Request for Quotations: Development of a Technical Guidance Note on the Integration of Climate, Gender Equality, and Health into Programming in Development and Humanitarian Contexts

1. Summary

The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) is currently seeking a consultant to develop a technical guidance note on the integration of climate change and the environment into global health and gender equality programming.

CanWaCH catalyzes Canadian collaboration to deepen effectiveness in improving women’s and children’s health in communities around the world. Our 100+ member organizations are instrumental in reducing maternal and child mortality, promoting accountability to women, adolescents, and children for the improvement of their health and rights, seeking innovation, generating research, and supporting monitoring, evaluation, and learning. 

This project is part of CanWaCH’s ongoing efforts to increase the capacity of organizations to implement gender transformative health programming. Considering the profound impact of the climate crisis on the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, disproportionately affecting women and girls, this project aims to provide CanWaCH’s membership with tools and resources to ensure more effective integration of climate change and the environment considerations into global health and gender equality programming. 

2. Project Description and Scope 

2.1 Content of the Technical Guidance Note 

CanWaCH is seeking a consultant to develop a scientifically robust, user-friendly, and easily applicable technical guidance note that focuses on integrating environment and climate considerations into global health and gender equality programming. The guidance note will increase the knowledge and capacity of practitioners in this sector and to serve as a vehicle for further conversations with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) on the intersections of gender, health and climate. 

The consultant is encouraged to consult previous CanWaCH technical guidance publications for examples of preferred form and approach, available on our website, as well as our 2024 report on Climate-conscious global health: funding, programming, and policy trends in development and humanitarian contexts and our global health impact report on climate-conscious measurement in global health. 

The guidance note must include at a minimum the following sections: 

• Detailed overview of  best practices for better integration of climate and gender considerations into global health programming, including applicable case studies
• List of recommended practitioner tools and resources to support the delivery of climate-conscious, gender sensitive global health programming. 
• Relevant appendices, which may include a detailed glossary of terms, annotated references, and recommendations for future learning.

2.2 Intended Audience

The intended audience for the technical guidance note includes practitioners, implementers and researchers working in partnership with the Government of Canada on global health and gender equality programming.

CanWaCH anticipates that most readers will be staff from CanWaCH member organizations which include civil society organizations, academic institutions and health professional associations working to improve health outcomes for women and children in communities around the globe. This will include organizations of all sizes, including those with and without dedicated staff working on climate-related programming. 

3. Project Timeline

3.1 The final version of the technical guidance note must be submitted to CanWaCH no later than November 15, 2024. 

3.2 Detailed estimated schedule:

1. August 19-30 2024:
   • Selection of successful consultant and finalization of contract;
2. September 3-13, 2024
   • Initial meeting with CanWaCH for a comprehensive review of project scope, deliverables, and work to date
3. September 16-27, 2024
   • Key informant meetings with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required – such as Global Affairs Canada colleagues and Gender Equality Working Group and Metrics Working Group members.
4. October 1-4, 2024
   • Detailed guidance note outline due to CanWaCH
5. October 7-11
   • CanWaCH provides initial feedback
6. October 14-31
   • High-level progress updates on note development to CanWaCH (email)
   • Meetings with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders for review of the technical guidance note and last changes.
7. November 1, 2024
   • Submission of the final draft of the guidance note to CanWaCH
8. November 4-9
   • CanWaCH provides final feedback
9. November 11-15
   • Submission of final technical guidance note to CanWaCH
10. November 15-December 15
    • Online presentation of the technical guidance note by the consultant to CanWaCH and key stakeholders at a virtual launch event (approximately 1 hour). Exact time and date to be determined with the consultant.

Additional progress meetings with the consultant and CanWaCH may take place as deemed appropriate for the project.

4. Budget

4.1 All quotations must include proposed costs to complete the tasks described in the project description and scope, including: 

• Development of the technical guidance note
• Final presentation of Technical Guidance Note to CanWaCH and key stakeholders at guidance note launch event

CanWaCH will provide the following:

• Design of the technical guidance note; 
• Translation of the technical guidance note (from English to French)

4.2 All costs and fees must be clearly described in each quotation. If the consultant submitting a quotation must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the quotation. Additionally, all costs included in the quotation must be all-inclusive to include any outsourced or contracted work. Any quotations that call for outsourcing or contracting work must include a name and description of the organizations being contracted. The quotation must include all applicable taxes.

5. Bidder Qualifications

The successful Bidder should possess expertise in climate change, global health, gender and development, international policy, and/or other relevant disciplines and demonstrate experience applying gender-based analysis. A portfolio of relevant work that attests to your specific skills and expertise in this subject matter area may be requested.

6. Quotation Evaluation Criteria 

CanWaCH will evaluate all quotations based on the following criteria:

• Previous work: Bidders will be evaluated on examples of their work pertaining to the subject matter;
• Value and cost: Bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their quotation based on the work to be performed in accordance with the scope of this project;
• Expertise and experience: Bidders will be evaluated based on descriptions and documentation of staff/consultant expertise and experience;

Through our work and our procurement processes, we value and prioritize where possible creating inclusive spaces and engaging with diverse voices and perspectives. We encourage organizations and businesses led by women (in all their diversity), Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized groups and the 2SLGBTIA+ community among others to submit quotes. Although not required, bidders may choose to self-identify in their proposal. 

7. Submitting a Quotation

7.1 All responses to this RFQ are requested no later than 11:59 PM EDT on Monday, August 12, 2024.  

7.2 The selection decision for the winning bidder is expected to be made no later than Monday, August 19, 2024. 

7.3 Upon notification, the contract negotiations with the winning bidder will begin immediately. Contract negotiations will be completed no later than Friday, August 30, 2024. Unsuccessful bidders will be notified promptly.

7.4 Bidders should submit their quotation to the attention of: 

Jessica Ferne, Director, Global Health Impact at [email protected]