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 (Republic of Belarus, Republic of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Republic of 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 percent in the region over the period 2005-2011 (1). The Russian Federation and Ukraine, the two most populous EECA countries, together account for almost 90 percent of newly reported HIV cases. Antiretroviral (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 and AIDS has been experiencing significant constraints over the past five years. In late 2011, the Global Fund Board reassessed earlier financial forecasts, cancelled the call for Round 11 and set up a Transitional Funding Mechanism (TFM) designed to support programmes that may face significant programme disruption of essential services without continuous external funding support. Under the new Global Fund policies, there are requirements for counterpart financing and certain conditions about the focus of the proposal and programme. From the beginning of 2012, G-20 upper-middle-income countries are no longer eligible for grant renewals unless they have an extreme disease burden.

Many of the national HIV programmes of countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) depend heavily on international funding (mainly GF) for their operation. There is a critical need to explore, develop and start implementing systems in the CIS that would secure sustainable financing for the country HIV programmes, not only with regard to their current scope, but also in anticipation of future needs.

Currently UNDP’s HIV practice is implementing a regional project involving five countries – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - that will work with the critical enablers as outlined in the UNAIDS Investment Framework (2) and will address issues relevant for the transition towards sustainable financing of national HIV responses.

While the overall purpose of the project is to develop scenarios how to integrate currently externally funded components of the national HIV/AIDS response into existing national financing mechanisms with a particular focus on sustaining overall programme achievements and meeting the goal of universal coverage of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services provided through the best public-private service mix, this consultancy will focus on the Republic of Kazakhstan and its experience in the move towards sustainable national HIV financing: As UNAIDS study states, “since being classified an ‘upper-middle income’ country in 2006, Kazakhstan has seen a reduction in foreign development aid. As of 2011 Kazakhstan may no longer apply for HIV grants to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which is the country’s second largest funder - after the government itself - of HIV and TB programmes. Knowing that this would happen, the government of Kazakhstan has put in place strategies to fill the gap and has considerably increased domestic financing. The government’s share of financing ARV drugs has grown from 7% in 2007 to 100% in 2011” (3).

This consultancy aims therefore to summarize the detailed steps the Government and other national stakeholders have taken during the transition phase from external funding to financing through national mechanisms and to share in this way valuable lessons learnt with other CIS countries. The consultancy will build on and further elaborate an earlier study (4) developed by UNAIDS.

Duties and Responsibilities

The national consultant will work under the supervision of the UNDP HIV, Health and Development (HHD) Practice Economist in Bratislava. She/he will review the existing experience in Kazakhstan in transitioning to sustainable national financing and analyze current developments towards complete national financing of all components of HIV response in the country. In the final country report the national consultant will:
  • Review the works and projects which have been done on sustainable HIV financing in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
  • Document the current annual financial volume of external and national funding of the national HIV response in the Republic of Kazakhstan, by national HIV programme components and their activities, and by service provider categories, over the timeframe covered by existing contracts;
  • Detailed analysis of scope and funding level of NGO-provided HIV services by external and national funding sources;
  • 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;
  • Shed a light on drugs licensing, procurement regulations and practices in the country (with a particular focus on ARVs);
  • Analyze the steps and measures taken by government in transitioning to national HIV financing, and present achieved results and currently existing challenges (particular attention should be made on ARV drug prices).
Deliverables
Products (refer to focus areas above):
  • Detailed study design and work plan;
  • Comprehensive analytical report on the Republic of Kazakhstan featuring the existing experience in transition to sustainable national financing of HIV response and the results achieved with executive summary (in English and Russian);
  • One paper for submission for publication in international journal (jointly with UNDP HHD team);
  • Power point presentation 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).
Services:
  • Support to the Lead Consultant in preparation of regional report;
  • Contribution to blogs and social media communications related to the study topics.

Payments
Payment will be made in three installments:

  • First installment will be made after submission of detailed work plan and study design (20 percent), by estimated 31 May 2013;
  • Second installment will be made after submission of the draft report (40 percent), by estimated 31 August 2013;
  • Third installment will be made after successful completion of all products and services listed in “Deliverables” (40 percent), by estimated 30 November 2013.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:
  • Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS;
  • 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.
Functional competencies:
  • Excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner;
  • Outstanding analytical skills;
  • 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 economics/health economics, business, public health or other relevant field; possession of PhD is an advantage.
Experience:
  • Five or more years of relevant experience in the field of health sector analysis, preferably including HIV/AIDS;
  • Experience in health sector and HIV financing issues is desirable;
  • 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 Republic of Kazakhstan is desirable;
  • Track record of health reviews and delivery of high quality knowledge products including international publications;
  • Working experience with international organizations.
Language skills:
  • English and Russian are required.
Location:
  • Home -based in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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. points: 35:
  • Education and additional qualifications (degrees, certificates, etc.) – max points: 5;
  • Relevant work experience in HIV and health sector economics and finance issues in Kazakhstan, including previous work with global fund grants in the country – max points: 15;
  • Possession of previous publications related to the topic of the consultancy – max points: 10;
  • Coordination and Communication skills, and languages – max points: 5.
Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. points: 15.

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, list of publications 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.
  • Publications related to the topic of consultancy.
  • 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).
  • 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...).

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.

FC: 30000