Seeking a Consultant - Landscape Report: new tools in malaria vector control

JHUŸCCP MVC Project
Seeking a Consultant
Landscape Report: new tools in malaria vector control
November 2014

Background

The USAID-funded Malaria Vector Control (MVC) Project is charged with identifying promising new vector control tools as part of its scope of work.  MVC would like a survey report describing promising new tools currently in development for malaria vector control, and their likelihood of being ready for operationalization within the five-year award period of MVC. 

Scope of assignment

The report should be structured with a brief introduction, short description of methods, and then two sections: the first section will describe tools that are likely to be ready for implementation at scale by PMI within the five-year award period of MVC, and the second section will more briefly list tools that are under development but unlikely to be ready within the next five years. Each tool should be described succinctly per the characteristics below. A brief conclusion will end the report. A summary chart of the timeline information should be included as an appendix, as well as references cited in the report.

Inclusion criteria:  the tool to be reviewed…

·         Be directed at malaria vector control;

·         Must be intended or appropriate for use at household and/or community level;

·         Section A:have undergone sufficient initial safety and efficacy testing to be within 5 years of deployment in the field;

·         Section B: must be a promising candidate for malaria vector control but unlikely to be ready within the next five years

Description of characteristics:  the description of each tool should include…

·         Mode of action against mosquitoes;

·         Summary results of any trials to date;

·         Potential safety issues for household level use;

·         Potential for combination with other vector control tools;

·         Likely settings/environments where it will be more/less useful (indoor/outdoor, rural/urban, residual transmission, etc);

·         Remaining research questions/issues;

·         Any concerns or known drawbacks to the tool and/or its deployment;

·         If available, estimate of the likely cost per unit; 

·         Likely timeline for deployment, including registration, efficacy testing, field trials, large-scale manufacture/production;

·         Whether the tool is likely to be ready for pilot tests for at-scale deployment by September 2016.

·         Contact information for the primary researchers involved in the tool’s development

Tools which we are already aware of that should be included in the report are:

·         Durable wall linings

·         Attractive toxic sugar baits

·         Spatial repellents

·         Entomopathogenic bacteria traps 

·         Entomopathogenic  fungus-impregnated targets

·         Eave tubes

It is likely that other new tools are in development and could be included. 

Methods to be used:  literature review, telephone interviews with researchers/developers, and other institutions/groups working on vector control measures. 

Period of Performance:  The first draft of the report should be completed within 2 weeks of start date, and a second, final version completed and submitted by January 6, 2015.  Submission is of electronic documents in Word, submitted via email.

Requirements for Applicants:

·         Applicants must have experience working  with malaria vector control interventions

·         Applicant must be able to manage time effectively and meet deadlines

·         Applicant must have strong writing skills

Additional points given for:

·         Knowledge/familiarity with WHO processes and institutions engaged in new interventions

·         Demonstrated familiarity with key research institutions and researchers in the vector control field, as well as with RBM mechanisms working with vector control issues

·         Familiarity with vector control measures and issues across the major endemic country regions- Africa south of the Sahara, SE Asia, Latin America. 

Requirements for submissions:

·         Letter of interest highlighting your qualifications for the specific scope of work described above, proposed rate, and number of days for the assignment

·          A current and complete CV

·         Proposed daily rate

·         Three references for similar previous work with up-to-date contact information

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] .  Applications will be evaluated on related technical experience as described above, quality of references and price. Please indicate ‘Landscape Report” in the subject line.

Deadline for submission is November 28, 2014