section C and F. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor must provide the level of effort described in Section F.9 to accomplish the goals and objectives set forth in Section C, provide all deliverables described in the contract, and comply with all contract requirements.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

In accordance with FAR Part 52.232-22 - Limitation of Funds:

(a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is $ (TBD). The fixed fee, if any, is $ (TBD). The estimated cost-plus fixed fee, if any, is $(TBD).

(b) Budget

The budget for this contract is as follows:

Line Item Total

Direct Costs $ [TBD]

Indirect Costs $ [TBD]

Total Estimated Cost $ [TBD]

Fixed Fee (Term) $ [TBD]

Total Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee $ [TBD]

(c) The Government is not obligated to reimburse the Contractor for costs incurred in excess of the total estimated cost specified above nor the total obligated funded amount.

(d) Within the estimated cost-plus fixed fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $(TBD). The Contractor will not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount.

(e) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through o/a (TBD).

(f) Subject to the availability of funds, this contract will be incrementally funded.

(g) The inclusion of any costs in the above cost categories does not obviate the requirement for prior approval by the Contracting Officer of cost items designated as requiring prior approval by any of the terms and conditions of this contract, including the applicable cost principles (see FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment”); nor does it constitute a determination of allowability by the Contracting Officer of any item of cost, unless specifically stated elsewhere in this contract. Also, these amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor must not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item.

B.4 CONTRACT LINE-ITEM NUMBERS (CLIN)

CLIN DESCRIPTION TOTAL

(US$)

001 Total Direct, Indirect Costs and Fixed Fee $TBD

Total $TBD

The CLIN amount may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor will not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amount specified in the line item as indicated above.

B.5 LEVEL OF EFFORT (LOE)

(a) The Contractor must provide [TBD] productive days level of effort (LOE) to implement the SOW for direct charged employees and subcontractors (consultants must be in one or the other category).

(b) LOE is for productive work days which do not include leave and holidays.

(c) Approvals, technical orders or other direction from the COR do not constitute authorization to increase the total LOE for this Contract. The Government is not obligated to reimburse the Contractor for any actions which increase the LOE unless such actions have been specifically authorized in writing by the CO. Once the LOE has been fully expended, the contract is complete.

(d) The LOE by labor category is set forth in the table below (*line items may be collapsed upon award):

LABOR CATEGORY* TOTAL LEVEL OF EFFORT (LOE)

Long-Term Technical Assistance (Expatriate) [ TBD ]

Long-Term Technical Assistance

(CCN)

[ TBD ]

Short-Term Technical Assistance (Expatriate)

[ TBD ]

Short-Term Technical Assistance

(CCN)

[ TBD ]

TOTAL [TBD]

The level of effort includes person-days associated with professional technical personnel working on the STRIDES program and program related issues, monitoring and evaluation, research, communications and outreach, and analyses or assessments. Other professional and nonprofessional efforts including: administrative, financial support, logistics, IT, office support, procurement efforts; are not included in the technical professional level of effort.

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs will be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases for prime contractors and their subcontractors.

[to be filled in at award)

Note:

(a) Insert negotiated indirect rates for all primes and major subcontractors.

(b) “Major subcontractors” are subcontractors whose proposed cost exceeds 20 percent of the Contractor’s total proposed cost.

(c) Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be at final negotiated rates, but not in excess of ceiling rates specified above.

(d) Contractors are allowed to recoup indirect costs (OH, G&A, etc.) as other direct costs if it is part of the Contractor’s usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR 31 and the Contractor’s NICRA.

(e) The Government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount should the final indirect cost rates exceed the negotiated ceiling rates. If the final indirect cost rates are less than the negotiated ceiling rates, the negotiated rates will be reduced to conform to the lower rates.

(f) This understanding will not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance. Any changes in classifying or allocating indirect costs require the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 31 (Contract Cost Principles), 2 CFR, Part 220 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions), 2 CFR, Part 230 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations), FAR 52.216-7 (Allowable Cost and Payment), FAR 52.216-8 (Fixed Fee) if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003 (Documentation for Payment), may be reimbursable under this contract.

