| Description |
RFP 2024: Request for Proposals: Implementation and impact assessment of AI solution for predicting Loss To Follow Up (LFU) & Mortality among
DSTB patients under NTEP
[TB-CLAMP]
Version 1.0
NEN-AI
February 2024
Introduction
The National Entrepreneurship Network is an independent organization developing AI-based solutions for social good. We are supported by reputed global institutions such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, and USAID. We work closely with central and state governments in India to collaborate on solutions in the domains of healthcare and agriculture.
This request for proposal (RFP) is inviting a qualified, reputable, and experienced company (“Firm”) to provide implementation and evaluation services for the Artificial Intelligence Unit of NEN-AI (“NEN-AI”). This document provides the details of the assignment and expected deliverables. Proposals must be submitted to NEN-AI by 22nd of March 2024.
The terms outlined in this RFP shall form part of the contract, should the NEN-AI accept a proposal. NEN-AI may, at its discretion, cancel the requirement in part or whole. It also reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal, annul the selection process, or reject all proposals at any time before selection without incurring any liability to Tenderers.
Tenderers may withdraw their proposal after submission, provided that NEN-AI receives written notice of withdrawal before the deadline for submission of proposals. No proposal may be modified after the deadline for proposal submission. No proposal may be withdrawn between the deadline for submission of proposals and the expiration of the proposal validity period. All proposals shall remain valid and open for acceptance for a period of 90 calendar days after the deadline for submission of proposals. A proposal valid for a shorter period may be rejected.
In exceptional circumstances, NEN-AI may solicit the Tenderer’s consent to an extension of the validity period. The request and responses for this shall be made in writing.
All communications relating to this RFP must be directed via email to procurement@wadhwaniai.org. Tenderers must not communicate with any other person at NEN-AI regarding this RFP.The proposals prepared by the Tenderer and all correspondence and documents relating to the proposal exchanged by the Tenderer and NEN-AI shall be in English. Supporting documents and printed literature furnished by the Tenderer in another language shall be translated to English - this will prevail for interpretation of the proposal. The responsibility for translation is the Tenderer’s responsibility. All licenses, User Accounts, Account Credentials, and Passwords are the sole property of NEN-AI.
A Tenderer requiring any clarification of the solicitation documents may notify NEN-AI in writing at procurement@wadhwaniai.org by the specified date and time mentioned. NEN-AI shall respond in writing to any request for clarification of the solicitation documents it receives by the due date published. Written copies of NEN-AI’s response which contain information that may be of common interest to all Tenderers (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry), shall be posted on the NEN-AI website or communicated via email or both.
At any time prior to the deadline for submission of proposals, NEN-AI may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective Tenderer, modify the RFP documents by amendment. The amendments will be posted on the NEN-AI website or communicated via email or both. In order to allow prospective Tenderers reasonable time in which to take the amendment into account in preparing their proposals, NEN-AI may, at its sole discretion, extend the deadline for the submission of the proposal.
Background
India is among the top five countries globally that contribute to the highest number of cases of tuberculosis (TB), drug-resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) and TB-HIV cases. TB kills an estimated 480,000 people every year and more than 1,400 people every day in India, in addition to which, it is estimated to have more than a million 'missing' people with TB each year1. India TB report 2022, reports that out of the total number of DSTB patients initiated on treatment during 2020, 2.9% (51,138) TB patients were lost to follow-up (LFU) and 4.3% (76,002) patients died during treatment. This takes a significant toll on the NTEP programme’s treatment success rate. LFU patients continue to spread disease in the community and often relapse and get converted to DRTB patients.
Under guidance of CTD, NEN-AI has developed an AI solution to predict the risk of adverse outcomes (LFU and death) for TB patients at the time of initiation of treatment. Such patients triaged by the AI solution will be prioritized by the NTEP to be provided appropriate intensive support and interventions prospectively during the patient’s treatment. It is envisaged that this proactive approach towards managing potential LFU/ death will help the NTEP to optimize the use of limited resources, systematically plan service delivery, and eventually reduce the burden of adverse outcomes.
Scope of work
The purpose of this document is to invite proposals from organizations who have been working in the health domain for at least 3 years. The project will be conducted over a span of 1 year consisting of two phases which may/may not overlap: implementation phase and impact assessment (also referred to as ‘evaluation’ in this document) phase. During the implementation phase, the partner would need to provide appropriate intensified support and interventions under NTEP to high risk patients identified by |