Myanmar: NATIONAL CONSULTANT (Third National AIDS Spending Assessment (NASA) in Myanmar)

I. Background

The National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS 2016-2020 in Myanmar was developed in 2016. More commonly known as “NSP III”, it has three main objectives:

Reduce incidence among priority populations and their partners;

Facilitate and ensure viral suppression for all PLHIV;

Improve the enabling environment to support the response

To achieve these objectives, the NSP III identifies five strategic directions, namely:

Strategic direction I: Reducing new HIV infections

Strategic direction II: Improving health outcomes for all people living with HIV

Strategic direction III: Strengthening integration of community and health systems and promoting a human rights-based approach

Strategic direction IV: Strengthening strategic information and research to guide service delivery, management and policy

Strategic direction V: Promoting accountable leadership for the delivery of results and financing a sustainable response

The national multisectoral response to HIV and AIDS in Myanmar is implemented by the Government in collaboration with partners including national and international non-governmental organizations, bi- and multilateral agencies, private sector and civil society including community/faith-based organizations. Overall, there are approximately 40-45 organizations involved in the national HIV/AIDS response in Myanmar.

The most important sources of funding for the national response to HIV and AIDS in Myanmar are the GFATM, 3MDG, and PEPFAR. Myanmar has yet to adopt a decentralized fiscal system for financing development initiatives at the regional, provincial or community levels.

Myanmar, like other Member States, have committed to submit to the United Nations’ Secretary General, through the UNAIDS Secretariat, a progress report on the achievement of the Fast Track targets to be reached by 2020 and the SDG 2030 targets.

The Global AIDS Monitoring Report (GAM) includes four main elements of information:

Indicator data to measure progress made with the national response;

A narrative report describing progress, challenges and recommendations;

The National Commitments and Policy Instrument (NCPI); and

The National Funding Matrix summarizing AIDS spending by funding source.

Myanmar’s first NASA exercise was back in 2005, the second one in 2014 for the years 2012-2013, and the third one in 2016 for 2014-2015. This particular exercise is aimed for the years 2016 and 2017. The last two NASA exercises were very successful and provided much-needed detailed information regarding HIV expenditure as well as detailed data to properly complete the GAM funding matrix. Moreover, this year’s exercise assessing National Aids Expenditures 2016-2017 will be supportive for the mid-term evaluation of National Strategic Plan.

II. Objectives

The overall objective of the assessment is to capture health and non-health related financial flows and expenditures related to Myanmar’s national AIDS response.

Specific objectives include the following:

(a) to gather data to assess HIV and AIDS financing flows and expenditure in 2016 and 2017;

(b) to make data that are needed to fill GARP funding matrix available; and

(c) to develop national capacity to conduct NASA and strengthen the national resource tracking system to provide continuous key information on HIV/AIDS resource flow in Myanmar.

III.Methodology
A globally recommended methodological approach will be used using six variables (financing sources, financing agents, functions or AIDS Spending categories (ASC), production factors, providers of services and intended beneficiaries). This will allow building the foundations for a national expenditure tracking system that will ensure financial data is regularly collected and used to make decisions about investment of limited resources to address the epidemic.

IV. Scope of Work

Two consultants, one international and one national, will be hired for this assignment. They will work hand in hand to apply NASA methodologies that have been developed by UNAIDS to assess the financing flows and expenditures in Myanmar for the past two years (2016-2017). The financing flows need to be accounted by reconstructing the financial transactions among the six economic entities described for the financing, production and consumption functions (as described in the “National AIDS Spending Assessment (NASA): Classifications and Definitions”.

To produce the results expected under these TOR, the consultants will conduct a survey involving all of the institutions involved in the response to HIV and AIDS at different levels.

In particular, the national consultant will work to support the international consultant and be carrying out the following tasks:

1. Participate in the training for the NASA Team members, actively participate in the discussion to plan the assessment in detail and update mapping of institutions involved with national response.
2. Assist with organization and facilitation of NASA launch meeting to introduce NASA to respondents and to present the data collection tools and guidance notes.
3. Assist with organization and facilitation sessions with finance and programme staff in respondents’ entities in order to facilitate data submission, where needed.
4. Assist with collection of responses, checking of their completeness and quality control of data provided and following up with the respondents if needed.
5. Conduct mapping of the submitted data with the NASA codes and enter the identified transactions into the data processing file.
6. Prepare tables/graphs/charts for the NASA Validation meeting and the NASA report and GARP financial reporting matrices.
7. Assist in maintaining and updating NASA database throughout the assessment.
8. Assist with organization and facilitation of the NASA validation meeting.

V. Expected Deliverables

The expected outputs or products of this consultancy include:

1. A draft one-page map of institutions involved in Myanmar’s national response to HIV

2. According to the NASA Team division of labor, completed and quality checked data collection forms and related data processing files

3. List of the assumptions used during the NASA and well-described estimation strategies.

4. Submitted graphs, charts and tables for the NASA report – as directed by the Lead Consultant

a. Deadline for the preliminary graphs (for the validation meeting)

b. Deadline for the final graphs

1. Additional data collected and sent to Lead consultant, if needed.

2. Consultancy completion report by 31 December 2018.

VI. Expected level of effort and timeframe:

The national consultant will be engaged for 30 days in this initiative from 1 October to 30 November 2018. S/he will work very closely with the international consultant to provide support and learn about NASA methods and tools.

VII. Collaboration and reporting:

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the UNAIDS Country Director and the day-to-day supervision of the Strategic Information Adviser. The national consultant will closely work together with the international consultant and coordinate efforts effectively with the NAP and partners.

VIII. Qualifications:

◦ University degree in health economics, M&E, accountancy, social sciences or a related field;

◦ At least three years of professional experience in research and M&E and in collection, management and analysis of data;

◦ Experience with management and analysis of financial data a major asset;

◦ Good understanding of HIV epidemics and national responses; a knowledge of the Myanmar context is an asset;

◦ Experience with conducting surveys in developing countries and with the management and analysis of large quantitative data sets;

◦ Excellent analytical, management and coordination skills;

◦ Outstanding interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills;

◦ Proficiency in spread sheets and word processing applications;

◦ Fluency in English and Myanmar.

Interested candidates are requested to send their application with updated CV and cover letter to the Country Director, UNAIDS Myanmar, No. 137/1, Thanlwin Road, Kamayut Township, Yangon (Tel: +95 1 534498, 504832, 503816, 538087, 538938) or to myinta@unaids.org.

Please note that the deadline for application submission is 21 August 2018.