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE – FAR 52.216-8 (JUN 2011)

Subject to FAR 52.216-8 Fixed Fee, payment of fixed fee will be made in proportion to the level of effort (LOE) that was delivered by the Contractor during the period covered by the invoice. In the event that the Contractor does not provide all of the total LOE required under the contract by the expiration of the contract period, the total amount of fixed fee will be reduced in similar proportion, as determined by the CO and COR. For example, if the Contractor has expended 85% of the total level of effort, then the Contractor is entitled to 85% of the fixed fee amount, provided that the performance and compliance has been otherwise satisfactory.

B.9 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

This Contract is considered non‐severable, and is therefore a multi‐year contract as defined in FAR 17.103 and subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106. However, this is a CPFF type contract where the Contractor is authorized to be reimbursed for all costs which are allowable in accordance with FAR 52.216‐7, “Allowable Costs and Payment.” Therefore, the Contractor will not incur any costs which would have been amortized over the life of the contract should the contract be canceled in accordance with FAR 52.217‐2. The cancellation ceiling for each cancellation date is $0.00 and there is no requirement to include cancellation dates in the contract.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

STRENGTHENING INFECTIOUS DISEASE DETECTION SYSTEMS (STRIDES)

ACTIVITY

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Activity is to support host country partners to enhance the capacity of national and sub-national laboratory networks and surveillance systems; develop and strengthen data collection, analysis, and reporting relating to surveillance and detection systems; and, provide technical support during outbreaks for detection, surveillance, and data analysis and management.

C.2 BACKGROUND

C.2.1 Global Situation

The development and access to reliable, safe and secure laboratory and disease surveillance systems, data management, and reporting platforms allow host countries to prevent, detect, and respond to endemic and emerging infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Quality biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory and surveillance standards are both critical and necessary components of these systems, and allow host countries to accurately, safely and efficiently detect, assess, and report the prevalence and transmission of priority pathogens, and to monitor AMR trends and the emergence of new resistance profiles.

For more than 15 years, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID has been engaged in efforts to address endemic, emerging and reemerging threats, investing almost 2 billion dollars to strengthen countries’ capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases. These investments have resulted in significant improvements in disease prevention and health outcomes, globally. For instance, improvements in surveillance systems and laboratory capacity for vaccine preventable diseases, especially for polio eradication, serve as the backbone of disease surveillance and response for many outbreaks, including Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Despite significant achievements in laboratory and surveillance capacity over the years, many countries lack comprehensive One Health1 systems to routinely and reliably collect and transport human, animal, and environmental samples, conduct infectious disease testing, and share and manage these data for decision making. This is in part due to having fragmented surveillance systems2 that lack clear roles and responsibilities when outbreaks occur. In addition, limited foundational knowledge, skills and capabilities needed for the surveillance and testing of samples

1 ‘One Health’ is an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment.

2 These can include polio surveillance, Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance, Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Disease early warning (DEWS), TB/HIV, and/or zoonotic priority disease reporting for humans and animals.

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/one-health across a wide spectrum of infectious diseases may challenge effective disease prevention and control. The lack of these necessary skills limits services provided (or delivered) and adversely impacts the ability to provide timely, reliable, quality surveillance and detection services. Limited workforce numbers, retention, and attrition ultimately results in inadequate coverage of services and poor coordination at the national, regional and international level.

Many countries rely on slow or outdated diagnostic tools and poor specimen referral, storage, and transport mechanisms, which reduces their ability to quickly detect and prevent the spread of outbreaks. Laboratories need consistent availability of equipment, consumable supplies and reagents, storage capacity, electricity/generators, and operational funds for continual operation and outbreak readiness. Additionally, reliability and quality of laboratory performance is enhanced through a rigorous accreditation process so that decision makers can be assured that results are actionable and data is comparable across countries. Lastly, laboratory and surveillance systems often lack adequate biosafety and biosecurity standards, policies and other requirements needed to protect people, communities and environment from accidents associated with exposures to dangerous pathogens. Infectious diseases that are not met with adequate levels of biosafety and biosecurity, can have significant public health, social, and financial consequences.

