Palladium- Call For Expression Of Interest For State Health Accounts Studies For Ebonyi And Bauchi State Governments Under The USAID Integrated Health Program

DEADLINE: 10TH FEBRUARY, 2021
PALLADIUM
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)
T006-2020- EOI005- EBONYI STATE
EOI #2 REFERENCE NUMBER: EOI NUMBER IHP-T003-2020- EOI005- BAUCHI STATE
TITLE: STATE HEALTH ACCOUNTS FOR EBONYI AND BAUCHI STATE GOVERNMENTS UNDER THE “USAID INTEGRATED HEALTH PROGRAM”

Please note that the technical requirements, deliverables and other conditions may change significantly before the actual RFP is released. This is just an EOI and not a Request for Proposal (RFP). Please simply submit an EOI at this stage.

(1)     Overview
USAID’s Integrated Health Program (IHP) would like to invite eligible contracting companies, research firms, for profit and not for profit national entities to conduct a State Health Accounts study for Bauchi and Ebonyi states. IHP works closely with state governments in Bauchi and Ebonyi States to support established health and development plans, build capacity and ensure ownership of interventions, systems and results.

IHP promotes integrated packages of services in the six core intervention areas of HSS and RMNCH+N. while cross cutting priority areas include gender and social inclusion, sustainability and country ownership. With government, community, and private sector partners, IHP strives to achieve three objectives: (1) strengthen health systems while supporting PHC services; (2) improve access to PHC services; and (3) increase quality of PHC services. Over the years, USAID has supported the Nigerian government towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through improved health financing.

IHP health systems strengthening approach is in line with USAID’s strategy of supporting the Nigerian government in conducting health financing assessments to provide evidence for advocacy and inform health financing policy reform and actions, Financing for healthcare services in Bauchi and Ebonyi states come from a combination of sources that include national and state government allocations, official development assistance from foreign governments, bilateral and multilateral agencies, payments by public and private health insurers, payments by private enterprises and out of pocket payments. Bauchi and Ebonyi now wish to conduct State Health Accounts studies that will track resource allocation and expenditures across the different sources, determine which health services are being purchased/prioritized by the financing schemes and from whom they are purchased. The state health accounts study will also provide a means of determining variations in health financing patterns in the states that are typically masked by national-level, aggregated data and will add to the body of evidence required to diagnose issues and develop responsive polices and interventions. The generation of the critical evidence provided by the health accounts is expected to set Bauchi and Ebony I stales on the path to improving their sourcing of health services, increasing the efficiency of revenue generation, allocation and purchasing of health services, and ultimately, improving health outcomes and achieving financial protection for the population in the state. It is also expected that the states, through their involvement in the design and implementation of this study, will strengthen the capacity required to institutionalize and oversee the periodic development of State Health Accounts.

This Expression of Interest is open to registered Nigerian firms or a consortium of organizations in Nigeria who may or may not be resident in any of the IHP states but who are technically capable of providing the required services in either one or both of the focus states (Bauchi and Ebonyi). This will be a fixed price contract that pays for pre-defined milestones and deliverables.

Objective
The objective of this assignment is to engage a suitably qualified and experienced Firm(s) to provide technical services to support the development of State Health Accounts in Bauchi and Ebonyi states, Nigeria with the aim of understanding the amounts and pattern of health spending in the economy and the nature and flow of funds within the healthcare system.

The successful firm(s) will be required to conduct the State health Account studies for Bauchi and Ebonyi states alongside stakeholders from the slate ministries of health and other relevant ministries, departments and agencies in order to transfer knowledge and enhance state ownership. The successful firm(s) will be expected to work with data obtained for the Household Health Expenditure Surveys (HHES) conducted for Bauchi and Ebonyi in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Specific Objectives
Scope of the Assignment / Scope of work
The engagement will comprise of four (4) broad activities implemented using a capacity building approach aimed at improving and institutionalizing the state stakeholders’ skills in conducting periodic State Health Accounts studies

• Planning scoping and development of a framework of the state health accounts
• Development of data collection strategy and data collection
• Data mapping using the Health Accounts Production Tool (HAPT), analysis and reporting
• Development of a strategy/plan for institutionalization of the state health accounts study in the focus states (Bauchi and Ebonyi)

