National Consultant: Financing Framework for Family Planning Services, Kampala, Uganda

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VACANCY IS ONLY FOR NATIONALS OF UGANDA OR THOSE WHO ARE AUTHORIZED TO WORK IN UGANDA.

Contract duration: 90 days

Background

The UNFPA with support from UK aid from the UK government is supporting the implementation of the project: Support to Address Uganda's population challenge and Improve FP Uptake.  The project will be carried out at a national level and in hard-to-reach and refugee-hosting 19 districts for specific interventions in Uganda. The intended outcome is reduced fertility rates and improved sexual and reproductive health outcomes through support to the Government of Uganda in the implementation of the Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (FP-CIP). 

The current funding for RHC is mainly channelled through the private sector using the Alternative Distribution System (ADS). The financing and funding model is not sustainable. UNFPA intends to work with key stakeholders, especially the MOH, to explore alternative and sustainable mechanisms for expanding the financing base for FP services, and a funding mechanism that enhances accessibility and uptake of FP services in an equitable manner. In this regard, and as part of the RISE programme, UNFPA intends to support the government of Uganda to develop and implement a financing strategy for family planning services to ensure adequate resources are available to enhance uptake of family planning, including among vulnerable and/or hard-to-reach population. 

As a first step towards this process, the MOH has just undertaken a comprehensive cost analysis of the unit cost providing a range of SRH/HIV services at different levels of care and ownership. The information generated from this analysis will be informative in designing a sound Financing Strategy/framework for FP services in Uganda.

To achieve this objective, the MOH, with support from UNFPA, is seeking the services of a consultant to lead the process of developing a financing strategy/framework for FP services.

The purpose and scope of the study 

The MOH has a Health Financing Strategy (HFS) that provides an overall framework and guidance to the country on how resources shall be mobilised in an equitable and efficient manner to scale up services towards Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals. A health financing framework for SRH will be developed with a focus of identifying innovative mechanisms which can enhance availability and uptake of SRH, especially FP, in an equitable and sustainable manner—with emphasis on responsiveness to the needs of hard-to-reach subpopulation groups.  This financing framework will therefore provide guidance on how to operationalize the overall HFS in a context of a differentiated SRH service delivery model.

Specific objectives:

Specifically, the Consultant will be expected to

• Carry out a review of the existing health financing and funding mechanisms in and outside Uganda, highlighting their strength and weaknesses 
• Describe a 5-year projection (2019/20 – 2024/25) of family planning need in Uganda, at national and subnational levels, based on the assumptions in the Investment Case for Family Planning and the SHARPENED plan
• Determine the resource requirements for the provision of the projected need of family planning services, based on the current unit cost of SRH services, considering both total and recurrent costs
• Provide recommendations for short and long term feasible strategies for resource mobilisation, pooling and purchasing of the FP services, considering differentiation of service delivery by hard-to-reach population sub-groups. 
• Describe the key elements of the Implementation and Institutional framework of the FP Health Financing Framework

Task and Responsibilities:

The Consultant is required to:

• Review, among others, the Investment Case for Family Planning, the SHARPENED Plan for RMNCAH, The Health Financing Strategy for the Uganda HSDP
• Prepare and present a research protocol/inception report, detailing their understanding of the TOR, suggesting their approach in answering the TOR, their suitability for the assignment, including relevant qualifications and experiences of team members
• Assemble a team of competent researchers to complete the assignment within the stipulated timeline
• Work, under the guidance of the MOH, to plan and manage implementation of the assessment, including identifying appropriate stakeholders and information sources, and organising validation meetings
• Seek support from MOH and/or UNFPA Country Office for technical guidance, whenever necessary
• Identify all relevant sources of information and will be responsible for securing them. UNFPA and MOH will offer assistance where necessary
• Assure quality of the data collected, and especially that information and assumptions used are consistent with MOH official or approved sources
• Conduct data analysis to answer to the objectives of the research
• Present Secure relevant data analysis software and develop and share necessary data entry screens in a manner that is transparent and user-friendly
• Draft and present draft reports to UNFPA Knowledge Management Committee (KMC) and the MOH Research Steering Committee as per agreed schedules
• Draft a final report answering all the objectives of the assignment, using relevant data visualization methods to optimize understanding of information.

