UNICEF has published, on behalf of the Ministry of Health of Vanuatu, an invitation to tender for the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) as a quick, reliable, and effective mode of transportation to deliver vaccines from main health facilities to dispensaries, aid post, and mobile vaccination teams.
It also includes maintaining the cargo temperature between 2 and 8 Celsius degrees to ensure the cold chain is not interrupted and the vaccines are delivered in optimal condition.
The primary objective of the project is to test the technical feasibility and economical sustainability of including this new mode of transportation into the existing Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) as a last-mile delivery resource. To achieve this objective, the Ministry of Health is seeking to contract up to three service contractors through a government procurement process. Three (3) Request for Tender (RFT) processes for physical services, for Pentecost, Epi & Shepherds, and Erromago islands respectively, have been officially issued.
The tender closing date is 30 June 2018, and all submissions must be made electronically. It may be possible to request an extension of this deadline.
All relevant documents (invitation to tender & tender specifications) are available here.
Photo: Aerial view of Utanlangi. Nguna Island – UNICEF. July 2017