Infectious Disease Burden. There are several drivers that amplify the opportunity for the emergence of new and known infectious disease threats. These include overpopulation, globalization, environmental and land-use changes, conflict or insecurity, all of which increase the proximity and intensity of animals and humans, producing devastating impacts on countries’ health, security, and economy. These resulting outbreaks in humans and/or animals can quickly cross borders thus amplifying their regional and global impact.

There is limited capacity for many countries to detect zoonotic diseases in animals to establish risk and subsequently prevent disease transmission to humans. The majority of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic diseases, and like human diseases, they need to be detected, treated, and prevented because of the real and dangerous pandemic threat they pose. The endemic zoonotic disease burden persists because of weak veterinary and human public health systems that delay or fail to detect or respond to emerging disease threats, allowing them to spread. Many countries’ zoonotic disease surveillance systems are limited to the national level and need to be expanded within countries and down to the community level where spillover occurs. This expansion should capture more symptoms and diseases and support interoperable information systems to more rapidly and effectively share data across Ministries.

The lack of detection and surveillance tools in many countries also extends to the detection of AMR, in both animals, humans and the environment. In 2019, drug-resistant infections were a significant contributor to mortality, with approximately 5 million lives lost due to such infections.

Out of these deaths, almost 1.3 million were directly attributable to AMR3. Excessive and inappropriate use of widely available antimicrobials in both humans and animals can increase AMR risks. One Health Strategies, including national AMR policies and strategic plans, are

3 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance needed to effectively prevent and mitigate the impact on public health4,5. Multi-sectoral national AMR strategic plans--through which surveillance, infection prevention and control and the balancing of antimicrobial access with prudent use across human health and animal production sectors--will accelerate action to address increasing AMR incidence globally.

Ongoing pandemics and epidemics throughout the world continue to pose significant risks.

Globally, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide with formidable challenges for detection and treatment in part due to drug resistance. TB is responsible for 1.6 million deaths per year – the most for any infectious disease – and Multidrug Resistant (MDR) TB continues to emerge, threatening successful treatment programs being implemented in high burden countries6. In 2021, World Health Organization (WHO) reported an estimated 247 million new cases of malaria including 619,000 malaria-attributed deaths worldwide7. Malaria parasites, which continue to develop resistance to drugs, are also starting to evade detection through the most common rapid malaria test. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reported that 1.5 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2021 including 650,000 million AIDS-related deaths8.

The International Health Regulations (IHR). The World Health Assembly adopted the International Health Regulations (IHRs) in May 2005 requiring all State Parties to develop core public health capacities to “detect, assess, notify and report events” (Article 5) and “respond to promptly and effectively to public health risks and public health emergencies of international concern” (Article 13). The United States, along with other Member States of the WHO are signatories to IHR (2005) and are committed to the requirements set forth for WHO and the global health community to coordinate capacity strengthening for over 196 States Parties and to develop the core capacities required to detect, assess, report, and respond to potential public health emergencies of international concern. As the United States Government (USG) has redoubled its commitment toward full implementation of the IHRs through the Global Health Security Strategy, USAID accordingly has expanded its efforts to coordinate, collaborate and make sustainable contributions to this multilateral effort.

The Global Health Security Agenda. The Global Health Security (GHS) program is inclusive of USAID's contributions to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). GHSA is a multilateral, multisectoral effort designed to accelerate progress toward full implementation of the IHRs by elevating health security as a priority and coordinating actions to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats. The GHSA was first launched in 2014 and has grown to include a coalition of more than 70 member nations, international organizations, and the private sector. In 2018, GHSA member countries launched the second five-year phase known as ‘GHSA 2024’ with an overarching target of strengthening at least five health-security related technical areas to a level of “demonstrated capacity across at least 100 countries.

