Short-term Consultant

USAID | DELIVER PROJECT
Short-term Local Consultant to Support a Laboratory Services and Supply Chain Assessment for the MOH Public Health and MARD Animal Health Laboratory Systems for Influenza Surveillance and Response in Vietnam

Background: 

Under the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) program, the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT is collaborating with IDENTIFY Project partners in Vietnam to support ongoing efforts to build in-country laboratory capacity to detect, report and respond to suspected disease outbreaks in the public health and animal health sectors.

IDENTIFY partners in Vietnam, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), have requested technical assistance from the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT to help the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to conduct an assessment of the public health and animal health laboratory systems to obtain key information and data on influenza laboratory services and the supply chains for managing the laboratory supplies and equipment.

The assessment will include collection and analysis of data on the organization of the laboratory system, policies, infrastructure and equipment, personnel, testing services, quality assurance, and laboratory management information systems. The supply chain component of the assessment will be focused on current policies, procedures and capacity for procurement, inventory management, storage and distribution of laboratory supplies, and the availability of selected products.

The assessment results will be used at the MOH influenza laboratory strategic planning workshop and will help to inform the Five-Year Laboratory Strategic Plan. A similar strategy will be used for the MARD laboratories included in this activity.  

Objectives:

The short-term local consultant will function as an in-country member of the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT team to provide administrative, technical and linguistic assistance and will coordinate with IDENTIFY partners WHO and FAO, and the MOH and the MARD to –
- Conduct an assessment of the public health and animal health influenza laboratory services and supply chains in the country,
- Present preliminary assessment results to stakeholders at the end of the assessment visit,
- Document the assessment findings and recommendations in a technical report,
- Facilitate the development of draft action plans based on the assessment results that will help to inform MOH and MARD laboratory strategic planning efforts to strengthen influenza surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
Location of Work:            Hanoi, Vietnam
Period of Performance:    28 January 2013 – 31 December 2013
Total Days:                     75 days

Activities:

- Key activities of the consultant throughout the pre-assessment, assessment and post-assessment phases of the technical assistance will be to –

General activities

- Provide administrative support and oversight, serve as the liaison responsible for communication, coordination, and reporting between the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT and WHO, FAO, MOH, MARD and other partners, and to provide translation, or identify qualified translation services as needed throughout the duration of the technical assistance.
Pre-assessment
- Collect, review, and translate as needed, policy and technical documents on influenza surveillance and response in Vietnam, including current policies and procedures for procurement, inventory management, storage, and distribution of the laboratory reagents and supplies required for collection and testing of influenza samples.
- Coordinate the schedule and in-country travel arrangements for meetings, field visits, and other activities as needed.
- Assist in adaptation, translation, training and field testing of the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT Assessment Tool for Laboratory Services and Supply Chains (ATLAS) to be used to collect influenza laboratory services and supply chain data.
- Assist in identification and training of local MOH and MARD staff to participate as assessment team members.
- Assist in development of selection criteria and final selection of the public health and animal health laboratories to be included in the assessment field visits.
Assessment 
- Provide administrative support and oversight as needed in planning, conducting and monitoring the MOH and MARD influenza laboratory field assessment activities in-country (scheduling visits to laboratory facilities, travel and per diem arrangements, organizing workshops and meetings).
- Participate in the assessment data collection visits, technical review and analysis of findings, and presentation of preliminary assessment results to stakeholders.
Post-assessment 
- Participate in post-assessment data analysis and drafting of the assessment report.
- Arrange for translation and dissemination of the final assessment report.
- Participate in presentation of the assessment results and assist in drafting action plans for the MOH and MARD laboratory strategic planning workshops.
- Consultant Deliverables
It is expected that the consultant, together with the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT logistics advisors, will participate in and be responsible for completion of the following deliverables—
- Technical and policy documents on influenza surveillance and response in Vietnam collected, translated and submitted to the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT logistics advisors.
- Stakeholder meetings, site visits, and planning meetings for the pre-assessment planning visit of USAID | DELIVER PROJECT logistics advisors confirmed.
- Revised ATLAS tools for data collection at public health laboratories and animal health laboratories translated and ready for field testing.
- Data and observations from field data collection visits to selected public health and animal health laboratories compiled.
- Review and analysis of preliminary assessment findings conducted in-country.
- Preliminary assessment results presented to stakeholders in-country.
- Final assessment report translated and disseminated to all relevant stakeholders and partners.
- Draft action plans developed, translated and disseminated to appropriate stakeholders at WHO, FAO, MOH and MARD.

Consultant Qualifications and Skills

Education:
Advanced degree in Medical Laboratory Science; Biomedical Science; Molecular Biology or equivalent
Language:
Written and spoken fluency in English and Vietnamese is required.
Skills and experience:
- Demonstrated experience in virology and managing or supporting national influenza surveillance programs
- Knowledge of sample collection and transport systems, and laboratory testing protocols for influenza surveillance
- Familiarity with laboratory reagents, supplies and equipment required for influenza testing
- Experience conducting comprehensive laboratory assessments and/or managing laboratory supply systems including procurement, inventory management, storage and distribution of laboratory reagents and consumable supplies is highly desirable.
- Proven ability to read, write and translate technical documents in English and Vietnamese
- Previous experience working in the Ministry of Health (MOH) or the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) public health or animal health laboratory systems
- Willingness and ability to travel as needed
- Excellent interpersonal communication and organizational skills
- Strong project management, administrative and coordination skills
- Proficiency in MS Office software package; knowledge of MS Access and statistical packages a plus.

Deadline: 23 January 2013

Interested candidates please send their relevant documents to the email : [email protected]