National Consultant - Quantification Capacity Assessment (QCA)

Purpose of Consultancy:
The Asia Pacific Region, with its vast geographical diversity, varying levels of economic development, and diverse healthcare needs, faces unique challenges and opportunities in supply chain management (SCM). While some countries have well-established SCM systems, others grapple with inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of trained healthcare professionals, and limited access to reproductive health commodities and supplies. Strengthening the health supply chain is critical to addressing these gaps and improving the delivery of RH commodities to those who need them most. In this context, the Asia Pacific Regional Office and the Supply Chain Management Unit plays a key role in enhancing supply chain management systems across the region. This technical assistance is focused on improving the availability, accessibility, and quality of reproductive health commodities and services for the most vulnerable communities, a crucial step toward achieving UNFPA’s three transformative results.

Over the past years, the Regional Office and the Supply Chain Management Unit have coordinated numerous capacity-building training sessions on how to enhance health Supply Chain Management Systems. These trainings have aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge of Country Offices and Partners in managing and optimising health supply chains, ensuring the efficient delivery of essential medical supplies to the last mile, and conducting need-based quantification of RH commodities.

In light of this, Philippines CO is now looking for new and different ways to build the capacity in the region. In collaboration with the SCMU Demand and Supply Planning team and the Regional Office, the Philippines CO is planning to assess the current state of Department of Health’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau - Child Adolescent Maternal Men Health Division (DOH-DPCB-CAMHD) and select provincial and local health unit staff when it comes to their capacity to carry out Quantification practices and managing their overall SCM systems for Reproductive Health/New and Lesser Used (NLU)/Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) commodities. The aim is to assess the quantification capabilities for Reproductive Health /NLU/CAC supplies to identify best practices and gaps in knowledge and skills. This identification will further inform the development of a general framework and roadmap of how quantification practices can be improved for all countries supported by UNFPA.

The insights gained from this assessment will be invaluable in enhancing UNFPA’s capacity building efforts beyond workshops and training guiding future work on how to strengthen health supply chain management capabilities in the region and globally.

Scope of work:

An individual supply chain management expert/consultant is urgently required to conduct a comprehensive Quantification Capacity Assessment (QCA) within the Philippines. This critical role involves a multifaceted approach to evaluate and enhance the nation's capacity for effective supply chain management, particularly concerning the quantification of essential supplies. The consultant's responsibilities will encompass the following key areas:

A. Conduct the Assessment using UNFPA Methodology:

• The consultant will be responsible for executing a thorough in-country assessment, strictly adhering to the established methodology and framework developed by UNFPA. This comprehensive assessment will involve:
• Convening and Interviewing Key Informants: Facilitating and conducting in-depth interviews with a diverse range of key stakeholders and informants at the country level. This includes, but is not limited to, government officials, healthcare professionals, logistics personnel, and representatives from relevant non-governmental organizations. The aim is to gather qualitative insights into current practices, challenges, and opportunities within the supply chain.
• Assessing Data and Documents: Rigorously analyzing existing data and documentation provided by these key informants. This will include reviewing inventory records, consumption data, procurement procedures, distribution networks, and any other relevant operational or strategic documents. The objective is to identify data gaps, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement in data management and utilization for quantification purposes.

B. Draft a Final Report with Assessment Results:

• Upon completion of the in-country assessment, the consultant will be tasked with drafting a detailed and comprehensive final report. This report will meticulously present the findings of the assessment, including:
• Identified Strengths and Weaknesses: A clear articulation of the existing strengths and weaknesses within the country's quantification capacity, covering aspects such as human resources, infrastructure, systems, and processes.
• Opportunities and Threats: An analysis of potential opportunities for improvement and any prevailing threats that could hinder effective quantification.
• Specific Recommendations: Actionable and data-driven recommendations tailored to address the identified gaps and enhance the overall quantification capacity. These recommendations should be practical, prioritized, and aligned with UNFPA's strategic objectives.

