Call for Proposals at WHO

Call for Proposals – Case Studies of Big Catch-up Immunization Activities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Published: 11 February 2025
Deadline: 4 March 2025, 23:59 CET

The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, in partnership with the World Health Organization’s Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) department, is inviting proposals to conduct country case studies of Big Catch-up (BCU) immunization activities in selected low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This initiative aims to generate evidence and lessons from country experiences with catch-up immunization implementation, particularly in the context of recovering from the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligible Countries:

• National Focus: Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen
• Subnational Focus: Nigeria (Bauchi and Rivers states), Pakistan (Punjab and Sindh provinces)

Objectives:

The primary objectives of the case studies are to:

1. Understand how BCU activities are planned, implemented, and monitored to identify and vaccinate children who missed one or more doses of nationally recommended vaccines.
2. Explore how catch-up activities can be institutionalized into routine immunization and primary health care (PHC) services.
3. Identify factors contributing to the continued existence of individuals not reached by immunization services.

Case Study Methods:

Each case study will employ a mixed-methods approach, including:

• Document reviews
• Key informant interviews
• Focus group discussions
• Participant observation
• Questionnaires

Research teams are expected to engage with local stakeholders, adapt data collection tools to the local context, and secure ethical clearance for research activities.

Expected Outputs:

• Detailed case study reports
• Technical briefs summarizing findings
• Contribution to cross-country synthesis of case studies

Eligibility Criteria:

• The principal investigator must be based in a local institution in one of the eligible countries.
• 50% of the core research team must comprise female researchers.
• Teams must have documented experience with case study methodology and immunization service delivery.
• Teams must identify at least two levels of the health system to be included in the case study (e.g., national, subnational, provider, community, caregiver).

Budget and Duration:

• Maximum funding: US$ 80,000 for a single case study or US$ 150,000 for two subnational case studies.
• Duration: 8 months (April 2025 – November 2025)

Application Process:

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] by 4 March 2025, 23:59 CET. Submissions should include:

1. Name and contact details of the key contact person and lead institution.
2. Summary of the case study approach.
3. Motivation for applying.
4. Detailed research plan.
5. Composition of the research team.
6. Itemized budget table and narrative.

Selection Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Experience in health policy and systems research, particularly in immunization.
• Familiarity with immunization service delivery in the proposed geographic areas.
• Quality of the research plan and feasibility of the proposed activities.
• Value for money.

Shortlisted teams may be invited for a phone interview before final selection.

Notes for Applicants:

• WHO reserves the right to modify the bid, extend the deadline, or reject any proposal without providing reasons.
• Successful applicants will be notified within eight weeks of the deadline.

For more details, please refer to the full call for proposals document.

References:

1. World Health Organization. Immunization Agenda 2030: A global strategy to leave no one behind. 2020.
2. World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Gavi. The Big Catch-Up: An Essential Immunization Recovery Plan for 2023 and Beyond. 2023.
3. Big Catch-up Task Team. Case Study Guidance & Sample Tools for Monitoring and Learning from the Big Catch-up. 2024.

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Contact:
For further inquiries, please email: [email protected]
Subject: WHO Bid Ref. Call for proposals: Big Catch-up case studies