Implementation of transport vouchers to improve access to chronic care in Belize

Description

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is seeking a consulting firm to lead the operational execution of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) in Belize. The study aims to evaluate how providing transport vouchers impacts the ability of patients with chronic conditions to access routine health services. While the IDB provides the research design, the firm will be the primary entity responsible for field execution and ethical compliance.

Key components of this consultancy include:

1. Operationalization and ethical compliance
The firm will translate the IDB’s preliminary research design into a field-ready protocol adapted to the Belizean context. This includes:

Regulatory Approval: Obtaining all necessary ethical clearances and ensuring strict adherence to informed consent and human-subjects research standards.

Systems Integration: Partnering with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to integrate the trial with the Belize Health Information System (BHIS) for participant sampling and randomization.

2. Voucher management and financial coordination
The consultant is responsible for the end-to-end management of the voucher intervention:

Delivery Mechanism: Designing the voucher instrument or configuring digital payment channels (e.g., mobile wallets or credit unions).

Partner Management: Identifying, contracting, and managing relationships with financial institutions or payment providers for voucher redemption.

Reconciliation: Establishing auditable systems to cross-check voucher issuance at health facilities against redemption records and BHIS visit data.

3. Field execution and monitoring
The firm will manage the day-to-day operations of the RCT for the duration of the trial:

Compliance Tracking: Monitoring participant engagement and following up on non-compliance with treatment protocols.

Technical Support: Training health facility staff on voucher issuance and operating a support mechanism to resolve beneficiary issues.

Risk Management: Providing real-time updates to the IDB on operational risks, such as staff turnover or facility closures, and proposing corrective actions.

4. Data governance and reporting
To support the IDB’s final impact evaluation, the firm must:

Data Extraction: Securely manage administrative health data for outcome measurement.

Documentation: Produce comprehensive implementation datasets and operational reports.

Policy Insights: Provide evidence-based documentation to support the potential national scale-up of the transport voucher program.

Note: Interested firms must carefully review the registration requirements in the BEO Bidders Portal.