Background

The Government of Ukraine is in urgent need to secure the availability of the State Programme medicines and essential health commodities at affordable prices and in sufficient quantities. Acknowledging the challenges of the State procurement and supply management system and following recently adopted legislation, allowing the selected international organizations to provide procurement support services, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has requested the UN to support the procurement and distribution of a number of 2016 State Programme medicines and other medical products as an emergency measure. 

UNDP in Ukraine is fully committed to play this role in resolving the immediate crisis and to support the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in its mid- and long-term efforts to reform its procurement and supply management system. UNDP brings its extensive expertise in establishing the procurement system that corresponds to the highest standards of transparency, accountability, cost-efficiency, equity and sustainability. 

UNDP together with other UN Agencies (UNICEF and WHO) developed a Joint Project aimed at strengthening the national health care procurement system and thereby improving the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment of the patients of Ukraine. Specifically, in the framework of the project, UNDP plans to (i) procure medicines and medical products for the National Public Health Programmes for 2016 and ongoing years as needed, (ii) strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health to ensure transparency, accountability and effectiveness of the public procurement of medicines and other medical products.

It is expected that for achieving the project goal, the international consultant will be hired and closely cooperate with country office in Ukraine, Project Implementation Unit.

To this end UNDP seeks an international consultant to provide expertise on preparation of the “fit-for-purpose” technical specifications to serve a basis for UNDP solicitation documents for supply of on medicines and health products.

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The Consultant assists and supports UNDP Ukraine with review and validate the list of anti-cancer medicines and medical products to be procured. Identifications of related risks, development of quality criteria/requirements and technical evaluation of received bids in response to tenders announced by UNDP Ukraine. 

Duties and Responsibilities

In order to achieve the overall goal of the assignment, the consultant is expected to

  1. Review and validate the product lists for two State Health Programmes specified below by the MoH for procurement for the year 2016.
  • Centralized procurement of chemotherapeutic agents, radiopharmaceuticals and support drugs for treatment of cancer patients
  • Centralized procurement of medicines for treatment of children with cancer and oncohematological diseases
  1. Identify an unclear line items in each program, related risks and propose risk mitigation measures;
  2. Provide recommendations on possible combination of similar medicines (INN) into separate Lots;
  3. Provide expert opinion on quality criteria and other minimum requirements (documentary) to ensure sourcing of the high quality products. Ensure specifications and requirements are broad enough (e.g. generic products can participate in bidding process) to encourage maximum competition, which would allow achievement of Best value for money.
  4. Support with identification of the available databases on the clinical feedback tracing and complains on pharmaceuticals products, market research information, pharmacovigilance and bioequivalence aspects;
  5. Assist UNDP PIU with technical evaluation of received bids in response to tenders announced by UNDP.

In compliance with the most advanced world recommended treatment schemes, identify products to be excluded from product list of the next budget cycle and propose substitutions/alternative products. 

DURATION

The expected duration of the assignment is up to 40 man/days. The target date for the start of work is 8 December 2016 and the expected completion date 31 March 2017.

DELIVERABLES

Deliverables/Outputs

Estimated Duration to Complete

Target Due Dates

First intermediate report, which includes following annexes:

  • The validated list of products;
  • Recommended quality criteria and minimum requirements;
  • Recommendations of possible LOTs combinations.
  • Risks and risk mitigation matrix

10 days

19 December

Second intermediate report, which includes following annexes:

  • Guidelines on identification of the available databases on the clinical feedback tracing and complains on pharmaceuticals products, market research information, pharmacovigilance and bioequivalence aspects;

3 days

31 December

Third interim intermediate report, which includes the following:

  • Assist UNDP PIU with technical evaluation of received bids in response to tenders announced by UNDP

17 days

As per the process

Final report covering the full assignment with recommendations for the improvement of product list for future procurement

10 days

31 March

Copyright

The Intermediate and Final reports should be submitted in English. The title rights, copyrights and all other rights whatsoever nature in any material produced under the provisions of this TORs will be vested exclusively in UNDP

Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in Pharmacy, Microbiology, Medicine, Public Health and/or other relevant area. PhD will be an asset.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of work experience and proven track record of work as Oncologist;
  • Deep understanding of the international policies and procedures on development of the treatment protocols, practice in evaluating the treatment regimens and clinical manifestations of the application of an anti-cancer medicines;
  • Understanding of the international policies and procedures on procurement of medicines and medical products will be an asset;
  • Good understanding of pharmaceutical market dynamics and existing global supply challenges as well as international health products procurement and supply management practices, applicable national and international laws and recognized standards;
  • Expertise in medicine quality assessment such as assessment of finished product manufacturing process and specifications, assessment of source and quality of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) will be an asset;
  • Strong interpersonal and presentation skills;
  • Prior experience of working in UN/UNDP or other international organizations (MSF, GDF, IDA) would be an asset.

Language Skills:

  • Fluent in English. Knowledge of Russian and/or Ukrainian language would be an asset.

Evaluation method: Cumulative analysis

Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  1. responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  2. having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

 Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount for the total duration of the contract and should imply all costs (professional fees, travel costs to join the duty station (Kyiv), etc.). Payment terms should be indicated around specific and measurable deliverables as provided in the Section 4 of this Terms of Reference. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount.

Travel

Travel within Ukraine (if needed to deliver expected results) will be paid in addition to this payment for service in accordance with the UNDP rules and procedures. Consultations regarding travel options will be held with the Project Manager prior to planning of the trips and relevant logistics.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Lump sum remuneration of amount agreed with the selected expert will be disbursed in three tranches as follows upon satisfactory delivery of agreed deliverables (services) as specified in the above:

  • 25% of the total amount - upon satisfactory submission of the first intermediate report – deliverable 1;
  • 50% of the total amount - upon satisfactory submission of the second and third intermediate reports – deliverable 2-3;
  • 25% of the total amount - upon satisfactory submission of final report - deliverable 4.

MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

The consultant shall be responsible for managing the process of the work implementation, its resources, logistics and expenditures related to the tasks in timely and accurate manner. Should the travel to Ukraine be required, this will be arranged by the consultant and covered by the project separately.

MONITORING/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The following reporting is expected from the consultant:

  1. First, second, third reports (including all relevant attachments).
  2. Final report (English).

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

  • Letter of interest/proposal, explaining why the applicant considers him- or herself the most suitable for the work;
  • Personal CV/P11, including information about past experience in similar projects / assignments and contact details for referees;
  • Financial propsal

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://jobs.undp.org.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

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

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.