Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (HF EPRP)

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Finalizing the Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (HF EPRP) Guide

Location: remote (USA)

Background

The MOMENTUM suite of awards is a flagship program designed to accelerate reductions in maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity in high-burden, USAID-supported countries. MOMENTUM aims to accomplish this goal by strengthening the capacity of country institutions and local organizations to introduce, deliver, scale up, and sustain the use of evidence based, high-quality maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition (MNCHN), voluntary family planning (FP), and reproductive health (RH) public and private sector services. MOMENTUM’s vision is that all individuals, families, and communities have equitable access to and make use of comprehensive, high-quality maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition programs, voluntary family planning services, and reproductive health care that best meets their needs.

Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the project will build health system resilience in fragile settings and improve outcomes of maternal, neonatal and child health services, and reproductive health and family planning care. MIHR is designed to include a comprehensive, flexible package of support in countries of operation as they overcome context-specific health challenges and progress towards the achievement of self-reliant health systems.

The project is being implemented by an IMA World Health led Consortium of which GOAL is a member. GOAL’s role on the program is as the lead technical advisor on health resilience.

The Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (HF EPRP) is an important initiative aimed at enhancing the resilience of health services in the face of emergencies and disasters. This comprehensive guide outlines procedures and protocols to support health facilities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, ensuring continuity of essential health services.

Since its launch in 2021, MIHR has developed a suite of resources including templates, training of trainers’ materials, a health facility workshop guide, a supervision checklist, and various table-top exercises. The initiative has led to the creation of over 20 HF EPRPs in Mali, 12 in South Sudan, and more than 50 in Niger, significantly enhancing emergency preparedness across these regions. Furthermore, After Action Review workshops have been conducted and provided valuable insights, identifying key lessons and areas for adaptation. There have been several successes stories, highlighting the impact of these plans.

Objective

The consultancy aims to refine and finalize the HF EPRP guide to ensure it is practical, comprehensive, and adaptable for health facilities facing various emergencies. This involves incorporating theoretical frameworks of health resilience, practical examples, and aligning the guide with best practices in emergency preparedness and response planning.

Scope of Work

1. Review and Analysis
   • Conduct an in-depth review of the draft HF EPRP and all related documentation, including its theoretical underpinnings, practical applications, and alignment with global best practices.
   • Conduct an examination of other related tools and documents that relate to the EPRP process (eg. Facilitator kits from Women Refugee Commision, WHO service continuity plan for health facility etc).
   • Identify gaps, areas for enhancement, and opportunities to integrate new insights on health resilience and emergency preparedness.
   • Identify and integrate relevant standards (MISP, Sphere etc), principles, and strategies from these sources into the guide to ensure the content is grounded in proven methodologies and aligns with international best practices.
2. Stakeholder Engagement
   • Engage with a few key stakeholders including MIHR staff and 1 or 2 external stakeholders to gather insights and feedback.
3. Content Development and Refinement
   • Refine the HF EPRP guide based on feedback and new research, ensuring it is user-friendly, adaptable, and comprehensive.
   • Develop content, as requested, including short case studies and best practices.
4. Finalization and Documentation
   • Compile the final version of the HF EPRP guide, incorporating all revisions and additional content.

Deliverables

1. The inception report outlining the EPRP guide’s detailed structure.
2. The finalized HF EPRP guide, including practical tools, templates, and training materials – in MIHR branding.
3. One powerpoint summarizing the EPRP guidelines – in MIHR branding.

Duration and working arrangements

The consultancy is expected to be completed over 8 (eight) working days, within a one-month period.

The consultant will report to GOAL’s Resilience Advisor and will work remotely from their own premises. Communication will be undertaken via email and online meetings.

Payment for consultancy services, which will be agreed with the successful applicant, will represent all costs payable for the consultancy services provided.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Emergency Management, Health Systems Strengthening, or related fields.
• Proven expertise in emergency preparedness and response planning, particularly in health sector contexts.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, training facilitation, and development of practical guides and tools.
• Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit the following documents in electronic form to [email protected] by 22 March 2024 with Reference number in the subject line USA-CORE 105-25875:

1. Technical proposal/project plan of maximum two pages, including:

• the applicant’s understanding of the assignment
• details of tasks
• proposed methodology, including sources of information
• proposed schedule/timeline including number of days required for each task

1. Resume and cover letter outlining your relevant skills and experience (including your contact details)
2. Up to two recent samples from similar pieces of work (please do not include any confidential / sensitive information within these samples)
3. Cost proposal
4. Details of three relevant referees who can be contacted to verify the information shared

Support provided by MIHR

• Provision of all MIHR HF-EPRP related documents
• Provision of a list of resources to review pre-identified by MIHR
• Provision of MIHR branding guidelines
• Support with graphic design if needed
• Response to questions or queries within 24h during working days
• Assistance in connecting to relevant field based staff/stakeholders