The Ministry of Health has floated a Sh54 billion tender for suppliers and service providers in the fight against HIV-Aids, TB and malaria.
The budget, provided by the Global Fund, has been advertised by MoH Kenya Coordinating Mechanism asking for companies that meet the usually high international standards to apply to the Swiss-based humanitarian NGO.
Successful firms will have been picked to provide services by July 1, 2027.
Sh34.8 billion has been set aside for HIV-Aids, Sh8.5 billion for TB, and Sh12 billion for the fight against malaria.
The sums will be allocated depending on the quality of the proposals.
The cash will be spent on a a programme dubbed “Building Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health and Community” during the implementation period.
“This invitation is for non-state principal recipients and the amount for each will be informed by the Grant Cycle 7 funding request proposal,” the notice by the Kenya Coordinating Mechanism chairperson reads.
“Applicants can express interest for one or a maximum of two disease areas,” the notice adds.
The deadline for the applications for the funds coordinated by the Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha-led ministry is May 31.
“Tenders shall remain valid for 90 days from the closing date of the tender. Tenders will be opened on May 31, 2023, at 11am in the presence of the tenderers or their representatives who choose to attend at Afya House, ADB Boardroom,” the Kenya Coordinating Team said.
Among the requirements is a duly signed letter addressed to the chairperson expressing interest in the tender with the email address and telephone number indicated.
The organisations will also be required to furnish the team with valid Kenyan registration certificates as well as the identity of the office bearers.
Tax compliance, audited accounts for the previous two years, a 10-page proposal with evidence of requisite experience, and an organisation’s organogram are required.
“Please note that any bid not meeting all the mandatory requirements will not proceed to technical evaluation,” the tender documents drawn by the coordinating team read.
The calls for bids have come at a time the Nakhumicha-led Ministry of Health is under sharp scrutiny for alleged abuse of procurement rules in a Global Fund-backed project.
President William Ruto on Monday sent home Health Standards PS Josephine Mburu and the entire Kemsa board over misuse of Global Fund cash.
The officers were shown the door amid investigations into the alleged mismanagement of billions of shillings in the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
Some officials of the Health Ministry were blacklisted from handling the funds, the second time the matter was being raised by the donor.
Kemsa is among the recent incidents involving the Global Fund’s cash, two others having been flagged just last month.
The Global Fund has funded healthcare in Kenya for more than two decades. Kenya is also a donor to the Swiss-based fund.
The Global Fund has twice this year asked the government to refund millions of shillings misappropriated by MOH staff handling the HIV, TB, and malaria programmes.
The fund demanded a refund of Sh184 million that Ministry of Health officials allegedly misappropriated in a malaria awareness campaign.
The Global Fund has also questioned Kenya’s ability to execute the insecticide-treated nets job.
In identifying those who’d execute the jobs, the management says organisations will be awarded the grants based on their performance more than the amount of money they are seeking.
“The financial evaluation is not necessarily intended to determine the applicant with the lowest grant management costs but rather to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Global Fund budgeting guidelines and operations.”
The fund management says the other consideration is the recipient’s ability to deliver impact at locally sustainable costs and demonstrate value for money.
The Global Fund aims to support Kenya reduce and reverse the effects of HIV and Aids, TB and Malaria; strengthening pandemic preparedness and response as well as strengthening health and community systems.
A recent report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu highlighted lots of infractions in the management of the Global Funds.
The audit seen by the Star reveals unsupported expenditures, coming close to suggesting that Kenya through its National Treasury has been ‘cooking’ figures on its counterpart contributions.