International Consultancy: Supporting Domestic Resource Mobilization Efforts for Family Planning Services in West and Central Africa

Purpose of consultancy:

This consultancy will enable the effective implementation of UNFPA Supplies Phase III financing initiatives in West and Central Africa (WCA), including Supplies Partnership Country Compact agreements, the Match Fund and the SMART Advocacy Project, which are expected to increase the domestic financing of family planning services in participating countries.

Background:

Under Phase III of the programme, UNFPA Supplies has shifted from a funding to financing model, which requires programme countries to significantly increase domestic funds towards procurement of quality-assured family planning (FP) commodities. A Supplies Partnership Country Compact agreement is required to be signed by participating governments, clearly outlining the domestic financing contributions and formalizing commitments. The programme has also launched a new financing initiative, the Match Fund pilot, to match domestic financing for quality-assured RH/FP commodities.

UNFPA’s advocacy efforts have resulted in some notable successes in realizing domestic financing commitments made in the Compact agreements and to leverage the Match Fund pilot. However, several Country Offices (COs) have pointed to the need for additional tools and guidance that can be used to design, adapt and monitor advocacy interventions.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has provided a grant to strengthen UNFPA’s advocacy efforts on domestic resource mobilization (DRM) for family planning at the country level, including the implementation of new domestic financing initiatives under the UNFPA Supplies Partnership.

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Social Policy and Health Economics Regional Adviser from UNFPA WCARO in close collaboration with the Commodity Management Team Lead from UNFPA WCARO and the Financing Team in Commodity Security Branch / Technical Division (CSB/TD) from UNFPA Headquarters.

This Terms of Reference, including the scope of work and deliverables, is adapted from the BMGF grant from UNFPA HQ.

Scope of work:

The selected consultant will enable the effective implementation of UNFPA Supplies Phase III financing initiatives in WCA. The main functions and tasks are summarized below.

Training: This includes: (i) coordinating all training activities on SMART for DRM with the Capacity Building Global Coordinator; (ii) co-facilitating SMART advocacy workshops while ensuring appropriate connections to Compacts, the Match Fund and investment cases; (iii) organizing a SMART Advocacy webinar series to orient COs on the use of the SMART approach to build TA applications; and (iv) co-facilitating regional learning webinars on different financing topics.

Development of regional analytics: This includes: (i) liaising with CO focal points to maintain a database of government budget allocations and expenditures on FP and generate routine analyses, including against Compact commitments; and (ii) conducting a rapid assessment of the SMART Advocacy Project, which distills key findings and best practices related to DRM advocacy for FP.

Development of guidance products: This includes supporting the conceptualization and drafting of: (i) a UNFPA Supplies Partnership DRM Advocacy Strategy and Framework, which articulates the vision, role and comparative advantage of the UNFPA Supplies Partnership in driving advocacy efforts on DRM (together with the UNFPA HQ and the Gates Institute team); and (ii) a FP Financing Communications Toolkit, which provides COs with a package of tools that can be used to support the implementation of the new UNFPA Supplies financing model and to effectively engage in broader DRM advocacy efforts (Note: UNFPA expects at least 70% of all TA applications from the region to include SMART objectives by 2023 and 90% by 2024). This also includes working closely with the regional advisors to support selected countries to implement the SMART Advocacy approach on DRM.

Duration and working schedule:

16 October 2023 – 15 September 2024

Deliverables and schedule:

The following schedule of deliverables may be revised and further refined during the consultancy:

Training:

• An updated plan of training activities in the region (monthly)
• Co-facilitation of a SMART Advocacy workshop (every 6 weeks)
• Organization of a SMART Advocacy webinar (every 2 months)
• Co-facilitation of a regional learning webinar on a financing topic (every 2 months)

Development of regional analytics:

• An updated Compact Global Tracker (monthly)
• Collection and analysis of government budget allocations and expenditures on FP (monthly)
• A rapid assessment of the SMART Advocacy Project (final 2 months)

Development of guidance products:

• Draft inputs to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership DRM Advocacy Strategy and Framework (during 2 months TBD)
• Draft inputs to the FP Financing Communications Toolkit (during 2 months TBD)
• Guidance to select countries to implement the SMART Advocacy approach on DRM, in close collaboration with the regional advisors (monthly)

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Fee payments will be made every month. Continuation of the assignment is subject to a satisfactory performance report from the supervisor, according to the predefined deliverables and tasks assigned. Interim check-ins will be made throughout the consultancy.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Social Policy and Health Economics Regional Adviser from UNFPA WCARO in close collaboration with the Commodity Management Team Lead from UNFPA WCARO and the Financing Team in CSB/TD from UNFPA Headquarters.

Expected travel:

Up to 30% of the time

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Minimum 7 years of experience with Masters degree or higher in public health, medicine, sociology, demography, economics, international relations, international development, public administration, management or other related field;
• Knowledge and experience in facilitating SMART Advocacy workshops/interventions, including strong facilitation skills;
• Strong technical knowledge and expertise in health financing in developing countries, including supporting public finance diagnostics and public financial management reform processes;
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing technical meetings in a multinational and multicultural environment;
• Extensive network within the development community;
• Good knowledge of the UN system, national programmes, principles of aid effectiveness, and awareness of the role of UN civil society partners at regional and national levels;
• Strong written and verbal skills in French and English.

Interested candidates should send (i) their resume, (ii) a 1-page cover letter that summarizes their key skills and motivation for this assignment, and (iii) a financial offer that presents the monthly amount in US dollars required to undertake the assignment to cummins@unfpa.org by 26 September 2023. Please title the message “Supporting Domestic Resource Mobilization Efforts for FPS.”