The Tuberculosis Foundation (KNCV) and Unitaid have issued a request for proposals in the context of their work under the ASCENT project and will focus on market interventions to promote access to critical tools needed for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) care. The purpose of this request for proposals is to select a Market Access Technical Partner (MATP) organization, with a proven record of developing and executing market strategies to secure adequate, equitable access conditions in low- and middle-income countries with a specific focus on tools relevant to the drug-resistant tuberculosis cascade of care. The MATP will be responsible for, in collaboration with Unitaid and the ASCENT consortium, designing and executing market-shaping interventions to help secure a global affordable market for WHO-recommended diagnostics, treatment regimens, and supportive tools. The MATP would be a sub-implementer on the ASCENT project and be eligible as a third-party recipient of Project Funding.
A sub-agreement will be executed between KNCV and the MATP. It is estimated that the duration of the Terms of Reference relating to Access will be 18 calendar months with a possible extension for one additional month including periods for responsible close-out and transition to country governments and other scale-up partner(s) who will sustain and expand of the implementation beyond the project timeline. The maximum duration would not exceed October 2025.
Scope of Work
The scope of work for this RFP is as follows:
- Gap analysis: Unitaid and ASCENT will map health technology tools across the cascade of care, identify key gaps preventing the accelerated introduction of new, shorter MDR-TB regimens in MDR TB high-burden countries, and recommend a set of products (screening, diagnostics, treatments, and supportive tools) to take forward for detailed market analysis. Unitaid and KNCV will review and make a final selection of products to move to the market analysis stage.
- Market analysis: the MATP will perform a market analysis and lead the development of a landscape report (or similar document) for TB diagnostics and therapeutics products to improve equitable access in focus countries. As a priority, the MATP will leverage existing market data and build on work conducted by partners (TPMAT, USAID (US Agency for International Development), Global Fund, etc) and experts and contribute to other knowledge product(s) by global stakeholders.
- Design of access strategy: working in collaboration with the ASCENT consortium and with oversight by the Unitaid Secretariat (in consultation with TB MAT and relevant stakeholder groups), the MATP will coordinate the design of access strategies to address screening, diagnostics, treatment, and supportive tools gaps in alignment with access-related objectives The design of the intervention must consider transition and scalability within the project timelines and subject to approval by Unitaid.
- Implementation: the MATP, in collaboration with KNCV and Unitaid, will ensure that the implementation of the access program is carried out through close collaboration with other partners like The Global Fund, USAID, and other international donors to ensure that the opportunities are scaled and sustained. As a member of the KNCV consortium, the MATP will collaborate with other consortium members, but will not be required to implement site-specific activities or programmatic support.
- Access-related programmatic and monitoring support: the MATP will contribute to the development of Country Technical Assistance Plans and recommendations which KNCV will develop and lead the implementation of the access-related components including, but not limited to, product regulatory and registration support, WHO Prequalification Programme (PQ), Global Fund/Unitaid Expert Review Panel (ERP), US FDA and/or another WHO Listed Regulatory Authority (as appropriate), participation in Portfolio Access management team and negotiation with manufacturers. The MATP will help develop the Monitoring and Evaluation approach in terms of identifying metrics and data sources that could be used to track progress and any unintended consequences.
Eligibility Criteria
KNCV/Unitaid is seeking an organization with the following expertise, experience, skills, and technical qualifications.
Essential
- Demonstrated expertise and experience in generating market landscape reports, market analyses of medicines and diagnostics, and related health technologies.
- Demonstrated expertise and experience in designing or developing market shaping or access interventions focused on low- and medium-income countries (LMICs).
- Demonstrated experience in the implementation of access programs for medicine and diagnostics in LMICs.
- Demonstrated expertise in diagnostics and/or medicines (ideally one organization with both capabilities)
- Demonstrated experience in negotiating access and procurement terms with the diagnostics and/or pharmaceutical industry.
- Experience in managing diseases and health areas in the scope of Unitaid’s mandate (HIV, TB, malaria, reproductive maternal and child’s health, pandemics).
Desirable
- Proven experience in and knowledge of health product regulatory mechanisms across geographies (especially in LMICs).
- Demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluating an intervention’s impact on both market and global health outcomes.
- Proven experience conducting similar work for global health and/or industry or similar stakeholders.
- Demonstrated commitment and initiatives in support of sustainability – Climate and Environment – (particularly about carbon footprint) e.g.: past/ongoing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, compensation of emissions) and how sustainability will be reflected in these market-shaping activities. Bidders are expected to include any relevant certification or supportive documentation in their proposal.