Planning Scoping and Development of a Framework of the State Health Accounts

(1) Engage the State Ministry of health and other identified stakeholders’ to determine the scope and timeline of the state health accounts, understand the existing systems and mechanisms for This will include, but may not be limited to, the Federal Ministry of Health, the state chapter of the National Bureau of statistics, the State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budgeting and other ministries, departments and agencies supporting health care delivery in the state classification and categorization of required data and determine the extent to which required data already exists within the system

(2) Develop a framework for the State Health Account studies including a methodology, a map of data needs and sources, descriptions of date categories, a detailed work plan and a stakeholder engagement plan

(3) Collaboratively with IHP and in consultation with the State Ministry of health and the Health Financing Equity and Investment Technical Working Group (HFEI-TWG), identify a core technical group that will support the execution of the study. Conducts / capacity building workshop with the core technical group to familiarize them with the study methodology, agree on the classifications and boundaries of the study and refine the work plan and stakeholder engagement plan

Development of Data Collection Strategy and Data Collection
(4) Develop survey instruments and protocols for collection of relevant data. Bauchi and Ebonyi states conducted Household Health Expenditure Surveys in 2017 and 2018 respectively, however, further surveys may be required to estimate private enterprise and development partners’ contribution to health expenditures

(5) Facilitate training workshop(s) for the core technical team and state-assigned interviewers on survey implementation, including the survey instrument, protocols and management of challenges and adverse events (logistical, technical, and managerial) that may arise during fieldwork. Where practicable, bidders may indicate how they will leverage online survey tools to collect the relevant data

(6) Coordinate and supervise the administration of the survey instrument by the core technical team and interviewers. Coordinate and supervise the collection of non-survey data required for the stale health accounts working with the core technical team and the relevant state ministries, department and agencies

(7) Collate and evaluate the data and information collected from the survey and other sources. Advise and provide technical support for producing estimations for missing data and resolving outlying and conflicting data, Evaluation processes will include cleaning and validating data collected with state stakeholders.

Data Mapping, Analysis and Reporting using the Health Accounts Production Tool (HAPT)

(8) Working with the core technical group, enter/upload cleaned and validated data into the Health Accounts Production Tool, apply relevant weights and classify data into expenditure categories identified previously using guidance from the WHO/USAID developed HAPT manual (attached in Appendix I)

(9) Generate agreed output tables and chart from the HAPT and develop a summary presentation of outputs into a PowerPoint presentation for validation with the HFEI-TWG, the leadership of the State Ministry of Health and relevant government agencies

(10) Following validation, develop a detailed State Health Accounts report out lining the methodology, results of the study and policy implications and recommendations for the state(s)

(11) Co-facilitate, along with the core technical group a dissemination workshop for the State Health accounts report

Development of a Strategy/Plan for Institutionalization of the State Health Accounts study in the Focus States (Bauchi and Ebonyi), This will factor in the following:

(12) Governance Structure – In consultation with states take holders proffer recommendations for the institutional leadership and ownership of periodic production of State Health Accounts. The recommendations should also include the clear delineation of responsibilities within the team and modalities for ensuring strong and explicit linkages with other agencies to facilitate access and validation of data and linkage of the state health account results with planning and budgeting processes

(13) Develop a data collection manual which outlines standards for data collection and analysis, provides guidance on relevant sources for data collection and recommends estimation methods for data gaps likely to be present given the current mechanisms for recording arid reporting data in the state. Proffer recommendations for incorporating required data fields for the state health accounts into routine systems for data collection and reporting in the state(s)

(14) Develop a funding plan which outlines the key cost requirements for conducting state health account(s), and alongside IHP and state stakeholders, considers options for integrating the state health accounts costs as part of the state ministry of health’s budget. In determining the cost requirements, bidders will be expected to consider cost-efficient processes and methodologies for periodic data collection, analysis and reporting

Deliverables
(1) A State Health Accounts Framework (Inception Report) which shall include the following;

(a) A detailed description of the methodology (which shall follow the World Health Organization 2011 System of Health Accounts (SHA2011)) which will be used to produce the health accounts in a manner that promotes comparability across countries

(b) A detailed, final work plan indicating the activities to be implemented, timelines and responsibilities for implementing the activities

(c) A summary of the health care financing system, structure and classifications in the focus states(s). It will also include the identification of data sources and the gaps in information which exists.

