Consultancy services for conducting a mid-term assessment of the social contracting pilot implementation

CALL FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Conducting a mid-term assessment of the social contracting pilot implementation

I. BACKGROUND

The global USAID/Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project in Vietnam helps low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable, self-funded health finance systems that support high-performing overall health systems. The LHSS activity in Vietnam will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to advance greater local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control. Led by Abt Associates, the four-year activity will support Vietnam in increasing its domestic financing for HIV and TB services in the context of declining donor funding, in using government resources more efficiently, and in assuming local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control activities. Specific objectives are: (1) Support the GVN to strengthen its public financial management systems for public sector health and find greater efficiencies in social health insurance (SHI), (2) Increase and improve the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services; (3) Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam's supply chain management system; and (4) Integrate TB services into SHI.

On November 29, 2021, the Ministry of Health (MOH) issued decision No 5466/Q?-BYT approving social contracting pilot proposal for the period of 2022-2024, followed by Decision No 40/Q?-AIDS dated March 10, 2022, which provided guidance for conducting an HIV social contracting (SC) pilot with community-based organizations (CBOs) and social enterprises (SEs). The pilot proposal aims to (1) pilot purchasing of HIV services through social contracting and (2) gain practical experience and evidence to inform policy development on purchasing of HIV services through social contracting using state budget.

In June 2022, five provinces launched the SC pilot including Nghe An, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Dien Bien, and Tien Giang. Four additional provinces—Hai Phong, Binh Duong, Can Tho, and Kien Giang—started implementing the pilot in April 2023. With different starting point of the pilot, the nine province reach different results. The following table shows implementation progress by province as of 31/3/2023.  

In order to evaluate the progress, results and challenges of SC pilot implementation for the period from June 2021 to Sep 2023 and identify necessary interventions to improve the quality of the pilot implementation for the remaining period (ending Sep 2024), as well as generate evidence to inform policy development, LHSS and UNAIDS will support Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) in conducting a mid-term assessment of the social contracting pilot proposal. LHSS is responsible for recruiting a local consultant team and UNAIDS is responsible for recruiting an international consultant. The international consultant will work closely with the local team.

- Objectives of the mid-term assessment

• To evaluate the operational and service delivery progress and results of SC pilot implementation for the period from June 2021 to Sep 2023.
• To identify challenges and recommend interventions to improve the pilot implementation and results for the remaining period (ending Sep 2024).
• To assess the relevance and feasibility of the VAAC guidelines for implementing the SC pilot to inform any necessary adaption.

- Timeline and study location

• Timeline: From July 2023 to March 2024. Data collection will be in October-December 2023.
• Study locations: 9 pilot provinces (including Dien Bien, Nghe An, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, Can Tho, Kien Giang, Hai Phong and Binh Duong) and the central level (VAAC and implementing partners supporting the pilot implementation).

II.     TASKS, DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE

2.1.   Tasks

The consultant will work closely with USAID/LHSS and the project’s partners to oversee and coordinate the study, manage data collection efforts, provide data quality assurance, conduct data analysis, prepare reports and provide overall logistical support. The details are as follows:

Preparation of the study

• Conduct a desk review of documents related to the pilot proposal on social contracting and relevant government policies and legal and regulatory framework to inform the assessment protocol and final report.
• Design and finalize the assessment protocol with detailed methodology, including design, piloting, and refinement of data collection tools, recruitment plans, sample size, schedule of field visits, data collection team composition and management, data processing methods, and analysis methods.
• Obtain local ethics approval for any human subject’s research if requested.
• Collaborate with UNAIDS’s international consultant during the design and finalization of the research protocol and data collection tools.
• Recruit and train data collectors and data collection supervisors.
• Make an assessment plan, including a plan for piloting data collection instruments (if necessary), and field trip schedule, logistics arrangement for data collection at the field.
• Attend relevant meetings to discuss the assessment as required by the VAAC and LHSS.

Data collection

• Prepare data collection guidelines and data security plan.
• Provide technical and logistic support for data collectors.
• Ensure the quality of data collection, and compliance with the data security plan.
• Supervise and monitor field staff to assure the quality of the data collection process.
• Conduct data collection in 9 provinces and the central level according to the approved assessment protocol.
• Conduct data collection in 9 provinces and the central level according to the approved assessment protocol.
• Prepare site visit notes documenting any difficulties or irregularities in data collection and share with LHSS.
• Ensure quality data is collected as planned and stored in accordance with the data security plan throughout the process; oversee data entry to ensure quality and security.

Data Analysis and Report-Writing

• Conduct data cleaning, processing, and analysis.
• Produce an assessment report (draft and final version).
• Closely work with the international consultant managed by UNAIDS throughout the report-writing.
• Prepare presentation and present report results at technical meetings/workshops as required by VAAC and LHSS.

2.2.   Deliverables

The consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:

III.   SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

For team leader

• An advanced degree (minimum Master’s) in public health, health economics, sociology, or relevant disciplines.
• At least 10years of relevant work experience, particularly in the public health and HIV prevention and control sector.
• Experience in conducting study research and/or evaluation.
• Good understanding of social/community organizations in general and in the HIV/AIDS services delivery and social contracting.
• Skills indata analysis,report writing, andpresenting.
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively in a team and as a team leader.
• Language requirement: Vietnamese and English.

For team member(s)

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, health economics, sociology, or relevant disciplines.
• Experience in conducting study research and/or evaluation.
• Good understanding of social/community organizations in general and in the HIV/AIDS services delivery and social contracting.
• Skills indata analysis and report writing.
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively in a team.
• Language requirement: Vietnamese and English.

IV.   MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSIGNMENT

All deliverables must be reviewed by the Social Health Insurance and Finance Technical Officer and approved by the LHSS’s technical director. The consultant team can direct questions to the technical director throughout the consultancy.

To apply, please send your CVs and an application letter to the following email: [email protected]

Deadline: June 26, 2023

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.