Expression of Interest to Provide VC Services as an NGO in some selected states at Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
Management Sciences for Health
Expression of Interest to Provide VC Services in the Advertised States as an NGO
TO: Potential Civil Society Organizations (Non-Governmental Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, and Community-Based Organizations) working in any of the following states; Kebbi, Kwara, Niger, Sokoto and Zamfara States
Background:
The 2008 Situation Assessment and Analysis of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) revealed that 17.5million or 24.5% of children in Nigeria are vulnerable, with 17% classified as highly vulnerable. The HIV epidemic, poverty, maternal mortality, conflict, harmful cultural practices and gender inequity all contribute to their vulnerability. Over two million children were orphaned by AIDS, with another 260,000 children living with HIV, With more than 50% of the Nigerian population made up of young people this demographic bears the potential to fuel both economic and social progress. Therefore, the country must develop systems to serve its VC who often live to precarious economic and food security conditions with poor access to basic services, State and Local Government: The State Ministries of Women’s Affairs and Social Development (SMWASD) face several challenges in fulfilling their coordination and supervision role in the OVC response. In 2006, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) passed the five-year National Plan of Action (NPA) for Support of Vulnerable Children to standardize quality responses to OVC. However states did not incorporate the NPA into their plans, leaving SMWASDs with insufficient resources to effectively coordinate service delivery. State Action Committees on AIDS (SACA) oversee policies, programs and projects directed at addressing AIDS, however it and other from-line ministries and government agencies are not involved in regular OVC assessments, activity planning or information sharing, leading to OVC responses with little quality standardization or coordination.
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD) has finalized and launched the National Service Standards for vulnerable children in Nigeria, inclusive of quality standards while it still is in the process of finalizing the new National Priority Agenda, National M&E Plan. However, these policies have yet to be introduced and operationalized at the state level.
ProACT is currently supporting VCs in Kebbi (1006), Kwara (3411), Niger (7951), Sokoto (2767) and Zamfara (2708) states. Successful grantees are expected to continue providing services to these children who will still be eligible for support in addition to enrolling more vulnerable children and households with their states of operation.
Rationale for the grants: In line with the new PEPFAR VC programming strategy which emphasizes focus on core activities such as child protection, household economic strengthening (HES), assessment of child/family socio-economic status, and development of care/case management plans, ProACT project will provide grants to CSOs (NGOs, CBOs, and FBOs) to work as collaborative partners in the implementation and strengthening of existing community based program targeting vulnerable children and their care-givers in the project supported communities.
The objectives of the grants are:
(1) To increase quality, comprehensive and integrated services to Vulnerable Children and their caregivers in Kwara, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara state.
(2) To improve systems and structures at community and LGA levels to provide responsive quality care, protection and support services for vulnerable children / households
Eligibility Criteria: This opportunity is open only to Non Governmental Organizations, Faith-Based Organizations and Community-Based Organizations providing VC services in the locations mentioned above. A prequalification questionnaire will be forwarded to interested organizations that respond to the EOI, Please note that only those organizations which prequalify will be sent a Request for Application (RFA) to submit a full proposal.
Please, be sure to indicate your Contact Person Name, Telephone Number, Organization email, State and local Government in which you are based.
All NGOs, FBOs and CBOs must currently be registered in Nigeria, and be physically resident in the State where they propose to work.
Interested organizations should kindly send their indication of interest by email to bids_nigeria@msh.org or dropped in the bid box at the reception in a sealed envelope. In either of these options, the mail or envelope should be properly addressed e.g. the subject “Expression of Interest to provide: VC Services in any of the advertised states on or before 5th July, 2015.
