Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies: Strategic Plan 2014 – 2016

Publication date: 2014

Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies Strategic Plan 2014 – 2016 Document reviewed and approved by CARhs members June 2014 To be reviewed on an annual basis 1 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) Table of Contents Introduction. 2 CARhs Future Trajectory . 2 Messaging Portfolio . 4 Messaging Activities . 4 Technical Portfolio . 5 Technical Activities . 5 Operational Effectiveness Portfolio . 7 Operational Effectiveness Activities . 7 Appendix I: Operational Notes . 8 Messaging Notes . 8 Technical Notes . 9 Organizational Effectiveness Notes . 9 Appendix II: Responsibility Assignment Matrix . 10 Appendix III: Project Schedule . 12 2 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) INTRODUCTION The Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) convened a meeting of Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) members and relevant stakeholders in February 2014 in order to establish the group’s goals and objectives for the coming three years along with an approach to meeting those goals. The objectives for the meeting were as follows:  Formalize the vision, goals, and objectives for CARhs in the next three years.  Review lessons learned and identify areas where efficiency and effectiveness of CARhs can be improved.  Define goals of country engagement by the CARhs membership, which can include the aim of reducing issue escalation to the global level and strengthening overall communication and data visibility.  Establish criteria and decision milestones to address the question of expanding the Procurement Planning and Monitoring Report (PPMR).  Develop a three-year implementation plan for CARhs operations. This document represents the output from that meeting. Further information regarding the background analysis and discussions held can be found in the meeting report and other documents found here. CARHS FUTURE TRAJECTORY The CARhs group met at a time when the group was facing a number of strategic changes within the external environment in which the group operates. In addition to defining what the group is and will be for the next few years, significant discussion took place around the overall direction or trajectory in which the group would like to go. These big picture ideas are implicitly incorporated into the purpose, objectives, and activities contained within the plan but are explicitly summarized below. In an ideal world, CARhs would not exist. CARhs, as a technical procurement group, is focused on “exceptions management.” In other words, CARhs acts when existing systems of forecasting, supply planning, and procurement result in supply imbalances or information gaps. The long-term goal of the community, therefore, should be to strengthen systems in order to reduce the number of issues referred to the CARhs group. This includes doing more to engage countries in a coordinated manner to support them in addressing systemic issues before a CARhs intervention is required. The Coalition’s Coordinated Supply Planning (CSP) Group and CARhs are part of a single continuum. It was agreed that CARhs and CSP activities are part of a continuous process that includes exceptions management and planning and that CARhs could focus on sending issues “up” to CSP (longer-term, more systemic issues), and CSP would send less “down” to CARhs. Over time and with better planning, theoretically there would be fewer exceptions to manage. It was agreed that the CSP group, still in its relative infancy, would continue to work on establishing its foundational structure including standard operating processes, roles, and outputs and then re-enter discussions with the RHSC and CARhs teams regarding a more formalized combined structure in the future. Broadening CARhs’ view of the stock situation in a country benefits the entire community. Although the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) control 80 percent of the public sector market for family planning, the inclusion of other organizations, such as those working in social marketing, would be beneficial. Given the interest in these organizations to be included in the work of CARhs and the benefits of a “total market” view to the stock situation, CARhs must find methods to coordinate in a value-added way with these organizations. Communicating CARhs’ success builds support for its work. Communicating more about the success of CARhs can help in getting and maintaining donor support and can strengthen data collection efforts if CARhs is more widely seen as something worthwhile and important at the country level. http://www.rhsupplies.org/working-groups/systems-strengthening/coordinated-assistance-for-rh-supplies.html 3 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) CARhs Purpose Statement and Strategic Objectives The figure below outlines the purpose statement and three strategic objectives around messaging, technical work, and operational effectiveness agreed to by the members of the group. The rest of this plan then digs down into the activities the group will undertake in the next three years to fulfill the objectives. 