Health Technical Coordinator for the Health Sector Reform Program — Advancing Preparation of Uzbekistan Health Sector Reform Program

Request for Expression of Interest TERMS OF REFERENCE Individual Consultant – Health Technical Coordinator GFPP Preparation Grant No. E6710 Project Name: Preparation Grant for the Health Sector Reform Program Bid Reference: UZ-MEF-HEALTH-IC-01-CS-INDV 1. Background The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implementing the Grant Facility for Program Preparation (GFPP) IDA Grant No. E6710 , financed by the World Bank, to support the preparation of the proposed Health Sector Reform Program. The objective of the Grant is to finance technical assistance, analytical work, institutional strengthening, and project preparation activities required for the design of the future World Bank-financed Health Sector Reform Program. The Grant supports the Government of Uzbekistan in preparing key technical, institutional, fiduciary, environmental and social, and implementation arrangements necessary for the proposed operation. The Project Implementation Unit (PIU), established under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is responsible for overall implementation of the Grant, including procurement, financial management, contract administration, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, coordination with the World Bank, and overall fiduciary oversight. Implementation of the Grant requires close collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health, technical consultants, other government institutions, and the World Bank. The Ministry of Health serves as the principal technical counterpart for the preparation of the future Health Sector Reform Program and provides technical leadership for a number of Grant activities. To strengthen the PIU's technical capacity and facilitate effective implementation of technical activities financed under the Grant, the PIU intends to engage an experienced Health Technical Coordinator as an Individual Consultant. 2. Description of GFPP Grant Activities The Grant finances technical assistance and project preparation activities required for the preparation of the proposed Health Sector Reform Program. Indicative activities financed under the Grant include, but are not limited to: Component 1. Technical Studies and Health Sector Reform Preparation technical and analytical studies supporting health sector reforms; development of methodologies and technical approaches for primary health care services; preparation of policy recommendations for strengthening health financing and service delivery; technical assistance related to provider payment mechanisms and the Guaranteed Benefits Package; institutional and sector assessments; feasibility and analytical studies required for preparation of the future Program. Component 2. Institutional Strengthening and Project Readiness strengthening institutional capacity of participating agencies; environmental and social assessments and implementation readiness; strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems; strengthening fiduciary systems, including procurement and financial management; preparation of implementation arrangements for the proposed Program. Component 3. Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange organization of technical workshops; international study visits; overseas training programs; knowledge exchange activities; dissemination of international good practices relevant to health sector reforms. Implementation of these activities requires effective coordination among government agencies, consultants, and development partners to ensure timely delivery of technical outputs and successful preparation of the future Program. 3. Implementation Arrangements The Grant will be implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Finance through the existing Project Implementation Unit (PIU), which is responsible for fiduciary management, procurement, financial management, contract administration, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and coordination with the World Bank. The Ministry of Health will provide technical leadership and guidance for technical activities financed under the Grant. Various national and international consultants and consulting firms will be engaged to carry out analytical studies, technical assessments, institutional reviews, and capacity-building activities. The Health Technical Coordinator shall work under the overall supervision of the PIU Manager and shall provide technical support to the PIU in coordinating health-related activities financed under the Grant. The Consultant shall work closely with representatives of the Ministry of Health, consultants engaged under the Grant, other government agencies, and the World Bank Task Team. The Consultant shall provide technical advice and support to facilitate timely implementation of consulting assignments, preparation and review of technical documentation, monitoring of implementation progress, and communication between technical stakeholders. 4. Objective of the Assignment The objective of the assignment is to provide professional health sector technical support to the Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Economy and Finance in implementing activities financed under the GFPP IDA Grant No. E6710 . The Consultant shall support the PIU Manager in coordinating technical aspects of Grant implementation, facilitate communication with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, assist in the preparation and review of technical documentation, monitor implementation of consulting assignments from a technical perspective, and contribute to timely achievement of the Grant objectives. The Consultant shall provide technical support throughout the implementation cycle of Grant activities while ensuring effective collaboration among technical stakeholders and consistency of technical outputs with the objectives of the Grant. Upon request of the PIU Manager, the Consultant may also provide technical support to other health sector projects implemented by the PIU, provided that such support does not adversely affect implementation of the GFPP Grant. 