REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) (Consulting Firm) Assignment Title: INTEGRATED BIO-BEHAVIOURAL SURVEILLANCE SURVEY (IBBSS) AND POPULATION SIZE ESTIMATION OF KEY POPULATIONS AND DISABLED PERSONS IN SIERRA LEONE Reference No. : NAS/GF/CON/04/19 The Government of Sierra Leone received funding from Global Fund to fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). National HIV/AIDS Secretariat is the Principal Recipient (PR) of the HIV/AIDS grant for the implementation of the “Program Continuation Request (PCR)” which commenced in January 2018 and ends 31st December 2020. Sierra Leone has a stabilised HIV prevalence of 1.5% among its general population; however based on the 2010 Modes of Transmission (MoT) report, there are certain populations that are at higher risk of contracting and transmitting HIV. These populations are known as “key populations” (KP), and in Sierra Leone, these are Female Sex Workers (FSW), Men who have sex with men (MSM), People who inject drugs (PWID) and prisoners. Several studies have been conducted in past years regarding behaviours and practices of Key populations, followed by a sero-prevalence study in 2015. However an Integrated Bio-Behavioural Surveillance Survey has not been conducted for any of these groups. Thus Secretariat requires the services of an interdisciplinary consulting firm to conduct Integrated Bio-Behavioural Surveillance Survey. This study is designed to assist the country in focusing prevention better to those who need the services, and by doing so, progress toward universal access to prevention with the limited available resources. The consulting services shall include but limited to the following activities: i. Conduct a comprehensive mapping of Key Populations in all the sixteen district capitals, mining towns, and market/commercial towns across the country capturing hotspots and hideouts where HIV risk activities predominantly take place ii. Generate revised estimates of the size of MSMs, FSWs, PWIDs, Prison inmates and new estimates of Disabled including their distribution in each mapping site, by different categories in the specified locations. iii. Generate data and information to help understand the mobility patterns of the key populations within and outside the site and the extent of networking among each of the specific key population under investigation iv. Describe the sexual network patterns of the key populations and disabled in all the locations NATIONAL HIV/AIDS SECRETARIAT v. Measure the HIV prevalence among Key Populations. (FSW, MSM, PWID, Prison Inmates) and disabled and other emerging sub populations with higher risk levels. vi. Identify and track the key behavioural risk factors and how these are linked to HIV and STIs transmission among Key populations and disabled vii. Catalogue HIV testing and health seeking behaviours by Key Population and disabled viii. Determine the level of HIV-related knowledge ix. Identify contextual factors that influence risk and vulnerability to HIV and STIs among Key populations and disabled x. Evaluate the coverage, reach, and intensity of HIV/STIs prevention and treatment services for Key populations and disabled xi. Provide recommendations to address gaps in access to critical prevention, treatment, care and support services for Key populations The implementation period of the consultancy is expected to be around Six months The National HIV/AIDS Secretariat now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: A. A research institution with at least five years’ experience in this type of assignment (30%) B. Availability of inter-disciplinary team of seasoned researchers comprising of Epidemiologists, Biostatisticians, Sociologist, Anthropologists, Public Health Specialists, Biomedical Specialist and Health Economist (40%) C. Reference information of at least two similar assignments executed in the last ten years (30%) Please note: Firms that exceeded the 80% threshold will be shortlisted A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection Method set forth in the Government of Sierra Leone Public Procurement Acts. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications. Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1700 hours. Expressions of interest which should comprise of the firm’s profile, CVs of the required key staff, references information on similar assignments executed etc. must be delivered by email to: arcsessay@yahoo.com , kawenikargbo7@gmail.com or in person to the following to the address below on or before 1700 hours, 21st August 2019. The Director General National HIV/AIDS Secretariat 15 Bellaire Park, Off Pademba Road DWARZARK Freetown Phone: 076 416427 Email: arcsessay@yahoo.com or kawenikargbo7@gmail.com ISSUES DATE: 7th August 2019
Uneasy lies the head that wears the
crown, it is popularly said. When things are not going too well according to
plans, people who are very close to His Excellency the President are reportedly
scared to approach him these days.
