Individual Consultant to Develop the 2025 Global Aids Monitoring (GAM) Report

Consultancies

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PROCUREMENT NOTICE
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP THE 2025 GLOBAL AIDS MONITORING (GAM) REPORT.
PROCUREMENT REFERENCE NUMBER: NAC/2425/PME/RFP/CS/F01

1.0. BACKGROUND

Ending AIDS is a critical objective within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically addressed in Target 3.3, which aims to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases by 2030, while also combating hepatitis, waterborne, and other communicable diseases. Since 2016, United Nations (UN) Member States have adopted multiple Political Declarations on HIV and AIDS, underscoring the urgent need to address inequalities to achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

The Global AIDS Monitoring (GAM) report is vital in tracking progress towards the 2030 AIDS targets. By providing detailed data on HIV trends and disparities, the GAM report enables stakeholders to assess whether global efforts are effectively aligned to end the AIDS epidemic

Annually, the National AIDS Commission (NAC) facilitates the compilation of the Malawi GAM report, which focuses on critical aspects of the national HIV response. The report tracks funding trends to guide sustainable financing for HIV programs, analyzes epidemiological patterns to understand the trajectory of the epidemic and evaluates the availability and effectiveness of policy instruments essential for combating HIV and AIDS. The GAM report is an important tool for assessing Malawi’s progress in addressing HIV and AIDS, while also identifying gaps and priority areas requiring intensified efforts or additional resources to achieve both national and global targets.

It is against this background, that NAC is seeking the services of an individual consultant to prepare the 2025 GAM report for Malawi which will cover the period from January to December 2024. The final report is expected to be submitted to the GAM report online portal by 31st March 2025.

2. Objectives

The 2025 GAM report will comprehensively assess Malawi’s HIV response and progress in addressing HIV and AIDS from January to December 2024. Guided by the nationally agreed indicators and the GAM reporting guidelines, the consultant is expected to:

  1. Gather and compile accurate, up-to-date data on core indicators from relevant national databases, stakeholders, and implementing partners.
  2. Perform a detailed analysis of HIV-related trends, including epidemiological patterns, funding levels and sources, and program performance.
  3. Highlight critical areas requiring enhanced efforts, additional resources, and policy adjustments to strengthen the national HIV response
  4. Collaborate with national stakeholders, including implementing partners, and donor agencies, to validate findings and ensure data accuracy.
  5. Draft a comprehensive report that adheres to GAM reporting guidelines and ensures clarity, accuracy, and alignment with GAM report requirements.
  6. Submit the GAM report to the NAC and the GAM online portal by 31st March 2025.

3. Methodology

To ensure the development of a robust and reliable 2025 GAM report, the methodology will follow a comprehensive and systematic approach designed to collect, analyze, and report accurate and consistent data

Below is the structured approach for the methodology:

3.1. Preparation and Planning

  1. The consultant will prepare a clear work plan on how they will carry out the assignment.
  2. The consultant must familiarize themselves with the key changes in the report development process and indicators as outlined in the 2025 GAM report guidelines.
  3. The consultant will work closely with NAC to identify key stakeholders and develop an engagement schedule for data collection.
  4. The consultant will engage all relevant parties to understand their roles and ensure that data collection activities are well. coordinated
  5. The consultant will be required to access all the GAM reporting templates

3.2. Data Collection

  1. Collect data from national health management information systems and HIV surveillance, epidemiological, financial, and program reports using the GAM reporting templates.
  2. Conduct interviews with HIV stakeholders to gather qualitative data on the effectiveness of interventions and challenges faced.

3.3. Data Analysis

  1. Analyze quantitative data to identify trends, progress, and areas that need improvement.
  2. Analyze qualitative data from interviews to understand the context of Malawi’s HIV performance.
  3. Identity gaps in service delivery, funding, and policy implementation.

3.4. Reporting

  1. Produce the GAM report based on the GAM reporting framework.
  2. Ensure that all data is presented, with appropriate visual aids (e.g., tables, graphs, and charts) to enhance readability and understanding
  3. Collaborate with national stakeholders to validate the findings and ensure that the data presented is accurate and reflective of the national HIV response.

3.5. Review and Finalization

  1. Share the first draft report with NAC and key stakeholders, including relevant government ministries for feedback and revisions.
  2. Address comments and suggestions received in (i) above
  3. Share the second draft report for validation and incorporate comments from the review process, ensuring the final report accurately reflects Malawi’s HIV response.
  4. Submit the final report to NAC and the GAM report online portal by 31st March 2025.
  5. Respond to queries from the GAM report online portal

4. Expected Deliverables
The assignment has six key deliverables that the consultant is expected to meet as specified below:

4.1. An acceptable Inception Report:
Within 5 days of contract signing, the consultant will be required to submit an inception report. The report should include an introduction, objectives, scope, methodology, a detailed plan of activities, and a stakeholder engagement list. In addition, the report should outline clear deliverables and timelines. The inception report will be reviewed and validated before the consultant proceeds to the next stages of the assignment.

