Request for Proposal-RFP: Consultancy to support business planning and database development global HIV drug resistance surveillance (2015/HTM/HIV/015)

Description:**

1. INTRODUCTION

HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) emerges when HIV replicates in the presence of antiretroviral drugs. With global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy, some degree of HIVDR is expected to emerge. Key to achieving an end to the AIDS epidemic is optimizing population-level HIV treatment and minimizing HIVDR. The HIVDR team, situated within the Treatment and Care (TAC) unit of the HIV Department, monitors emergence of HIVDR, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Assessments focus on monitoring of ART clinic-level factors correlated with HIVDR, so called early warning indicators (EWI) of HIVDR, and surveys estimating levels of pre-treatment, acquired and transmitted HIVDR and HIVDR in infants < 18 months of age. Over the last decade, considerable HIVDR data has been generated. Data are currently managed using a combination of SharePoint and Microsoft EXCEL.

Recently, WHO has begun to develop a database to meet its HIVDR-related information needs. Development has been divided into phases. The first phase focuses on development of an SQL relational database and web interfaces to facilitate country reporting of HIVDR survey data to WHO. Phase 1 also supports review of submitted data, abstraction of data for reporting, sequence quality assurance and genotypic interpretation via a link to the Stanford University HIV drug resistance interpretation algorithm (HIVdb). A prototype database with first phase functionality has been delivered and multi-level user testing has been performed. During the course of testing, issues (bugs or incomplete requirements) were detected which require fixing before the first phase can be made available to WHO member states.

Once bugs are fixed and first phase requirements are met, the prototype will move from testing to the production environment and made available to WHO member states. In parallel to completion of the first phase, business analysis and requirement writing for the second phase will begin. The second phase will include computational functionality to allow generation of pre-formatted at country-level reports for major outcomes of WHO surveys of pre-treatment and acquired HIVDR. Additional functionality may also include development of survey metadata submission portal, table structure and web application to accommodate clinic-level from rounds of Early Warning Indicator of HIVDR monitoring, applications for surveys of HIVDR in infants < 18 months of age, application and functionality related to tracking country survey planning and implementation.

This Request For Proposal (RFP) is divided into two sections: 1. Business analysis/project management, and 2. Database development. Potential contractual partner(s) may submit a bid for either or both functions.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

I. Purpose of this assignment

Business analysis*:* Under guidance of the HIVDR team, Treatment and Care (TAC) Unit of the WHO HIV/AIDS department, the contractual partner will have the responsibility to support project management and business analysis to inform WHO decisions related to WHO’s HIVDR database. The contractor will need to liaise with the Strategic Information (SIP) Unit of the HIV Department for the purpose of supporting department wide efforts to link and where possible integrate database platforms. Through discussions with the HIVDR team, other stakeholders, and pre-established county and regional users groups, the analysts will be responsible for drafting a business analysis of the drug resistance database (including specifications, requirements, interface mock-ups, and issues related to maintenance and sustainability) and communicating this to the database developer. The contractual partner will provide high level technical support to the HIVDR data manager, if required.

Database development:** Under the supervision of the HIVDR team, Treatment and Care Unit of the WHO HIV/AIDS department, the contractual partner will have the responsibility to execute database programming (.NET/SQL); this will include completion of first phase requirements and bug fixing as well as development of components of the second phase as defined during the course of discussions by business analysis. The contractual partner will have the responsibility of maintaining the test and production environments on the WHO server.

II. Scope of Work

Business analysis: The contractual partner performing business analysis/project management will be working for 180 days over a 12 month period.

Database development:*** The contractual partner performing** database development** will be working for 140 days over a 12 month period.

III. Outputs

Business analysis:

1. Support the adequate running and implementation of the WHO HIVDR database/application by elaborating on programming modifications as needed and discussed with the responsible technical staff, and other (if applicable) contractual partners to ensure full compliance with WHO standards and rules and procedures, as well as adherence to best software engineering practices and facilitating the outsourcing of development to external contractors, as required.

2. Deliverable: Quarterly report

3. Time line: Quarter 1-4

4. Support HIVDR team in landscaping and facilitating integration of information management platforms across the WHO HIV department.

