Technical Support to Improve Global Health Security Systems in Sierra Leone - Questions & Answers

Agency:	FHI 360
State:	District of Columbia
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541330 - Engineering Services 541512 - Computer Systems Design Services 541519 - Other Computer Related Services 541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Posted Date:	Jul 10, 2026
Due Date:	Jul 31, 2026
Solicitation No:	2026-018-Sierra Leone_RFP_02
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

Technical Support to Improve Global Health Security Systems in Sierra Leone
RFP No.: 2026-018-Sierra Leone_RFP_02

Issue date: 18 Jun, 2026
Closing date: 31 Jul, 2026

Solicitation file(s):
STRIDES Tender - Sierra Leone Global Health Security (2026-018-Sierra Leone).pdf (392 KB)
Attachment A - Budget Proposal RFP 2026-018-Sierra Leone.xlsx (63 KB)

Modification file(s):
Modification 1 - STRIDES Tender for GHS Sierra Leone_FINAL (393 KB)
Questions & Answers_STRIDES Sierra Leone GHS Tender - 2026-018 (110 KB)

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Request for Proposals

Request for Proposals for Technical Support to Improve Global Health Security Systems

Solicitation Number: 2026-018-Sierra Leone

Questions and Answers

Q1. The solicitation states that "Payments will be made in local currency, but the

financial proposal must delineate the cost in both US Dollars and local currency.

The cost proposal must provide a detailed, itemized budget in US Dollars and local

currency, including a budget narrative that explains cost assumptions." However,

the budget template only includes a column for one currency. Should we budget in

USD and add a column to convert to local currency or how should this be

presented?

A1. Prospective applicants should submit the budget in both U.S. Dollars and local

currency. If the provided budget template includes only one currency column, prospective

applicants may add a column to show the equivalent amount in local currency and should

clearly state the exchange rate and assumptions used in the budget narrative.

Q2. The solicitation states that we should break out costs by each of the four

objectives listed in the solicitation. However, the budget template does not have a

column to specify budget by objective. Should we create a separate detailed

budget and budget narrative for each objective?

A2. The budget and budget narrative should be organized by objective. Prospective

applicants may either create separate tabs/sections for each objective or clearly delineate

costs by objective in the Excel budget and accompanying narrative, provided the

presentation allows FHI 360 to review costs by objective.

Q3. If successful, would we be required to submit financial reports per objective or

against the total budget?

A3. Reporting requirements will be finalized during contract negotiation and award.

However, because proposals and budgets must clearly delineate costs by objective,

successful awardees should be prepared to track and report costs in a manner that allows

FHI 360 to assess spending against the approved budget and agreed scope of work,

including by objective as applicable.

Q4. If we budget per objective in the Excel budget template, what objective should we

use for operations and office costs? Should we assign these to a 5th program

management/operations objective? Or should we allocate these in each of the

objective budgets?

A4. Operations, office, and program management costs should not be presented as a

separate fifth objective unless specifically approved by FHI 360. These costs should be

allocated across the proposed objectives using a reasonable and clearly explained

allocation methodology or otherwise reflected as indirect costs where appropriate and

supported by the budget narrative.

Q5. Do we need to submit detailed budgets and budget narratives for each subpartner

or can they be included in the main budget as a line item?

A5. Costs for subpartners should be included in the overall cost proposal and must be

sufficiently detailed to allow cost analysis. If subpartners will perform discrete portions of

the work, their costs should be broken out and supported by budget narratives that

describe roles, responsibilities, cost assumptions, and alignment to the relevant

objective(s), rather than included only as a single unexplained line item. This could be an

additional excel tab with sub partners details budget breakdown.

Q6. What type of award is this expected to be? The solicitation mentions Cost Plus

Fixed Fee LOE Term Contract, but the Cost Proposal instructions and budget

template do not seem to be structured this way. If this is a Cost Plus Fixed Fee LOE

Term Contract, is there an LOE ceiling in mind for this contract? What

personnel/type of salaries would count towards the LOE ceiling?

A6. FHI 360 may issue one or more Cost Plus Fixed Fee Level-of-Effort Term contracts. The

contract will specify the required level of effort for the agreed period of performance. The

RFP does not identify a predetermined LOE ceiling; prospective applicants should propose

the level of effort necessary to complete their proposed scope of work. Personnel labor

proposed for staff assigned to the project, including unburdened daily rates and total staff

time by labor category, should be included in the LOE and clearly justified in the cost

proposal. LOE is for productive workdays which do not include leave and holidays.

The level of effort includes person-days associated with professional technical personnel

working on the STRIDES program and program related issues, monitoring and evaluation,

research, communications and outreach, and analyses or assessments. Other

professional and nonprofessional efforts, including administrative, financial support,

logistics, IT, office support, and procurement efforts, should be included in the level of

effort.

The proposed level of effort should include professional technical employee, consultant,

and/or subcontractor labor and it must include administrative positions or any other

position that has the primary function of providing administrative support to the contract.

