RFP for Grant writing training for community-based organizations

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR GRANT WRITING TRAINING

BACKGROUND

FHI 360 is an international non-governmental organization that, in Vietnam, promotes the health and well-being of the Vietnamese people, particularly vulnerable and marginalized populations. It works with the Vietnam Ministry of Health and other national bodies, as well as provincial and district-level health services to achieve project aims.

FHI 360 is currently implementing programs to address HIV and TB prevention, testing, and treatment; combatting trafficking in persons; COVID-19; anti-microbial resistance; health system strengthening; non-communicable diseases; maternal and child health and nutrition; and diagnostic and laboratory services. To learn more, please visit www.fhi360.org.

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) is a global project focused on HIV, global health security, and combatting trafficking in persons using funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the United States Agency for International Development. EpiC Vietnam’s goal is to deliver efficient, affordable, results-based technical assistance and direct services while closing the remaining gaps in Vietnam’s efforts to achieve HIV epidemic control, address emerging disease threats, and combat trafficking in persons in Vietnam.  

EpiC has been actively delivering technical assistance and capacity-building programs to enhance technical HIV knowledge, community development skills, and communication practices among community partners, including community-based organizations (CBOs) and social enterprises (SEs) in Vietnam. Our goal is to support these partners in improving their performance and achieving steady growth while reducing their technical and financial reliance on our support. We aim to help them develop professional skill sets that foster long-term strategic planning and sustainable development.

PURPOSE

EpiC is looking for an experienced agency with relevant expertise to provide a comprehensive training package for community partners to secure external funding by developing winning proposals from other donors including foundations, corporate social responsibility efforts, and more. Training sessions should include both proposal writing skills and efforts to identify opportunities and build relationships and the organization’s reputation among potential donors.

The overarching goals of this training are included but not limited to:

• Identifying grant opportunities
• Knowing your audience and adhering to requirements
• Writing a compelling proposal
• Relationship and reputation building
• Coaching in developing a proposal plan.

The vendor will also be asked to work alongside EpiC to develop a real-world competition (funded by EpiC) and serve as a judge.

SCOPE OF WORK

EpiC is seeking a qualified vendor to run three training sessions aimed at achieving the aforementioned goals for organizations offering community-based HIV services in Hanoi and six provinces around Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The vendor will run three two-day training sessions, one in Hanoi, one in HCMC, and a third either in HCMC or one of the Mekong Delta provinces. Each training session will accommodate between 25 and 30 participants.  

The designated vendor will organize a grant writing competition for these community partners, providing them with valuable feedback on their ideas and an opportunity to secure funding for their organizations. EpiC will provide additional clarification on the nature of this competition to the selected vendor.

The proposed training should provide feasible solutions for community partners to be able to:

1.    Know their target audience Coach organizations to understand the specific needs of each funding entity, the requirements of each proposal, and how to adapt their approach to meet those needs and requirements

2.    Identify strengths and weaknesses

Encourage community partners to conduct extensive research, fostering critical thinking about their organizations.

3.    Make practical plans

Assist community partners in creating practical plans through proper investigation and analysis.

4.    Secure funding

Craft proposals that persuade stakeholders to funding, demonstrating solid strategies and high growth potential.

5.    Offer structure

Guide community partners in outlining their goals and monitoring their performance and growth.

6.    Build credibility

Assist community partners in establishing their legitimacy by demonstrating their expertise and experience.

The vendor is expected to provide the following services in collaboration with EpiC and with their approval of each step of implementation (activities, agenda, design, etc.):

Preparation and approvals (logistics) (x 3 events)

• Obtaining event approval from relevant authorities
• Manage RSVPs for each event
• Share necessary logistics information for each event with attendees and EpiC

Preparation of the agenda

• Review necessary documents provided by EpiC to understand the current capacity of the community partners.
• Design training sessions
• Identify and share the requirements for the training

During the training (x 3 events)

• Staff the training with sufficient event management personnel
• Run all training sessions with staff or sourced consultants.
• Design (with project feedback) and distribute an event evaluation.

After the training sessions

• Host a feedback session with the project after the first and second events to discuss necessary changes for the subsequent sessions.
• Develop and provide pre and post-test tools
• Summarize event activities, outcomes, and evaluation results in a summary report.

About the Proposal Writing Competition:

• Organize and oversee the proposal writing competition.
• Assist community partners in their development and identifying and articulating key selling points.
• Assist community partners in crafting proposal narratives that are evaluator-friendly and meet industry standards.
• Ensure all submitted proposals comply with the stated requirements.
• Evaluate submitted proposals including providing written feedback and on all submissions work with EpiC and to identify winners

Note: The financial proposal should not include the following costs and expenses:  

• Meeting rooms, catering, and audio-visual costs.
• Travel and accommodation for all participants, including those from the vendor.
• Any logistics support for staff from EpiC.
• Any awards or prizes to be awarded to the winners of the contest.

Period of Performance: July – August2024

DELIVERABLES

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A licensed firm with documented legal registration in education, training, skill and capacity development.
• Proven success in implementing training and coaching programs.
• Experience working with NGOs or international organizations is an asset, experience with USAID-funded projects preferred.
• Knowledge of the LGBT community and HIV projects. Demonstrable experience working with sexual and gender minorities.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

As an expression of interest, bidders must provide:

1. A business certificate / legal registration outlining the company is authorized to provide education, training, skill and capacity development services.
2. A proposal with an approach and plan to meet the requirements of the scope of work including approval procedure for organizing events funded by international NGOs.
3. A detailed budget breaking out the cost of professional services required, and any out-of-pocket costs for all services requested. Budget should include a pre-VAT and post-VAT calculation.
4. Three references, including e-mail and phone number, from projects with a similar scope of work. FHI 360 may contact bidders and/or their client references by phone or email for clarification of experience or other aspects of their work prior to the award.

Note: All prospective vendors must comply with the safeguarding policies of FHI 360. Any violations of the policies may result in immediate contract termination without liability for the organization.

FHI 360 DISCLAIMERS
This RFP represents only a definition of the requirements. It is merely an invitation for submission of proposals and does not legally obligate FHI 360 to accept any of the submitted proposals in whole or in part, nor is FHI 360 obligated to select the lowest priced proposal. FHI 360 reserves the right to negotiate with any or all firms, both with respect to price, cost, and/scope of services. FHI 360 has no contractual obligations with any firms based upon issuance of this RFP. It is not an offer to contract. Only the execution of a written contract shall obligate FHI 360 in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in such contract.

• FHI 360 may cancel solicitation and not award.
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received.
• Issuance of solicitation does not constitute award commitment by FHI 360.
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on offeror’s failure to follow solicitation instructions.
• FHI 360 will not compensate offerors for response to solicitation.
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion.
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities.
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition.
• FHI 360 will be contacting all offerors to confirm contact person, address and that proposal was submitted for this solicitation.