MA Combipacks Scale-Up Catalytic Opportunity Fund

Deadline: 6-Sep-23

Applications are now open for the MA Combipacks Scale-Up Catalytic Opportunity Fund to provide funding for government-led, catalytic activities that drive quality MA combipack introduction, integration and/or scale-up, in low and lower middle income countries.

This is a flexible pool of funds managed by the MA Combipack Market Shaping Group and supported by the RHSC Safe Abortion Supplies Working group with the goal of supporting activities to drive MA combipack scale up in eligible countries.

Catalytic opportunities are broadly defined as activities that enable increased efficiency and/or effectiveness of product introduction and scale-up. Opportunities should demonstrate how they will lead to tangible, time-bound results for scale-up, specifically, how activities will lead to a sustainable increase in availability of quality abortion care products and services, including MA combipack.

Specific Principles

• Catalytic Opportunities
  • Catalytic opportunities are broadly defined as activities that enable increased efficiency and/or effectiveness of product introduction and scale up or activities that are critical to achieve successful product introduction and scale up.
  • Opportunities should demonstrate how they will lead to tangible, time-bound results for scale up, specifically how activities will lead to a sustainable increase in availability of quality abortion care products and services, including MA Combipack.
• Sustainability and Country Ownership
  • COF activities must be government-endorsed (e.g., via relevant government plans for introduction and scale up).
  • COF activities should work within the legal framework of the country.
  • COF activities should demonstrate how they leverage or build sustainable processes, systems, resources for scale up.

Scope – Illustrative Examples

• In-Scope Examples
  • Activities that increase efficiency and/or effectiveness of product introduction and scale up
    • Support governments to develop procurement processes (e.g., forecasting and quantification, tendering) for MA combipacks.
    • Test integrated, low-cost safe abortion training approaches inclusive of MA combipacks.
    • Test medical detailing approaches to efficiently integrate MA combipacks into service delivery.
    • Map private sector channel outlets, e.g., community pharmacies, drug shops in support of rolling out private sector distribution model to inform scale up planning.
  • Activities critical to achieve a successful product introduction and scale up
    • Training of national or master trainers to enable other committed investments in health care worker training to proceed.
    • Support training, printing, and supervision visits to complete scale up in defined number of districts to make the case for moving ahead with national product-scale up.
    • Integrate product into existing government data and supply chain systems to ensure proper supply planning.
  • Examples that may Need Further Strengthening
    • Activity
      • Conduct safe abortion training in # of public sector facilities leveraging INGO staff trainers
    • Area to Consider
      • Are there more cost-effective and sustainable approaches to be considered? For example, leveraging INGO staff trainers can be more costly overusing government resources and a missed opportunity to develop local talent.
    • Activity
      • Develop data monitoring and tracking systems to ensure proper supply planning
    • Area to Consider
      • How will these data monitoring and tracking systems be sustained beyond the duration of this grant and/or other donor funds? For example, parallel data monitoring systems are helpful for short-term results but do not solve for long-term needs.
    • Activity
      • Conduct private sector rollout of MA combipacks leveraging independent clinics with donated commodities
    • Area to Consider
      • How will independent clinics have a future mechanism to access procurement and funding for commodities beyond the duration of this grant and/or other donor funds?

Funding Information and Duration

• Funding ceiling per application is a maximum of $250,000; however, there is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted per applicant
• Implementing timeframes will require no more than 12 months
• Applicants must be able to provide audited financial statements or complete a financial assessment questionnaire if requested

Eligibility Criteria

• Government endorsement of proposed activities must be demonstrated (can be informal e.g., via an email).
• Funds must be granted to NGOs; however, governments can be implementers.
• Activities should leverage sustainable processes, systems, and resources such as government or private sector where possible.
• Project must be implemented in a low or lower middle income country as defined by the World Bank.

For more information, visit Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC).