Submit your tender(s) BEFORE 20 JUNE 2018 1:00 PM VLT to provide the logistical services to deliver vaccines via drones for the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Vanuatu.
The Republic of Vanuatu is a Y-shaped archipelago consisting of 83 relatively small islands of volcanic origin that run 1600 kilometres north to south. 65 islands in the archipelago are inhabited and only 20 of them have functional airfields and established roads. Many islands and villages are accessible only by boat, and the roads on the major islands only connect the most important towns and villages. Roads are in bad condition, and they are flooded or washed away quite often due to the predominant climate conditions..
Due to these limitations, vaccine and health supply logistics are expensive, risky, and unreliable. Mobile teams are frequently required to walk to villages and communities in remote areas.carrying temperature-sensitive vaccines and equipment. If the cold chain is disrupted, vaccines rapidly degrade and do not provide the children the required immunization. The challenges faced to access remote communities and support the vaccine supply chain also contributes to the frequent lack of stock within health facilities.
What is the Vanuatu MoH looking for?
MoH, in assessment with UNICEF, is exploring the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, as a quick, reliable, and effective mode of transportation to deliver vaccines from main health facilities to dispensaries, aid post, and mobile vaccination teams. It also includes maintaining the cargo temperature between 2 and 8 Celsius degrees -to ensure the cold chain is not interrupted and the vaccines are delivered in optimal condition.
The primary objective of the project is to test the technical feasibility and economical sustainability of including this new mode of transportation into the existing Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) as a last-mile delivery resource. To achieve this objective, Ministry of Health is seeking to contract up to three service contractors through a government procurement process. Three (3) Request for Tender (RFT) processes for physical services, for Pentecost, Epi & Shephedrs, and Erromago islands respectively, have been officially issued (download a .pdf version of each RFT process below)
The RFTs are not mutually exclusive and, if individuals or companies opt to apply, may result in them being contracted to provide services for a maximum of two of them.
Prepare and submit your Tender!
The Government of Vanuatu and Ministry of Health invite individuals or companies worldwide, which can provide a drone-based service for vaccine delivery, and incorporate it as a new mode of transport to support the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) implemented in this Pacific Country.
The services are expected to be implemented on Petecost, Epi & Shepherds, and Erromango islands, for 11 weeks (test: 2 weeks, and delivery: 9 weeks), starting on September 2018.
Why apply to this Tender?
This operational service opportunity is the second stage to the vaccine challenge that was launched in June 2017. The aim is to assess the feasibility of RPAS cargo delivery in the Pacific. If your system and service proves to be efficient and cost-effective, you will have the opportunity to compete for a longer-term engagement with the Government of Vanuatu to provide RPAS delivery services.
UNICEF’s need for RPAS cargo delivery extends beyond the Pacific region. Through participation in this opportunity, you will be connected to UNICEF experts exploring the use of RPAS and connected to other companies active in this space. Data generated from your service will inform UNICEF’s global strategy and the Pacific region’s approach to using RPAS in cargo delivery.
Interested? What’s next?
Download the RFT documents and submit one, two or three Tenders by separate, in sealed and labeled envelopes, and in the requested format including the necessary documents and annexes.
IMPORTANT: THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING TENDERS IS WEDNESDAY, 20th JUNE 2018. 1:00 PM VANUATU LOCAL TIME (UTM +11).
Download the RFT documents here:
Official Issuance of the RFT process: Wednesday, 30 May 2018. 8:30 am Vanuatu Local Time (UTM+11).
I you haven’t, REGISTER below by Tuesday, 29 May, in order to receive via email instructions to join the online pre-tender meeting (Kick-off) meeting.
– Tenders Submission Deadline: 20 June 2018. Three weeks from the RFT release.
– Conditional Contract Signature: Monday, 6 August 2018
– Remote preparation period: 35 calendar days
– On-site equipment demonstration (OED) 9:00 am at the testing site on Efate-Vanuatu: Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 September 2018
– In-country preparation period: One week
– Unconditional Contract Signature: Monday, 24 September 2018
– Contractual period (9 weeks): 24 September to 25 November 2018
– Final report / End of contract: 30 November 2018
NOTE: dates are subject to Government procurement processes and are to be treated as ‘best case estimates’
Procurement: Ministry of Health (MoH). Government of Vanuatu
Technical Support: UNICEF
REGISTER HERE – including invitation to pre-tender meeting (webinar format) – opportunity to ask questions about the tender process and learn more about the requirements.