5. Scope of Services The Health Technical Coordinator shall work under the overall supervision of the PIU Manager and provide technical support to the PIU throughout implementation of the GFPP IDA Grant No. E6710. The Consultant shall support the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and technical oversight of Grant activities and contribute to effective coordination among the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health, consultants, and the World Bank. The Consultant shall perform, but not necessarily be limited to, the following tasks: A. Technical Support for Project Implementation The Consultant shall: provide technical advice to the PIU Manager on health sector matters related to implementation of the Grant; support implementation of technical activities financed under the Grant; assist in preparation and periodic updating of technical implementation schedules and work plans; identify technical implementation risks and propose appropriate mitigation measures; monitor implementation progress of technical activities and advise the PIU Manager on issues affecting timely delivery of outputs; contribute to ensuring consistency of technical outputs with the objectives of the Grant and the proposed Health Sector Reform Program. B. Technical Support to Procurement Activities The Consultant shall: prepare and review Terms of Reference (ToRs) for consulting assignments; assist technical departments in defining the scope of consulting services and expected outputs; support preparation of technical specifications and technical requirements for procurement packages; review procurement documentation from the technical perspective before submission for procurement processing; participate, when requested, as a technical member of consultant evaluation committees; review consultants’ technical proposals and provide technical comments during evaluation; provide technical clarification during procurement processes, when required; utilize AI-assisted functionality available within the World Bank STEP system, where appropriate, to support preparation of draft Terms of Reference and other technical documentation, ensuring that all outputs are professionally reviewed and validated prior to submission. C. Technical Review of Consultant Deliverables The Consultant shall: review inception reports, interim reports, draft reports, and final reports prepared by consultants; assess whether consultants’ outputs are technically sound, complete, and consistent with the approved Terms of Reference; prepare technical comments and recommendations for the PIU Manager; coordinate collection and consolidation of comments received from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders; support timely review and acceptance of consultants’ deliverables; monitor implementation of consultants’ recommendations, where applicable. D. Coordination with the Ministry of Health and Stakeholders The Consultant shall: maintain regular technical communication with the Ministry of Health and other participating government institutions; facilitate exchange of technical information between consultants, the PIU, and government counterparts; support organization of technical meetings, consultations, workshops, and working group sessions; prepare technical briefing notes, presentations, agendas, minutes of meetings, and follow-up action matrices; monitor implementation of agreed technical actions arising from meetings and consultations. E. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting The Consultant shall: support monitoring of implementation progress of technical activities financed under the Grant; contribute to monitoring achievement of project indicators and technical milestones; assist in identifying implementation bottlenecks and recommend corrective actions; prepare monthly technical progress updates for the PIU Manager; prepare technical inputs to quarterly, semi-annual, and annual project progress reports; contribute to preparation of implementation reports, aide-mémoires, and other project documentation requested by the World Bank. F. Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing The Consultant shall: support preparation and implementation of workshops, training activities, study visits, and technical exchanges financed under the Grant; facilitate coordination with national and international experts participating in capacity-building activities; assist in dissemination of technical knowledge and lessons learned generated under the Grant; contribute to strengthening institutional capacity of participating agencies through technical advice and knowledge sharing. G. Other Responsibilities The Consultant shall: undertake field visits, when required, to support implementation and monitor technical activities; provide technical advice to the PIU on health sector matters relevant to implementation of the Grant; support preparation of technical sections of project documentation, reports, and presentations; provide technical support, as requested by the PIU Manager, to other health sector projects implemented by the PIU, provided that such support does not adversely affect implementation of the GFPP IDA Grant No. E6710; perform any other health sector-related duties reasonably assigned by the PIU Manager that are relevant to successful implementation of projects administered by the PIU. 6. Deliverables The Health Technical Coordinator shall provide, at a