Appendix 1 Request for Proposals Redacted.pdf

Request for Proposals
Gender- Affirming Primary Care – Update to Guidelines for Gender-
Affirming Care
Project Number: 30535

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RFP released: 10 March 23
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Deadline for Questions: 17 March 2023
Deadline for Registrations: midday, Thursday 30 March 2023

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand
Level 1, Building 7, Central Park Corporate Centre
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660 – 670 Great South Road, Penrose, Auckland, 1061
PO Box 11-200 Ellerslie, Auckland 1542
Phone: 09 487 4900
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Statement of Confidentiality
The information contained within this document is proprietary and confidential.  It may not be used, reproduced or disclosed to any other
person without the express written authority of the Te Whatu Ora Director Procurement and Supply Chain.  Every recipient by retaining
and using this document agrees to the above restrictions and shall protect the document and information contained in it from loss, theft
and misuse.

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The opportunity
This RFP is issued by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand referred to below as “the Buyer” or “we”
or “us”.
What we need
Te Whatu Ora, working in partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora, is seeking proposals to update national
gender-affirming health care guidelines. We are looking for a provider to update the existing
‘Guidelines for Gender Affirming Healthcare for Gender Diverse and Transgender Children, Young
People and Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand (2018)’ 1  by Jeannie Oliphant et al (The Aotearoa
Guidelines).
We are looking for an organisation that can:
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•  facilitate the development of updated national guidelines for gender-affirming health care and
ensure that gender-affirming care guidelines reflect the cultural and regional needs of health
care services in Aotearoa New Zealand
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•  ensure that the updated guidelines are aligned with international best practice models of care
as outlined in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s (WPATH)
Standard of Care Version 8 document, released in September 20222 and include guidance for
initiating gender-affirming hormone therapy in primary care
•  carry out consultation with the relevant stakeholders on gender-affirming health care to
ensure that updated guidelines both meet the needs of transgender and non-binary
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communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and are relevant and clinically safe for practitioners to
use.

A bit about us
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The Buyer, Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, leads the day-to-day running of the health system
across New Zealand, with functions delivered at local, district, regional and national levels. We weave
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the functions of the 20 former district health boards into our regional divisions and district offices,
ensuring continuity of services in the health system. We manage all health services, including
hospital and specialist services, and primary and community care. We are also responsible for
improving services and outcomes across the health system. We do this in partnership with Te Aka
Whai Ora - Māori Health Authority. Te Aka Whai Ora is an independent public health agency
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responsible for enhancing tino rangatiratanga and strengthening mana motuhake for hauora Māori.
They also ensure greater influence throughout the entire health system to support whānau to take
control of their health and wellbeing
The legal info
Health New Zealand is a Crown agent that was established on 1 July 2022 under section 11 of the
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Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 (the Act). We have the registered trading name Te Whatu Ora –
Health New Zealand. The Act disestablished all 20 district health boards and transferred all their
assets, liabilities, contracts, and engagements, to Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand on 1 July
2022. You can find more information on the transformation of the New Zealand health system and Te
Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand at https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/.

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SECTION 1: Key Information
1.1  Context
This request for proposal (RFP) is an invitation to suitably qualified suppliers to submit a
proposal for the ‘Gender-Affirming Primary Care – Update to Guidelines for Gender-Affirming
Care’, contract opportunity. This is a closed single-step procurement process.
1.2  Our timeline
Steps in process

Approx dates
Deadline for questions from respondents:

17 March 2023
Deadline for response forms:


30 March 2023
Anticipated contract start date


Mid-April 2023
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1.3  How to contact us

If you have any questions, please contact s 9(2)(g)(ii)
(Point of Contact) by email at
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s 9(2)(g)(ii)