The Former Minister of Lands and
Country Planning, Dr. Denis Sandy is expected to face criminal charges, anytime
soon, for allegedly authorizing his men to demolish a Primary School belonging
to Mrs. Elizabeth Squire, situated at Mongeba Village,.
According to Madam Squire, she
bought four plots of land in 2014 to build Primary and Secondary schools and
for which, she said, she was given the necessary documents.
She said few months later, Dr.
Sandy wrote a letter inf…
The Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, Prof.
Kalfala Kallon yesterday updated the Members of Parliament that the government has
received the first consignment of printed bank notes ordered.
According to the Bank Governor, there is now
sufficient money in the bank and that they will be expecting the other
consignments in February and June this year.
The reasons Governor Kallon advanced for the
recent shortage of bank notes is the hoarding of the currency by pri…
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Bank
for Africa (UBA) Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, was on Sunday night presented
with The Zik Prize for Professional Leadership.
In obvious recognition of its brand acceptance and its role
in facilitating economic development across Africa, six subsidiaries of pan
African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc have been named
‘Bank of the Year 2020’ by th…
Guineans went to the polls
on Sunday October 18 to elect a new president, amidst extreme pre-election
tension and violence between supporters of the country’s two main political
parties.
So tense was the atmosphere
in Guinea six months before the elections, up to the eve of the elections that
the Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament and a delegation visited the country about
a week to observe the election and caution the government, parliamentarians,
political stakeholders and the entire nation …
Persons of Interest (POIs)
who were indicted by the recommendations of the somewhat controversial
Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the accompanying government’s White Paper
recently released, are reportedly urged to file an appeal at the Appeals Court
to prove their innocence, else they run the risk of being guilty as charged.
Already, the 90 days
ultimatum for POIs to seek redress at the Appeals Court is slowly elapsing and
very few individuals mentioned in the said report have so far report…
Running out of patience, the presiding
Magistrate of Pademba Road Court No. 1, Hannah Bonnie has made it categorically
clear that Osman Karankay Conteh and thirty other residents of Lunsar will
remain in remand if their solicitors fail to turn up in court.
The thirty one accused persons are before her on
Preliminary Investigation for alleged murder of the nephew of Paramount Chief
Bai Koblo Queen II of Marampa Chiefdom and for setting ablaze his properties
worth over ele…
Magistrate Elizabeth Sheila Bangura Jalloh of
Pademba Road Court No7 has committed the matter of Sylvester Foday Bangura, a
SSS 1 pupil of Saint Edwards Secondary School to the High Court for proper
trial.
The offender in the above action was arraigned
before her for Preliminary Investigation after he was alleged to have killed
one Mohamed Sesay by stabbing him in his neck at Congo Town field.
Delivering her ruling shortly after the matter
was mentioned by …
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Works
and Public Asset chaired by the Deputy Leader of Government Business in
Parliament, Hon. Bashiru Silike has on Monday, 19th October, 2020
embarked on a nationwide parliamentary oversight on road contractors in the
country.
The purpose of the oversight exercise, according
to the Chairman is to ascertain the operational work done and other challenges
affecting those roads.
DHL Express, the world’s leading international
express service provider, has been recognised as the second best place to work
in the world. The company ranked in the top 5 as one of the best workplaces in
the world.
In its 2020 employer ranking Great Place to Work
and FORTUNE recognised the extensive investments and implementations of various
initiatives to create a positive, motivating and appreciative working
atmosphere in more than 220 countries and territories.
One of the leading Financial Service institutions
in Sierra Leone United Bank for Africa (UBA), has appointed Mr. Usman Isiaka as
its new MD/CEO taking over from Mr. Chinedu Obeta that has served the bank for
a period of 10 years with sterling perfo…
Pan- African financial institution, United Bank for Africa,
(UBA Plc), continues to lead in innovation with the launch of its dynamic and
creative Online Radio channel – RED Radio
RED Radio, powered by UBA is a lifestyle web platform that
has be…
Cabinet ministers are reported to be tossing and
turning unsure if their heads would fall under the guillotine when President
Bio announces the long awaited cabinet reshuffle very soon.
“It has been done and dusted,” a confidential State
House source told this press.
Whilst details of the reshuffle have been kept under
tight seal, it is certain, sources intimated, that some prominent high profiled
cabinet ministers will return to warming the bench whilst some significant new
players will …