4 WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) (2015) 5 FAO Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2016-2020 6 WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2022 7 WHO World Malaria Report 2022 8 UNAIDS Global HIV and AIDS Statistics https://www.who.int/health-topics/international-health-regulations#tab=tab_1 https://www.who.int/health-topics/international-health-regulations#tab=tab_1 https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/security/what-is-ghsa.htm https://www.who.int/initiatives/glass https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/2f749e74-5ca8-4934-8762-9fd61ad6935e#:~:text=The%20Plan%20was%20developed%20by,the%20Strategic%20Programme%20of%20FAO.

https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/reports/world-malaria-report-2022 http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet

C.2.2 USAID Role in Global Frameworks

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) GHS Program. USAID’s GHS program seeks to prevent and mitigate the increasing occurrence and severity of epidemics, pandemics and other emerging infectious disease threats. This is done by partnering with countries, as well as global, regional, and local public and private sector organizations. These partnerships build and strengthen measurable and sustainable capacity, and develop and adopt evidence-based and innovative solutions to prevent, rapidly detect, and effectively respond to, and recover from emerging infectious disease threats. The Agency’s implementation of the One Health Approach recognizes the intrinsic connectivity between the health of the environment, animals and people.

The GHS program uses an integrated approach that is inclusive of four main efforts: strengthening capacity; responding to outbreaks and other health emergencies; bolstering the GHS architecture;

and building resilience in concert with USAID’s broader global health programs. This program works in concert with USAID’s health emergency response effort, which seeks to rapidly contain outbreaks and mitigate pandemics.

USAID’s GHS program contributes to the United States’ commitment to assist at least 50 countries (see Attachment J.2) and use catalytic leadership to work with key donors and partners to support at least 50 additional countries to achieve “Demonstrated Capacity” (80% achievement on the WHO IHR monitoring scale) or comparable level in at least five technical areas critical to the country by 2025, as measured by relevant health security assessments, such as the Joint External Evaluation (JEE). This commitment is consistent with the overarching target of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) multilateral initiative and the Group of Seven’s (G7) goal to achieve the same objective (demonstrated capacity in five technical areas in 100 countries). The GHSA works to build collaborations that accelerate and advocate for the achievement of these capacities. The progress in achieving these goals is measured through internationally accepted metrics, especially benchmarks within the JEE IHR monitoring tool, including countries’ ability to achieve the 7-1-7 outbreak detection and response goals for major outbreaks9.

USAID’s GHS Program is part of the overall United States whole-of-government approach to assist partners to strengthen national, local, and regional health systems to better prevent, detect, and respond to biological threats in a safe and secure manner. USAID’s investments are bolstered by programs and appropriations of the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and others. To accelerate progress the Administration utilizes the coordinated whole-of-government effort in Executive Order 13747, Executive Order 13987, National Security Memorandum-1, and National Security Memorandum-15.

Linkages to other USAID initiatives and priorities. USAID has established linkages among its GHS-funded efforts and other USAID programs, such as: COVID-19; President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI); tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR); Polio Eradication, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition; and

9 7-1-7 is an international benchmark of no more than 7 days to detect a suspected outbreak, 1 day to notify public health authorities to start an investigation, 7 days to complete an initial response.

https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/health-areas/global-health-security https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-TAerzN6ww_p9eC9Z4GsIpx7w3syt3Nfv6egxftUF_M/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-TAerzN6ww_p9eC9Z4GsIpx7w3syt3Nfv6egxftUF_M/edit?usp=sharing https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2021-tripartite-and-unep-support-ohhlep-s-definition-of-one-health#:~:text=The%20One%20Health%20definition%20developed,of%20people,%20animals%20and%20ecosystems.%20Show%20less https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15cveSO7-PbSJnB17ghMEOuHANF6bjpL3jbbuSmudsxU/edit#slide=id.g216d128a9e2_0_0 https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240051980 https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240051980 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-201600752/pdf/DCPD-201600752.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-organizing-and-mobilizing-united-states-government-to-provide-unified-and-effective-response-to-combat-covid-19-and-to-provide-united-states-leadership-on-global-health-and-security/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/21/national-security-directive-united-states-global-leadership-to-strengthen-the-international-covid-19-response-and-to-advance-global-health-security-and-biological-preparedness/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/21/national-security-directive-united-states-global-leadership-to-strengthen-the-international-covid-19-response-and-to-advance-global-health-security-and-biological-preparedness/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/10/18/national-security-memorandum-on-countering-biological-threats-enhancing-pandemic-preparedness-and-achieving-global-health-security/ https://resolvetosavelives.org/prevent-epidemics/7-1-7-early-disease-detection#:~:text=As%20a%20metric,%20Resolve%20to,to%20complete%20an%20initial%20response.

