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17 Feb 2021

Consultancy Product Selection Specification Demand Planning

Job Description

USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program

Consultancy Product Selection Specification Demand Planning 

Statement of Work

Purpose: Provide consultancy in assessing the product selection, specification, and demand planning of health commodities in Zanzibar

Provider(s): TBD

Period of Performance: February 2021 and March 2021

Place of Performance:   Zanzibar and virtual/desk work

Background

The Ministry of Health Social Welfare, Gender Elderly and Children (MOHSWGEC) in Zanzibar embarked on the reform process from the beginning of 1990’s and this became fully fledged in the early 2000’s. The Geographical health infrastructure in Zanzibar has been distributed into primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care services. The distribution allows good access to primary services to 95% of the population living within or less than 5km to the nearest public health facility.

The health supply chain in Zanzibar spans from the Central level (MOHSWGEC, Programs, CMS) to the downstream (Hospitals, PHCU+ and PHCU) over which execution of supply chain activities demands the presence of a well-trained workforce. Central Medical Stores (CMS) is responsible for procurement of commodities in collaboration with the Procurement Unit of the MOHSWGEC. The CMS is also responsible to store and distribute commodities to all public health facilities. Over time there have been efforts to improve inventory management and warehouse infrastructure at CMS, these includes the establishment of the current WIB at Unguja and building of the new warehouse in Pemba including strengthening the cold storage system. Efforts have also included implementation various logistics systems such as the of the Zanzibar Integrated Logistics System (ZILS), TB and Leprosy medicines logistics system, and the Laboratory logistics system.

Based on its role, CMS is a key player in the health supply chain in Zanzibar. CMS delivers medicines, medical supplies and laboratory reagents direct to about 167 health facilities. Orders from health facilities are made electronically to CMS using the eLMIS. CMS uses mSupply as a program to run its business operations.

Whilst a lot has been achieved to date to improve warehouse and distribution, there are still a lot to unveil and provide the relevant recommendations and improvement support to ensure that there is defined standards for product selection, specification and demand planning of health commodities in Zanzibar.

The MOHSWGEC is currently undertaking a holistic review of the health supply chain in Zanzibar to identify and address challenges in entire system as part of strategies to improve management of health commodities and ensuring 100% stock availability of essential medicines in all health facilities in the country.

Scope

The scope of the review includes assessing and providing recommendation on the end to end supply chain of health commodities at both MOHSWEGC, central (CMS) and health facilities. Below eight areas of Supply chain have been identified for the review:

  • Products specifications, Selection, and demand planning,
  • Costing, funding, and financing strategies
  • Procurement and contract management
  • Warehousing, storage and spaces management, distribution, and transportation network at CMS
  • Inventory management (inventory analysis – SKUs (Stock keeping units), weight/volume, stock location, stock control policies, throughput analysis)
  • Information management systems
  • Human resource capacity for supply chain management
  • Supply chain oversight, governance, and accountability

The goal is to have a robust supply chain system that is both flexible and adaptable to frequent changes and evolving demands of the health sector while ensuring that the health commodities reach clients timely, cost effectively and with guaranteed quality.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this scope is to assess the current health commodities product selection, specification and demand planning of health commodities process and recommend the needed improvements for gaining efficiencies. In building up recommendations for product selection, specification, and demand planning of health commodities improvement in addition to the assessment observations there will be a need to incorporate findings and recommendations from other modules like, human resource, procurement and financing and costing. The scope of this module aims at analyzing gaps in health commodities (Pharmaceuticals, laboratory, and diagnostics) in three aspects of product selection, specifications, and demand planning to create standardized list of items as per level of care.

Objectives

  • Determine the process of product selection, specification, and demand planning of health commodities (essential medicines, diagnostics, medical reagents, and equipment),
  • Determine the gaps on areas of product selection, specifications, and demand planning.
  • Identify barriers hindering adherence to the pre-set standards for product selection, specification, and demand planning,
  • Recommend measures for efficient product selection, specification, and demand planning of health commodities in Zanzibar.

Tasks to be performed. 

For effective review, the review will be required to complete the following tasks.

