ENGAGEMENT OF CONSULTANTS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING OF RESEARCH STAFF ON RESEARCH ETHICS

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR THE CONTROL OF AIDS (NACA)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

ENGAGEMENT OF CONSULTANTS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING OF RESEARCH STAFF ON RESEARCH ETHICS

4^th August, 2025

Preamble

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), established in February 2000 as the National Action Committee on AIDS and formalized as an agency in 2007, is Nigeria’s lead institution for coordinating the national response to HIV/AIDS. Operating under the Federal Ministry of Health, NACA develops policies, mobilizes resources, and oversees multi-sectoral programs to prevent and control HIV/AIDS, ensuring access to treatment, care, and support for affected populations. Research is a critical component of NACA’s mandate, informing evidence-based interventions, monitoring epidemic trends, and evaluating program effectiveness. NACA staff, including researchers, program officers, and data analysts, engage in studies on HIV epidemiology, treatment outcomes, stigma reduction, and community-based interventions.

Ethical research practices are essential to maintain the trust of participants, ensure compliance with national and international guidelines, and produce credible findings. In Nigeria, research ethics are guided by the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) and align with global standards such as the Declaration of Helsinki and the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) guidelines. However, NACA staff face challenges in navigating complex ethical issues, such as obtaining informed consent from vulnerable populations (e.g., adolescents, key populations), ensuring data confidentiality in digital health platforms, and addressing cultural sensitivities in community-based research. Limited training opportunities and varying levels of ethics knowledge among staff can lead to inconsistencies in ethical decision-making, potentially compromising participant safety and research integrity.

Capacity building in research ethics is critical to address these gaps and strengthen NACA’s research capabilities. Previous training initiatives have focused primarily on technical research skills, with less emphasis on ethical considerations. As NACA expands its research portfolio to include innovative approaches like implementation science and big data analytics, staff must be equipped to handle emerging ethical challenges, such as data privacy, equitable participant inclusion, and managing conflicts of interest. A targeted capacity-building program on research ethics will enhance staff competencies, ensure compliance with ethical standards, and reinforce NACA’s commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of research participants, ultimately contributing to more effective and trustworthy HIV/AIDS interventions.

Pre-qualification requirement

To qualify for consideration, interested consultants are required to submit CVs including the underlisted documents below:

Cover Letter (Sign) – Unsigned cover Letter shall be automatically disqualified
Recent copy of CV
Copies of all qualifications certificate
Relevant experiences and supporting documents
Consultant profile
Kindly fill the Technical and Financial Forms below.

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR RESEARCH STAFF ON RESEARCH ETHICS.

Background

Justification

A focused research ethics training program will strengthen staff expertise, promote adherence to ethical guidelines, and underscore NACA’s dedication to safeguarding research participants’ rights and well-being, ultimately enhancing the reliability and impact of HIV/AIDS interventions.

Goal

To equip Research staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools to conduct and oversee HIV/AIDS-related research in an ethically sound manner, fostering responsible research practices that prioritize participant rights, safety, and well-being.

Objective:

To train Research staff on core principles of research ethics, including respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.
To enhance staff ability to apply ethical guidelines in designing, reviewing, and implementing research protocols.
To build competence in identifying and addressing ethical dilemmas in HIV/AIDS research, particularly with marginalized or high-risk groups.
To promote adherence to national and international ethical standards in all Research-supported research activities.
To establish a framework for ongoing ethical oversight and capacity-building within NACA.

Scope of Work for Facilitator

The facilitator will be responsible for:

Developing a comprehensive training agenda and materials based on international and national research ethics standards.
Delivering interactive sessions on:

- Principles of research ethics (e.g., autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice)
- Informed consent and participant rights
- Ethical considerations in research involving human subjects
- Data confidentiality and protection
- Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Ethics Committee processes
- Responsible conduct of research and research misconduct
- Ethical issues in HIV-related and public health research

Using case studies and group activities to enhance practical understanding.
Conducting pre- and post-training assessments to measure knowledge gained.
Providing a final report summarizing the training, participants’ performance, and recommendations for follow-up actions.

Expected Deliverables

The facilitator is expected to deliver the following:

Training agenda, presentation slides, and resource materials.
Facilitation of a five-day, in-person training workshop.
Pre- and post-training assessments with analysis of results.
Final training report including:

Summary of sessions delivered

DURATION OF CONSULTANCY

One (1) facilitator will be engaged to deliver the training. The facilitator MUST be resident in Abuja or in a nearby town with easy access to Abuja, to ensure availability and minimize logistical constraints. The training will last for five (5) consecutive working days, and the facilitator is expected to be physically present and fully available for the entire duration of the assignment, including all preparatory and post-training activities as may be required.

Consultant Qualification Requirements

The suitable facilitator must possess the following:

A PGD in Public Health, Research Ethics, Bioethics, Epidemiology, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in research ethics training or oversight.
Proven knowledge of international and Nigerian ethical guidelines and review processes.
Experience training researchers, ethics committee members, or public health staff.
Excellent facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Location and Availability Requirement

One (1) facilitator will be engaged for this assignment. The facilitator must be resident in Abuja or in a nearby town with easy access to Abuja, to ensure availability and minimize travel constraints. The facilitator is expected to be physically present and fully available for all five (5) days of training, including any preparatory and wrap-up activities as may be required.