4 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) MESSAGING PORTFOLIO MESSAGING GOAL: To communicate effectively with a broad range of audiences in order to expand engagement of those essential to fulfilling our mission and generate broad-based support for our work. MESSAGING ACTIVITIES M1. CARhs re-branding (Essential) Create an identity that reflects the purpose of the CARhs group and its role in exceptions management that can later be linked to the Coordinated Supply Planning group.  Create a new name and address other “branding” considerations.  Communicate the new brand along with outcomes of the strategic planning meeting to appropriate stakeholders.  Develop materials such as a standard template for presentations so that all members are consistent in writing and talking about the group. M2. Fact sheet (Essential) Update/develop the fact sheet on CARhs that can be shared with a non-technical audience, and create a shared language across CARhs members. M3. Annual progress report (Essential) Develop a progress report that can be shared with a broad, non-technical audience. M4. Common contact list (Essential) Develop a common contact list of people who should be included in communications in each country for each partner. M5. On-boarding/advocacy brief for new countries (Essential) Develop a brief that describes the data gathering process.  The theme of the brief should encourage country ownership of the data collection process and should be used to support in-country decision-making. M6. Best practices series (Essential) Capture and disseminate technical best practices or approaches to data provision to the PPMR or managing support from CARhs. M7. Short documentary on CARhs (If funds permit) As part of the 10 th anniversary of the RHSC and the CARhs group, put together a short video on CARhs history and current activities.  Include this activity as part of RHSC 10 th anniversary efforts.  Include French subtitles.  Ensure that the documentary is suitable for a broad audience to introduce the work of the CARhs group. M8. Success stories (Essential) Gather and disseminate stories on CARhs successes.  Write stories with a non-technical audience in mind.  Identify stories and issues from CARhs calls and coordinate with a technical lead to draft a story for dissemination. M9. Presentations at conferences (Desirable) Identify venues for presenting the work of CARhs, such as global or regional conferences, meetings, etc. 5 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) TECHNICAL PORTFOLIO TECHNICAL GOAL: To ensure that CARhs and its partners are able to share and leverage the technical data and expertise necessary for effective exceptions management and ensure the most effective and efficient use of their resources at the global and country levels. TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES T1. Product transfer standard operating procedures (SOPs) (Essential) Create SOPs for product transfers with the aim of standardizing and improving the efficiency of executing the transfer. T2. Improve data quality (Essential) Analyze how key PPMR data points used by CARhs are constructed (such as average monthly consumption. Identify opportunities to standardize how data are reported by data providers.  Update data provider (DP) guidance/SOPs, incorporating additional instructions on calculating AMC and collecting SOH.  Consider adding information to data collected to define how AMC and SOH are calculated and what they represent (in terms of supply chain level). T3. Increase value-added for data providers (Essential) Use a two-pronged approach to data provider survey follow-up to create analytics and a mechanism to provide key data points that promote country-level ownership, use, and interest.  Speak to DPs who routinely enter data online about what online analytics (graphs, charts) might be useful.  Target DPs who responded to our pre-strategic planning survey to ask how CARhs could serve them better and help them make use of their data (e.g. create an annual dashboard report).  Develop a “dashboard” or other mechanism to convey key data points.  Ensure dashboard and accompanying messaging supports ownership and use of the information at the country level. T4. Onboarding new countries (Essential) Onboard new PPMR reporting countries (e.g. Madagascar, Lesotho, Angola, Swaziland, and others).  Identify ways to make value proposition explicit to new PPMR countries from the outset and define the benefits of PPMR reporting and CARhs separately. T5. Partner collaboration survey (Desirable) Analyze results of a joint survey done by UNFPA and USAID about which countries have good collaboration between partners in-country and which do not.  Using this analysis, determine countries to target for joint outreach from donor headquarters.  Consider what support could be provided to coordinating committees in needy countries. T6. New PPMR data fields (Desirable) Add new PPMR data fields (e.g. next two shipment fields) that would help CARhs in decision-making. T7. CARhs indicators (Desirable) Review CARhs indicators to ensure the correct indicators are being collected and that they support the analyses needed by the messaging group, donors, and others. T8. Targeted refresher training (Desirable) Provide targeted refresher training to selected DPs /programs to reduce the time needed for vetting and improve data quality. 