Background

The Philippines is at a critical stage in its response to HIV and AIDS.  Over the past years, the country has been gravely challenged by a rapid and accelerated rate of new HIV infections.  Data from the Philippines HIV and AIDS Registry of the Department of Health (DOH)[1] revealed that in April 2018, there were 924 new cases of HIV reported which is higher than the 628 cases recorded in April last year.  Of the 924 new cases, 179 were already showing clinical manifestations of advanced HIV infections or AIDS. These new cases have brought the total number of HIV cases to 54,332 including 5,700 that have advanced to AIDS since the country began recording cases in January 1984.

Unprotected sex remains the predominant mode of transmission, accounting for 899 cases.  Of these cases, 774 were men who have sex with men (MSM) while 11 were people who inject drugs (PWID) who shared contaminated needles.  The youngest case involved a 16-year old while the oldest was 69.  Geographically, one third of the new cases of infections or 282 cases came from the National Capital Region (NCR); CALABARZON (164); Central Luzon (117); Central Visayas (71); Davao Region (50); and Western VIsayas (44).

In response to the HIV epidemic in the country, the Philippine Health Sector Plan (2015-2020) adopted the 90-90-90 target of the UNAIDS which sets the goals to (1) 90% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) knowing their status; (2) 90% of those diagnosed being on antiretroviral therapy (ART); and (3) 90% of those on ART being virally suppressed by the year 2020.

While there was an 18% increase in diagnosis from 2015 to 2016—indicating an improvement in targeted HIV testing—of the estimated 56,000 PLHIV, approximately 33% remain undiagnosed in 2016.[2] Furthermore, only 32% of the estimated PLHIV are on ART—less than half of those who have been diagnosed.[3]

In the Philippines and other countries, making ART accessible to PLHIV remains a critical challenge in achieving the 90-90-90 target. To address this, several countries in regions greatly affected by the HIV epidemic conducted an assessment of their ARV medicines procurement and supply management system. For example, in Eastern and Southern Africa—the region with the highest number of PLHIV—the health ministries of Zambia and Tanzania undertook an in-depth assessment of medicines financing and financial flows for the existing systems for procurement and distribution of essential medicines including medicines for HIV/AIDS, TB, and opportunistic infections. The assessments also determined the strengths and weaknesses of existing medicines supply systems and proposed recommendations and strategies on how to improve their systems. These assessments guided the two countries in the development of a coordinated, coherent, and efficient national medicines supply plan and strategy for HIV/AIDS.

Given the challenges the Philippines is facing with regard to the procurement and distribution of ARV medicines from the central office down to the local offices and distribution to the end users, it is necessary to undertake the assessment of facility-based practices from receiving of ARV medicines up to the submission of inventory and requisition to DOH to be able to establish a monitoring system that will inform the forecasting of procurement of medicines in the country, and will help the Philippines achieve the 90-90-90 target.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The assessment of facility-based practices with regard to ARV medicines procurement and supply management requires the engagement of a national consultant/expert.  The consultant is expected to undertake the following:

1. Undertake an assessment of facility-based practices for the existing systems for procurement and distribution of ARV medicines;
2. Identify and analyse at each level of the medicines supply chain management cycle (selection, procurement, distribution, and use), the actors involved in each category of product and their policy, strategy, and tool used for the procurement and supply chain management of each category of product;
3. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of existing medicines supply systems and propose recommendations and strategies on how to improve them; and
4. Develop a coordinated, coherent, and efficient monitoring system of consumption of medicines to inform forecasting of medicines for procurement.

The consultant will work with the Programme Analyst (UNDP Philippines Democratic Governance Team) with guidance from the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) HIV, Health and Development (HHD) Team.  

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to submit an inception report and work plan, draft and final versions of the  assessment of facility-based practices with regard to ARV medicines procurement and supply chain management, and proposed monitoring system to the Programme Analyst on Governance, Human Rights, and LGBTI Philippines CO for review and to the Policy Advisor, HIV, Health and Development (HHD Team) UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub for final approval.  Below is the summary of expected outputs and deliverables:

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Functional and technical competencies:

• Strong knowledge of the latest theories and concepts in urban development and sustainable cities in the Philippines and broader region;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Familiarity with current actors working on urban development challenges in the Philippines;
• Strong communication skills and ability to communicate with different stakeholders;
• Excellent in oral and written communication; have skills to write independent reports, documents, maintain systems and procedures in administering programs.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Expert

Education

• Must have advanced university degree/Master’s Degree in Public Management, Public Health, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

Work Experience

• Must have at least 5 years experience working on public health, particularly HIV and AIDS
• At least 3 years experience on procurement and supply management
• 3-5 years experience in writing research and excellent track record in producing quality reports
• At least 3 years experience in organizing events including workshops/meetings

Language

• English and Filipino 

Criteria for Evaluation of Level of Technical Compliance of Individual Contractor

Offers will be evaluated based on combined scoring method – where the Technical Proposal will be evaluated based on qualifications in the CV and brief description of previous work. The Technical evaluation and is weighted a max. of 70%.

The Financial Proposal that will be evaluated through submission of the Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the IC including Financial Proposal Template and combined with the price offer will be weighted a max of 30%;

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based in the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points):

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The financial proposal should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e., such as transportation/travel to and from residence for meetings within Metro Manila, supplies and materials, equipment, reproduction, communications including internet, etc). The Consultant will be requested to include weekends within the period of engagement as work days, if necessary, and will be required to travel outside of Manila, as the need arises.

Recommended Presentation of the Offer

Offerors must upload in file the following documents:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability that indicates the all-inclusive lumpsum contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided; If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP;
2. Financial Proposal 
3. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
4. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.

Please visit http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=52202  to access the Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and view the complete details of Terms of Reference.

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.

[1] Philippines’ DOH HIV and AIDS Registry. April 2018.

[2] State of HIV Epidemic in the Philippines. 2016.

[3] Ibid.