Reporting and Supervision

The facilitator will report directly to the Head of the Research and Publication Division, under the supervision of the Director, Research Monitoring and Evaluation Department, NACA. All training materials and outputs must be approved by the Division.

Certification

Issue certificates of completion to participants who meet training requirements.

GUIDELINE FOR SUBMISSION AND OPENING OF CVS

The detailed CV must be in English Language and submitted in two (2) hard copies one original & one copy) of the requested CV. The two copies shall then be enclosed and sealed in one (1) single outer envelope and clearly marked at the topmost right corner “Capacity Building of Research Staff on Research Ethics” and the Name, Address, Email and Phone Number of the Consultant boldly written at the back of the envelope, with acknowledgement to NACA office at the address below.

Deadline for Submission: The deadline for the submission of proposal should not be later than Monday, 11^th August, 2025 by 12 noon. The submission(s) received will be opened immediately after closing at NACA Conference Room in the presence of consultants that choose to attend.
Kindly fill the Technical and Financial Forms below.

ADDRESS FOR INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION OF CVs

Attention:

Head Procurement

National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)

Ground Floor Room 1.0

No. 3 Zinguinchor Street, Beside AEDC Office, Wuse zone 4, Abuja

Technical Proposal Submission Form

[Location, Date]

To:

Dear Sirs:

We, the undersigned, offer to provide the consulting services for [Insert title of assignment] in accordance with your Request for Proposal dated [Insert Date] and our Proposal. We are hereby submitting our Proposal, which includes the Technical Proposal, and the Financial Proposal sealed under two separate envelopes.

We are submitting our Proposal in association with: [Insert a list with full name and address of each associated Consultant, also specify, whether they are in joint venture or sub consultancy].

If negotiations are held during the period of validity of the Proposal, i.e., before the date indicated in Clause Reference 25 of the Special Instructions to Consultants, we undertake to negotiate on the basis of the proposed staff. Our Proposal is binding upon us and subject to the modifications resulting from Contract negotiations.

We undertake, if our Proposal is accepted, to initiate the consulting services related to the assignment not later than the date indicated in Clause Reference 48 of the Special Instructions to Consultants.

We also confirm that the Federal Government of Nigeria has not declared us, or any sub consultants for any part of the Contract, ineligible on charges of engaging in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices. We furthermore, pledge not to indulge in such practices in competing for or in executing the Contract, and we are aware of the relevant provisions of the Proposal Document (ITC Clause 3).

We understand you are not bound to accept any Proposal you receive.

We remain,

Yours sincerely,

Authorized Signature
Name and title of Signatory
Address

Financial Proposal Submission Form

[Location, Date]

To: [Name and address of Client]

Dear Sirs:

We, the undersigned, offer to provide the consulting services for [Insert title of assignment] in accordance with your Request for Proposal dated [Insert Date] and our Technical Proposal. Our attached Financial Proposal is for the sum of [Insert amount in words and figures]. This amount is exclusive of Nigerian taxes, which we have estimated at [insert amount in words and figures].

Our Financial Proposal shall be binding upon us subject to the modifications resulting from Contract negotiations, up to expiration of the validity period of the Proposal, i.e. before the date indicated in Clause Reference 25 of the Special Instructions to Consultants.

Commissions and gratuities, if any, paid or to be paid by us to agents relating to this Proposal and Contract execution, if we are awarded the Contract, are listed as follows:

Name and Address of Agents	Amount	Purpose of commission or gratuity

We also declare that the Government of Nigeria has not declared us, or any sub-Consultants for any part of the Contract, ineligible on charges of engaging in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, or coercive practices. We furthermore, pledge not to indulge in such practices in competing for or in executing the Contract, and are aware of the relevant provisions of the Proposal Document (ITC Clause 3).

We understand you are not bound to accept any Proposal you receive.

Signed

In the capacity of:

Duly authorized to sign the proposal on behalf of the Applicant.

Date:

Scoring Citeria

Evaluation Criteria		MAX. POINTS ALLOCATED
S/N	Experience of the Firm
S/N	Specific experience of the Consultant relevant to the assignment. You must have at least 5 years of similar job experience:
1	A PGD in Public Health, Research Ethics, Bioethics, Epidemiology, or a related field.	25
2	Minimum of 5 years’ experience in research ethics training or oversight.	35
3	Proven knowledge of international and Nigerian ethical guidelines and review processes	10
4	Experience training researchers, ethics committee members, or public health staff.	20
5	Excellent facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.	10
GRAND-TOTAL		100

NOTES/DISCLAIMER

Late submissions will not be accepted.
NACA shall verify any or all documents and claims made by applicants and will disqualify consultants with falsified documents and claims.
If it is determined that submitted documents and claims have been falsified, the consultant may face prosecution in a court of Law.
NACA shall not be held responsible for any disqualified proposal as a result of any omission or deletion relating to the submission guidelines.
This advertisement shall not be construe a contract to any Consultant, nor shall it entitle any Consultant submitting documents to claim any indemnity from NACA.
NACA is not bound to shortlist any Consultant and reserves the right to annul the bidding process at any time without incurring any liabilities or providing reason.

Signed

Management.