Request For Quote – Senior Supply Chain Advisor
Work location: Remote
The consultant will provide technical expertise to improve the alignment of medicine price setting and supply chain costs with budgeting and provider payment in order to support the availability, affordability, and sustainable delivery of health products.
Posted on: November 11, 2026 | Submissions due by: November 27, 2026
REQUEST FOR QUOTE – SENIOR SUPPLY CHAIN ADVISOR
NOVEMBER 11, 2026
Prepared by: Emma Satzger, Results for Development Institute, 1120 19TH Street, Suite 502 NW, Washington, DC 20036
1. Overview
1.1 Results for Development Institute (R4D):
Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too. www.R4D.org
1.2. R4D Program Overview:
R4D is initiating a collaborative learning activity which will apply peer-to-peer learning approaches coupled with direct implementation support to strengthen country capacity to use pricing policy as a practical entry point for improving access to essential medicines. It connects price setting, mark-up policy, budgeting, and provider payment across financing and supply chain systems, so that prices reflect the real costs of getting medicines to the people who need them at the point of care.
Up to six country teams, with representatives spanning health financing, purchasing, and supply chain functions, will participate. Two to three of these countries will receive implementation support. The Collaborative draws on the conceptual framework of the Center for Global Development (CGD) Working Group on Improving the Financing of Supply Chains and will produce knowledge products as global public goods, culminating in a Pricing Policy Design Toolkit.
The activity is organized around the following core learning question: How can governments achieve stable, competitive prices for quality-assured medicines through negotiation, procurement, or price regulation, and ensure supply chain functions are well covered in the cost of medicines paid by health providers and the health providers receive a fair reimbursement to ensure equitable access to essential medicines and other health products?
1.3. Purpose
R4D will engage a senior Supply Chain Advisor (the consultant) as a core member of the facilitation team between December 2026 and April 2028. The consultant will complement the facilitation team by providing technical expertise related to improving the alignment of medicine price setting and supply chain costs (including mark-up policies) with budgeting and provider payment, so that the diagnostics, learning activities, and knowledge products support the availability, affordability, and sustainable delivery of essential medicines and health products.
1.4. The Opportunity
Working under the direction of the health financing and market shaping advisors, the consultant will provide strategic and technical advice across all three phases of the activity on public-sector medicines procurement, quantification and forecasting, warehousing, distribution, inventory management, logistics management information systems (LMIS), supplier performance, and supply chain financing. Key tasks are set out below by phase.
Phase 1: Country Selection, Rapid Diagnostics, and Learning Agenda (Months 0–5)
• Expression-of-interest (EOI) review: Contribute supply chain criteria and questions to the expression-of-interest process and rapid diagnostic used to select participating countries, and advise on the supply chain profiles needed for well-constituted country teams.
• Diagnostic tool design: Help design and refine the medicine price-to-payment mapping diagnostic tool, with emphasis on how procurement prices are established, how supply chain costs (handling, distribution, storage, overhead, and profit/surplus) are covered through mark-ups or direct budget allocations; funding flows, institutional roles, data gaps, and bottlenecks across national and decentralized systems; and how supply chain channels outside the government budget system are captured.
• Review of existing tools: Review existing tools to identify where they address supply chain costs and mark-up policy and where the diagnostic needs to go deeper.
• Country mappings and synthesis: Support the country diagnostics by analyzing supply chain, procurement, and pricing information, and review the price-to-payment maps for up to six participating countries and the cross-country synthesis of common misalignments for technical accuracy. Interpret diagnostic findings with country teams and support them to identify feasible policy or operational priorities. Draft country maps and the cross-country synthesis.
• Glossary: Develop a glossary bridging health financing and supply chain terminology.
• First in-person learning session (month 5): Provide technical inputs and/or draft presentations for, and help facilitate, the session used to share diagnostic findings, validate the theory of change, and co-create the learning agenda.
Phase 2: Facilitated Learning and Implementation (Months 6–15)
• Deep-dive sub-groups: Contribute technical inputs on supply chain topics (such as supply chain cost analysis, mark-up policy, and procurement pricing) to the design and facilitation of deep-dive learning sub-groups and other peer problem-solving activities, including virtual working sessions and “grand rounds” sessions where countries present policy proposals for peer feedback.
