Background

As a founding Cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), guided by the health-related MDGs and the advocacy for sustainable development, the support to national HIV responses with particular focus on marginalized populations is among UNDP’s focus areas in the Eastern Europe and the Central Asia (EECA) region . Under the UNAIDS division of labour, UNDP is a convener and co-convener for development planning and mainstreaming; governance; and human rights, gender and sexual diversity. UNDP is also the Principal Recipient of HIV grants of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GF) in four CIS countries (Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan).
 
While globally the number of new HIV infections is decreasing, the EECA region is home of a still further growing HIV epidemic, rising from an estimated 970,000 people living with HIV in 2001 to 1.4 million in 2011. Mortality from AIDS has also increased by 21% in the region over the period 2005-2011 (http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/epidemiology/2012/gr2012/20121120_UNAIDS_Global_Report_2012_with_annexes_en.pdf ). The Russian Federation and Ukraine, the two most populous EECA countries, together account for almost 90 percent of newly reported HIV cases. ARV treatment coverage in the region is improving but still low, and dependent to a large degree on external funding (mainly through the Global Fund) in a number of CIS countries.

At the same time, international funding of the response to HIV/ AIDS is experiencing significant constraints.While many national health systems in the CIS are still in transition, the financing of critical components of national HIV programmes are funded to various degrees by external sources, mainly the GF. Due to changes in eligibility criteria, some countries in the region will have limited or no more access to GF funding in the future and need to develop sustainable financing strategies which take also into account the need to scale up service coverage, as well as service quality and efficiency. Among the services of particular concern are those currently provided by NGOs which play a critical role in outreach activities addressing the needs of the most at risk populations in the mainly concentrated epidemics in the EECA region. These services are currently largely externally funded, and mechanisms for contracting on national or municipality level may not readily exist or have not been used in the past for the health sector. In partnership with UNAIDS, UNDP’s regional HIV, Health and Development (HHD) team is increasingly engaged in the EECA region in facilitating analysis and transition processes of sustainable financing mechanisms for national HIV responses based on the concept of the UNAIDS Investment Framework and on national HIV/AIDS strategic and operational plans. In order to intensify our efforts particularly in countries of the Customs Union and other selected CIS countries, UNDP seeks the services of a lead consultant to carry out further analysis of current GF HIV grants in view of country specific transition processes and to provide recommendations towards sustainable financing of national HIV responses, with a particular focus on the role of NGOs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Lead Consultant reports to the Regional Practice Leader of the HIV, Health and Development (HHD) Team at the UNDP Regional Centre for Europe and the CIS in Bratislava (Supervisor). She/he will collaborate with UNDP’s health economist specialist a the regional HHD team, and share responsibilities in the coordination of other regional consultants assigned with other sub-components of the sustainable financing analysis (for example the transitioning of procurements of medicines and other health commodities including the legal and regulatory framework).

Under facilitation of UNDP’s regional HHD team and the UNDP country offices, the Lead Consultant will collaborate with country-based experts who will also be recruited by UNDP under different contracts.

The Lead Consultant will be home based. He/she shall provide services in two main areas:

• Collaborate with the regional UNDP HHD Team in the design and coordination of studies related to sustainable financing of national HIV responses in the region. The work will focus on countries of the Customs Union and other selected CIS countries: Russia and Kazakhstan as examples of already progressed transition towards national financing; Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan as examples of currently high levels of GF support and different scenarios of expected levels of future GF funding based on new eligibility criteria and the new GF business model. Together with the UNDP HHD Team, the Lead Consultant will identify key collaborating partners (experts) in each country which will participate as country lead in the studies. As applicable, the consultant will be the lead investigator for the country of residence/origin if this overlaps with one of the study countries mentioned above.
  The selected country level collaborators (as far as they are different to the Lead Consultant) will be paid for activities related to this service area ‘a)’ through separate contracts by UNDP and will therefore not form an allowable charge under the call here (a)
• Within the broader framework of sustainable financing studies of national HIV responses as outlined above, the Lead Consultant will be responsible for the design, implementation and provision of defined knowledge products of a sub-component study reviewing in particular the role of NGOs in the national HIV/AIDS responses of the countries mentioned above, their current funding level and type of services provided through external funding with focus on GF grants, evidence of their effectiveness and efficiency. While reviewing country specific existing national and sub-national financing mechanisms (mainly within the health and social sector), the Lead Consultant will develop transition scenarios towards sustainable financing of NGO services related to HIV. and outline the relevant processes with recommended timeframes for at least 3 scenarios: i) maintaining current scope and funding level for NGOs as currently funded under GF grants; ii) for the same scope, scaling up NGO services over a timeframe of 5 years to 80% service coverage according to estimated needs; iii) for a revised/updated scope which takes into account existing or ongoing reviews of national HIV responses with regard to effectiveness and efficiency of NGO-provided services, but scaling up of those NGO services regarded as effective and efficient to an 80% coverage as outlined under ii). For Russia and Kazakhstan, the study will historically analyse the transition process towards sustainable financing so far, its actual impact on the NGO market related to HIV service provision and an scenario iii) analysis (b)

