Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.
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Act to End NTDs I East Project
I. Background
USAID’s Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases | East (Act | East) program (2018-2023), led by RTI International, supports countries to reach their NTD control and elimination goals through proven, cost-effective public health interventions. The program provides critical support to countries in their journey to self-reliance by helping to create sustainable NTD programming within a robust and resilient health system. The project focuses on partnering with NTD-endemic countries to eliminate or control five of the most common NTDs, including lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminths (hookworm, ringworm, and whipworm), which affect more than one billion people worldwide.
Results for Development (R4D), as one of the Act I East consortium partners, strengthens local capacity for NTD program planning, budgeting, and budget execution so that NTD programs can continue to operate with high levels of effectiveness as they pursue more sustainable programming. In Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia, the program helps ministries of health to identify potential options for sustainable financing of NTD program activities in line with broader health financing strategies for domestic resource mobilization (DRM), Primary Health Care (PHC) and/or Universal Health Coverage (UHC). As such, Act | East will support government institutions at the national and sub-national levels to assume greater programmatic and financial responsibility for their NTDs response.
Since 2019, R4D through Act | East, has collaborated with the Uganda Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program (NTDCP) to develop the NTD program sustainability plan, conduct a funds flow analysis, and mapping key actors and decision-making spaces for NTD budget allocation at national and district levels. Additionally, Act | East has developed and disseminated an NTD planning and budgeting guide for local governments in nine selected districts. Through these strategic initiatives, Act | East through R4D has provided technical support to districts to develop NTD specific plans and budgets as well as facilitated NTD budget allocation advocacy in five trachoma-endemic districts of Buliisa, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk, and Amudat. Similar initiatives have been replicated in the schistosomiasis-endemic districts of Pakwach, Maracha, Kikuube, and Ntoroko.
In FY25, Act | East will continue providing technical and financial support to the NTDCP and nine districts to support the domestic resource mobilization (DRM) for NTDs at the national and subnational levels as described below.
II. Objective of the consultancy
The objective of the consultancy is to provide technical support to the Uganda Ministry of Health in the implementation of the health financing activities prioritized and approved for support in the Act | East FY25 Uganda Country Work Plan.
The consultant will conduct the following specific activities:
1) Continued On-Site Support to Districts on the Inclusion of NTDs in the Local Government (LG) Budget Cycle(District integrated planning and budgeting):The consultant in collaboration with Act | East HSS Advisor and NTDCP team will organize 1-day visits in nine districts (five trachoma: Buliisa, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk, and Amudat; and four SCH: Pakwach, Maracha, Kikuube, and Ntoroko) with a focus on strengthening the district capacity on planning and budgeting for NTDs and inclusion of NTDs in local government budgets. The visit will be conducted immediately following the issuance of the FY25 first budget call circular in Q1 (November-December 2024).
The primary objective is to sustain the inclusion of NTDs into the local government budget cycle and empower districts to develop a work plan and budget for NTD interventions. During these visits, Act I East in collaboration with the NTDCP will invite key district officials, including the chief administrative officer, clerk to council, chief finance officer, accountant for health, district planner, district health officer, NTD focal person, biostatistician, resident district commissioner, and secretary for health to share experiences from previous years on the allocation and spending of funds to NTD activities, and explore opportunities on sustain domestic resource allocation. Additionally, the consultant in collaboration with the MOH and RTI will also use these visits to ascertain the extent to which the NTD budgets were released in the previous fiscal year. The consultant will include the status of the budget spending from each district in the workshop report.
The consultant in collaboration with Act | East HSS Advisor and NTDCP will provide technical support to each district to identify NTD activities to be prioritized for funding, estimate specific NTD financial need and gaps, and explore potential sources of domestic resource mobilization for NTDs. The outcome of this activity should be that each district will be able to prepare and present their disease-specific work plans and budgets and demonstrate improved skills in extracting, generating, and analyzing NTD-specific data for effective advocacy as well as identifying the NTD activities that were released in the FY24 budget.
