NDPHS Strategy Working Group

Third Meeting

Gdansk, Poland

22April 2009

Reference / SWG 3/4/Info 1
Title / Job description for consultant
Submitted by / Secretariat
Summary/ Note / This Job description was approved by the SWG by silent procedure on 27 March 2009, with a remark from Germany that the ToR for the consultant should not include the following requirement: "The consultant is to identify different kinds of external funding sources from which to mobilize funding for the NDPHS activities."
Requested action / For Information

Project description for a consultant to advice on certain strategic issues for the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS)

Background

During 2008 an evaluation was made of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS). On 19 November 2008, an Ad Hoc Strategy Working Group (SWG) was set up in order to examine the recommendations as outlined in the consultant’s report and possible other recommendations coming from the CSR Partners and the NDPHS Evaluation Team and to propose a set of follow-up actions. The final report is to be submitted to the Committee of Senior Representatives at its meeting in September-October 2009 (CSR 16).

At its so far two meetings, the SWG discussed a number of issues in its ToR, based on written proposals taken forward by its members in accordance with an agreed division of assignments. Many of the recommendations of the evaluator have been discussed and preliminarily agreed on by the SWG. In other cases, the SWG has discussed the issues and have preliminary ideas but considers that external consultancy advice is needed in order to aid the SWG work. The SWG seeks advice from the consultant in these cases. The discussions and agreements are reflected in the minutes of the SWG.

Terms of Reference for the consultant

The consultant is to give advice to the SWG in the areas mentioned below. The SWG will use the result as a basis for its own proposals to the CSR.

Mid term goals

The consultant should give advice on the feasibility of using mid term goals for the Partnership, on the type of mid-term goals that would be useful as well as on a mechanism for establishing mid term goals.

The SWG has preliminarily agreed that the timeframe for mid term goals should be four years. The Partnership Annual Conference (PAC) at ministerial level would adopt the mid term goals for the coming period. Expert Groups and CSR should give an input to the elaboration of these goals.

Success indicators and criteria

The consultant should present proposals for process[1] and impact success indicators and criteria, based on the report of the evaluator and on the preliminary written material that has been taken forward by Canada and Poland and discussed by the SWG, with the addition of Germany.

Funding of Partnership’s activities

The consultant is to elaborate proposals concerning different funding challenges, considering that the national funding from many countries is expected to be reduced in future. This is expected to give rise to problems when it comes to financing projects through the Project pipeline of the Partnership. At the same time, the traditional ”donor – receiver” roles are disappearing and Partners and Participants are expected to take part in activities on more equal footing, for example in EU programmes. Furthermore, the private sector has not yet been tried.

The consultant is to consider all aspects of funding, such as financing through the pipeline, identify possibilities to make it sustainable, present proposals for private funding. The consultant is to identify different kinds of external funding sources from which to mobilize funding for the NDPHS activities. A written basis for this work is given in the document that has been elaborated by Finland and Poland.

Expert Groups and Projects

As regards the evaluator’s recommendations on evaluations of the work of Expert Groups the SWG has preliminarily agreed that such evaluation should be carried through in connection with the regular evaluations of the Partnership (around every five years). At the same time the SWG foresees a greater variety both of Expert Groups and of their duration. The consultant is to propose an evaluation mechanism for the Expert Groups while taking into account that in the future Expert Groups and Ad Hoc Expert Working Groups may be established on a non-permanent basis (e.g. for 3 years).

Participation in the SWG meeting in Gdansk, Poland, on 22 April

The consultant is to take part in the meeting of the SWG in Gdansk, Poland, on 22 April 2009 in order to familiarize with the task and discussions of the SWG and the Expert Groups.

Time planning

A draft report should be submitted to the NDPHS Secretariat at the latest on 29 May 2009. According to the work plan the report is to be commented on by the SWG and if need be amended at several occasions during June until 30th June.

Documents

  • Declaration on the Establishment of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (
  • The report of the evaluator (
  • Terms of reference for the SWG (
  • Elements for NDPHS EGs’ annual progress reports for the CSR (
  • Minutes of the SWG Meetings and reports concerning the views of Partners in the relevant issues (available on the SWG meeting pages as well as the outcome of the discussion during the SWG 3 meeting.
  • Work plan for the SWG (
  • Other documents of relevancethat may be posted on the SWG meeting pages or submitted to the consultant directly

SWG_3-4-Info_1__Job_description_for_consultant.doc

[1] Process is understood to also include organizational structure and project aspects.