Surveillance, Zoonotics, and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)1 Technical Specialists

Surveillance, Zoonotics, and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)1 Technical Specialists

Background

FHI 360 is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes research, resources and relationships so that people everywhere can access the opportunities they need to lead full, healthy lives. FHI 360 works in over 50 countries around the world.

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) is an FHI 360 implemented global health initiative project funded by the United States (US) Government for the period of 2019–2027. The project receives Global Health Security (GHS) funding to strengthen global, regional, and local public health systems, building on broad experience and existing capabilities that align with GHS priorities, National Action Plans for Health Security (NAPHS), and US Government goals.

In the Caribbean, EpiC supports local governments and relevant local stakeholders to enhance infectious disease response, surveillance, and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) to respond effectively to the immediate health, safety and security needs of the respective countries.

Scope of Work

EpiC is seeking applications for individuals experienced in the areas of Surveillance, Zoonotic Diseases, and RCCE to support EpiC’s GHS work in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and the eastern Caribbean region as Technical Specialists.

Candidates should clearly indicate 1) their area(s) of technical expertise among surveillance, zoonotic diseases, and RCCE, 2) their current base of operations, and 3) their experience working in SVG and/or the eastern Caribbean region.

Preference will be given to candidates based in SVG or the eastern Caribbean region that can clearly and comprehensively demonstrate their understanding of the country’s existing stakeholders and needs.

Illustrative activities include:

Surveillance

• Strengthen Emergency Disease Detection by Rapidly Updating the Notifiable Disease Register and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response Plan

o Conduct a stakeholder workshop to introduce the 7-1-7 framework.

o Establish a Rapid Multisectoral Technical Task Force with assigned roles for reviewing the disease register, HPAI annex, and current outbreak thresholds.

o Provide technical assistance to update notifiable disease lists and finalize response plans for robust early warning and rapid response systems.

 o Review current versions with a focus on rapid detection, containment zones, culling protocols, personal protective equipment (PPE), public communication, and crosssector coordination.

o Conduct multisectoral consultations for plan alignment by providing clear triggers and protocols for response

• Conduct Training of Trainers (TOT) and Integrated Surveillance Training to build a RapidResponse Workforce

o Develop training materials based on updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure sustainable capacity building at national and sub-national levels (including a multisectoral perspective in all modules and integration of Communitybased Surveillance (CBS) by incorporating CBS tools, signal detection, and referral mechanisms).

 o Conduct the TOT for Rapid-Response Workforce.

o Conduct cascade training for local surveillance officers.

• Apply steps to secure ministerial or inter-ministerial approval of the Taskforce Terms of Reference (TORs), action plan, updated SOPs, and the national 7-1-7 framework to ensure authority and durability beyond the project.

• Ensure operational alignment of the multisectoral taskforce and 7-1-7 escalation triggers with national public health emergency management agency or operation center (e.g., NEMO/PHEOC in SVG) activation, decision authority, and incident management systems. Routine tracking and reporting of time-based indicators (e.g., detection, notification, response timelines) to demonstrate functional improvements and inform adaptive management.

• Ensure clear alignment of outputs with SPAR reporting, IHR (2005) obligations, and regional surveillance mechanisms (e.g., CARPHA), beyond technical consistency.

Zoonotic Diseases

• Zoonotic Diseases Self-Assessment and Gap Analysis o Provide technical leadership and quality assurance to ensure the zoonotic disease self-assessment produces a validated, decision-ready gap analysis aligned with IHR, GHS, and One Health priorities.

o Provide leadership for the technical consolidation, triangulation and interpretation of multisectoral zoonotic disease assessment data across the following domains: surveillance, laboratory, data sharing and response.

o Design and facilitate the stakeholder validation workshop that ensures evidencebased scoring, resolution of discrepancies, and consensus among human, animal and environmental health sectors.

o Apply standardized analytical frameworks to establish prioritization of gaps leading to short-, medium- and long-term actions with explicit connections made to operational readiness and emergency response functions.

o Provide technical support and guidance to national stakeholders on costing prioritized actions, with an emphasis on feasibility and ensuring alignment with national planning and budgeting processes.

o Identify and prioritize key gaps and develop actionable recommendations to strengthen operational readiness and emergency response.

o Produce a validated gap analysis report for government review and endorsement

• National Priority Zoonotic Disease Listing

o Conduct a structured review of national, regional, and international reference documents (SPAR, outbreak reports, donor assessments, national strategies) to inform disease prioritization criteria and ensure alignment.

 o Support development of a national priority zoonotic disease list using transparent, evidence-based prioritization criteria.

o Facilitate a multisectoral prioritization exercise, ensuring balanced representation and technical rigor across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

o Support validation and dissemination of the finalized priority disease list for use in surveillance and response activities.

