Country Collaboration Initiative – Leadership Management & Governance/Ukraine (CCI/LMG-Ukraine)

Scope of Work for Support to the Ukrainian Center for Socially Dangerous Disease Control (UCDC)

Development of a Research Proposal

Total level of effort: up to 10 payable days
Dates: April 15, 2015 – June 15, 2015

Background
The global LMG project (implemented by Management Sciences for Health) is a five-year Cooperative Agreement, funded by USAID with the objective to support health systems strengthening by addressing the gap in leadership, management and governance capacity of policy makers, health care providers and program managers to implement quality health services at all levels of the health system. In mid-2013, the Leadership, Management and Governance (LMG) Project began to work with Ukrainian Center for Disease Control (UCDC), to build on the progress of other projects in strengthening UCDC’s capacity as a Global Fund PR, and to build the institution’s overall capacity as a major player in the Ukrainian health sector.
UCDC is a specialized agency of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, which performs the functions of intersectoral and interdisciplinary coordination of enterprises, institutions and organizations involved in activities aimed at (i) prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and other infectious diseases; (ii) providing organizational and technical assistance to health care institutions, specialized health care institutions and structural units of health care institutions; (iii) performing diagnostics and providing medical preventive care to people infected with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases; (iv) and supporting organizations providing specialized health care, diagnostic treatment, counselling for people infected with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.
UCDC currently functions as one of the three Principal Recipients (PR) implementing a Single HIV and TB grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for 2015-2017. The LMG technical assistance efforts in Ukraine are focused on continuing the work with UCDC to strengthen their capacity to be (i) a strong PR under the Global Fund; and (ii) to be a strong institution managing the national HIV and TB programs in Ukraine.

Objective
The healthcare system in Ukraine is now undergoing the process of reform. A shift towards more effective and efficient management of public health is both expected from Ukraine by external partners and donors, as well as demanded by the Ukrainian society. UCDC has a growing capacity and proven excellence in managing complex programs, yet it faces a number of external and internal challenges that could undermine the success achieved so far.
UCDC is in the process of cutting up a considerable number of current GFATM-funded positions due to a reduction in donor funding. Furthermore UCDC is also undergoing the process of functional review that could result in the revision of UCDC’s functions/revised organizational structure of UCDC /revised staff job descriptions, as well as other changes.
In the past twelve months, LMG facilitated the development of a three-year UCDC Institutional Strategy, One-Year Operational Plan and a costing of the activities mentioned therein. Furthermore, a Resource Mobilization and New Partnership Development Strategy and tools were developed and handed over to UCDC. Among other activities, LMG supported the development of the three-year UCDC Communications Strategy, an Action Plan, and a range of communications channels and tools, including a new, re-designed website to be launched in late March 2015. Currently, LMG is finalizing the assessment of UCDC research capacities that will also serve to inform the capacity strengthening plan.
As part of their work to strengthen UCDC’s capacity as a leading organization within the Ukrainian health system and to help UCDC mobilize resources to ensure greater sustainability, the LMG project in Ukraine is looking for a local consultant to assist UCDC in developing a research project proposal in the area/s/ of HIV, TB and/or psychoactive substance use.

Activities
It is planned that the consultant will work with key staff members of UCDC-based Single National Monitoring and Evaluation Center for HIV and TB, as well as with the LMG staff during up to 10 payable days and will be based in Kiev, Ukraine. No travel outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, will be authorized. The consultant will be expected to complete the following activities:
1. Review and analyze relevant UCDC strategic and operational documents, including the institutional strategy and operational plan, resource mobilization strategy and tools, abstracts of research project proposals drafted by the LMG and UCDC, and other documentation that can help inform the proposal development.
2. Jointly with UCDC, develop a research project idea/concept that UCDC would like to pursue, and identify potential donors/grant-making organizations (including WHO-Ukraine as one potential funder), who could be approached for funding. Consider developing an operations research/implementation science proposal as one possible (but not required) option.
3. Develop a research project proposal (in English) using the standard templates/forms of one of the potential funders, including a research project budget.

Key Deliverables
1. A research project proposal in the English language, developed in accordance with the standard forms/templates of a potential funder, including a research project budget.
Experience and skills required of local consultant
- Academic background in health, social science or other related field;
- Demonstrated experience in writing project proposals, focusing thematically on health issues, and geographically – on Ukraine;
- Proven track record of successful resource mobilization through research project proposal development and implementation;
- Experience in assisting organizations (both public and non-governmental sector, preferably) to formulate and develop their project ideas/concepts;
- Familiarity with key international grant-making organizations’ policies and procedures that are related to their calls for proposals;
- Ability to facilitate work in groups, encouraging participation of all involved and ensuring that group discussions and key ideas are duly reflected and taken into consideration;
- Excellent writing and analytical skills;
- Fluency in English, Ukrainian and/or Russian.

In all of the above activities, the consultant will collaborate closely with MSH LMG staff based in Kiev, Ukraine. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.
To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter to Alisher Latypov at [email protected] and Stanislav Sereda at [email protected] by COB April 8, 2015.