minimum, the following deliverables throughout the implementation period of the Grant: Technical inputs to work plans, implementation schedules, and activity plans for Grant implementation. Draft and finalized Terms of Reference (ToRs), technical specifications, and other technical documentation prepared or reviewed in support of procurement activities. Technical reviews and written comments on consultants' inception reports, interim reports, draft reports, final reports, and other technical deliverables. Monthly technical progress reports summarizing implementation status, key achievements, issues encountered, and recommended corrective actions. Technical inputs to quarterly, semi-annual, and annual project implementation reports, implementation support missions, aide-mémoires, and other reports requested by the PIU Manager Technical briefing materials, presentations, meeting agendas, minutes of meetings, and follow-up action matrices prepared for meetings with the Ministry of Health, the World Bank, and other stakeholders. Technical reports and recommendations resulting from field visits, consultations, workshops, study tours, and other Grant activities, where applicable. Technical recommendations supporting implementation of consulting assignments, monitoring of deliverables, and resolution of technical issues arising during implementation. Technical support provided for knowledge-sharing events, workshops, training activities, and capacity-building initiatives financed under the Grant. All deliverables shall be prepared in a form and substance satisfactory to the PIU Manager and, where applicable, acceptable to the World Bank. 7. Qualifications Education The Consultant shall possess: a Master's degree or higher in Public Health, Medicine, Health Policy, Health Management, Health Economics, Public Administration, or another relevant discipline. Professional Experience The Consultant shall have: at least seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the health sector; demonstrated experience in health sector reforms, health systems strengthening, public health policy, health financing, or health service delivery; experience in implementation of technical assistance projects financed by international development partners; experience with World Bank-financed projects is highly desirable; experience in preparation and review of Terms of Reference, technical reports, analytical studies, and consultant deliverables; experience working with government institutions and coordinating with multiple stakeholders; experience in organization of technical meetings, workshops, consultations, training activities, and study visits. Competencies The Consultant shall demonstrate: sound knowledge of health sector policies, institutional reforms, and health system governance in Uzbekistan context; strong analytical, coordination, facilitation, and communication skills; excellent report-writing and presentation skills; ability to review complex technical documents and provide constructive recommendations; ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines; high standards of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and ethical conduct; proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; ability to effectively utilize digital collaboration tools and AI-assisted drafting tools while ensuring professional review and validation of all outputs. Languages The Consultant shall possess: fluency in written and spoken Uzbek or Russian ; good working knowledge of English , both written and spoken. 8. Duration of the Assignment The Consultant shall be engaged as an Individual Consultant for the implementation period of the GFPP IDA Grant No. E6710 . 9. Reporting and Supervision The Health Technical Coordinator shall report directly to the PIU Manager . The Consultant shall work in close coordination with: the Procurement Specialist; the Financial Management Specialist; Environmental and Social Specialists; consultants and consulting firms engaged under the Grant; representatives of the Ministry of Health; relevant departments of the Ministry of Economy and Finance; other participating government institutions; The Consultant shall perform the assignment under the overall supervision of the PIU Manager and in accordance with the Financing Agreement. The Consultant shall provide technical advice and support to the PIU Manager and shall not perform managerial, fiduciary, procurement, or financial management functions assigned to other members of the PIU. The Consultant shall promptly inform the PIU Manager of any technical issues, implementation risks, or delays that may affect achievement of the Grant objectives and shall recommend appropriate mitigation measures. 10. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest The Consultant shall perform the assignment with the highest standards of professional competence, integrity, and ethical conduct. The Consultant shall maintain strict confidentiality of all information obtained during the assignment and shall not disclose such information to any third party without prior written authorization from the PIU Manager, except where disclosure is required by applicable legislation or the requirements of the World Bank. The Consultant shall avoid any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest throughout the duration of the assignment and shall immediately disclose to the PIU Manager any circumstances that may give rise to such conflict. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form in English or Russian languages to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by August 14, 2026, at 18:00 hours Tashkent time. Uzbekistan, 100017, Tashkent, Niyozbek yo'li, 1 Tel:(+99897) 447-86-11 E-mail: healthgfpp2@gmail.com Web site: https://www.imv.uz/ Abdurashid Abdurakhmanov