• Strengthening Animal Surveillance for priority zoonotic diseases in the country

o Provide technical support to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Veterinary Services in revising and simplifying SOPs and field tools for priority disease surveillance in animals, ensuring usability at the community and field levels.

o Provide guidance on the proper use of demonstration-scale material support, ensuring alignment with SOPs and national biosafety regulations.

o Support the development and implementation of targeted training curricula for veterinary officers, agricultural extension staff, and vetted farmers, with a focus on practical detection, reporting, and referral procedures.

o Strengthen coordination and data sharing between animal and human health sectors to support early warning and response.

RCCE

• Establish a Multisectoral RCCE Technical Task Force to provide guidance and local leadership to planned RCCE activities

o Develop TORs and assign roles for the Task Force.

o Work with government focal person to identify and invite Task Force members.

o Plan, coordinate and facilitate Task Force meetings.

• Develop or Enhance National RCCE Outbreak Response Plan, with a Focus on Priority Zoonotic Diseases

o Collate and lead the review of existing RCCE plans, policies and materials.

o Conduct multisectoral consultations with representatives from various sectors and community actors to inform updating the plan.

o Draft the updated National RCCE Outbreak Response Plan, including SOPs on community engagement, social listening and rumor tracking, emergency risk communication, and inclusive communication.

o Validate the draft plan with key stakeholders and make necessary revisions.

o Finalize and disseminate the updated plan and SOPs, including costing of plan

• Conduct Training Sessions on RCCE for Disease Outbreak Response (targeting multisector and community cadres)

o Conduct rapid consultations with multisectoral stakeholders to gain deeper insights into RCCE capacity strengthening needs at the national and subnational levels.

o Review and adapt existing or develop new RCCE training materials from a multisectoral and zoonotic disease lens for consistent, context-appropriate, and culturally sensitive EMCE during outbreaks.

o Plan and implement a national-level ToT for multisectoral national trainers and stakeholders.

o Provide technical support to the master trainers to roll out multisectoral training sessions for sub-national level field officers and community cadres

• Support the Development of RCCE Materials on Key Priority Zoonotic Diseases

o Collate and lead the review of existing RCCE materials for selected priority zoonotic diseases.

o Adapt and/or develop a package of RCCE materials (e.g., discussion guides, posters, key messages, radio scripts, social media posts, etc.) based on national context for different audience segments (by risk group, area, language, and literacy level).

o Design and conduct a pretest of draft RCCE materials to ensure they are relevant, comprehended, behaviorally informed and fit-for-purpose. Revise and finalize the materials based on feedback.

o Develop a media partnership strategy and conduct orientation sessions with radio stations, newspapers, and social media influencers.

o Develop clear performance indicators and monitoring framework for RCCE

o Develop standardized approval and clearing process for RCCE messages and materials, including technical review, government permission, and expedited clearance during emergencies.

• Other Activities

o Integrate RCCE data into surveillance and response decision-making, including feedback loops that use social listening and community feedback to inform epidemiological response actions.

o Design surge capacity and continuity planning for RCCE, defining how communication operations will be maintained during large-scale or concurrent events like natural disasters and disease outbreaks.

o Design and support pilot of community feedback mechanisms (hotlines, SMS, community meetings, suggestion boxes) in identified communities collecting feedback from a minimum of 30 community members.

o To reduce dependance on external support, work with Task Force to institutionalize RCCE positions within government job functions, including the designation of focal points and alternates at the national and subnational levels.

Deliverables

A consultancy-specific scope of work (SOW) will be developed with deliverables and estimated level of effort after EpiC evaluates and selects each candidate. Deliverables may include, depending on each SOW:

• Consulting workplan and implementation reports, including stakeholder consultation and workshop documentation.

