What is the TSF?
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The TSF has been established to respond to the growing demand for high quality short-term technical assistance to scale up national HIV and AIDS responses.
The TSF is supported by UNAIDS as part of its strategy to help strengthen coordination and capacity for effective HIV and AIDS interventions at the country and regional level across Eastern Africa. TSF services are managed by AMREF and provided through a pool of national, regional and international consultants.
Who are TSF clients?
TSF services are available on a fee basis to National AIDS Coordinating Authorities, Health and other Ministries, Donor Agencies, NGOs and the Private Sector as well as other stakeholders engaged in HIV and AIDS programming. These various partners can approach the TSF to source experienced short-term technical assistance whenever required.
Focus Areas of the TSF
Access to quality technical assistance
The TSF reduces the difficulties of finding good short-term consultants at competitive rates by sourcing them from its database or networks. The TSF contracts consultants and actively manages and monitors their performance with clients to ensure optimum results. TSF consulting services are available on a fee basis to National AIDS Coordinating Authorities, Health and other Ministries, Country Coordinating Mechanisms, GFATM Principal and Sub Recipients, Donors, Civil Society Organisations and the Private Sector. These various partners can approach the TSF to source short-term technical assistance whenever required.
Capacity development of Country Partners
The TSF is working with UNAIDS to strengthen the capacity of country partners to manage technical assistance and get the best service from the consultants they select. The TSF can, for example, help with technical assistance planning or refining Terms of Reference to ensure successful assignments.
Professional development for consultants
National consultants can draw on a range of activities, at no cost, that include professional skills training, mentoring, web-based learning opportunities as well as access to the latest tools and resources on HIV and AIDS generated globally and within Africa. The TSF can be accessed for client-focused technical assistance in any of the following areas:
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Resource tracking
- Strategic and operational planning
- Costing and budgeting
- Management, including financial management
- Organisational development
- Partnership development
- Gender & equity issues
- Mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS
- Prevention
TSF Consultants
All TSF consultants have extensive practical experience in their respective HIV and AIDS technical areas. They include nationals of the countries where they consult, specialists based in the region as well as international consultants. The TSF also maintains a wide network with national and regional organizations and associations. As a result, the TSF has the capacity to provide consulting services that combine technical skills with local knowledge specific to the different conditions present in each partner country.
Scope of TSF Services
Access to Quality Technical Assistance: The TSF reduces the difficulties of finding good short-term consultants at competitive rates by sourcing them from its database or networks. The TSF contracts consultants and actively manages and monitors their performance with clients. Through its unique partnering approach to technical assistance delivery, the TSF is able to provide the right personnel and logistical support to complete assignments successfully. The TSF database is continually being expanded to ensure the best possible pool of national, regional and international consultants.
Quality Assurance: The TSF quality assures work done by the consultants it finds for you. It does this by:
- Screening consultants before they are registered in the database
- Screening TORs to clarify needs and match them with the right consultant
- Helping to orient consultants to client contexts and expectations
- Assisting clients and consultants to manage assignments for optimum outcomes
- Screening the quality of consultant outputs
- Obtaining client and consultant feedback to facilitate continuous improvement Professional Development and Capacity Building
The TSF helps clients get the best possible service from the consultant they select. The TSF can, for example, help country partners with technical assistance planning or refining Terms of Reference to ensure successful assignments. The TSF also offers a range of capacity building activities to country partners and professional development options for national consultants. This includes access to the latest health resources generated within Africa and globally and made available through AMREF’s online library.
The African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)
The TSF for Eastern Africa is able to draw upon AMREF’s 50 years of experience working across African countries to advance health systems, improve health outcomes and reduce poverty among disadvantaged communities.
AMREF is the largest international health NGO based in Africa. Its regional headquarters is in Nairobi and the foundation works directly in seven countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia and South Sudan. The 700 strong AMREF staff, 97% of whom are African, represents a diverse, resourceful team, with the needed skills and knowledge to face health development challenges across the region. With 30 HIV and AIDS-linked initiatives implemented region-wide,
AMREF continues to work at the front line of the effort to combat HIV and AIDS through sustainable solutions. These initiatives focus on scaling up responses to ensure equitable access to prevention, care and treatment services as well as strengthening systems at national and community levels. AMREF is the Principal Recipient of GFATM funding in Tanzania, a knowledge resource for donors and partners and the NEPAD secretariat has identified AMREF as a partner in its health programme. Through documentation and dissemination of evidence-based HIV and AIDS research, AMREF and the TSF will provide opportunities for knowledge sharing among country partners on methodologies, systems and best practices that are appropriate, relevant, affordable and effective.
For more information
To find out more about the TSF, to access consultants for an assignment, or to register on our database of organisations and consultants, please get in touch with your nearest AMREF Country Office or contact us at:
Tel: +254-20-6993000 Fax: +254-20-609518
Email: tsfeasternafrica@amrefhq.org or write to:
Technical Support Facility,
AMREF Headquarters,
P.O Box 27691-00506,
Nairobi, Kenya