food security. A number of other global and U.S. Government initiatives and disease-specific strategies have been developed and include support for improved diagnostics, laboratory systems and surveillance mechanisms including the National Strategy for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance10, the WHO End TB Strategy11, the U.S. Government Global Tuberculosis Strategy12, the National Action Plan for Combating Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis13, Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)14, PMI15 and PEPFAR16.

C.2.3 STRIDES Specific Context

STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES). USAID is a global leader in the effort to prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases and pathogens of public health importance, and is a lead partner working within the U.S. Government to advance Global Health Security (GHS). The work carried out under this activity builds upon USAID’s Global Health (GH) Bureau GHS work and investments in partner countries and regions to strengthen diagnostic networks and surveillance. Strong detection and surveillance systems are fundamental to infectious disease prevention, detection, and response. USAID’s GHS program aims to strengthen these systems in partner countries by providing technical assistance that strengthens host country capacity to manage, maintain, and monitor surveillance, detection, diagnostic tools, and laboratory networks. This technical assistance will be anchored in biosecurity and biosafety principles, to make sure all work is safe and effective and protects staff, patients and the public. The STRIDES activity is a flagship program in USAID’s GHS Program One Health approach. These investments will target outcomes envisioned in the U.S. National Biodefense Strategy, U.S. National Security Strategy, and U.S. Global Health Security Strategy.

USAID’s GHS program is expanding to 50 partner countries globally, and inadequate detection and surveillance systems in these countries diminishes their ability to prevent and mitigate the increasing occurrence and severity of epidemics, pandemics and novel infectious disease threats.

Disease surveillance capacity is necessary throughout a country, regionally, and globally for both indicator-based and event-based surveillance, in humans, animals and the environment, to support appropriate prevention and response interventions for public health events of concern. The STRIDES activity will link to ongoing investments in strengthening detection and surveillance systems, including AMR surveillance and testing, which are essential to respond to outbreaks, combat diseases of public health importance, and limit cross-border spread. The STRIDES activity will also prioritize efforts to strengthen national biosafety and biosecurity systems, norms and protocols to ensure safe oversight of high-consequence biological agents in a minimal number of facilities.

10 The U.S. National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria 11 WHO End TB Strategy 12 USG Global Tuberculosis Strategy 13 National Action Plan for Combatting Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis 14 Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) 15 US President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) 16 https://www.pepfar.gov and US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2021-tripartite-and-unep-support-ohhlep-s-definition-of-one-health#:~:text=The%20One%20Health%20definition%20developed,of%20people,%20animals%20and%20ecosystems.%20Show%20less https://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/carb-plan-2020-2025 https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/the-end-tb-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/health-areas/tuberculosis/resources/publications/usaid-global-tuberculosis-strategy-2023-2030 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/NAP-for-Combating-MDR-TB-Year-One-Report-508-v10.pdf https://polioeradication.org/ https://www.pmi.gov/about-us/ https://www.pepfar.gov/ https://www.state.gov/pepfar/

A critical component of the STRIDES activity will implement strong, timely outbreak response.

This activity will be well positioned to respond to these emergencies by providing technical assistance to our partner countries, by strengthening diagnostic and surveillance rapid response efforts —from limited to major outbreaks that exceed local capacity to interrupt and contain. This activity will fill preparedness and response gaps for outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics, including improving diagnostic result-sharing turnaround in emergency isolation units or emergency centers.