• Implementation learning support: Provide targeted remote technical support, at agreed milestones, to implementation countries pursuing supply chain-related changes, such as improving price benchmarking, updating a mark-up policy, or introducing a mechanism to monitor and periodically update prices. This includes reviewing proposed interventions and workplans and helping countries define expected outputs, measurable indicators, and underlying assumptions.
• Learning products: Contribute to topic-specific learning briefs, short learning notes and blogs, and country implementation learning cases, ensuring accurate treatment of supply chain issues.
Phase 3: Synthesis and Practical Tools (Months 16–18)
• Toolkit development: Contribute supply chain content to the Pricing Policy Design Toolkit, including guidance on aligning mark-ups with actual supply chain costs, and the data requirements and analyses needed to support pricing, budgeting, and provider payment decisions.
• Second in-person convening (month 17): Provide technical inputs and/or draft presentations, and support validation of the toolkit and other knowledge products and help capture unfinished learning questions.
• Dissemination: Support the final dissemination webinar (month 18) and, as requested, engagement with stakeholder groups such as the Supply Chain Leaders Forum and CGD Working Group members.
Cross-Cutting Responsibilities
• Participate in regular facilitation team meetings and planning calls.
• Quality-assure knowledge products before publication to ensure that supply chain recommendations are technically sound, practical, and appropriately linked to pricing, budgeting, and provider payment.
• Identify relevant evidence, tools, country examples, and peer experts to support the learning agenda, drawing on the CGD Working Group outputs, the Access PDC (procurement and distribution channels analysis), and FASTR data and indicators, where relevant.
Top candidates will have:
• Advanced degree in supply chain management, pharmacy, public health, economics, health systems, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in public health supply chains for essential medicines and health products in low- and middle-income countries.
• Demonstrated expertise in procurement, supply chain costing or financing, mark-up policies, distribution systems, and data use, including how supply chain costs are financed through budgets, mark-ups, or user fees.
• Experience supporting countries to plan for and cover supply chain costs through pricing levers, such as mark-up policies, fee structures, or reference pricing.
• Understanding of how supply chain decisions interact with health financing functions, including budgeting, purchasing, and provider payment.
• Experience advising government institutions, including supply chain agencies, ministries of health, or health insurance agencies.
• Experience facilitating multi-stakeholder or cross-country learning, and in providing technical assistance or capacity building with country policymakers.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to translate technical evidence into feasible policy and operational recommendations and to produce practical knowledge products for policy audiences.
• Fluency in English; working knowledge of French or another language spoken in participating countries is an advantage.
1.4. Period of Performance
The consultant will be engaged at the outset of the investment and for its full 18-month duration, from 8 December 2026 to 31 March 2028. The estimated level of effort is 90 days, distributed across the three phases as follows:
• Phase 1 (months 0–5): 30 days LOE
• Phase 2 (months 6–15): 40 days LOE
• Phase 3 (months 16–18): 20 days LOE
Work will be primarily remote, with participation in project meetings and convenings as agreed. Any travel to the two in-person learning sessions must be approved in advance by R4D, at which point reimbursement for travel shall be discussed.
2. General Information
2.1. Proprietary Information
All information contained in this RFQ is proprietary. It is for the sole use of the Offeror in connection with bid response preparation and is not to be used by Offeror for any other purpose or revealed or disclosed in any manner to any other individuals and/or company without specific written permission from R4D.
2.2. Procurement Protocol
R4D reserves the right to make all decisions regarding this RFQ, including the right to reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFQ. Offeror understands that the issuance of this RFQ does not create any obligation on the part of R4D to enter into any contract or to undertake any other obligation with respect to the requirements referred to herein.
2.3. Addendum
In the event that any modification to this RFQ becomes necessary, Offeror will be notified via email.
2.4 Notification of Supplier Selection
Offerors will be notified via email of the results of the selection process.
2.5. RFQ Response Preparation Cost
All costs incurred by Offeror in the preparation of its response to this RFQ, and any oral presentations requested, shall be wholly absorbed by the Offeror.
