Background

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges discussed above built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP). The RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

The RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict. It is based on findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery as well as to the two oblast development strategies up to 2020. It takes into account, the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions (the latest cease-fire having been agreed upon in March of 2018) and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is, therefore, fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF). It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance and Reform Programme, operating nationally and in all of Ukraine’s regions, and is consistent with the SDGs, in particular SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong institutions).

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure

Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform

Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.

The Programme, which operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multi-sectoral programme-based approach and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying interventions framework for 16 projects funded by 10 international partners and is worth about 52 million USD.

In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO and the UNFPA) have countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of the regions. It will contribute to peace building and prevent further escalation of conflict in Ukraine through effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning and equal access to services, as well as enhanced community security and social cohesion.

This endeavour will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives

1. To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralisation and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services.
2. To stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.
3. To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through the promotion of civic initiatives.
4. To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education and critical public infrastructure to mitigate direct impacts of the conflict.

One of the priority of the Objective 4 is to enhance local capacity for gender responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services. Regarding health reform, on 19 of October, 2017, Ukraine’s Parliament approved the draft law No. 6327 “On state financial guarantees for the provision of medical services and medicines,” which gave a start to an important and long-awaited health reform in Ukraine. The law introduces changes to the entire financing model of the healthcare system, switching to payments for services provided by individual doctors or medical facilities and replacing the old, input-based financing system (for infrastructure, number of beds etc.). It also aims at the provision of higher quality care for patients, with a stronger emphasis on prevention and primary care, rather than specialized treatment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Considering the aforementioned, UNDP RPP is looking to contract a National Expert on capacity assessment of public procurement transparency and integrity in the health sectors of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

This assessment will serve as base-level data to develop a guideline on transparency in public procurement at the hospital level (using best international practices and models of work), as well as teaching materials and curriculum for webinars.

The assessment shall describe the:

1. methods and procedures usually applied for public procurement in the health sector;
2. capacity of local decision makers, health managers, and leading medical staff on health governance;
3. transparency and integrity of health procurement, and accessibility of essential medicines;
4. efficiency and efficacy of hospital procurements of medicines and medical goods/disposals;
5. good governance in public procurement;
6. ordinary needs of primary, secondary, and tertiary level clinics in the procurement of goods, services, consumables, etc., and how these needs are met or not;
7. provision and stocking of medicines management;
8. procurement of e-Health and other similar services.

Upon the completion of the assessment UNDP is expecting to have:

1. Descriptions of methods and procedures of public procurement in health care sector;
2. Descriptions of the best international practices on public procurement in the sector,
3. Compliance in best procedures/practices with national legislation and international approaches,
4. Evidence about transparent, reasonable and loyal procurement practice,
5. Misapplication of legislation,
6. Local system(s) of medicine stock management in healthcare sector,
7. Challenges during service procurement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision from the Health Governance Specialists in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts the National Expert is responsible for the following key tasks:

• Develop workplan and table research protocol in Ukrainian and submit to the supervisors for approval.
• Perform table research and report on existing internationally recognized assessment tools for public procurement analysis, advise about which tools should be applied for this assignment. Submit Ukrainian version of the report to supervisor for consideration and approval.
• Develop assessment protocol, adapt selected tool to local specific, develop questionnaires, survey forms, instructions for interviews, and other forms to be used during the assessment, and submit to supervisor for approval.
• With technical and expert support from UNDP, conduct field part of the assessment and interviews with local authorities, health care providers, etc;
• Draft Ukrainian version of the report on the assessment and submit to supervisor for review;
• Present the draft to Health Task Force Group in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (GCA) for feedbacks and recommendations, moderate the meeting. UNDP covers administrative arrangements and logistic issues for invitees only.
• Update the report on the assessment in accordance with the recommendations from the presentation.
• Submit updated assessment report to supervisor for consideration and approval;

Prepare the report about the process of assessment, its successes and challenges, bottle necks, lessons learned, etc. and submit to the supervisor for consideration and approval.

The Consultant will be responsible to provide the following deliverables:

Monitoring/Reporting requirements

Responsibility for Managing People and the Work Plan

The principal responsibility for managing the expert will lie with UNDP Ukraine. The expert will work closely with government representatives, local authorities, health care providers, civil society, and stakeholders - strictly under guidance from UNDP and within the competencies and authority limited by this ToR.

The Programme Coordinator will provide the overall supervision and direct supervision will be provided by Health Governance Specialists in Donetsk oblasts.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

40% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverables 1 and 2

50% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverables 3 to 6

10% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 7

The payments will be paid out upon the full completion and acceptance of deliverables in accordance with certificate of payments provided by Health Governance Specialists.

Competencies

• Ability to perform desk research and analytical work
• Knowledge of different software for strategic planning in health care
• Deliver outputs in a timely manner
• Good interpersonal communication skills
• Sound judgment and maturity to foster a positive work environment
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Demonstrated strong analytical, coordination and facilitation skills
• Strong user of computers and office software packages

Required Skills and Experience

• At least Specialists/Masters’ degree or equivalent in public procurement, health management, medicine, public administration, social sciences or another relevant field;
• At least 5 years of proven experience in the field of policy development in health goods procurement, health goods procurement, policy development and implementation, healthcare management at local/national level, local governance;
• At least 2 years of work experience with government institutions of Ukraine;
• Proven experience of analytical work, research, drafting legislation, reporting and contributing to reports, advisory services, and capacity development or similar is required;
• At least 2 positive references from previous customers shall be provided.
• Fluency in Ukrainian is crucial. Working knowledge of English is desirable.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

 Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). 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.

The Expert will be responsible for all personal administrative expenses associated with undertaking this assignment including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copying.

Travel costs

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel in a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. 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 Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

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

Evaluation of Applicants

• At least Specialist/Master’s degree or equivalent in public procurement, health management, medicine, public administration, social science or another relevant field – Specialist/Masters’ degree -10 points, PhD of above – 15 points,
• At least 5 years of proven professional experience of policy development in health goods procurement, health goods procurement, policy development and implementation, healthcare management at local/national level, local governance – 5 years - 12 points, 6-8 years – 13 points, over 9 years – 14 points;
• Work experience with government institutions of Ukraine – 2 years – 5 points, 3-4 years – 6 points, 5 and more years - 7 points;
• Proven experience of analytical work, research, drafting legislation, reporting and contributing to reports, advisory services, and capacity development or similar 1 example - 7 points, 2-3 – 9 points, over 3 examples – 11 points;
• Positive references from previous customers – 2 references - 5 points, 3 – 6 points, 4 and more – 8 points;
• Language skills - Fluency in Ukrainian – 10 points, Ukrainian&English – 15 points.

EVALUATION METHOD

Cumulative analysis

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

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) 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 (49 points) 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.

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.