Services to be provided will include:

• Provision and management of a secure and user-friendly registration system for online registration of delegates from across the globe and processing of online payments;
• Abstract management from submission through to programme development and printing;
• Conference website design and content management;
• Identification of suitable and reasonably priced hotels and making block booking for delegates; and
• Provision of secretarial support, as required, to the EDCTP Forum Organising Committee during the Forum.

 

View the full Terms of Reference (PDF) of this request for your proposal.

The EDCTP Forum is a major, high-profile international conference event, which is held every two years in Africa or Europe. It provides a platform for showcasing clinical trials and clinical research on poverty-related diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. The Ninth EDCTP Forum is expected to bring together 700 researchers and policy-makers from across the globe, principally from Europe and Africa. The EDCTP Forum in Lisbon is hosted by EDCTP and the Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal.

Proposals should be submitted on or before midnight 22 November 2017.

For more information, contact Ms Andreia Coelho, EDCTP Administrative Support Officer, coelho@edctp.org, during working hours (Tuesday – Friday, 9.30 -17.30).

 

UPDATE

EDCTP received the following questions from interested parties:

Question 1: “I would like to enquiry about the possibility of a consortium of two companies, with complemental skills and competencies, submitting a proposal for the overall organization of the Forum? Would this be acceptable? Or do we have to submit a proposal as a sole company? I would very much appreciate your feedback regarding this point”.
Answer: Yes, it is acceptable for a consortium to submit the proposal for overall organisation.

Question 2:  “My other question is if there is a specifications document for the requested services including all the requirements, or if we should follow the topics listed in the website?”
Answer: Please follow the topics listed on the website.

Question 3: Online registration and payment: “Is the selected agency expected to issue invoices to the participants for the registration fee paid?  If so is the case should the invoice be issued in the name of EDCTP , the local host organisation or in the name of the agency ?”
Answer: We are flexible on this; it depends on what the normal practice is. Our preference is for the invoice to be in the name of EDCTP, but we are open to your suggestions and guidance.

Question 4: Abstract management: “From the programme and abstract book of the previous edition of the EDCTP Forum we made an estimated calculation of abstracts presented (including invited speakers) to approximately 130. In order to present a cost for an online abstract submission and evaluation process please  advise the number of abstracts expected to be submitted as well as how many reviewers are involved in the evaluation process.”
Answer: We estimate 400-450 abstracts (oral and poster presentations plus scientific symposia) to be submitted and to use 30 reviewers to evaluate the abstracts.

Question 5: Website: “Please inform if selected agency is expected to create a graphic image for the event and apply this to website design as well as on the various printed materials and signage to be produced?”
Answer: Selected agency is not expected to create the graphic image(s) for the event or design the look and feel of materials. Branding instructions, images and designs will be provided and should be applied in the production of all communication tools and materials as appropriate.

Question 6: Website: “Please inform the foreseen period of time that the website should be housed /active. We see that the site from 2016 is still available on the site of EDCTP, please provide additional information on this matter.”
Answer: EDCTP has indicated in the RfP that the website should be launched by 23 February 2018 and our intention is to have it hosted for six months after the end of the Forum (i.e. up to 31 March 2019). 

Question 7: Printed material: “Please confirm that, besides the cost requested for the paging and production of the programme/abstract book of approximately 200 pages in A4 format in 4/4 colour print , the agency should also include in the budget proposal a cost for the paging and production of the Proceedings of about 90 pages in A4 format and 4/4 colour print.”
Answer: You may budget for the paging and production of the programme/abstract book as pass through costs.

Question 8: Secretarial services: “To be able to propose services as detailed as possible, we were wondering about the scope of ‘secretarial services during the Forum’. Given the wording on the ToR, we understand that this would be different to a PCO’s usual event and logistics management tasks pre-, during- and post- event, which we assume the EDCTP Secretariat will remain in charge of and which we would now list as additional services, if required.
Would you therefore be in a position to clarify the scope of secretarial services on-site in any further detail by any chance? Given such information, it should be easier to estimate the number and quality of staff we would make available, resp. the EDCTP would require in addition to their own staff on-site, working hours and therefore hourly / daily charge.”
Answer: Secretarial support will include: Welcoming and directing guests when entering the venue; Scanning/printing badges on site; Helping with onsite registration of delegates where required; and Distributing conference materials. (Please note that EDCTP staff will also assist with the organisation.)

Question 9: Sponsoring or exhibition: “I have noticed that nothing is mentioned about sponsoring or exhibition. Will this not be necessary or will this be done by the EDCTP Secretariat? Should I mention this in the tender as something we can offer as well?”
Answer: There will be sponsorship opportunities for the Forum, including for organisations to have exhibition booths. We will advertise for sponsors on the EDCTP website. The EDCTP Networking team will also approach our traditional sponsors with the objective of receiving sponsorships from them.

Question 10: Secretarial support: “What does the ‘secretarial support during the forum’ consist of?”
Answer: Please refer to the answer to question 8 above.

Question 11: On site management: “Do you require ‘on site’ management including manning a registration desk, co-ordinating logistics during the forum, etc,?”
Answer: Please refer to the answer to question 8 above.

Question 12: Vendor showcase: “Does your forum include a ‘vendor’s showcase’?”
Answer: Usually, there will be a limited number of sponsors with an exhibition booth.

Question 13: Wifi:  “During the forum will the guests have access to the internet? That is, does the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation provide WiFi network to the guests who will be present?”
Answer: WiFi is provided by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

 

Please note:

On 21 November this message was updated with question 13 and the EDCTP answer.
On 17 November 2017, this message was updated with questions 10-12 from an interested party and the EDCTP answers.
On 16 November 2017, this message was updated with questions 8-9 from an interested party and the EDCTP answers.
On 07 November 2017, this message was updated with questions 3-7 from interested parties and the EDCTP answers.
On 02 November 2017, this message was updated with questions 1-2 from an interested party and the EDCTP answers.
On 31 October 2017, the deadline for the submission of proposals was extended from 15 to 22 November 2017.

Published 18 October 2017.