This Request for Proposals (the “RFP”) is an invitation by the Coordinating Entity to prospective proponents to submit proposals for the Provision And Administering Of A Tobacco Drug Insurance Card, as part of the Manitoba Tobacco Quit Card and Counselling (TQCC) Program, as further described in Section A of the RFP Particulars (Appendix D; the “Deliverables”).
The Coordinating Entity, as identified on the cover page, is issuing this RFP and administering the RFP process on behalf of the Purchaser(s) identified in Section B – Material Disclosures of the RFP Particulars (Appendix D).
Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Canada. It carries a heavy economic cost as well as health burden to our society, particularly in a number of sub-populations such as people with low income/education, youth and those with mental health problems. Accessible counselling and medication, health professional training and Tobacco Use and Dependence Guidelines contribute to the formula for effective harm reduction and cessation support.
The Manitoba Tobacco Quit Card demonstration initiative (2018-2021) demonstrated a successful model of integrating medication provision and smoking cessation counselling into community-based, primary health services. By targeting geographic areas with high proportions of Manitobans with low socio-economic status this initiative reduced barriers to cessation and increase access effective tobacco reduction interventions.
This successful initiative led to provincial support to expand the Tobacco Quit Card and Counselling (TQCC) Program for all regions within the province of Manitoba.