5. Deliverable: Quarterly report describing landscaping/integration

6. Time line: Quarter 1-4

7. Review currently developed user instruction materials for the applications to support development of finalized documents, were needed.

a. Deliverable: Finalized instruction materials

1. Time line: Quarter 1

2. Conduct HIVDR database situation analysis for the purpose of efficiently ensuring conclusion of first phase by review of testing, support prioritization of required fixes, de-bugging and successfully supporting finalization of first phase.

a. Deliverable: Report detailing findings of situation analysis

b. Time line: Quarter 1

1. Prepare in collaboration with the HIVDR team written business plan for the second phase of the WHO HIVDR database, which consists of automated country-level reports for main outcomes of WHO surveys of pre-treatment and acquired HIVDR, country upload of data from survey of HIVDR in infants < 18 months of age, country implementation tracking and technical assistance management module, development of table structure for clinic-level Early Warning Indicators of HIVDR, technical assistant (implementation tracking), and which may include functionality for upload of data from early warning indicators of HIVDR and/or web-based interfaces displaying reported HIVDR data in graphic/map format.

a. Deliverable: Business plan

b. Time line: Quarter 2

1. Prepare in collaboration with the HIVDR team written requirements documents and web user interface mock-ups (country and WHO-level interface(s)) for priority applications related to the second phase (as defined in item 6, above). Support HIVDR team in communicating requirements documents and mock-ups to developer and support resolution of queries.

2. Deliverable: Requirements document and mock-ups

3. Time line: Quarter 2

4. Prepare in collaboration with the WHO HIVDR team written test plans priority applications developed as part of the second phase (as defined in item 6, above).

5. Deliverable: Written test plans

6. Time line: Quarter 2-4

7. Prepare in collaboration with the HIVDR inet Soft (or other business solution) pre-formatted reports, where needed and support data manager in creation of inet soft report, if required

a. Deliverable: Documents describing pre-formatted inet Soft reports (or reports generated by an alternative business solution) and support provided to data manager, if required

b. Time line: Quarter 2-4

1. Provide weekly report to WHO business steward regarding progress on all fronts of HIVDR DB.

2. Deliverable: Brief weekly summary reports

b. Time line: Quarter 2-4

Database development:**

1. Maintain system on WHO test and production servers (support/guidance provided by WHO-ITT).

a. Deliverable: Quarterly report describing maintenance of database

b. Time line: Quarter 1-4

1. Based on the pilot testing modify existing first phase functionality to be consistent with WHO requirements (bug fixing) (1 month; quarter 1)

a. Deliverable: Modified HIVDR database with bugs fixed and specifications achieved

b. Time line: Quarter 1

1. Develop new functionality to permit automated country-level reports for main outcomes of WHO surveys of pre-treatment and acquired HIVDR, country upload functionally for data from surveys of HIVDR in infants < 18 months of age, development of web interfaces for WHO visualization of data from Early Warning Indicators of HIVDR (see new table structure below- #3) and/or web-based interfaces displaying reported HIVDR data in graphic/map

a. Deliverable: New database modules/functionally inclusive of unit testing

b**. Time line**: Quarter 1-4

1. Develop new functionality in existing application or integration with a WHO approved commercial-off-the shelf product such as MS SharePoint to track country implementation and manage requests for technical assistance– requirements document to be provided to contractual partner by WHO

a. Deliverable: New database modules/functionality inclusive of unit testing

b**. Time line**: 2 months and Quarter 3-4

1. Develop required new SQL table structure to accommodate new functionality (e.g., HIVDR EWI data) - requirements document to be provided to contractor by WHO database business analyst

a. Deliverable: New database structure (tables) inclusive of unit testing

b. Timeline: 0.5 month Quarters

1. Perform testing of new functionality prior to delivery to WHO to detect and fix “bugs” to the extent possible

a. Deliverable: Brief written test plans and documented fixing of “bugs”

b. Timeline: Quarters 1-4

1. Provide weekly reports to the unit detailing status of each deliverable for coordination and integration with other development activities for this project

a. Deliverable: Brief weekly written report detailing status of deliverables

b. Timeline: Quarters 1-4

1. Perform other tasks as requested by WHO HIVDR team related to HIVDR database development

a. Deliverable: New table structures, functionality, interface(s), report as defined during quarters 1-4)

b. Timeline: 0.5 month over Quarters 1-4

IV. Timeframe & Deliverables

Business analyst: The contract is estimated to be 180 days over a 12 month period. Deliverables as detailed in section III.

