Tender Advertisement #1343225

BACKGROUND

In April 2020, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders invoked the Biketawa Declaration to collectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as a major crisis in The Blue Pacific Continent. Subsequently, Forum Foreign Ministers established a Pacific Humanitarian Pathway on COVID-19 (PHP-C) as the region’s mechanism to provide the enabling political environment and commitment to expedite assistance and cooperation between member countries in preparing for and responding to COVID-19. The PHP-C is overseen by a Ministerial Action Group supported by a Regional Taskforce.

2. Under the auspices of the PHP-C, 53 flights have been undertaken through the World Food Program’s Pacific Humanitarian Air Services, moving 177 technical health and humanitarian personnel and delivering over 390 tons of health and humanitarian supplies to 15 countries.

3. The PHP-C provided regional mapping to ascertain resources, assistance needed, and all other relevant information required for the operationalisation of the PHP-C. An online platform to manage Members requests for assistance and coordinate responses was set up and shared with Members and technical agencies to facilitate information exchange for planning purposes.

4. The PHP-C was developed to create a political space for dialogue, to ensure Member countries’ request for assistance were effectively responded too. This led to the development of five Common Protocols, which were endorsed by the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers, and which allow for special cooperation and support for sectors who were affected by border restrictions.

5. The Protocols included:
• Deployment of Technical Personnel to and between Forum nations
• Immigration
• Repatriation of Forum Nationals
• Customs and Biosecurity
• Clearances for Aircraft and Ships Transporting Medical and Humanitarian Assistance, Technical Personnel, and Repatriating Nationals

6. Since April 2020, the COVID-19 landscape within the region has changed significantly. All the region’s borders are open, albeit with some restrictions on entry still in place in some countries. The opening of borders has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of flights through the PHP-C as commercial means of travel have become available. and in November 2022, PIF Members requested that the PIF Secretariat conduct a review of the PHP-C.

7. Key learnings from the review will be used to inform the development of a subsequent ‘regional humanitarian response coordination mechanism’, as called for in the Boe Declaration Action Plan. Further, the review will support the development of a Regional Pandemics Preparedness and Response Plan, as called for in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

HOW TO APPLY

Submissions should be entitled:
OPEN TENDER – Review of the Pacific Humantarian Pathway on COVID-19 (PHP-C)

Method of Submissions:

Submissions must be forwarded in PDF format following the instructions at www.tenders.net/forumsec
Note: Tenders must be submitted with clear labelling of the technical offer and the financial offer. The Technical Offer documents must be saved and submitted clearly labelled T.3.23 - Response Template.
The electronically submitted documents should be converted to the PDF format.

Deadline for Submissions:

Submissions need to reach the Secretariat by close of business, at 4.00 pm, Wednesday, 1 March 2023.
Late or incomplete tenders will not be considered.

Questions and Answers

All queries or request for information must be submitted via the Question and Answer Forum at www.tenders.net/forumsec . Tenderers may submit questions in writing to the mentioned Question and Answer Forum before the stated “deadline for requesting clarifications” Tuesday, 28 February 2023. The Secretariat has no obligation to provide clarification after this date.
Note: The Secretariat will not be responsible for non-receipt/non-delivery of the Bid documents due to any reason whatsoever.

Any complaints regarding the Secretariat’s tender must be directed to the following email: Tender.Complaints@forumsec.org. This email address will forward your complaint to a person that is independent and removed from the tender process. Complaints must be well founded and should not be used as a mechanism for notifying displeasure with the outcome of a tender award. Further information on making a complaint can be found on the Policies & Information page at http://tenders.forumsec.org.
In the event that further information is required by the Secretariat in relation to the tender for consultancy, the Secretariat reserves the right to seek the required information without the need for calling for resubmission of proposals.