The course is geared to government agency staff who manage health commodity and service suppliers and is especially relevant for countries who manage procurement from national funds or who procure on behalf of donors. The five-day course focuses on the following themes:
- Understanding Contract Management
- Scope of Contract Management
- Types of Contracts and Developing Contracts
- Implementation of Contracts
- Evaluating Performance and Supplier Relationship Management
GHSC-PSM and the International Law Institute of Washington, DC held the first course in Botswana for 20 staff from the Central Medical Stores (CMS) in May 2019. The course focused on:
- Supporting sustainability of key PEPFAR initiatives: Since early 2019, the Government of Botswana took over funding for and procurement of all antiretroviral medicines and HIV test kits and supplies from GHSC-PSM. The course aimed to increase effectiveness and cost efficiency of the procurement process cycle and improve commodity supplier relationships to reduce delays and procurement lead times.
- Private-sector engagement: One way the CMS is using the private sector for key supply chain functions is outsourcing warehouse operations. The course focused on best practices in administering and managing these service contracts.
- Capacity building and sustainability for supply chain management: CMS and the Ministry of Health and Wellness senior staff recognize contract management as a skillset needed to better manage two very different types of suppliers – pharmaceutical suppliers and supply chain service providers.
Participants in the course usually include a mix of professional backgrounds, including supply chain, financial management, quality control and procurement staff. By building local capacity, countries are empowered to achieve locally-sustained results.
