RFQ-2019-16 Consultancy services for UNAIDS Technical Support Mechanism (TSM)

UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations system, bringing together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for people living with HIV, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. These organizations, called “UNAIDS Cosponsors” are UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank.

The purpose of this RFQ is to select a qualified consultant to carry out an evaluation of the UNAIDS Technical Support Mechanism (TSM). The TSM aims at facilitating the provision of quality technical support to countries (in the context of the AIDS response) and strategic learning.
In 2018, UNAIDS contracted the Oxford Policy Management (OPM) Group to operationalize the new TSM model over the period May 2018 – May 2020. TSM, in collaboration with OPM, operates through an integrated approach: it is centrally managed - by the UNAIDS headquarters (HQ) and regional support teams (RST) - but country driven with the aim to provide high quality technical assistance (TA) to accelerate AIDS response implementation in countries with emphasis on people left behind, and including optimal utilization of the Global Fund Grants on HIV.

TSM aims at the strategic utilization of catalytic high-impact technical support in countries, quality assurance, strategic learning and knowledge management. At country level UNAIDS drives the prioritization of technical support demands, ensures coordination with partners and management of the TA implementation, including political advocacy and support to country ownership, community engagement, and utilization of technical support findings. TSM has become the main channel for planning and provision of TA funds to support the AIDS response in countries. Since May 2018, the TSM has supported approximated 260 country and regional assignments in 45 countries across regions. Ensuring TA performance and management, including the TSM operations contracted to OPM, is central to effective utilisation of resources and delivering results in countries. In this context, the UNAIDS Secretariat is undertaking an independent evaluation of the UNAIDS TSM organizational model, including the operating procedures and practices of both UNAIDS and OPM functions and synergies between the two.

UNAIDS is an organization that is dependent on the budgetary and extra-budgetary contributions it receives for the implementation of its activities. Bidders are therefore requested to propose the best and most cost-effective solution to meet UNAIDS requirements, while ensuring a high level of service.
For more information about UNAIDS please consult our website www.unaids.org.