1.4  Developing and submitting your registration
Take time to read and understand this RFP and use the following response forms to submit
your response:
•  Response form one: Questions relating to evaluation criteria
•  Response form two: Pricing proposal
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1.5  Address for submitting your response form
Submit your response forms by email to the point of contact detailed above.
1.6  Our RFP process, terms and conditions
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The RFP is subject to the RFP process, terms and conditions (shortened to RFP-terms).
View the RFP terms V.2 June 2021. After releasing the RFP, if we need to change anything
or provide additional information we will let you know by email.
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SECTION 2: Our requirements
2.1  High-level objectives of this procurement
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•  Updating national guidelines for gender-affirming health care which will lead to improving
access to gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary people.
2.2  Key objectives of the services
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It is expected that updating the Guidelines will improve the quality, variability, and cultural
safety of gender-affirming care in Aotearoa New Zealand. This will be done by updating
the Guidelines to reflect international best-practice, provide guidance on gender-affirming
care  including  initiation  and  maintenance  of  gender-affirming  hormone  therapy  and
including the intersectional voices of Takatāpui, MVPFAFF+ and tāngata whaikaha.
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•
Updated guidelines will enable more clinicians working in primary care to feel comfortable
providing gender-affirming care such as gender-affirming hormone therapy. Clinical safety
will be guided and supported at all stages, enabling more gender-affirming care to take
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place in primary care.
2.3  In Scope
•  ensuring that national gender-affirming care guidelines are aligned with international best
practice models of care as outlined in WPATH SOC v.8.
•  adapting international best practices to reflect the cultural and regional needs of
healthcare providers in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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•  carrying out consultation with the community and stakeholders, ensuring that both clinical
safety and community needs are factored into the updated guidelines.
•  including guidance for commencing hormone therapy in primary care.
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2.4  What we require from a respondent:
Capacity
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•  We are seeking respondents that can show they have the organisational structure,
capacity, and personnel available to deliver the changes required of the guidelines to
bring them in line with international best practices within the timeframe specified.
Solution fit for purpose: clinical safety and international best practice approach
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•  Updated guidelines will provide guidance on clinical and cultural best-practice when
delivering care to transgender patients, in line with the WPATH SOC v.8. Guidelines will
include guidance for commencing hormone therapy in primary care which will outline
principles and approaches that encompass the diversity of transgender people, including
a specific focus on guidelines for working with Takatāpui. Updated guidelines wil  be
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suitable for online publication and printable.
•  We are looking for solutions that focus on the unique health needs of trans and non-
binary people as well as other intersectional minority population groups (Māori,
Takatāpui, MVPFAFF+ and tāngata whaikaha.)
•  Success of the updated guidelines will be measured by their uptake in the
HealthPathways workstream, as well as in places offering gender-affirming healthcare
services. Members of the community may also use them as a resource, and we expect
that future research on trans healthcare will show improved confidence in healthcare
providers.

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Addressing equity and Māori health and wellbeing
•  We are seeking respondents that have demonstrated a commitment to improving Māori
health outcomes and addressing inequities in access to gender-affirming healthcare in
Aotearoa New Zealand.
This includes a plan for:
o  incorporating Te Ao Māori principles and ensuring Māori representation in
decision making at all levels of the Guidelines development
o  ensuring that the updated guidelines are appropriate for and address the needs
of Pacific peoples, youth and tāngata whaikaha
o  embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles into the design and delivery of
Guidelines.
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The capability of the organisation to carry out consultation with the relevant
stakeholders on gender-affirming health care
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  We are seeking respondents that can demonstrate capability to carry out consultation
with relevant stakeholders on gender-affirming health care, such as community
organisations and medical bodies. This should include preparedness to address the
multiplicity of trans, non-binary, Takatāpui, and MVPFAFF+ perspectives as well as
clinical and medical perspectives ensuring that community voice is captured, and
guidelines meet requirements to deliver clinical and medical services safely.
2.5  Contract term and value
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We expect that the contracts with selected providers will commence by end of April 2023. The
update to the Guidelines will need to be complete by 31 Dec 2023 at the latest to enable the
HealthPathways  workstream  and  the  workforce  development  resources  to  commence.  We
anticipate this work can be done for under $100k.
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