Evaluation of the 5 Areas of Work Funded by the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Partnership Contribution

The PIP Framework is a broad-based partnership to improve global pandemic influenza preparedness and response. The Framework, which grew out of the re-emergence of A(H5N1) influenza in 2004, was adopted by WHO’s 194 Member States at the World Health Assembly on 24 May 2011. Section 6.14.3 of the Framework establishes an annual Partnership Contribution (“PC”) to be paid by influenza vaccine, diagnostic and pharmaceutical manufacturers using the WHO global influenza surveillance and response system (GISRS). Resources contributed are to be used to strengthen pandemic influenza preparedness and response. The PIP PC funds currently strengthen capacities in five critical areas of work (AOWs): laboratory and surveillance capacity, knowledge of burden of disease, regulatory affairs capacity, planning for deployment of pandemic response supplies and risk communication. The specific goals for each AOW were developed in detail in the high-level Partnership Contribution Implementation Plan 2013-2016[1]  (HLIP I). The HLIP I has been extended until the end of 2017 to allow for completion and evaluation of the initial implementation activities and for the development of the next high level PC Plan 2018-2022 (HLIP II).

An independent external evaluation of the 5 Areas of Work currently using PIP PC funds is being commissioned to provide input for the HLIP II. The objectives of the evaluation consultancy are to:

• Assess the progress of each of the AOWs under review towards achieving the outputs and outcomes set out in the HLIP I;
• Measure the short, medium and longer term impact generated by each of the AOWs to determine how these have helped prepare the global community for pandemic influenza; and
• Identify lessons learnt that can improve the management of PIP PC funds in the future.

Tasks and responsibilities of the Consultant(s) will be as follows:

• The consultant(s) will evaluate the AOWs funded by PIP PC which have started during the period of the HLIP 2013-2016.
• The evaluation will be coordinated by the PIP PC Implementation team of the PIP Framework Secretariat so that the Consultant(s) has full access to all available documents.
• The consultant(s) will undertake project reviews using official documents, evaluation checklists, questionnaires and other associated tools to be discussed and developed with the PIP PC Implementation team.
• The evaluation should consider achievements and lessons learnt as a result of the implementation of the PIP PC funded projects. The resulting evaluation report will be disseminated and available to all PIP Framework stakeholders.
• The evaluation should be based on the work plans agreed between the PIP Secretariat and the   teams implementing the AOWs work plans in the WHO regional and country offices and at WHO headquarters.
• Evaluation questions should cover the questions listed below in the categories of project relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact.
• The consultant(s) will need to meet with:
  • PIP PC Implementation team to develop and refine evaluation questions and to agree evaluation methodology;
  • all relevant stakeholders of the PIP PC-funded AOWs to ensure a balanced and fair perspective of the their achievements and challenges;

The consultant(s) will need to:

• review the all project documentation, including work plans, specific monitoring indicators and financial reports;
• review the current reporting templates for both project activity and project financial reporting and suggest improvements to routine project reports and modify, if necessary, the frequency and timing of reporting; and
• provide an overall evaluation of the management of each AOW under evaluation including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

The consultant(s) will need to consider the following sources of information for the evaluation:

• Work plans per year for each AOW, including the Regional and Country offices;
• progress reports and follow-up performed by the PIP PC Implementation team with regards to semi-annual and annual reports from AOW;
• surveys of stakeholders and beneficiaries (where available and relevant); and
• financial reports.

The PIP PC Implementation team will provide work plans, reports, including financial reports, from implementers as well as any other information deemed necessary to perform a thorough evaluation of the project. The scope of the evaluations should not extend beyond the scope of the relevant programmatic review provisions contained in the applicable agreements that the PIP Secretariat has with its AOW implementers.

The consultant will submit the required report and documentation to the PIP Framework Secretariat.

The work for the evaluation is expected to begin on the 05 October 2016 or as soon as possible thereafter and will end after the filing of the required and satisfactory technical and financial reports by 15 April 2017.

See below table for the specific deliverables and timelines:

Deliverable                                                                         Due date

1. Finalized list of evaluation questions and methodology        31 October 2016

2. Summary of preliminary findings                                        30 January 2017

3.  Draft evaluation report;                                                     15 March 2017

4.  Final evaluation report                                                      15 April 2017