Database developer: The contract will be for 140 days over a 12 month period. Deliverables as detailed in section III.

V. Performance monitoring

The contractor’s work will be supervised by the Technical Officer, Responsible for HIVDR (first-level supervisor), and by the Treatment and Care Coordinator (second-level supervisor), both in the HIV/AIDS Department.

The timeframe above includes deliverables against which performance will be monitored on a quarterly basis.

VI. Location and Travel

Business analyst: The contractual partner is expected to work at their usual place of work. Any duty travel related to this assignment will be organized separately, following the WHO Rules and Regulations on duty travel (not to be included in the proposal budget).

Database developer:*** The contractual partner is expected to work at their usual place of work. Any duty travel related to this assignment will be organized separately, following the WHO Rules and Regulations on duty travel (not to be included in the proposal budget). Potential contractual partners shall verify prior to proposing a bid that he/she is legally entitled to travel to Switzerland and disclose any visa requirements.

3. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ASSIGNMENT

Business analyst:

I.Education

University degree in computer science

II.Skills and competencies

Required Skills and competencies:

· Strong and proven analytical skills (business, functional and system analysis)

· Strong knowledge of web application development methodologies, project life cycle and implementation strategies

· Strong knowledge of Microsoft development platforms (IDE, Source Control, SQL suite, IIS)

· Extensive knowledge of the .**NET framework and design patterns**

· Knowledge, skills, or experience with ASP.NET MVC using C#

· Strong knowledge of database design and relational database management system, more specifically using MS SQL Server

· Extensive knowledge of industry standards and best practices in software engineering and information system development lifecycle

· Experience with I-net Soft (preferred) or other business analysis tools

· Proven track record of delivering projects on time and within budget

· Strong interpersonal skills

Desired skills and competencies:

• Familiarity with RESTfull web services, OpenID, open source CMS based on .Net, ORM and IoC containers

III.Experience (required)

• At least 5 years of professional experience in business analysis

• At least 5 years of experience documenting functional and non-functional requirements

• At least 5 years of experience managing software development projects

• At least 5 years of experience developing pre-formatted reports using I-net Soft or other business or statistical analysis software

• At least 3 years of experience working on projects for public health

IV.Languages (required)

· Excellent written and spoken English

Database developer:

I.Education

· University degree in computer science or equivalent training and experience in information technology, required

II.Skills and competencies (required)

· Strong knowledge of ASP.NET web technologies

· Strong knowledge of JavaScript

· Strong knowledge of SQL programming

· Good working knowledge of English written/spoken

III.Experience (required)

· At least 5 years of professional experience in software development and application engineering

· At least 3 years of experience developing in ASP.NET web technologies

· At least 2 years of experience developing in JavaScript

· Experience in working with international or inter-country Organizations, desirable

4. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

No later than 11 December 2015, 12:00 CET the bidder shall submit by email:

i. A letter of motivation outlining relevant experience and skills as defined in section 3. This letter must also indicate the daily consultancy rate. Any cost related to the assignment need to be reflected into the daily rate except for duty travel as indicated under section 2.

ii. An updated CV

Candidate(s) with competitive proposals will be contacted by the Organization for an interview and may be asked to perform written test demonstrating competencies.

You may wish to check: Web Site: http://www.who.int/hiv/en/; Keywords: HIV, data management, drug resistance, database

Email for submissions of proposal: pdifin@who.int (use subject: Bid Ref 2015/HTM/HIV/015)

Mailing address for submission of proposal:

World Health Organization

HQ/HIV-TAC

Bid Ref:2015/HTM/HIV/015

20, Avenue Appia

CH-1211 Geneva 27

Switzerland