Methodology

The consultant will detail their methodological approach in their Inception report, as per the TOR, including the tool they will use for projecting FP needs and resource requirements.

Deliverables

• An inception report, indicating the tool which will be used in projection of FP needs and resource requirement and impact
• Draft reports 
• Final report 
• A copy of the final datasets used in needs and assessment and resource requirements, complete with the outputs of the analyses

Monitoring and Progress Control

The Asst. Commissioner together with Assistant Representative – UNFPA who will generate a monitoring schedule to assess the deliverables at every stage. The consultant will present all key milestone products to a research steering committee set up and coordinated by MOH. The purpose of the steering committee will be to guide the consultancy and vet the consultant’s work. All technical issues relating to the consultancy will be addressed by the steering committee. 

Supervisory Arrangements

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNFPA M&E Specialist, with technical support from SRH and FP Program Analysts. The consultant will present all key milestone products to a research steering committee set up and coordinated by MOH. The purpose of the steering committee will be to guide the consultancy and vet the consultant’s work. All technical issues relating to the consultancy will be addressed by the steering committee. The consultant’s inception and final reports will be peer reviewed and submitted for approval to the UNFPA Uganda Knowledge Management Committee (KMC) to ascertain scientific and academy rigor. Approval by the KMC is a pre-condition for the assignment to be considered finalized and that it has met the expected quality standards. The consultant will work in accordance to the procedures and activities agreed upon, and expected to deliver outputs as directed by the MOH and UNFPA. 

Expected Travel

Travel will mainly be within Kampala to MOH and UNFPA Country Office. 

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Minimum of a Master’s degree in Health Economics or Economics, public health, (bio)statistics;

Experience:

• At least five years of experience in costing or economic evaluation of health, education or other social services
• Understanding of Health Financing Policies or evidence of work in health financing
• Good understanding of the Uganda Health System, or similar systems
• Experience in managing research work involving multiple stakeholders, including/or working with strategic partners and donors
• Evidence of having carried similar work before, especially within the East African Region, particularly in the health sector
• The consultant will demonstrate evidence of experience in modelling health service needs and resource requirement using a peer-reviewed modelling tool or any other innovative transparent tool
• Good writing skills

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner:

When necessary, the consultants may sit at UNFPA especially during the review of documents and at the report writing period. Assistant Representative will offer them assistance in that regard. UNFPA will use its procedures to enter into a contractual arrangement with the identified consultants.

Terms and conditions of payment:

The consultant will receive 50% of their fees (20% upon submitting the inception report and 30% upon submission of a draft report of the micro-costing results). The balance of 50% will be paid upon submission and acceptance of the final report. Steering committee meetings will be convened by the MOH.

How to Apply:

• Deadline for applications: Friday, May 3rd, 2019, 5 pm Kampala time.
• Interested applicants should first register on the UNFPA Consultancy Roster and apply to the “job post” called UNFPA Consultant Roster. After registering on the Roster, Click ‘Apply Now’. In case you have applied for UNFPA eRecruitment Jobs before, directly click ‘Apply Now’. 
• After application, please send a confirmation email to komugisha@unfpa.org clearly stating the position you are applying to, full name, and date of submission in the subject.
• UNFPA reports – If the applicant has worked for UNFPA in the past, he/she may submit their most recent assessment, consultancy report or other documents to illustrate his/work.
• UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom the Country Office has further interest.

Disclaimer:

• UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
• UNFPA is committed to maintaining balanced gender distribution of the positions and therefore encourage women to apply. 
• There are NO application processing or other fees at any stage of UNFPA application processes.