6 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) T9. Flow chart/decision tree (Essential) Develop a decision tree for DPs to direct information requests to country partners prior to escalation through CARhs. T10. Workshop for West and Central African Francophone countries (Desirable) Hold a workshop for West and Central African countries (Francophone) around data quality in the PPMR and use in contraceptive security committee decision-making.  Include analysis of participation to-date, case-studies, and best practices.  Best practices should highlight value of country-level ownership and use of data in decision- making.  This workshop would be organized through SECONAF, the Contraceptive Security in Francophone Africa Forum of the RHSC. 7 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS PORTFOLIO OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS GOAL: To enable CARhs team members to focus on high value added tasks that support program success. To define and optimize the process and business rules by which the CARhs group operates. OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS ACTIVITIES OE1. 2013 information requests (Essential) Review the 70 percent of CARhs issues that were “information requests” to figure out where the majority are coming from (i.e. who is requesting), what kind of information is being requested (i.e. type of information such as shipping, procurement, timing, quantities, follow up on changes, etc.), and what are the sources of information (e.g. CCM, ATLAS, OTS, My Commodities, RHI).  This task is likely to include categorizing the 70 percent of the information requests. OE2. Annual schedule (Essential) Create an annual schedule of meetings to define in-person meetings, analysis to be performed and events to attend for some/all parties to improve the operational performance of the coordinated assistance group (i.e. both CARhs and CSP). OE3. Improve CARhs processes (Essential) Review CARhs processes with the aim of improving the overall efficiency of the group.  Review CARhs swim lane process flow diagram and presentation.  Make phone calls with all participants to seek out what works well with the current process and what can be improved.  Look for simple solutions that are easy to implement. OE4. Document CARhs norms (Essential) Develop and document norms for the various roles that people currently fill, utilizing the process maps already developed to ensure that all parties know what they should be doing during the process, what are the best practices, and how each role relates to the others.  Include norms for agenda management such as adding issues from external parties, following up on CARhs issues, closing issues, and assigning outcomes, along with attendance coverage for the calls. OE5. Collaboration planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Model for the coordinated assistance group (at large) (If funding allows) Consider implementing an existing process such as CPFR for the coordinated assistance group (at large). An established process like this could provide valuable insight into how this group should structure itself and operate, ensure this group has tools and case studies of processes that work well, and ensure it has experts that could support in problem solving and new process development. OE6. Common space for shared documents (Desirable) Investigate the possibility of using the PPMR or an alternate space to store shared documents for CARhs members. 8 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) APPENDIX I: OPERATIONAL NOTES MESSAGING NOTES Recommended strategic practice: Consider from whom should the information to country partners come. Is it always the PPMR administrator, or is it best served from USAID/UNFPA/the West African Health Organization (WAHO)/SECONAF? The suggested format and wording to communicate with data providers appears below: To raise awareness and continually remind them that we are here; use a standard introductory statement when reaching out to our country offices for follow up on CARhs issues. Subject: Commodity Inventory Level Concern - [country] [commodity] Greetings from the RHSC! In our monthly teleconference of the Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) group, consisting of UNFPA, USAID, WAHO, JSI, RHSC, and other global donors and partners, concern was raised about a potential shortage/overstock of ______________ in your country. May we please ask you to investigate this and advise us on this matter? In an effort to strengthen coordination and improve communication, all of our partners are copied on this message. To monitor your RH supply data, the following tools are available: My Commodities- USAID & partners PPMR- All registered users (to register please go here: http://ppmr.rhsupplies.org/content?id=1) CCM- UNFPA OTS (Order tracking System)- UNFPA RHI- All Thank you and best regards, The CARhs Group There is value in routinely sending joint messages from both UNFPA and USAID (which should always include DELIVER and, if relevant to implants, the Implants Access Initiative) country offices in response to issues. List of audiences to reach:  Respected organizational leadership (success stories)  Donors (Gates, DFID)  SSWG  SECONAF  UNFPA/USAID country offices  Data providers—SOPs, check systems, flow chart  Ministries of Health  Decision-makers, CMS, NGOs  UNFPA/USAID regional representatives 9 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) TECHNICAL NOTES It was suggested that it would be valuable to have a standardized way of communicating with data providers. Suggested wording has been moved to the Messaging Goal Activity Portfolio, but reference to it could be relevant for the SOP work. ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS NOTES It may be appropriate to add under this goal activities to ensure that the human and financial resources are available to enable CARhs to achieve its goals and that a system is set up to ensure that CARhs works effectively with the emerging CSP group, although presumably this is envisaged to be part of the coordinated assistance. 10 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) APPENDIX II: RESPONSIBILITY ASSIGNMENT MATRIX CARhs Strategic Planning Project lead: Ellen T. Tompsett Start date: 7/1/14 Priority Resources Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed 1. Messaging Activities 1.1 CARhs re-branding Essential Time Ellen Brian Steering committee, RHSC CARhs group 1.2 Fact sheet Essential Time Ellen Brian Hannah, PPMR admins CARhs group 1.3 Annual progress report Essential Time Ellen Brian PPMR admins CARhs group 1.4 Common contact list Essential Time Cletus Ellen Country partners CARhs group 1.5 Onboarding/advocacy brief for new countries Essential Time Maggie Trisha Current and new data providers 1.6 Best practice series Essential Time Maggie Trisha Data providers 1.7 Short documentary on CARhs If funds permit Time Ellen Brian Hannah, Lucian, Badara RHSC membership, CARhs group 1.8 Success stories Essential Time Ellen John Hannah RHSC membership, CARhs group 1.9 Presentations at conferences Desirable Time Ellen Brian All active CARhs members CARhs group 2. Technical Activities 2.1 Product transfer SOPs Essential Time Erin Ellen CARhs group 2.2 Improve data quality Essential Time, possible programming funds if fields added Trisha Erin PPMR admins, CARhs members CARhs group, data providers 2.3 Increase value-added for data providers Essential Time, possible programming funds if graphs/reports added Trisha Erin PPMR admins, CARhs members, data providers 11 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) CARhs Strategic Planning Project lead: Ellen T. Tompsett Start date: 7/1/14 Priority Resources Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed 2.4 Onboarding new countries Essential Time Trisha Erin PPMR admins, Erin, Clancy, Joe 2.5 Partner collaboration survey Desirable Time Joe Jagdish 2.6 New PPMR data fields Desirable Time, funding Trisha Erin PPMR admins, programming team, CARhs members 2.7 CARhs indicators Desirable Time, possible programming funds if fields added Trisha Ellen CARhs members 2.8 Targeted refresher training Desirable Time, funds to support training Trisha Mark PPMR admins, CARhs members Data providers 2.9 Flow chart/decision tree Essential Time Maggie Ellen Data providers 2.10 Workshop for West and Central African countries (Francophone) Desirable Time, funding Badara Brian Badara, Maggie, Meba, Cletus WACA/SECONAF partners 3. Operational Effectiveness Activities 3.1 2013 information requests Essential Time, funding Intern Trisha JSI intern 3.2 Annual schedule Essential Time Laila Ellen Anita 3.3 Improve CARhs processes Essential Time, funding Consultant TBD CARhs members 3.4 Develop SOPs Essential Time Consultant TBD CARhs members 3.5 CPFR for Coordinated Assistance Group (at large) If funds permit Time Consultant Laila Sarah 3.6 Common space for shared documents Desirable Time Trisha Ellen 3.7 Coverage policy Essential Time Consultant CARhs call participants 12 | Coordinated Assistance for Reproductive Health Supplies (CARhs) APPENDIX III: PROJECT SCHEDULE CARhs Strategic Planning Project lead: Ellen Tompsett Start date: 7/1/14 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 1. Messaging Goal Activities 1.1 CARhs Re-branding 1.2 Fact sheet 1.3 Annual progress report 1.4 Common contact list 1.5 Onboarding/advocacy brief for new countries 1.6 Best practice series 1.7 Short documentary on CARhs 1.8 Success stories 1.9 Presentations at conferences 2. Technical Goal Activities 2.1 Product transfer SOPs 2.2 Improve data quality 2.3 Increase value-added for data providers 2.4 Onboarding new countries 2.5 Partner collaboration survey 2.6 New PPMR data fields 2.7 CARhs indicators 2.8 Targeted refresher training 2.9 Flow chart/decision tree 2.10 Workshop for West and Central African countries (Francophone) 3. Operational Effectiveness Goal Activities 3.1 Analyze 2013 information requests 3.2 Annual schedule 3.3 Improve CARhs processes 3.4 Develop SOPs 3.5 CPFR for Coordinated Assistance Group (at large) 3.6 Common space for shared documents 3.7 Coverage policy 2015 2016

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