ThaiNGO

Request for Consultant Services Proposal (RFP)

Background

The Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems (STRIDES) project, implemented by FHI 360, invites qualified individual/organizations to submit proposals to facilitate standardized proficiency testing and continuous quality improvement. This project has been focused on national, reference and high-performing laboratories within the human health sector across Asian countries.  It seeks to enhance diagnostic accuracy, promote harmonization of laboratory practices, and support regional efforts in AMR surveillance and control. 

In collaboration with the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), Department of Livestock Development (DLD), Thailand, STRIDES Thailand is strengthening the NGS capacity of Thailand’s animal health laboratories through a hands-on training course on Oxford nanopore sequencing and bioinformatics for rapid molecular characterization of zoonotic pathogens.

Scope of Work

Detailed Description of Tasks to be Performed

The Consultant will support the STRIDES Thailand Activity under Task 1.1.2c, which aims to strengthen Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) capacity across the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH) and regional Department of Livestock Development (DLD) laboratories through enhanced laboratory and bioinformatics competencies. The assignment will contribute to strengthening practical capacity in Oxford Nanopore sequencing workflows, sequencing data processing, and amplicon sequence analysis for priority zoonotic pathogen detection and characterization.  

The Consultant will work closely with FHI 360 - STRIDES Thailand, NIAH, and collaborating technical partners to develop the training curriculum and facilitate a hands-on training workshop focused on Oxford Nanopore sequencing workflows, EPI2ME-based bioinformatics analysis, sequencing data quality assessment, amplicon sequence analysis, species identification, and interpretation of sequencing results for zoonotic pathogen surveillance and outbreak detection.

Specific responsibilities include:

1. Review and provide technical input to the workshop agenda, training approach, practical exercises, and participant preparation requirements.
2. Prepare and adapt technical training materials, demonstrations, bioinformatics exercises, and supporting reference materials.
3. Facilitate Day 1 laboratory training sessions covering:
   • PCR amplicon-based workflows for bacterial, viral, and parasitic targets; 
   • Nanopore library preparation using ligation-based workflows; 
   • Sequencing preparation, flow cell setup, and sequencing operation; 
   • Quality assurance and quality control considerations during sequencing procedures. 
4. Facilitate Day 2 bioinformatics setup and data processing sessions covering:
   • Sequencing data transfer and preparation; 
   • Installation and configuration of required software and EPI2ME workflows; 
   • Sequencing data quality assessment; 
   • Data preprocessing and workflow execution using amplicon sequencing datasets. 
5. Facilitate Day 3 amplicon sequencing data analysis sessions covering:
   • Bacterial 16S rRNA sequence analysis;
   • Viral and parasite amplicon sequence analysis; 
   • Species identification and sequence interpretation; 
   • Discussion of sequencing results for surveillance and outbreak detection applications;
   • Sharing of additional bioinformatics tools and approaches relevant to amplicon sequence analysis. 
6. Lead technical discussions and hands-on exercises using NIAH-prepared sequencing datasets and reference sequences and provide recommendations for continued strengthening of NGS capacity within the DLD laboratory network. 

Activity and Timeline

Deliverable and Required Outputs: 

Location of Work: National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), Department of Livestock

Development (DLD), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bangkok Thailand

Travel: No travel required

Timetable and Address for Submission

Proposals are due no later than 4:00 PM (Thailand time) on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. 

Required documentation listed below must be e-mailed to Procurement.STRIDES.th@fhi360.org

Qualifications: 

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or higher) in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Biotechnology, or a related field.
• Experience in next-generation sequencing (NGS), including hands-on experience with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) platforms and amplicon sequencing workflows.
• Demonstrated experience in molecular laboratory techniques, including PCR, library preparation, sequencing operations, and quality assurance/quality control procedures.
• Proven expertise in bioinformatics analysis of sequencing data, including the use of EPI2ME and other relevant sequencing data analysis tools.
• Experience in designing and delivering technical training, workshops, or capacitybuilding activities related to NGS, genomics, molecular diagnostics, or bioinformatics.
• Demonstrated experience in the analysis and interpretation of bacterial, viral, and/or parasitic sequencing data for diagnostic, surveillance, or research purposes.
• Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills, with the ability to deliver practical laboratory and bioinformatics training to diverse audiences.
• Experience working with government laboratories, academic institutions, research organizations, or international development partners is desirable.
• Ability to provide technical consultation and troubleshooting support for NGS laboratory workflows, sequencing operations, and bioinformatics analysis.

Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

• Relevant academic qualifications.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in NGS, Oxford Nanopore sequencing, and bioinformatics.
• Relevant experience in delivering laboratory and bioinformatics training programs.
• Experience supporting laboratory capacity strengthening and genomic surveillance initiatives.
• Quality and relevance of previous assignments and professional references.
• Ability to coordinate multiple laboratories, manage timelines, documentation, communication, and deliverables.

Required Documentation: Proposals must include the following components:

• Technical Proposal responding to the Statement of Work (SOW), including proposed methodology and work plan.
• Financial Proposal, including the completed and signed Quotation Submission Excel Sheet.
• CV or portfolio in English demonstrating the skills and knowledge to provide this service or similar past experiences.
• Company profile and business registration documents (for firms, if applicable)

All documents must be submitted in English and signed by an authorized representative, where applicable. 

FHI 360 Disclaimers

• FHI 360 may perform a background check on any selected Consultant candidates.
• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow solicitation instructions
• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition
• FHI 360’s supplier terms and conditions can be found here while our consultant terms and conditions can be found here

Please refer to Annex 1: Quotation Submission Form in the attached PDF file for details and submission requirements.