C. Communicate and Participate in Further Dissemination Efforts:

• The consultant will play a crucial role in communicating the assessment findings and participating actively in subsequent dissemination efforts. This may include:
• Presenting Findings: Delivering presentations to relevant national stakeholders, UNFPA country offices, and other international partners to share the assessment results.
• Engaging in Discussions: Facilitating and participating in discussions aimed at building consensus on the recommendations and fostering commitment to their implementation.
• Contributing to Knowledge Sharing: Supporting efforts to disseminate the assessment findings more broadly to contribute to global knowledge sharing on supply chain management and quantification best practices.

D. Provide Feedback:

• The consultant will be expected to provide continuous and constructive feedback throughout the assessment process. This feedback will be crucial for:
• Refining Methodology: Offering insights that could contribute to the refinement and improvement of UNFPA's quantification assessment methodology.
• Enhancing Future Assessments: Sharing lessons learned and best practices to inform and enhance the effectiveness of future quantification capacity assessments in other contexts.
• Supporting Stakeholders: Providing direct feedback to country-level stakeholders to guide their efforts in strengthening quantification processes.

This consultancy demands an experienced and analytical professional with a deep understanding of supply chain principles, particularly within the context of public health or humanitarian aid. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong communication, analytical, and report-writing skills, coupled with the ability to work effectively in diverse cultural environments.

Outcome:

1. Documentation and clear understanding of current quantification practices.
2. Documentation and clear understanding of various gaps when it comes to quantification practices at different levels.
3. Based on insight, a framework developed to assess various intervention areas (e.g. HR, knowledge, systems etc.) that can be improved/capacitated to ensure a robust quantification process.
4. Establish a roadmap for SCMU/RO’s to enhance the various intervention areas over time
5. Utilize both qualitative and quantitative methods, including In-depth Interviews with different relevant stakeholders to gather comprehensive data on current contraceptive quantification practices and identify areas for improvement.
6. Identify major gaps in terms of HR, policy and regulations, and recommend viable and doable capacity-building initiatives utilizing available resources and local capabilities in contraceptive quantification and supply chain management.
7. Provide a comprehensive assessment report detailing findings, gaps, and challenges, along with actionable short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations.

Overall Methodology

1. Desk review - Review of RH commodities quantification and forecasting reports and documentation available.
2. Interview the key stakeholders from both government and non-government sectors involved in quantification and forecasting exercise.
3. Visit selected provinces and health and population welfare departments and interview the key stakeholders involved in quantification and forecasting.
4. Visit to 2-3 districts and 8-10 health facilities/ service delivery points at different level (from high volume facilities to health post)

Duration and working schedule:

July to September 2026

Place where services are to be delivered:

Manila, with travel to selected sites for data collection.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:

All materials should be delivered electronically. Please refer to the section “duration and working schedule”. Detailed deliverables will be defined upon the starting date.

• First tranche (35%): Finalization of methodology and tools for the Quantification Capacity Assessment
• Second tranche (35%): Further revision and analysis of the data
• Third tranche (30%): Submission & approval of final report through, and Regional/global webinar to present result

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Regular progress reporting with supervisor and team on a weekly basis at minimum.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will be working under the supervision of the Regional Supply Chain Specialist of Asia Pacific RO office and Head of Programme in the Philippine Country Office. Day to day oversight will be provided by the Programme Analyst for Maternal Health and Family Planning.

Expected travel:

In-country travels during the in-country assessment.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies including language requirements:

An advanced degree in either Supply Chain Management, Public Health disciplines, Procurement or Logistics, Business Administration, International management, International Law or other related fields. Additional qualification in regulatory sciences, health policy and administration or health systems management will be an asset.

A minimum of two (2) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience in supply chain management is required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in the below key areas, with the understanding that these experiences may overlap:

• Professional written and spoken presentation skills, including for the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to develop and maintain broad diversified partnerships is required.
• Basic knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of integrated reproductive health care in the global development and humanitarian community is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNFPA mandates, policies, and guidelines is an asset

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required