LOCAL HEALTH SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY (LHSS) PROJECT IN VIETNAM
CALL FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICE
Support in the implementation of the web-based tool to collect annual budget and expenditure
from the central and provincial level
1. BACKGROUND
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates was ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms in 2012 and also named one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in nearly 40 countries.
Through Abt Associates, the 4-year USAID-funded Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project provides technical assistance in health systems strengthening in Vietnam to sustainably manage holistic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) programs that will drive the achievement of the country’s commitment to end HIV and TB by 2030. The activity will also further the country’s progress on the Journey to Self-Reliance by working with the Government of Vietnam to increase domestic financing for health and strengthen the sustainability of domestic financing mechanisms for Vietnam’s greater financial, administrative, and technical ownership of its HIV and TB response.
2. CONTEXT OF THE ASSIGNMENT
To sustain achievements gained in care and treatment for PLHIV, it is critical to fully finance the HIV program with domestic resources for years to come. Given that international funding from donors such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund is sharply declining, this objective will only be achieved by leveraging the Social Health Insurance (SHI) fund of Vietnam to finance the procurement and distribution of ARVs, as well as by increasing other domestic funding sources, including provincial funding resources.
The Prime Minister of Vietnam approved the National HIV Strategy for the 2021–2030 period with the goal of ending AIDS in 2030 by enacting Decision 1246/Q?-TTG dated August 14, 2020. To operationalize this strategy, it is imperative that all provinces are able to develop a provincial sustainable financing plan for their HIV/AIDS response and demonstrate an appropriate allocation of local budget to cover various program areas, including financing for social health insurance (SHI) premiums and the ARV copayment subsidy for people living with HIV. To accelerate the development of the provincial plans, VAAC issued the Dispatch 7743/BYT-AIDS on September 17, 2021, requiring all remaining provinces to develop and approve provincial sustainable financing plans by the end of 2021.
With LHSS support, 52 of the 63 provinces have approved local sustainable financing plans for the HIV program to date, and 11 provinces are developing a plan. LHSS will work with VAAC to continue following up with the remaining provinces. For the provinces with approved plans, the activity will continue to follow up on plan implementation, update VAAC on the status of the annual planning and allocation of local budgets for the HIV response and encourage new and innovative community-led HIV service provision models such as social contracting at the provincial level.
To increase the efficiency and timeliness of resource tracking, LHSS will work with VAAC to develop a web-based tracking tool to monitor annual external and domestic financial resources for the HIV program, as detailed and timely HIV resource tracking is not included in other systems such as the National Health Accounts. Through this tool, VAAC can track annual allocations and expenditures at national and provincial levels and by program areas (prevention, care, and treatment, testing and M&E, and health system strengthening), and to analyze and track SHI ARV copayment by funding sources (local budget, donor, others). Provinces and VAAC will use the data from the tool for budget planning and advocating for local budget increases. In order for above-mentioned data to be uploaded onto the web-based tool, then consolidated and analyzed on timely basis, VAAC need to clearly guide through and closely follow up with the provincial CDCs to enter their data into the tool on agreed-upon schedules.
To support VAAC on this assignment, LHSS will recruit 01 consultant to provide technical support in (1) importing, consolidating, and analyzing data collected through the web-based tool, and (2) delivering training to staff of 63 CDCs when VAAC holds the data import training.
3. OBJECTIVES, TASKS AND DELIVERABLES
3.1. Objective
The consultant will provide support to VAAC and LHSS in development and deployment of the web-based tool to monitor annual budget allocation and actual expenditure for the HIV program at the national and provincial levels, including for SHI premium and ARV copayment subsidies from the local budget.
3.2. Tasks
A consultant will work closely with the VAAC’s Finance Department and LHSS’s MEL team to provide technical support in:
- Work with LHSS and VAAC’s Finance Department to comment and finalize the data requirements of the web-based tool to collect the approved annual budget allocation and the actual expenditure for HIV response at the national and provincial level and by program areas including subsidies for ARV co-payments and SHI premiums.
- Collect the central level data (annual budget and expenditure in 2021, 2022, 2023) and use the web-based tool to import data via the VAAC account.
- Regularly follow up on the status of each pending Provincial Sustainable Financial Plan and provide guidance to ensure they are completed and approved.
- Support in delivering training to and follow up with the staff of 63 CDCs in collecting, importing, and reporting data to the web-based tool.
- Consolidate and analyze data reported by 63 CDCs data (annual budget and expenditure in 2021, 2022, 2023) via a web-based tool.
4. DELIVERABLES
The consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:
- Summary of the data requirements of the web-based tool.
- Data collection template of the web-based tool
- Detailed description of the template of the web-based tool
- Database of the annual budget allocation and the actual expenditure for HIV response at the central level in 2021, 2022, 2023 to import to web-based tool.
- Training materials and training report of the training workshop on guiding web-based tool.
- Database collected and extracted from the web-based tool for 2021, 2022, 2023.
5. TIMING
This assignment is planned for the period from Jun 2023 to Sep 2023, with 40 working days.
6. SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
- Academic background: Hold a degree in finance, economics, or equivalent degrees.
- Had experience in HIV/AIDS program in Vietnam and its current context.
- Experience in coordination and management of financing mechanisms from health insurance funds and state budget and subsidize model as SHI premium and ARVs copayment.
- Experience working on the HIV program in Vietnam, especially on the Financing Plan for HIV responses.
- Experienced in working with VAAC, PAC, and relevant government agencies.
- Experience working on a USAID project is strongly preferred.
- Basic skill of writing in English.
7. SUBMISSION TIMELINE AND CONTACT POINT
The LHSS Vietnam project, funded by USAID and implemented by Abt Associates, will assist VAAC to develop and implement the web-based tool to collect annual budget and expenditure from the central and provincial level. Thus, we are looking for a professional consultant to support this activity. To apply, please send your CV and an application letter to [email protected] [1]. Deadline for submitting the CV and application letter: 30 May 2023
Note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.