2.6. Confidentiality/Proprietary Information
Materials submitted by Offeror in response to the RFQ that are considered confidential/proprietary must be clearly marked as such at the time of submission.
2.7. Contract Terms and Conditions
Engagement with selected Offeror will be based on R4D’s standard terms and conditions. It shall constitute the written agreement between Offeror and R4D and shall not be binding until fully executed and delivered by both parties.
2.8. No Publicity
No publicity or news release pertaining to this RFQ, responses to this RFQ, or the award of any contract related to this bid document may be released without R4D’s prior written approval.
2.9. Accuracy of Information
This RFQ and other bid documents furnished by R4D may include errors, omissions, or deficiencies and the accuracy and completeness of such documents is not guaranteed. In the event of such errors, omissions, or deficiencies are discovered by Offeror, it shall promptly notify R4D in writing. Corrected information will be provided to all Offerors.
2.10. Alternative Solutions
Offeror(s) who wish to submit an alternative proposal in addition to the requested RFQ response are invited to do so. Alternative solutions must be clearly marked as such and state whether they are exclusive or inclusive of the requested RFQ requirements.
2.11. Third Party Services/Products
Offeror must clearly identify any third-party product(s) or service(s) that is a part of its RFQ response.
2.12. Offeror’s Response
A clear and complete response must be provided for each element of the RFQ. Any response which deviates from the stated requirements must be noted and underlined.
3. Communications Regarding this RFQ
3.1. Quote Submission
Offerors must submit a quote with supporting documentation no later than 27 November 2026 via R4D’s Business Opportunities portal.
3.2. Contractual Obligations
Offeror’s response to this RFQ, in the whole, in part or by reference, may be incorporated into any resulting contractual agreement at the sole discretion of R4D to ensure that all representations made by the Offeror are legally binding.
4. Evaluation Process and Schedule
4.1. Schedule of Activities
Issue RFQ: 11 November 2026
RFQ Response Due: 27 November 2026
Anticipated Award Date: 01 December 2026
4.2. Evaluation Criteria
Offeror responses to this RFQ may be evaluated on criteria such as, but not limited to, the following:
• Professional Experience and Stability
• Pricing/Cost (daily rate only, excluding travel-related expenses)
• Customer References
• Sample work products
5. Quote Submission Materials
R4D will be aggressive and comprehensive in our deliverable and service demands. It is incumbent upon the Offeror to provide measurable, accurate, and reliable answers based upon our predefined evaluation criteria. We will rely on the quality of your answers. A forthright approach will serve all parties best. To this end, you should note responses may be incorporated within the eventual contract with the selected Offeror, at the discretion of R4D.
A clear, definitive response to each element of the RFQ must be included in the Offeror’s proposal. Any exceptions must be noted, typed in all caps and underlined. Failure to address any stated requirements/specifications may disqualify your proposal from further consideration.
Quote submission materials should be concise and contain the following sections:
• A CV and cover letter which describes the consultant’s relevant experience and qualifications
• The consultant’s proposed rate with documentation to substantiate that rate
• 2 references
• A sample work product in which the consultant led a majority or all of the development
Submissions that do not clearly include all of the information requested here may not be considered.
R4D has been and continues to be a strong advocate of diversifying its supplier base and increasing our volume of business with minority, women owned and small business enterprises. Indicate whether or not your company has a MWBE certification by an accredited certification body (i.e. National Minority Development Council, Small Business Administration, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, etc.). If certified, provide name of certifying agency and date your current certification expires.
This form is for submissions only. For questions — or if you encounter any issues submitting your documents — please email esatzger@r4d.org.
Closing date: 2026-11-27
HOW TO APPLY:
Offerors must submit a quote with supporting documentation no later than 27 November 2026 via R4D's Business Opportunities portal (the submission form on the RFQ page). For questions or issues submitting documents, email esatzger@r4d.org. Quote materials: a CV and cover letter describing relevant experience and qualifications; the proposed daily rate with documentation to substantiate it; 2 references; and a sample work product in which the consultant led a majority or all of the development.
https://r4d.org/business-opportunities/request-for-quote-senior-supply-chain-advisor/