• Updated technical frameworks and assessments, including the HPAI response plan review, updated Notifiable Disease Register, zoonotic disease self-assessment and gap analysis, and validated national priority zoonotic disease list.

• National plans, SOPs, and technical guidance, including surveillance procedures, communication and coordination SOPs, SARI/ILI procedures, 7-1-7 adaptation package, and a finalized National RCCE Outbreak Response Plan.

• Capacity-building outputs, including GHS training materials, ToT implementation and cascade training reports, and CBS integration documentation.

 • Multisectoral coordination and transition outputs, including ToR, action plans, and transition packages for national technical task forces.

• Risk communication materials, including adaptable RCCE materials for priority diseases.

• Monitoring, evaluation, and technical assistance reports, including MEL summaries, technical assistance reports, and documentation of review and approval by EpiC technical backstop and HQ management.

Location of Work: Highly recommended to be based in the country of focus. However, some components of the work may be performed remotely, with travel based on need to the recipient country/location.

Travel: 10-15%, depending on the consultant's location, travel to the country/region of focus may be required.

Qualifications

• Education: Advanced degree in public health, medicine, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, or a related discipline and/or equivalent combination of relevant academic training and field experience.

• Experience: 10+ years of experience working in national/regional infectious disease surveillance, outbreak detection, and emergency response, preferably in SVG and/or the eastern Caribbean region.

• Proven experience in designing, implementing and evaluating field-based surveillance systems, including event-based surveillance (EBS), integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR), and/or community-based surveillance (CBS), analysis of epidemiologic investigation data utilizing new methodologies or existing techniques in SVG and/or the Caribbean region.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct surveillance gap assessments and support updates of notifiable disease registers and emergency response plans (e.g., HPAI, zoonoses).

• Strong background in developing and delivering surveillance training and SOPs, including ToT and cascade models, with a focus on emergency response to zoonotic and epidemicprone diseases.

• Proven ability to operationalize the 7-1-7 framework or similar performance-based outbreak metrics, including process mapping, indicator development, and multisectoral validation.

• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting multisectoral coordination mechanisms,

• Experience with RCCE for outbreaks, including development of RCCE plans, materials, SOPs, and community feedback mechanisms.

• Technical experience in zoonotic disease prioritization methodologies, including development of national priority disease lists, case definitions, and surveillance tiers.

• Experience supporting RCCE training cascades, including mentoring master trainers and rolling out training to sub-national and community-level staff.

• Experience producing high-quality technical deliverables for donor-funded programs, including adherence to structured review and approval processes with technical backstop and HQ management.

• Familiarity with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks for assessing training and surveillance impact.

• Language: Fluency in English (spoken and written) (required)

Preferred qualifications include:

 • Specialized training or certification in surveillance and field epidemiology

• Formal training or certification in RCCE/EMCE particularly in outbreak context

Selection Process:

Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

• The consultancy will be based upon best value (a combination of qualifications, availability, and proposed daily rate).

• Demonstrated knowledge of local stakeholders and needs in the country(ies) designated.

• Located in one of the targeted countries/region and or demonstrated experience working in the country/region.

Candidate Interviews: Candidates selected for interviews will be invited to a one-hour interview with the EpiC team. Additional interviews may be required.

Scope of Work: EpiC will match candidates based on their experience with assignments in SVG and/or the eastern Caribbean and develop a SOW to share with final candidates.

Required Documentation: Proposals must include the following components:

• Cover Letter that includes:

o Consultant’s relevant experience:

1. Aligned with the technical areas (i.e., surveillance, zoonotic diseases, and/or RCCE) and deliverables described in this RFP, specifying areas of particular interest or expertise.

2. In the various countries and regions of focus (i.e., SVG and/or the eastern Caribbean).

o Consultant’s availability through September 2026, willingness to travel (if applicable), and disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

 o Proposed daily rate of pay and a description of how this rate was determined

• CV or Resume

• Contact information for two professional references familiar with the consultant’s technical work in Surveillance, Zoonotic, and/or RCCE.

• Technical statement: This statement should outline a clear, results-oriented approach aligned with EpiC priorities and emphasizing operational multisectoral coordination, strengthened early warning and rapid response for zoonotic threats, and delivery of practical, field-ready tools and plans.

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• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award.

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• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow solicitation instructions.

• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation.

• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion.

• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities.

• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition.

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