Request for Proposals (RFP) for Hiring
Communication Agency for Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Campaign for Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS), Maharashtra
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Date of Issue
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27 July 2026, Monday
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Due Date for Proposals (Technical and Financial)
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5 August 2026, Wednesday
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Total duration of the assignment
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4 months from the date of issuance of the PO
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I. About FHI 360 and the EpiC Project
FHI 360 is a US-based, not-for-profit agency that has been working across 60 countries around the world including the Asia Pacific Region. FHI 360 is well recognized for its technical excellence, robust research, and evidence-based integrated programming.
About the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) Project
In 2019, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the DOS-PEPFAR awarded FHI 360 the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project. This eight-year global project works in partnership with and strengthens the capacity of governments, civil society organizations, other PEPFAR implementing partners and the private sector to introduce innovations and expand evidence-based HIV services to unprecedented levels of scale, coverage, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency.
EpiC in India supports the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) in enhancing youth engagement, private sector engagement and digital/AI driven innovations, and prioritizes work in the priority state of Maharashtra to fast track the achievement of 95-95-95 goals.
The Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) Campaign is an awareness and community engagement initiative of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The campaign aims to strengthen public awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention, promote voluntary HIV testing and counselling, encourage early diagnosis and timely treatment, and reduce stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. By mobilizing communities, healthcare workers, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and key populations, the campaign seeks to increase access to HIV prevention and care services while supporting the national goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. Through information, education, communication, and community participation, the MAS campaign aims to empower individuals to adopt safer behaviours and access available health services.
II. Scope of Work
The Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) is implementing the MAS campaign to increase awareness about HIV, encourage HIV testing, promote safer behaviours, reduce stigma and discrimination, and improve linkage to treatment and treatment adherence. The target audience includes adolescents (10–19 years) and youth (15–24 years), at-risk and other priority populations, pregnant women and people living with HIV (PLHIV).
To support these efforts, EpiC India proposes to engage a Communication Agency to develop communication strategies, key messages and communication materials on HIV prevention, responsible behaviour, HIV testing, stigma reduction, available HIV services and adoption of healthy behaviours for the above-mentioned target audiences. The behaviour change communication (BCC) materials will be used for uptake of the MAS campaign services. The agency will work closely with MSACS, EpiC India/FHI 360, and other key stakeholders to ensure that communication messages are simple, consistent, and effective across the state.
Key activities to be undertaken by the communication agency is provided below:
Activity 1: Prepare a BCC strategy for the MAS campaign that should identify the key communication objectives, priority messages, suitable communication approaches and media targeting the different audiences.
- Deliverable: BCC Strategy for MAS campaign for different audiences, behaviours, key messages and suggested media options
Activity 2: Develop communication content and key messages targeting the different audiences on HIV prevention, responsible behaviour, HIV testing, stigma reduction, healthy lifestyle, and available HIV services. The agency will also prepare key messages for at-risk populations, pregnant women and PLHIV, including those PLHIV who lost to follow-up (LFU), in line with NACP guidelines.
- Deliverable: Ready-to-use materials, social media captions, slogans, and campaign themes suitable for adolescents, youth, at-risk populations, pregnant women and PLHIV, which can be used by MSACS and other stakeholders for promoting HIV services under the MAS campaign.
Activity 3: The agency shall provide a dedicated full-time communication expert to be based in MSACS office to provide ongoing technical support to MSACS in planning and implementing the BCC campaign. This will include sharing campaign ideas and plans, getting them vetted / approve, finalizing communication messages and media plans, coordinating with the communication agency on content development and sharing the same with MSACS for approval, ensuring technical accuracy of messages, supporting execution of the communication campaign, and orienting stakeholders on the effective use of the developed communication materials.
Deliverable: Ongoing technical assistance to MSACS on communication campaign design and execution.
III. Duration of the assignment: September 01, 2026 – December 31, 2026
IV. Content Development, design and production of materials:
- Agency to suggest messaging and design of materials for the different target audiences and media.
- The creative content for the materials will be developed by the agency. Technical content vetting will be done by MSACS.
- Materials will be developed in English and translated in Marathi and Hindi.
- Once the creatives are ready, five printed sets each of communication material in English, Marathi and Hindi will be shared along with open and print ready files to support bulk printing.
V. Eligibility criteria for the agency
- Registered company, partnership, LLP, society, trust, or nonprofit with valid registration and eligibility certificates to receive foreign funding.
- Overall, 3-10 years of experience in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), health communication, public awareness campaigns, or design and roll-out of health communication campaigns
- Agency with experience working on BCC / communication on HIV at national and state level, especially in Maharashtra is preferred. Mumbai based agencies are highly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply:
1. Technical proposal:
- Agencies are encouraged to put-in a brief proposal (6-10 pages or PPT format) outlining the way the assignment will be approached. We are interested to know the steps the agency will adopt to design and develop the materials, adopting a behaviour change model.
- In the proposal the agency must highlight their background and credentials of any similar assignment on BCC undertaken in the past preferably on HIV or other relevant health area/s.
- The proposal should mention timeline for different stages of the proposed scope of work, and deliverables linked to the same.
- A few work samples of similar work supported in the past to be shared.
- Information about the personnel that will be assigned to the project to be provided, with bio summaries and proposed role.
- Names and contact details of up to 3 clients with summary of the scope of work undertaken for them.
2. Financial proposal:
A detailed budget with estimated input costs for the above scope of work is requested, with a suggested list of creatives and costs associated for the same. Other reimbursables such as travel, boarding/lodging should be proposed separately. Applicable taxes to be estimated additionally.
Selection Criteria and Weightage
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Suggested Approach / Methodology & Timelines
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30%
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Experience (with examples of similar work)
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30%
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Proposed Human Resource
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20%
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Reasonableness of Cost (based on proposed budget)
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20%
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3. Payment Terms
A fixed price purchase order will be issued to the agency based on the mutually agreed cost
proposal. Payments will be linked to deliverables.
The technical and financial proposals or questions on the RFP are to be sent to the following contacts: FHI 360 India (procurement.india@fhi360.org) with the “Technical Support on Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) for Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS), Maharashtra” mentioned in the subject of the email.