The STRIDES activity will coordinate directly with other health programs supported by USAID and the U.S. Government, ensuring no overlap in work but instead complementary that results in increasing STRIDES’s impact. USAID is the lead government agency for strengthening national TB strategies and programs in priority countries with high rates of TB, multidrug-resistant TB, and HIV-associated TB, with a specific objective to support comprehensive high quality TB diagnostic networks. USAID programs for malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), and other diseases are also supporting detection, diagnostic and surveillance interventions as part of their larger investments and priorities. USAID’s Maternal Child Health programs support efforts to detect and treat leading causes of childhood death which include Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI), and causes of diarrhea, and vaccine preventable diseases. Identifying infections and exposure at the local level will minimize treatment delays and prevent further transmission.

STRIDES will provide technical assistance which will contribute to implementing cross-cutting USAID programming, ensuring that investments in health system strengthening are being leveraged to provide a source of greater resilience and global health security. Strengthening host country’s’ capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infection disease threats are essential components of a high performing health system.

Climate change is inextricably linked with the emergence, transmission and dispersal of emerging infectious diseases. It prolongs the transmission season in temperate and tropical climates, induces animal movement into new habitats providing more opportunities for encounters and exposure to infectious agents, and climatic hazards and extreme weather events provide additional opportunities for infectious agents to burden humanity. As such, STRIDES will incorporate climate change considerations into the program by ensuring that activities are designed to support climate resilience, and minimize waste and energy expenditures, where possible. The contractor will also consider what opportunities are available to advance equitable and gender responsive climate action, while identifying local underrepresented partners and engage them equitably and meaningfully.

Links to Joint External Evaluation (JEE). USAID’s global health security programs prioritize the JEE technical areas as noted above. These technical areas align with USAID’s strategic and comparative areas of expertise in laboratory, surveillance and diagnostic networks, and outbreak response; with particular engagement across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.

The selected technical areas will be based on health security capacity assessments such as the country’s JEE Report, PVS, TrACSS, National Action Plans for Health Security and the annual reviews of country progress as reflected in their Global Health Security annual reports and annual States Parties Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) scores. The Contractor will use these reports and capacity assessments to aid the COR and Mission Health teams in determining the priority activities in collaboration with the Missions on an annual basis.

USAID Missions will work with the STRIDES Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to select technical areas of focus relevant to the country context, ensuring they are complementary with other partners working in this arena (including USAID partners, other donors, and Multilateral Partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Pandemic Fund).

Relevant JEE Technical Areas and Indicators for STRIDES:

● Prevent: P.4 AMR, P.5 Zoonotic Diseases, P.7 Biosafety and Biosecurity

● Detect: D.1 National Laboratory System, D.2 Surveillance

● Respond: R.1 Health Emergency Management, R.4 Infection Prevention and Control

C.2.3.a PREVENT

P.4 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): JEE capacity score is based on a country’s ability to have effective multi-sectoral coordination and a national plan on AMR in place spanning human, animal, crops, food safety, and environmental aspects. It also includes surveillance for AMR and antimicrobial use at the national level; and practices in place to ensure appropriate use of antimicrobials, including assuring quality of available medicines.

P.5 Zoonotic Disease: JEE capacity score is based on a country’s ability to have functional multisectoral, multidisciplinary mechanisms, policies, systems and practices in place to minimize transmission of zoonotic disease from animals to human populations. It also includes: coordinated surveillance of priority and emerging zoonotic diseases between animal health, public health and environment sectors; multisectoral operational mechanism for the response to outbreaks of endemic, emerging or re-emerging zoonotic diseases; and implementation of good practices in animal breeding and production of animal products, including sanitary practices across all major animal value chains is ensured and prevent transmission of zoonotic diseases.

P.7 Biosafety Biosecurity: The JEE target for P.7 is to establish a whole-of-government multisectoral national biosafety and biosecurity system with high-consequence biological agents identified, held, secured and monitored in a minimal number of facilities according to best practices, biological risk management training and educational outreach conducted to promote a shared culture of responsibility, reduce dual use risks, mitigate biological proliferation and deliberate use threats, and ensure safe transfer of biological agents; and country-specific biosafety and biosecurity legislation, laboratory licensing and pathogen control measures in place as appropriate.