4.2. Matrix of HIV Program Indicators:

The consultant will complete a matrix of the HIV Program Indicators that will highlight trends, progress, and gaps in the national HIV efforts for the year 2024. The completed matrix of HIV indicators will be a key component of the 2025 GAM report, offering a detailed and comprehensive overview of the national HIV response and performance.

4.3. An acceptable National Funding Matrix

The National Funding Matrix will provide comprehensive data on HIV expenditures based on the provided guidelines and tools. In addition, the consultant will conduct ad-hoc data collection to ensure that each expenditure is thoroughly described.

4.4. National Commitments and Policy Instrument (NCPI)

The NCP| will describe advancements in (i) the development of policies, strategies, and laws, and (ii) the implementation of these policies to support Malawi’s HIV response. A standardized questionnaire will be used to collect data from various stakeholders.

4.5. Global AIDS Monitoring Report

The consultant will be expected to submit a detailed narrative report that summarizes performance trends, highlights key findings, and provides recommendations for future action. The narrative report summarizes all the data collected using the data collection tools (NCPI, program, and funding Matrices).

4.6. Online Reporting Portal Submission

The consultant will upload the GAM narrative report and data files to the GAM report online reporting portal by 31st March 2025, in close liaison with NAC.

4.7. Respond to Queries in the GAM Report Online Portal

The consultant will be responsible for addressing all queries raised by international reviewers within the online reporting portal. This requires ensuring that responses are timely, accurate, and comprehensive.
The consultant will be required to complete all deliverables, except Deliverable 4.7, by 31st March 2025. For Deliverable 4.7, the consultant is expected to respond within five working days of receiving queries, which are typically issued a month after the submission of the GAM report to the online portal.

5. Reporting Modalities
The Consultant will be accountable to the NAC Director of Programs in close liaison with the Head of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation for the day-to-day process management.

6. Duration of Assignment
The assignment requires a focused and time-sensitive approach, as it must be completed within a strict 35-day period, inclusive of all essential phases: data collection, analysis, report writing, and addressing queries in the GAM online reporting portal. Therefore, the consultant needs to be fully available throughout the entire period. The assignment is expected to start in February 2025.

7. Consultant Qualifications
The individual consultant for this assignment is expected to possess the following qualifications, skills, and experience:

  1. Advanced degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Health, Statistics, Development Studies, Social Science, Epidemiology or a related field.
  2. At least 5 to 10 years of experience in health program implementation, particularly in HIV programs.
  3. Proven experience in data collection, analysis, and report writing, including the use of data analysis and visualization software.
  4. Prior experience producing HIV and AIDS-related documents at the national level is highly desirable. Please provide a list of similar assignments conducted over the past 5 years.
  5. In-depth understanding of online health reporting platforms, particularly the GAM report online portal and DHIS2.
  6. Ability to synthesize large and complex datasets into actionable insights and present them clearly and concisely.

8. Selection of consultant
The individual consultant will be selected in accordance with the Least Cost Selection (LCS) method set out in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act (2017) and the Public Procurement Regulations (2020) of the Government of Malawi.

9. Submission of Expression of Interest (EOl)
Interested individual consultants should submit a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) demonstrating that they meet the prerequisite qualifications and experience to perform the assignment as indicated in Section 7 above along with certified copies of academic and professional certificates. The CV must include at least three (3) references with complete contact information for previous work assignments of similar scope and nature (please indicate the organizations where similar assignments were conducted and period or dates when the assignments were done)

(a) Expressions of Interest should be submitted to the address in 9(b) (i) below. Expression of interest clearly marked on the envelope “Expression of Interest for individual consultant to develop the 2025 Global AIDS Monitoring (GAM) Report” must be deposited in the tender box located at the reception area of NAC office at the address in 9(b)(i) below before Monday 6th January 2025 at 14:00 hours, local time. Note that the interested individual consultants are required to sign an EOl submission form at the reception, before depositing their Expression of Interest in the tender box.

(b) Interested individual consultants may obtain further information at the address in 9(b)(ii) below:

i. Address for Submission of Expression of Interest:

The IPDC Chairperson
National AIDS Commission
CP Properties House, On Plot No. 47/1/1185
Off Lilongwe/Mchinji Road, Behind Automotive Products Ltd
P.O Box 30622
Lilongwe 3
Tel: +265 01 762 036/037/038/039; Fax: +265 01 761 008

ii. For Clarification and Further Information
The Procurement and Disposal Division
National AIDS Commission
CP Properties House, On Plot No. 47/1/1185
Off Lilongwe/Mchinji Road, Behind Automotive Products Ltd
P.O Box 30622
Lilongwe 3
Tel: +265 01 762 036/037/038/039; Fax: +265 01 761 008
Email: procurement@aidsmalawi.org.mw
Attention: Head of Procurement

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