Section 1.0 – Overview and Procedures

1.1.     Request for Proposals – Service Notice

1.1.1.        Nutrition International (NI), a non-profit agency dedicated to eliminating vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide, invites proposals from competent agencies for Supporting Implementation of Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition Services.

1.2.     Background

1.2.1          Nutrition International (NI) is a global nutrition organization headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. For more than 30 years, we have focused on delivering low-cost, high-impact nutrition interventions to people in need. Working alongside governments as an expert ally, we combine deep technical expertise with a flexible approach, increasing impact without increasing complexity or cost. In more than 60 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, Nutrition International nourishes people to nourish life.

1.2.2          NI is a trusted partner and a technical resource of the Government of Pakistan working on 04 strategic areas including micronutrient supplementation, food fortification, birth package, and nutrition governance. Nutrition International Pakistan in collaboration with federal and provincial health & nutrition department is implementing different programs particularly Vitamin A supplementation for children under-5, Diarrhea management through zinc and low osmolarity oral rehydration salts (LO-ORS), Universal Salt Iodization (USI), Fortification of wheat flour and edible oil/ghee, Maternal Newborn Health, and Nutrition (MNHN) Program and Adolescent Health & Nutrition Program.

1.2.3          Nutrition International’s ‘Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition program is being implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab to support provincial and district governments in strengthening government led maternal, newborn and child health& nutrition services. NI being the strategic partner of the Ministry on National Health Services Regulations & Coordination at the national level and the departments of Health at provincial level, over more than half a decade NI has been supporting the government along with partners in improving the policy landscape for maternal and newborn health and nutrition program and supporting the provinces and districts in planning and implementation of evidence based high impact nutrition interventions like maternal diet and dietary practices, essential micronutrient supplementation including IFA/MMS for positive pregnancy experience and enhanced essential newborn care services for better health and wellbeing of the newborns

1.2.4          NI now aim’s to further strengthen the support to the government in implementation of integrated MNHN program expanding the geographic scope from May 2025 till March 2031, adopting best practices towards improving maternal and newborn nutrition and health services, through key activities within the existing program adopting integrated health system strengthening approaches more at provincial level. Through its technical assistance support NI intends to impact for enabling policy environment including advocacy to ensure budget allocations, along with capacity building and behavior change initiatives along with backing the government in strengthening of the Nutrition Management Information System (NMIS) and rollout of DHIS2 in project districts. Aligning with the government’s priorities the program will priorities its efforts towards ensuring sustained availability of nutrition commodities (MMS/IFA) for reducing iron deficiency anemia amongst pregnant women and addressing barriers in utilization of nutrition supplements and improve compliance.

1.2.5          The program aims to provide continuum of care from health facility to community level, strengthening    on improving newborn survival through strengthening of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) intervention  supporting capacity development for government health functionaries, ensuring quality assurance in data management, strengthening health systems by encouraging the use of service statistics for decision making for quality essential newborn care services to small and vulnerable including LBW newborns. In it’s endeavor NI would be taking steps towards formalizing and strengthening the relationships with provincial department of health in 4 provinces and organizing a series of coordination and consultation meetings with all 4 provincial department of health and potential development partners in the year 2025-26. NI seeks for a competent potential Implementing partners to support NI in execution of specific  activities and processes towards achieving  the larger objectives.

1.2.6         This Request for Proposals (RFP) and particularly the Guidelines for Preparing Proposals that follow, are designed to help Respondents to produce proposals that are acceptable to the NI, and to ensure that all proposals are given equal consideration. It is essential, therefore, that Respondents provide the complete information that is requested, and in the formats and on the terms specified.

DETAILED RFP ATTACHED FOR REFERENCE