South Sudan: Request for Proposals (RFP) Strategic Planning Process and Facilitation

Introduction

The Board of Directors of The Health Support Organisation (THESO) is launching a strategic planning process that will define the organisation‘s direction for the next five years. The anticipated budget for the process is expected to range from $9,000-$15,000 and the process is expected to take 1 month starting in October 20^th 2015.

The Health Support Organisation (THESO) Overview

The Health Support Organisation (THESO) is a leading registered South Sudanese based charity nonprofit organisation dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programmes

THESO’s mission is to implement evidence-based, culturally sensitive, innovative projects promoting health, according to perceived public health needs and priorities as understood through quality research. THESO has a 5 member Board of Directors, 287 full-time staff, plus an additional 5-10 seasonal and part-time staff, and engages nearly 6,500 volunteers annually. Our current organizational budget is $4.8 million. The Health Support Organisation engages in a variety of partnerships with other non-profit organizations, government agencies and private corporations, and receives funding from a diverse range of sources, including multilateral donors, bilateral donors, foundations, individual donors and corporate contributions. THESO is part of a growing consensus that stronger public health capacity in national health systems is indispensable for better health outcomes as its work focuses on contributing to strengthening republic of South Sudan and other countries health systems to improve sustainable development goals 2,3, 4, 5, & 6 results for the poorest and most vulnerable.

By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at high risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, THESO rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

THESO is supporting the governments line ministries with integrated primary health care packages of health, nutrition and WASH interventions reaching over 85,000 direct beneficiaries annually. This package consists of basic packages of health and nutrition services, prevention and case management of neglected tropical diseases and communicable diseases, rehabilitation of health facilities infrastructure, water and environmental sanitation, and research.

Scope of Work

In collaboration with Board and Staff, the contracted organizational consultant will conduct a strategic planning process to include, but not be limited to, the following key areas of work:

1. Conduct an assessment of current THESO organisational and programmatic capacities including the review of existing materials and possible reports from online assessment tools.
2. Create a summary of the strategic review for discussion by Staff and Board that identifies key questions to be addressed by the organisation
3. Design and conduct facilitated planning meeting(s) and/or strategic interviews for the board, staff, and key external stakeholders to discuss the key questions, develop new ideas for strategic directions, and foster community investment and ownership in THESO’s strategic plan.
4. Assist staff in conducting a trend assessment of the broader THESO expansion and policy movement to include government partners, national nonprofits, and potential funders.
5. Identify strategic gap and growth areas for the organization
6. Identify relevant life cycle positions for each of the four core functions.
7. Identify strategic partners and ways to prevent duplication in order to maximize efficient use of community dollars.
8. Synthesize the discussions into THESO five-years strategic plan document for review and approval by the Board of Directors. Coordinate the graphic layout of the strategic plan to maximize the promotional potential of the report.
9. Assist in developing the five-year work plan to include fundraising and communications planning.

Key Questions and Specific Objectives of The Health Support Organisation Strategic Plan

1. How do THESO’s core competencies align with trends in the local community needs and the funding priorities of key funding systems?
2. How do we insure that our programmes and initiatives align with and directly advance our mission in measureable and meaningful ways?
3. How should we adapt our organisation to the changing landscape of the regional and global economy?
4. What revenue and resource development strategies are needed to keep THESO sustainable and mission focused over the next five years?
5. What will be the infrastructure and organisational development needs for THESO over the next five years?

At a minimum, THESO Strategic Plan will be comprised of the following:

1. Describe current operating conditions;
2. Clearly identify THESO’s desired impact over five years to include organisational objectives in all key programme areas with indicators of success to track progress;
3. Identify THESO’s strengths and how to apply them to the objectives and desired impact;
4. Identify strategic directions, partnerships, and tools that will assist in identifying and implementing future opportunities;
5. Identify THESO’s organisational capacity (at both the Board and Staff level) that is required to achieve desired impacts and objectives; and,
6. Identify strategic ways and sources of revenue required to achieve desired impacts and objectives.

Submission Details

The organisational consultant should have relevant experience working with nonprofit, public, and private sector organizations to develop strategic plans that respond effectively to internal, environmental, political, and fiscal realities. Experience working with agencies that deliver impactful services in health and WASH fields is preferred.

The Health Support Organisation requests electronic proposals of no more than 5 (five) pages in length that describe your team, your experience providing Strategic Planning services to similar organizations, your proposed process for providing these services, and a proposed budget for these services.

The proposal should include the following components:

1. Name and contact information and the names of any other participating consultants;
2. Statement of qualifications;
3. Summary of similar work conducted, highlighting specific accomplishments;
4. A narrative description of the proposed process, activities and approach;
5. Timeline for the work;
6. Fee & Budget (including number of estimated hours for each activity, billing rate, and estimated out of pocket costs);
7. On a separate addendum (which will not count toward the 5-page limit), please provide a copy of current resume(s), and the names and contact information for up to four references – preferably organisations for which you have recently provided similar services.

Terms and Conditions

The Health Support Organisation (THESO) reserves the right to reject or cancel any and all submissions received in response to this RFP. The issuance of the RFP does not commit THESO to award a contract, nor is THESO required to select the lowest bidder. THESO reserves the right to cancel this procurement, to waive any defect or technicality, and to advertise for new proposals, without notice or justification, where the rejection, cancellation, waiver, or advertisement would be in the best interest of THESO. A formal contract will be required. THESO shall not be liable for any costs associated with the development, preparation, transmittal or presentation of any proposal or material submitted in response to the RFP. The successful bidder will indemnify and hold harmless THESO, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and members from any and all liability

Interested consultants / firms that meet the minimum requirements should submit their detailed proposal electronically by 5PM East Africa Time, October 9 2015 to: Maxwell Isaac Ochieng

E-mail: maxwell.ochieng@theso.org copying info@theso.org