REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

(CONSULTING SERVICES)

International Technical Assistance- Consulting Company

                                                                                                  Tirana,  24th of January 2022

Albania Health System Improvement Project (HSIP)

Loan No: 8466 AL.

Project ID Number:  P144688

Assignment Title:  Managing the Volume of Laboratory Test Prescriptions, Annual Hospital Budget Caps and Fee for Service Performance Payments

Reference No.  Ref. No. HSIP/CS/CQ/11-2020

The Government of Albania is implementing an ambitious program to improve the performance of its health care system, focusing among other issues on the quality of services provided in public hospitals.

Adequate diagnostic services play an essential role in the core process of health service delivery. The right diagnosis of a health condition largely depends on the quality of laboratory services. Poor laboratory services could lead to inadequate or delayed treatment with related higher costs that could have been avoided. Therefore, affordable access to quality laboratory services is essential for a well-functioning health care system both in terms of quality and cost. In addition, achieving efficiency gains could lead to lower unit costs and improved access.

IFC has been engaged by the Government of Albania (GoA), through the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP), to structure and implement a public private partnership (PPP) for Laboratory Services covering eighteen Regional and tertiary hospitals. The objective of this project is to improve public hospital laboratory services in Albania by attracting a PPP partner to structure and operate a hospital networks of public labs, to invest in laboratories infrastructure and laboratory information system (LIS), introduce a quality management system, propose prices in line with regional comparators.

The Feasibility Study for the PPP has identified a substantial fiscal risk linked with the volume of tests prescribed by the medical doctors of the public hospitals. This risk is related to the current volume uncertainty (statistics on number of tests performed are unreliable), and the evolution of prescriptions patterns when the full list of tests is available in the hospitals.

The MoHSP needs technical assistance to develop laboratory prescription protocols for most frequent diagnostics, as well as set bureaucratic rules to control appropriateness of the prescriptions for laboratory tests, a much needed step in ensuring fiscal control of the project, and limiting misuse/overuse of laboratory tests.

The overall objective of the assignment is to provide assistance and develop capacity of the MoHSP and hospitals to adequately address the risk of misuse/overuse of lab tests and therefore to remain within authorised budget limits.

The main duties and responsibilities are:

The specific objectives of the technical assistance consist of:

1. Reviewing ordering forms in line with the range of tests available at public hospitals, in line with the Lab PPP Concession Agreement, identifying the so-called Emergency Tests.
2. Developing Albanian laboratory test prescription guidelines/protocols, as well as bureaucratic rules set to rationalize prescriptions for laboratory tests, including:
3. Recommending a monitoring system for the guidelines/protocols, including detailed roles, activities, tasks and action plan for the MoHSP, hospital managers, heads of departments and laboratory specialists to control compliance with prescriptions guidelines/protocols.
4. Recommending an enforcement strategy to the MoHSP, including:
5. Developing a train the trainer model and training the first wave of trainers.
6. Evaluating implementation of all activities at 3 and 6 months and recommending how to improve compliance.
7. Re-evaluating guidelines/protocols at 6 months in light of prescribing practice and budgetary constraints for laboratory tests.

The Ministry of Health and Social protection is Seeking for international consultants to conduct this assignment which fulfill the following criteria:

The consultant must meet the following requirements:

Qualifications of the Consulting Company:

-The consulting company must have at least ten years of experience in providing consulting services in health sector.

-The consulting firm must have at least 1 similar contract in developing laboratory prescription protocols for most frequent diagnostics, and in setting control appropriateness of the prescriptions for laboratory tests.

-The company must have experience in international projects, and experience in the region shall be an advantage.

- Experience in supporting public health organizations or medical societies in relevant works, providing references of such work in countries with settings comparable to Albania.

- The consulting company must have a team of experts to support the implementation of activities under this ToRs:

• Team Leader with 10 years of consulting experience in strengthening hospital laboratory operations, including prescription processes, quality management and LIS.\

• Team should include specialists with PhD in Lab Science and/or medical doctors specialized in medical biochemistry or other relevant labs specialty, having previous experience in drafting guidelines and/or protocols

• One medical specialist (recommended)

The firm who will be selected (after fulfilling the minimum qualification/experience requirements above) as highest ranked based on the evaluation/shortlistign criteria below, will be invited for contract negotiations, durign which, the sucessfull firms will be required to fulfill the above key staff qualification.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection, through Project Coordination Unit (PCU) now invites eligible consulting companies (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Consulting Companies should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (as described above). The evaluation/shortlisting criteria are:

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011, revised July 2014), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. . The selection method to be applied is Consultant Qualification (CQ), in accordance with the procedures set out the World Bank’s Guidelines Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers” (January 2011, revised July 2014).

The consultant should be an International Firm. The selection method to be applied is Consultants Qualification (CQ) in accordance with the procedures set out the World Bank’s Guidelines Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers” (January 2011, revised July 2014).  The contract will be Lump Sum.

The assignment should be performed within 10 months since the contract signature. The total estimated input in man days is: around 80 man days

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 08:00 to 16:30 (Monday to Thursday) and 08:00 to 14:00 on Friday In the address below). Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 07th of February 2022.

Ministry of Health and Social Protection

Adress: Rruga e Kavajes No. 53, Tirana- Albania

Project Coordination Unit (PCU)

Health System Improvement Project (HSIP)

Att: Blerina Dudushi

e-mail: hsip.dudushi@gmail.com

BlerinaDudushi@shendetesia.gov.al