C.2.3.b DETECT

D.1. Diagnostic and Laboratory systems support: JEE capacity score is based on a country’s ability to detect priority diseases through national laboratory systems, including all relevant sectors, particularly human and animal health, and effective modern point-of-care and laboratory-based diagnostics. It also includes: laboratory testing for detection of priority diseases, specimen referral and temperature-appropriate transport system, effective national diagnostic network, and national quality standards for licensing laboratory systems.

D.2 Surveillance: JEE capacity scores for surveillance are based on a country’s ability to collect, analyze and report potential events of concern for health security. Community-based surveillance structures contribute to these efforts by applying indicator based surveillance (IBS) and event based surveillance (EBS) to provide real time information in humans, animals, and human-animal interfaces using secure, integrated electronic surveillance tools. Data collected on events of suspected disease outbreak should be collected and shared across sectors to ensure a One Health approach.

C.2.3.c RESPOND

R.1.Outbreak Preparedness and Response: JEE capacity score is based on a country’s ability to be in “emergency preparedness” which is a combination of planning, allocation of resources, training, simulation exercises, and organizing to build, sustain and improve operational capabilities at national, intermediate and local or primary response levels based on strategic risk assessments.

R.4 Infectious Disease Prevention and Control: The JEE capacity score is based on a country’s ability to have strong, effective Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programs that enables safe health care and essential services delivery and prevention and control of health care acquired infections (HCAI). Over the last decade, major outbreaks such as those due to the Ebola virus disease and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have demonstrated how epidemic-prone pathogens can spread rapidly through health care settings. In 2021–2022, a detailed global survey showed that an active IPC programme existed in 54.7% (58/106) of countries; with only four of the participating countries (3.8%) meeting all minimum requirements.

C.3 STATEMENT OF WORK

C.3.1 Scope of the Award

The STRIDES purpose is to work alongside host-country partners to enhance the capacity of national and subnational laboratory and veterinary laboratory networks and surveillance systems;

develop and strengthen data collection, analysis, and reporting relating to diagnostic services and surveillance systems; and, provide support during outbreaks for diagnostics, surveillance, and data analysis and management. These activities will be anchored in biosafety and biosecurity technical assistance and oversight to complement these capacity-building lines of effort.

STRIDES is available for worldwide technical support, and is primarily focused on the 50 GHS partner countries where inadequate diagnostic and surveillance systems diminish their abilities to prevent and mitigate the increasing occurrence and severity of epidemics, pandemics, and other infectious disease threats.

The scope of the project will be developed based on country-identified needs and requirements.

The Contractor must be flexible and responsive to requests for technical assistance from the listed countries or others as well as to evolving technical and geographic priorities. The breadth and depth of work in any given country will depend in large part on USAID Mission buy-in and the nature of the needs and opportunities in each country's context.

Adequate biosafety and biosecurity standards, policies, and other requirements needed to protect people are critical to ensure improved, safe, and sustained capacity. To mitigate biosafety and biosecurity risks, USAID support for animal sampling will be limited to event-based surveillance and related capacity building activities for ongoing outbreaks. Therefore,

● STRIDES will not support wildlife sampling for routine surveillance.

● STRIDES will only support wildlife animal sampling in response to an active event, such as when there is evidence of human cases or exposure to zoonotic pathogen spillover from wildlife, or when there is mass die offs or illness in animal species that are known reservoirs for microbes capable of infecting humans.

● STRIDES will encompass capacity building, including training on wildlife handling and sampling in case of outbreaks and events. This is to ensure that sampling is performed safely and securely and staff are not being trained during outbreaks.

● STRIDES will undertake sampling only if sufficient capacity exists and that risk is assessed and mitigated by best practices. This is to ensure that work is conducted safely according to BS&S principles and protect staff from infection.

● STRIDES can support routine environmental sampling.

C.3.2 Objectives

The Contractor shall perform all work under this contract and in implementing the objectives of this award, with technical proficiency and expertise, with a feasible, cohesive and technically sound approach and plans, inclusive of the Cross-Cutting Guiding Principles (C.4). To successfully execute this contract, the Contractor shall achieve these objectives of the activity and meet all other contract requirements.

The four objectives of…