2) District NTD budget allocation advocacy workshops: The consultant in collaboration with Act | East HSS Advisor and NTDCP will facilitate 1-day (per district) budget allocation advocacy workshop in each of the nine districts following issuance of the second budget call circular around March-April 2025. These advocacy workshops willfocus on generating actionable evidence and prepare targeted advocacy messages for increasing NTD funding and greater prioritization of NTDs during the integrated district planning and budgeting process. The workshops will bring together representatives from the technical and political wings of each district, including the district health officer, NTD focal person, accountant–health, chief finance officer, planner, chief administrative officer, local council chairperson, secretary for health, and secretary for finance, district chairperson and speaker.
3) Support Nationwide Roll-out of MOH NTD Planning and Budgeting Guide/Tool: In FY24, Act | East has provided technical support to the MOH to develop an NTD Planning and Budgeting Guide to assist districts in budgeting for NTDs during the annual budget cycle. The Guide has been piloted in nine districts, yielding valuable insights into its practical application, identifying best practices, and areas for improvement. In FY25, the MOH plans to roll-out the Guide for nationwide adoption in the upcoming government planning and budgeting cycle using MOH and Act East platforms, including at two Regional Annual Performance Review meetings (RARM) and one trachoma review meeting organized by the MOH and Act East respectively. The national adoption of the guide helps to enhance the capacity of districts across the country to effectively plan and allocate resources for NTD interventions. The consultant in collaboration with Act | East HSS Advisor will provide technical support to MOH/NTDCP on the roll-out of the guide in a one-day trachoma review meeting and one-day across two RARM meetings (one day per a meeting).
4) Support the Fixed Amount Awards (FAAs) post-award meetings: The consultant in collaboration with RTI will organize a 2-day fixed amount awards post-award and orientation meeting in each schistosomiasis-endemic districts, involving district officials and MOH staff. The consultant is also expected to assist the LGs to understand the catalytic role being played by FAAs towards enhancing LG ownership for NTD financing and domestic resource allocation. Moreover, the consultant in collaboration with RTI will review the grant and administration process and lessons learned from previous years.
5) Participate in World NTD Day Workshop:In collaboration with RTI, the consultant will support the MOH and NTDCP to develop and present customized advocacy messages to mobilize domestic resources for NTD control and elimination. These messages will focus on the importance of inclusion of NTDs in National Health Insurance System (NHIS) and prioritization of NTDs in budget statements.
6) Facilitate the FY26 Work Planning Workshop: The consultant in collaboration with RTI will contribute a two-day workshop for the FY26 work planning including presenting the FY25 health financing achievements and proposing a new work planning activity for FY26.
7) Attend meetings with the NTDCP, Act | East HQ and country team and USAID to report on the progress made in implementing the health financing activities included in the Act | East FY24 Uganda country Work Plan.
8) Provide ongoing health financing technical assistance, remote and in-person, training on health financing and support for the Act | East Uganda country office and other staff, including local government staff and NTDCP in consultation with RTI.
III. Expected Deliverables
Activity 1: Continued On-Site Support to Districts on Inclusion of NTDs in the LG Budget Cycle:
Deliverable 1.1: Develop concept note and training materials: A concept note specifying the purpose, content, methods, expected outcomes and agenda of the workshop including training materials required for the sessions (PowerPoint presentation and the customized tools).
Deliverable 1.2: Facilitate 1-day workshops and submission of training report.
Activity 2: District NTD budget allocation advocacy workshops:
Deliverable 2.1: Develop concept note and training materials: A concept note specifying the purpose, content, methods, expected outcomes and agenda of the workshop including training materials required for the sessions (PowerPoint presentation).
Deliverable 2.2: Facilitate 1-day workshops and submission of training report.
Activity 3: Support Nationwide Roll-out of MOH NTD Planning and Budgeting Guide/Tool:
Deliverable 3.1: Develop concept note and training materials trachoma review meeting and Regional Annual Review Meetings: A concept note specifying the purpose, content, methods, expected outcomes and agenda of the workshop including training materials required for the sessions (PowerPoint presentation).
Deliverable 3.2: Facilitate 1-day trachoma review meeting workshops and submission of training report.
Deliverable 3.3: Facilitate 2-days Regional Annual Review Meetings and submission of training report.