This labor can be US, third country, or local staff and can be long or short-term labor. The

proposed level of effort should not include labor days that are within the indirect rate of the

organization.

Q7. Can FHI provide additional information about how they will determine if multiple

contracts will be awarded? Would they consider multiple contracts per objective?

A7. FHI 360 anticipates awarding one or more subcontracts based on technical alignment,

institutional capacity, cost-effectiveness, and ability to support one or more STRIDES

objectives in Sierra Leone. The RFP allows contractors to propose one or more objectives,

and FHI 360 may consider multiple awards where doing so best supports implementation

needs, complementarity, and value for money. The RFP does not preclude awards by

objective.

Q8. Could you please clarify whether international non-governmental organizations

are eligible to participate in this funding opportunity, as referenced in the

qualifications section on page 10?

A8. International non-governmental organizations may participate where they meet the

RFP’s eligibility requirements. However, the RFP states that contractors must be legally

registered and operating in Sierra Leone, and for consortium applications, the prime

organization must be registered and currently operating in Sierra Leone. Local organizations

that are locally owned and operated, as well as U.S. small businesses, are strongly

encouraged to apply.

Q9. Could you please clarify the expectations for the awardee regarding collaboration

with the existing STRIDES core technical partners, PATH and Black & Veatch, under

this project?

A9. The awardee will be expected to work under FHI 360’s technical leadership and

coordinate routinely with STRIDES core technical partners. PATH (surveillance and data

systems) and Black & Veatch (biosafety and biosecurity) will provide specialized technical

guidance, tools, and mentorship in their respective areas of expertise, while the in-country

subcontractor will lead day-to-day implementation, participate in joint planning and

technical reviews, submit timely reports, and incorporate feedback to ensure aligned and

high-quality delivery.

Q10.

While the application would be submitted by our subsidiary NGO, program

implementation in-country would be carried out by our umbrella NGO pursuant to

an intercompany agreement between the two entities. Would an application under

this arrangement be considered eligible?

A10. The RFP requires the prime organization to meet eligibility requirements, including

legal registration and current operation in Sierra Leone, and to be responsible for

determining whether the subcontractors meet local registration requirements. An

arrangement involving implementation by an affiliated or umbrella NGO may be considered

only if the applicant clearly explains the legal, operational, and accountability structure and

demonstrates compliance with the RFP’s eligibility, registration, subcontracting, and

performance requirements. FHI 360 will review eligibility based on the submitted

documentation.

Q11.

MOD 1 removed Section D (Risk Communication and Community Engagement) as a

standalone thematic area. Can you clarify whether community engagement

activities, including community-based surveillance and community mobilization,

remain in scope when proposed within Objective 2 and Objective 4?

A11. Yes. Although Modification 1 removed Risk Communication and Community

Engagement as a standalone thematic area given this is not a core area under the STRIDES

Sierra Leone SOW nor workplan, community-level activities remain in scope where they are

clearly aligned with the remaining objectives. For example, Objective 2 includes

strengthening community- and facility-level surveillance mechanisms, and Objective 4

includes communication protocols and outbreak coordination. Proposed activities should

be framed within the applicable objective and should avoid duplicating ongoing partner

efforts.

Q12. The RFP defines both scope of work components and objectives. Should the

applicant’s approach presented technical proposal follow the structure of the

former (components A, B, C) or the latter (objectives 1, 2, 3, 4)?

A12. The technical proposal should be organized around the STRIDES objectives for which

the applicant is applying. The scope of work components provide thematic guidance, but

the RFP instructs applicants to clearly indicate the objectives they seek to perform and to

delineate the technical and budget approach by objective. Also, refer to response A2

above.

Q13. Is the USD 4 million ceiling intended for all objectives combined across all awards,

and is there an anticipated budget range or percentage allocation for each

objective?

A13. The estimated budget ceiling of no more than US$4,000,000 applies to this RFP as a

whole, i.e., across all objectives and all awards combined, not per objective or per

award. The RFP does not specify a required budget range or percentage allocation by

objective. Prospective applicants should develop budgets that are reasonable, cost-

effective, aligned with the objective(s) proposed, and justified in relation to the proposed

work plan and 12-month period of performance.

Q14. When do you anticipate informing applicants of a decision?

A14. The RFP does not provide a specific date for award notification. The solicitation lists a

proposal submission deadline of July 31, 2026, and an anticipated start date on or around

October 1, 2026. Applicants will be informed following completion of FHI 360’s review,

evaluation, and any required negotiations or approvals.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

* Disclaimer: This website provides information about bids, requests for proposals (RFPs), or requests for qualifications (RFQs) for convenience only and does not serve as an official public notice. Individuals who wish to respond to or inquire about bids, RFPs, or RFQs should contact the relevant government department directly.

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Technical Support to Improve Global Health Security Systems in Sierra Leone - Questions & Answers

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