Typical activities of the Lead Consultant will be:

Desk research:

• Key roles of NGOs in the fight against HIV particularly in the EECA region, evidence of their effectiveness and efficiency;
• Detailed analysis of scope and funding level of NGO-provided HIV services under current (or previous in the cases of Russia and Kazakhstan) GF HIV grants in the study countries; Mapping the scope against the programme components of national HIV plans;
• Outlining legal and regulatory framework for NGO contract management and funding through national and sub-national agencies. Identifying existing national and sub-national health (and social welfare as applicable) financing mechanisms relevant for national HIV responses and particularly for the support of the role of NGOs;
• Development and analysis of transition scenarios as outlined above, identification of processes and key stakeholders involved;
• In collaboration with UNDP country offices, identification and documentation of already existing or even completed transition processes of sustainable financing of NGO-provided HIV services.

• Virtual communication with country level stakeholders and collaborating partners;
• The Lead Consultant is expected to have maximum 10 travel days, which can include study visits to selected countries and coordination/dissemination meetings which will be held in one of the study countries. (Related costs will be covered separately based on UNDP rules and regulations);
• In addition to country level stakeholders, the Lead Consultant  is also expected to collaborate with regional NGO networks (for example EHRN, ECUO, SWAN, ECOM) as well as other UNAIDS co-sponsors (to be facilitated by UNDP).

Products (refer to focus areas ‘b’ above):

• Detailed study design and work plan;
• Comprehensive report with executive summary (in English and Russian);
• At least one paper for submission for publication in international journal (jointly with UNDP HHD team);
• Policy brief based on the findings of the study with country specific sections (in English and Russian);
• Power point presentations summarizing background, methodology and findings of the study (country specific and overall summary) (in English and Russian);
• Comprehensive database, including all data findings during the consultancy period and the research work (excel file).
• Lead editor for joint sustainable financing report and related knowledge products comprising all sub-components (refers to focus area ‘a’ above)
  

Services:

• Advisory support to ongoing activities of HHD practice on sustainable HIV financing in CIS region;
• Support to HHD Practice in coordination of the work of consultants working on sustainable HIV financing in Balkans and CIS;
• Contribution to blogs and social media communications related to the study topics;
• Any translation services required for the products above. Only translations for languages other than Russian and English will be covered by UNDP as necessary.
  

Payments:

Payment will be made in three installments:

• First installment will be made after submission of detailed work plan and study design (20%), estimated by 31 March 2013;
• Second installment will be made after submission of the draft report on “Sustainable financing of national HIV responses in selected CIS countries with particular emphasis of the role of NGOs” and at least one paper for submission for publication in international journal (jointly with UNDP HHD team), (40%), estimated by 31 August 2013;
• Third installment will be made after successful completion of all products and services listed in “Deliverables”   (40 %), estimated by 30 November 2013.
  

Competencies

• Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS;
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner;
• Quality-oriented professional, constructive approach to obstacles and delays in planned performance;
• Excellent research and paper writing skills;
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written;
  

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• A Masters’ degree in economy/health economy, business, public health or other relevant field; possession of PhD is an advantage.

Experience:

• Five or more years of relevant regional experience in the field of health sector analysis, preferably including HIV/AIDS, especially in CIS countries including Russian Federation;
• Experience in health sector and HIV financing issues;
• Experience with NGOs and their role as advocates and services providers in the health sector including HIV/AIDS;
• Good knowledge of global health financing in general and of the policies and operations of the GF in particular; knowledge of GF HIV grants in the countries selected for this study;
• Track record of health reviews and delivery of high quality knowledge products including international publications;
• Working experience in/with the countries selected for this study;
• Working experience with international organizations.

Language skills:

• Fluency and ability to communicate and carry out comprehensive research in English and Russian;
• Knowledge of more regional languages is a plus.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical  and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

• Education and additional qualifications (degrees, certificates, etc) – max points: 10
• Relevant work experience in HIV and health sector economics  and finance issues, especially in CIS countries including Russian Federation – 10
• Research experience in the region and possession of previous publications related to the topic of the consultancy -10
• Coordination and Communication skills, and languages – 5

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees
  (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
• Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days and any other possible costs) except of travel costs. The cost of the possible missions to study countries (max 10 working days) will be paid separately according to UNDP rules and regulations.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). The cost of the possible missions to study countries (max 10 working days) will be paid separately according to UNDP rules and regulations.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.