Activity 4: Support the Fixed Amount Awards (FAAs) post-award meetings:
Deliverable 4.1: Facilitate and deliver presentation during the meeting: The consultant will prepare a workshop report after the meetings highlighting how the meetings went and the expected impact on domestic resource allocation towards NTDs.
Activity 5:Participate in World NTD Day Workshop:
Deliverable 5.1: Facilitate and deliver presentation during the Workshop: The consultant will facilitate and deliver presentation during the meeting. After the workshop, the consultant should provide a brief workshop report about the outcome of the activity.
Activity 6:Facilitate the FY26 Work Planning Workshop:
Deliverable 6.1:Facilitate and deliver presentation during the workshop: The consultant will facilitate and deliver presentation including the FY25 health financing achievements and proposing a new work planning activity for FY26. After the workshop, the consultant should provide a brief workshop report including the recommendations on the new work planning activities.
IV. Implementation arrangements
The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the R4D’s Senior Program Officer. The consultant will also be expected to routinely engage with the Act | East HSS advisor and the MOH-NTDCP-HSS focal person. RTI serves as the implementing partner in Uganda and the consultant should coordinate efforts and engagement with RTI, MOH/NTDCP and government stakeholders. The consultant will provide regular updates on the progress of the activities to the Act | East HSS advisor, MOH-NTDCP-HSS focal person and R4D senior program officer. The consultant will be based in Uganda and may be required for regional travel in accordance with R4D travel and safety precautions.
V. Timeline & Output
The timeline of the deliverables are as follows:
Continued On-Site Support to Districts on Inclusion of NTDs in the Local Government Budget Cycle
Deliverable 1.1: December 2024
Deliverable 1.2: January 2025
District NTD Budget Allocation Advocacy Workshops
Deliverable 2.1: March-April 2025
Deliverable 2.2: April 2025
Support Nationwide Roll-out of MOH NTD Planning and Budgeting Guide/Tool
Deliverable 3.1: May 2025
Deliverable 3.2
Deliverable 3.3
Support the Fixed Amount Awards (FAAs) Post-Award Meetings
Deliverable 4.1: March 2025
Participate in World NTD Day Workshop
Deliverable 5.1: January 2025
Facilitate the FY26 Work Planning Workshop
Deliverable 6.1: June 2025
The consultancy must be completed by December 30, 2025
I. Qualifications
· Master’s degree in health economics, health policy and management, or public health with a health financing focus.
· At least seven (7) years of field-based experience working on health financing and/or health economics evaluation and analytics, health policy, planning, public financial management (PFM), and/or financing in Uganda.
· Extensive experience in supporting woreda based health sector planning and budgeting process. Experience in advocacy workshop facilitation and collaboration with government and non-government stakeholders.
· Familiarity with the Uganda health financing mechanisms and health system, NTD or vertical programs including HIV/AIDS, FP/RH, Malaria, EPI, MCH, TB, among others is necessary.
· Previous experience working on USAID health financing programs (NTDs, HIV, Nutrition and TB etc.)
· Demonstrate experience in preparing similar tools and guides.
· Full professional fluency in English including excellent communication skills in reading, speaking, writing, and listening is mandatory.
· Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team and deliver high-quality results within tight periods.
· Strong analytical and quantitative analysis skills
· Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
· Must be based in Uganda.
II. Payment Modalities and Travel Related Costs
R4D will not make any advance payment to the consultant. Payment will be made to the consultant after the submission of the deliverables and the approval of the quality of the product by the client as indicated in the TOR. As well as R4D can reimburse for the preapproved domestic travel (including airfare, per diem, hotel accommodation, and transportation) to the consultant. This is intended for work being done (TBD with the MOH, R4D and RTI) to attend meetings/workshops, for technical support and field data collection for health financing activities.
III. Application Submission
To apply for this consultancy, please submit a cover letter and CV detailing relevant experiences and qualifications for this position along with your daily rate to [email protected] or [email protected]by November 25, 2023.
Results for Development is an EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering
and nurturing an energetic, collaborative and diverse workforce. R4D provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.
