National Consultant for Review of Tuberculosis Landscape

USAID SUSTAINABLE FINANCING FOR HIV

TERMS OF REFERENCE

A NATIONAL CONSULTANT

Review of Tuberculosis Landscape

1. Background of the assignment

1.1 The beneficiary

The beneficiary organization is the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

1.2 Contracting authority

The contract relative to this assignment will be signed with representatives of Abt Associates Inc. as outlined in the work plan of the USAID Sustainable Financing for HIV project.

1.3 Project background

The USAID Sustainable Financing for HIV (SFA) is a two-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam. The project started on October 1, 2018 and will end on September 30, 2020. The project builds on USAID’s existing support to the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to provide a program of targeted, innovative, evidence-based, and results-driven technical assistance. Building on its predecessor the Health Finance and Governance (HFG) project, the purpose of SFA is to help Vietnam mobilize and organize host country financing for HIV programs.   

1.4 Context of the assignment

With support from the HFG Project and USAID Sustainable Financing for HIV, Vietnam has made impressive strides in its HIV program. Domestic funding has grown from less than a third of the program to over half, ARV procurement is now centralized, and the percentage of PLHIV enrolled in Social Health Insurance has almost tripled from 35% to 90%. The National Tuberculosis Program wants to take lessons learned during these successes of the HIV program and create a roadmap for the inclusion of TB drugs and services into SHI.

To do this, the consultant will conduct an assessment highlighting how lessons learned from HIV integration into SHI can be applied to TB, including a situational assessment of the current TB financing and delivery structures, and key recommended next steps for SHI integration.

2. Objectives and tasks of the CONSULTANCY

2.1. Objectives

The main purpose of the study is to provide a situational assessment of the current TB financing and delivery structures, and key recommended next steps for SHI integration. The study aspects may include the following elements that the project assisted with during the HIV service inclusion into SHI:

• Operational and regulatory policy changes
• Government organizational shifts that accompany such a vertical to integrated change
• Human resource changes around training and accreditation
• What a benefit package might look like, and financial implications of this
• How procurement / supply chains would be affected
• Potential changes to the M&E system around TB

USAID/SFA seeks to hire a national consultant with demonstrated experience and knowledge of public health research (including TB, health economics and SHI) to assist the project in conducting the study.

2.2. Tasks

The consultant will work closely with USAID/SFA and the project’s partners to carry out the following tasks:

• Meet with key stakeholders within the SFA Technical Team to co-develop report outline
• Conduct desk review of relevant TB literature including peer-reviewed literature as well as policy documents and grey literature (e.g., from implementing partners and GVN documents) in Vietnamese and English
• Liaise closely with SFA team both in the field and in Rockville, MD including Quality Assurance lead
• Draft report based on desk review
• Finalize report incorporating feedback from SFA team

3. Risks

The result of this study is expected to be completed by August 31, 2020 before the close of the USAID/SFA project (September 30, 2020). Therefore, the study will have to strictly adhere to proposed timelines in order to deliver results in time.

4. Management of the assignment

USAID/SFA Technical Team will be responsible for managing the assignment and the technical products, in collaboration with VAAC.

5. Location and timing

5.1. Location

The work will be carried out remotely.

5.2. Timing

The assignment is planned for the period from July 20 to August 31, 2020.

6. Requirements

6.1. Qualification requirements

The consultant is expected to fulfill the following requirements:

• Graduate degree in Public Health or similar disciplines
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of TB care and treatment program in Vietnam and its current context, especially at decentralized level
• Strong understanding of SHI regulations in general and for TB in particular
• Experience designing and using research methods to assess health programs of interest
• Experience in providing consultancy services to USAID and PEPFAR partners
• Working knowledge of English.

6.2. Equipment

The consultant agrees to use their own computers and equipment as necessary to carry out the work.

7. Deliverables and reporting

The consultant shall report to the USAID/SFA Technical Lead as specified in the below table.

Note: With respect to any reports, data, or information produced by the Consultant in the course of performing tasks under this work order, Abt Associates shall have unlimited rights to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly and display publicly, in any manner and for any purpose, and to have or permit others to do so. The consultant will fully disclose, deliver, and transfer to Abt Associates and the Consultant irrevocably assigns to Abt Associates its entire right, title, and interest in and to any and all ideas, methods, inventions, devices, and improvements, originating, conceived, acquired, or developed by the Consultant, either solely or jointly with others, in connections with this Consulting Agreement.  The provisions of this paragraph shall survive expiration or termination of this Consulting Agreement.

Note: This position is based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

To apply, please send your application documents to Ms. Thanh Hien with the following email:

[email protected]

Deadline: July 19^th 2020

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.