(2) Final survey instruments and protocol for data collection and finalized tools for collecting non- survey data

(3) Completed training of the core technical team and state-assigned interviewers as evidenced by attendance lists, pre and post evaluation tests and pictures. At least 3 separate capacity building sessions are expected to be held during the course of this engagement with 2 targeted at the core technical team and 1 targeted at state-assigned interviewers

(4) Original (uncleaned) data files; cleaned data files; a clean, analytic data set in the required format (to be stipulated at time of contract signing) with data correctly organized, variables named and labeled; and a code book.

(5) Draft State Health Accounts summary report (in format agreed at time of contract signing) for presentation and validation with key government agencies and stakeholders

(6) Final Health Accounts Production Tool with uploaded data and generated output tables and charts

(7) Final State Health Accounts report, incorporating the feedback received at the stakeholder consultations, to be used for dissemination

(8) State Health Accounts Institutionalization Strategy report which will include governance arrangements, recommendations for streamlining data collection and options for funding the production of periodic state health accounts

Instructions for submitting the EOI:
(1) Submit a letter indicating interest in applying for a Contract to provide the required services in one or more States, specifying which State(s),

(2) Submit a maximum of two-page concept note using the template provided.

(3) Submit a simple cost estimate.

(4) Provide evidence of eligibility as per the requirements stated below

Full application package can be downloaded from this link XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Key requirements

• A Nigeria-registered Research Firm or company
• Have a minimum of three (5) years’ experience in providing services for quantitative and qualitative data collection, economic modelling, data analysis and reporting.
• Have sufficient numbers of proficient personnel who have relevant previous experience in qualitative and quantitative research technique, economic modelling and analysis
• Have experience in recruiting / assembling a critical mass of experienced personnel needed for fieldwork / data (quantitative and qualitative) collection.
• Previous experience implementing a successful contract of a similar nature (at the national or state level). Please specify the funder, Researches implemented, description, summary of findings and geographic location/spread of the work. Have experience in training personnel for quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and reporting if bidding for more than one State, demonstrate capacity to execute the Contract across the multiple States simultaneously Ability and willingness to abide by the terms of U.S. government standard provisions, including the “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” by accepting the provisions in their award https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303mab.pdf.

The following are not eligible lo apply:

• Political parties or institutions
• Governmental organizations, agencies or parastatals
• Public International Organizations (PIOs)
• Organizations and individuals who are debarred as contained in the excluded parties list and the United Nations Security Council Sanctions list, or the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list.
• Any individual or organization that have been indicted for misusing USAID funds in the past.
• All eligible organizations will be invited to submit a full application.

Electronic submissions:
Please send your completed documents in PDF form as a single file to consultancy@ihp-nigeria.com referencing the EOI number or numbers on the subject of your email. The document should not be more than 10MB in size. Sometimes electronic submissions are affected by internet challenges and IT issues. The organizations are advised to plan and ensure submissions are made before the deadline, IHP will not be held liable if electronic submissions are not delivered or have other challenges that may render it not readable.

All EOIs must be submitted by email and arrive on or before the date and time noted previously in this EOI. Please note that IHP will not accommodate late submissions. EOIs submitted via email will receive auto response acknowledgment instantly which confirms that the submission was successfully delivered to the email box. After the deadline, all EOIs received will be assessed and applicants will be informed on the outcome of the assessment.

Expression of interest should include:
(1) Name and physical address of Firm;

(2) Name, email and phone number of contact person;

(3) Website of the organization (if any)

(4) Brief statement describing the capabilities of the organization, including a description of any previous activities of similar scope.

(5) A letter indicating interest in applying for a Contract to provide the required services in Ebonyi State and/or the FCT.

(6) Submit a maximum of two-page concept note using the template provided.

(7) Submit a simple cost estimate.

(8) Provide evidence of eligibility as per the given requirements, including a copy of registration in Nigeria

Successful firms will be required to sign certifications: Terrorism. Anti-Kick Back, Debarment, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Contracts Team Contact Details:

All submitted EOIs will be reviewed by the Contracts Evaluation Committee in accordance with the IHP procedures. Research Firms who qualify from the EOI stage will be notified and invited to respond to an RFP EOIs that do not meet the expectation of the EOI stage will also receive a notification from the Senior Grants and Compliance Manager informing them that they will not be moving to the RFP stage.

Issuance of this EOI does not constitute a Contract commitment, nor does it commit Palladium to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission.