Consultancy (80% of fulltime) to assist in the implementation of resolution WHA61.21 on the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property

BACKGROUND

The department of Essential Medicines and Health Products (EMP) works with Member States and partners to improve access to essential medicines and other health products, including assistive products, and to promote rational use. The EMP department works within the MVP cluster, in the wider framework of universal health coverage and category 4 of WHO’s 12th general programme of work. The department works with a wide range of UN organizations, international partners and expert networks, and WHO Collaborating Centres in order to achieve its objectives. Built on three main pillars – access, innovation and regulation – EMP promotes policies and technical capacities in low-resourced health systems, develops international standards for the manufacturing and regulation of health products and provides guidance for health systems everywhere to deliver them safely and cost-effectively.

Purpose of the work:

The purpose of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is to select a suitable contractor to carry out the following work:  The purpose of the consultancy is to assist in the implementation of resolution WHA61.21 on the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property. To assist the current team in preparing documents and providing technical advice on issues related to R&D, access to health products and intellectual property. It also includes the support building and strengthening national and regional capacity in the area of public health, trade, and intellectual property under the supervision of the team.

Work to be performed:

•             Support implementation of actions of the Global Strategy related to the management and application of intellectual property in relation to public health;

•               Assist capacity building on how to manage and apply intellectual property in a manner supportive for public health needs;

•               Assist in developing capacity building and training programmes in collaboration with other relevant international and regional organizations and other stakeholders and develop related training material;

•               Assist in developing R&D priority setting in relation to the development of new treatments for neglected, diseases, emerging pathogens with epidemic potential and antimicrobial medicines; and

•               Assist in managing the trilateral cooperation with WIPO and WTO, including annual trilateral symposia and joint publications and training activities.

Planned timelines:

Start date:  15/10/2018

End date: 14/10/2019

Key requirements for this assignment:

Experience:

Knowledge of issues related to public health, intellectual property and trade. Ability to work independently as well as a member of a team to achieve common goals. Good knowledge of WHO policies and programmes:

•               Work under tight deadlines on a results-oriented basis;

•               Develop innovative approaches and solutions;

•               Communicate and write clearly for non-technical experts; and

•               Produce and consolidate complex information in a concise manner.

Qualifications and experience required:    

•               Advanced university degree in pharmacy, medicine, natural sciences, law or other related field;

•               Some years’ experience of policy development and programme implementation and policy advice experience working on access to medicines, intellectual property, public health and R&D related issues on a national and international level; and 

•               A proven track record demonstrating excellent writing and presentation skills.

Desirable:

Experience in working with or in developing countries on R&D, access to medicines, intellectual property and public health issues. Experience in working for WHO, other UN organizations and programmes or similar institutions

Language requirement

Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English. Knowledge of another WHO working and additional languages would be an asset.

Additional information:

The implementation of the assignment may require international travel; costs for such travel will be borne by WHO according to its rules and regulations. The contractor has to be legally entitled to work in the country or countries where the work is to be carried out, and is expected to be in the possession of an unrestricted passport.

Submission of proposals:

No later than  20 September 2018 (17:00 CET),the bidder shall complete and return by email to WHO (only when this step is completed the bidder is regarded as a prospective bidder) a proposal and a CV of the respective consultant with the following:

Financial proposal including number of working days in 2018 and 2019 (maximum can be 200) and the proposal should be indicated clearly by daily rate.

A prospective bidder requiring any clarification on technical, contractual or commercial matters may notify WHO via email at the following address no later than 5 days prior to the closing date for the submission of offers:

Email for submissions of forms and proposal:       iauinfo@who.int

(use subject: Bid Ref HQ/EMP/2018/012)

Refer to attached documents for additional information.