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MINISTRY OF HEALTH
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES- INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)
DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH SERVICE PRICING REGISTRY
Country: Malawi
Name of Project: Health Sector Joint Fund
Procurement Reference Number: 031-01-HSJF-HQ-23/24-C-IS- 01
Issue Date: 8th June, 2024
Background:
The Government of Malawi, through the Ministry of Health, aims to achieve the highest possible level of health and quality of life for its citizens. Different partners support the government in implementing various interventions through various funding mechanisms. One of the main funding mechanisms in the health sector is the Health Services Joint Fund (HSJF). The HSJF was established in 2015 as a way of pooling Development Partners funds to support the health sector by supporting the implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plans (HSSP). HSJF is designed to channel funds to address priority health service constraints in Malawi, using government systems while maintaining parallel funds flow with strong fiduciary oversight, procurement, and internal controls.
The HSJF’s current development partners are: Germany (through KfW), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The major objectives of the HSJF are to (i) address priority health service constraints in Malawi; (ii) provide a secure and efficient mechanism to channel funds to government budget lines at national and district levels; and (ili) provide incentives and resources for the government to improve its financial management performance.
Part of the resources from the HSJF are used to pay for essential healthcare services provided under the service Level Agreements (SLAs). The SLA is an arrangement under which communities that are far from existing government health facilities access healthcare services in health facilities owned by the Christian Health Association (CHAM) and Islamic Health Association of Malawi (IHAM). Government then pays CHAM and IHAM for those services on behalf of the target beneficiaries. Government and CHAM agree in advance on standard charges for the different healthcare services expected to be provided.
The Ministry is currently developing an electronic system to manage the SLA. This system will require the development of a medical pricing registry. The registry will enhance transparency, consistency, and affordability in the pricing of medical services and products. Therefore the Ministry would like to engage the services of a consultant to develop, design, and implement the Medical Pricing Registry for the SLA.
The consultant can apply as an individual, institution or a consortium.
The Ministry of health would like to recruit a Consultant to develop a Health Services Pricing Registry (HSPR) under the Services Level Agreement (SLA) Scheme
1.0 Consultant and main deliverable
The consultant will coordinate with the Digital Health Division to achieve full digitisation of SLA services pricing list through the development of SLA health services pricing registry. While participating in other key activities such as requirements gathering and validation, the consultant’s main role will be to conduct requirements analysis and system design, development/coding and testing of the application. The consultant will also incorporate all changes required based on the feedback after initial deployment to the first set of health facilities. The consultant will participate in all progress update meetings including meetings with all key stakeholders.
1.1 Major roles and Responsibilities
- Coordinate with, and provide technical input to DHD in collecting requirements and specifications of the SLA health services pricing registry from key stakeholders;
- Coordinate with DHD in conducting consultative interface meetings with key stakeholders including, but not limited to the following, SLA Management Unit, MoH Planning and Policy Department, HSJF Development Partners, GiZ Malawi, HSJF Secretariat, other partners (CHAM and IHAM), zones, districts as well as SLA health facilities, and feedback to stakeholders on how these inputs have been taken onboard/considered in the development process;
- Develop/code the SLA health services pricing registry based on the requirements specifications document.
- Test and incorporate required changes after initial deployment
- Provide quality assurance review of system performance prior to and during testing and user acceptance
- Ensure that system developed is truly open source and that the aspect of sustainability and interoperability with other key systems is addressed throughout the development process;
- Ensure the system has offline capabilities with data automatically retrieved and updated when connected to internet
2.0 Deliverables and timelines
The duration of the assignment is 6 months.
2.1 Scope of HSPR
Pricing management functions for all SLA health facilities and paying wards in public and CHAM health facilities
3.0 Reporting
The consultant will report to the Deputy Director -Digital Health Division
4.0 Payment
The assignment will be remunerated upon delivery of the agreed outputs at the agreed fee rate and the agreed number of days of professional fees chargeable, as per the standard procedures of the MoH and Funder.
5.0 Qualification and experience
Whether it is individual, consortium or organization responding, the following attributes should be available in the personnel earmarked for this work.
- Lead developer should have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Informatics, Information Systems, Information Technology, Medical informatics, Mathematical Sciences or any relevant qualification. A Master s Degree will be an added advantage.
- A minimum of 3 years professional experience in programming in Java for app development
- A minimum of 3 years professional experience in at least three of the following areas
- Developing and managing systems both for frontend and backend technologies as a full stack developer, preferred programming languages: Java, JavaScript based frameworks for both front end (with any of React JS, Vue JS or Angular JS) and backend (with Node JS/Typescript), Javascript Testing Libraries (such as Mocha and Chai) as well as NoSQL Database Systems (such as CouchDB, Elastic-Search and MongoDB) and Python
- Experience with DevOps technologies such as Docker (Deployment), Jenkins/CircleCl (Continuous Integration), Zero MQ (Messaging) and Nginx (Load Balancing) will be an added advantage
- At least one year of professional experiences in developing interoperability layers using FHIR or HL7
- Developing and managing Health Information Systems technologies such as DHIS2, OpenMRS
- Software development and implementation for health care delivery applications
- Systems analysis and design, database management, version control management and deployment
- Experiences with interoperability and data sharing protocols/standards including REST, OAuth, JSON, XML, or SDMX, among others will be an added advantage
- Knowledge of Open IMIS is an advantage
- Demonstrated understanding of process of developing management information systems is an added advantage and working experience with donor funded projects will be an asset
- Knowledge of SLA business process will be added advantage
5.1 Evaluation of the CVs
All applicants should note that their CVs shall be evaluated as per the Criteria Below
| Item No | Criteria | Maximum Points Allocated |
| 1 | Education and Training | 20 |
| 2 | Specific Skills relevant to the assignment | 70 |
| 3 | General Skills | 10 |
The shortlisting will be made to the applicants who obtains higher scores from 70%. Expression of Interest not obtaining a minimum score of 70% will be rejected .
6.0 Submission and Collection of Full Terms of Reference
Interested individuals should submit applications and the application should include updated curriculum vitae, copies of academic and professional qualifications and details of experience or similar assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including their locations; focus on the firms’ role in similar assignments in the region or elsewhere and cover letter must be delivered in written form to the address (b) below (in person or by mail) by 24th June, 2024.
Further information can be obtained at the address (a) below during working hours from 08 – 12 and 13 – 16 hours’ local time (Monday to Friday) except National Public Holidays.
Submission of Proposals
Address for submission of Expression of Interest, clarifications and collection of full Terms of Reference is shown below;
a) The Chairperson,
Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee
Ministry of Health, Capital Hill Circle,
P. O. Box 30377,
Lilongwe 3
Second Floor, Tender Box
Room 73.
Email: mercykulima@yahoo.com cc emmiewaya@yahoo.com
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