  • Review preparations and logistics: The Consultant will be responsible for development of the action plan and related schedules for review and assessment to be conducted.
  • Conduct the document review: The Consultant will be required to conduct the document review on: Demand planning assessment reports, product selection, specifications, and demand planning reports for essential commodities, laboratory commodities, and vertical program quantification reports. Quantification review reports, National therapeutic meeting minutes and assessment reports, equipment standardization report. Product specification and selection report.
  • Conduct the assessment: The Consultant will be required to conduct assessment on: Medicine and diagnostics policy, National Treatment guideline whether the treatment guideline is developed based on the common diseases affecting the country, National essential medicine list whether has been developed based on the common diseases detailed in the standard treatment guideline, National standardization guideline, National standard list of reagents and equipment available per tire per discipline, whether the placement of equipment at all levels conforms to the standardized list of equipment, Quantification guidelines/manuals/SOPs check for availability and whether the quantification conforms to existing developed guidelines/manuals/SOPs, Quantification processes, quantification assumptions quantification forecast and supply plans, Review the utilization of commodities by programs, or normal utilization at facility level if conforms to the quantified products (quantification accuracy), Review tools used for forecast development, supply plan development gap analysis.
  • Conduct a thorough review of the data, analysis work and report to ensure that it is of high quality before it is shared.
  • From the information gathered, propose different scenarios and options. Options proposed can be analysed and based on the cost benefit analysis discuss the appropriate modifications to the current systems or propose new policies and their advantages.
  • Summarise the results of the analysed options in a formal report.
  • Discuss the results with the task force or other identified authorities.
  • Finalize and submit the final formal report to the taskforce and identified authorities.

Key questions to be answered on quantification and products specification review, include but to limited to:

A: Product specification

  • Availability of National policies/standards
  • Existence of updated standard guidelines example NEML, STG,
  • Existence of functional committee
  • Aligned lists of products both in the public
  • Table of organization (TOE)
  • Use of standards in product selection and specifications (international and national)
  • Standards for product registration by regulators (Lab+Pharma,)
  • Availability of updated guidelines (Updated in the last 3 years)

B: Product selection

  • How do we refine the product list in CMS Catalogue to get rid of DOS Items? (DOS- Dormant, Slow Moving, Obsolete)
  • How do we streamline the National Essential Medicines List and Diagnostics List with CMS product Catalogue?
  • How do we streamline health insurance List and CMS Catalogue?
  • How is product selection adhered to established standards?
  • Assess how dos is related to standardized list of medicines (are the DOS commodities in the list of NEML/STG?)

C: Demand planning

  • What is the best approach/methodology to quantify and budget for the items defined as Priority in CMS product Catalogue?
  • What is the best approach/methodology to quantify and budget for the items defined as Non-Priority in CMS product Catalogue?
  • Is the Vertical Programs Quantification coordinated, transparent and inclusive of all key players?
  • Which methodology is suitable for quantifying lab reagents for both VPs and normal items?
  • Is quantification for essential medicines aligned with sources of funds and ordering systems?
  • How staff at the Service Delivery Point are being involved in the quantification process?
  • What challenges transpire in quantifying both normal and VPs items?
  • What methodology is used to estimate target in the country?
  • What tools are used for forecasting.
  • What are tools used in for supply planning?
  • When requirement is higher than the funding available, what are the steps used to reach to amount for procuring.

Deliverable/outputs

  • Technical report with recommendations.
  • Draft and final review report (including selected options, plans/strategies and cost of implementing the options)
  • Methodology and tools

Qualifications and attributes required:  

  • Applicant for this consultancy should be Tanzanian national or lawful resident/institution who possesses following minimum qualifications and can provide documentation supporting capabilities and experience:

Demonstrated technical capabilities.

  • Be a qualified professional or firm with a team comprised of qualified experts with a demonstrated track record in product Selection, specifications, and demand planning of health commodities in supply chain.
  • Experience developing policies in Product selection, specifications, and demand planning and have knowledge of Supply chain in Zanzibar.
  • Extensive experience of working on supply chain of health commodities.

Demonstrated consultancy services.

  • Demonstrated experience leading and supporting similar projects.
  • Strong experience managing projects of this scope and size, including meeting deadlines and managing risks.
  • Experience in planning and executing communications efforts in support of teams of this scope and size.
  • Be able to participate and lead both virtual and in-person workshop(s) to review prototype materials, as needed.
  • Excellent verbal and written English and Swahili
  • An organization with knowledge of Zanzibar supply chain system and that has worked on similar assignment in Zanzibar in recent years.
  • A person with at least 10 years’ experience in Product selection, specifications, and demand planning of health commodities (Medicines and Laboratory) including for HIV/AIDS, TB in a resource limited setting.
  • A person with at least 10 years’ experience in supply chain of health commodities covering Pharmaceuticals, laboratory commodities and biomedical equipment other technical aspects.
  • Experience working in resource limited setting is a plus.

Proposal Submission and Timelines

  • All submission have to be sent to ghsc.recruitmenttz@gmail.com. Please indicate in subject line “Consultancy Product Selection and Demand Planning Module”.
  • Bid submission have to be submitted by February 22, 2021 17:00 EAT.
  • All cost proposals should be broken down by daily rate
  • The work is expected to start once the contract is signed by the contractor.
  • We expect work to commence in February 2021.
  • All proposals should be priced/quoted according to days and deliverables.
  • All travel costs will be covered by the project and therefore does not have to be included in proposal response
  • All proposals should include references and contacts of institutions for which the bidder performed a similar work.
  • Examples of past work are required and should be shown when needed.
  • Estimated LOE is 20 days
  • Duration of activity is from February and March 2021

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