UNICEF Global Call: Capacity Building for M&E and Supply Chain Management in Child Health Programs

This UNICEF Global Call for Capacity Building in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) for Child Health Programs is a landmark initiative designed to address two critical bottlenecks in child survival: weak data systems and unreliable supply chains. Despite global efforts, millions of children under five still die from preventable causes each year, many due to lack of essential medicines or poor program monitoring. UNICEF's call invites applications from organizations with proven expertise in training, curriculum development, and institutional strengthening. The successful proposal will outline a systematic approach to building human and organizational capacity at national and subnational levels, targeting health workers, program managers, and policymakers. The call emphasizes sustainability through training-of-trainers (ToT) models and integration into national health systems. It allocates a substantial budget (estimated $5-10 million over two years) and expects proposals to be innovative, leveraging digital technologies and gender-sensitive approaches. The deadline is fixed: July 20, 2026. Given the high urgency, early action is required to complete partner consortiums, conduct baseline research, and design training materials. GSLI recommends that potential applicants immediately begin a gap analysis of their own M&E and supply chain capacities. The opportunity is open to international and local organizations, with a preference for consortia that combine global best practices with local contextual knowledge. The call aligns with UNICEF's Health System Strengthening framework and supports the Every Woman Every Child movement. By investing in this call, organizations can contribute to achieving SDG targets for child health while expanding their own institutional capabilities.

Strategic Overview

This UNICEF Global Call for Capacity Building in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) for Child Health Programs is a landmark initiative designed to address two critical bottlenecks in child survival: weak data systems and unreliable supply chains. Despite global efforts, millions of children under five still die from preventable causes each year, many due to lack of essential medicines or poor program monitoring. UNICEF's call invites applications from organizations with proven expertise in training, curriculum development, and institutional strengthening. The successful proposal will outline a systematic approach to building human and organizational capacity at national and subnational levels, targeting health workers, program managers, and policymakers. The call emphasizes sustainability through training-of-trainers (ToT) models and integration into national health systems. It allocates a substantial budget (estimated $5-10 million over two years) and expects proposals to be innovative, leveraging digital technologies and gender-sensitive approaches. The deadline is fixed: July 20, 2026. Given the high urgency, early action is required to complete partner consortiums, conduct baseline research, and design training materials. GSLI recommends that potential applicants immediately begin a gap analysis of their own M&E and supply chain capacities. The opportunity is open to international and local organizations, with a preference for consortia that combine global best practices with local contextual knowledge. The call aligns with UNICEF's Health System Strengthening framework and supports the Every Woman Every Child movement. By investing in this call, organizations can contribute to achieving SDG targets for child health while expanding their own institutional capabilities.

Who is it For?

This opportunity is designed for a diverse range of organizations with proven experience in health system strengthening, particularly in child health. Primary recipients include international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) with a global footprint in M&E and supply chain; local NGOs in UNICEF program countries that have direct community access; academic and research institutions offering postgraduate degrees in public health, epidemiology, or logistics; private sector consulting firms specializing in health supply chain optimization; and United Nations agencies or other multilateral organizations with capacity-building mandates. Applicants must demonstrate at least five years of operational experience in at least three low- or middle-income countries. The call particularly encourages consortia combining technical expertise with local knowledge. For instance, a consortium could include a global M&E firm, a local NGO with community health worker networks, and a university providing pedagogical support. UNICEF also seeks applicants with experience in gender-responsive programming, as child health outcomes are deeply linked to maternal well-being. Organizations must have a minimum annual budget of $2 million for the past three years and show financial stability through audited statements. Additionally, key personnel must include at least one senior expert with 10+ years in M&E for child health and one expert in supply chain management with experience in vaccine logistics or essential medicines. The call explicitly welcomes applicants from Global South institutions to promote local leadership.

Priorities

UNICEF's global priorities for this call center on three pillars: (1) Enhancing data-driven decision-making in child health programs through robust M&E frameworks, (2) Strengthening end-to-end supply chain resilience for essential child health commodities, and (3) Building sustainable institutional capacity at national and subnational levels. Key performance indicators (KPIs) include reducing stock-out rates for essential medicines by at least 30% within two years; increasing the number of health facilities with functional M&E systems by 50%; and training at least 500 health workers per target country in data management and logistics. UNICEF emphasizes the use of digital tools, such as mobile data collection platforms and blockchain for supply chain traceability. The donor also prioritizes cross-sectoral collaboration, integrating WASH, nutrition, and immunization into child health programs. Gender equality is a cross-cutting priority; proposals must show how training materials address gender biases and how M&E disaggregates data by sex and age. Climate adaptation is another key priority, requiring supply chain designs that withstand extreme weather events. UNICEF expects applicants to align with its 'Health System Strengthening' approach, focusing on community-based interventions. The call favors scalable, cost-effective models that can be replicated across countries. Financial sustainability is critical; proposals should include plans for government ownership, such as integrating training into national health worker curricula. Additionally, UNICEF prioritizes conflict-sensitive programming in fragile states, requiring risk assessments and flexible implementation strategies.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria are structured into three audits: financial, spatial, and corporate legal. Financially, applicants must have an annual turnover of at least $2 million for the past three fiscal years, with audited financial statements provided. The organization must demonstrate ability to manage grants of similar size (minimum $500,000) and have a clear indirect cost rate policy. Spatially, the applicant must have legal registration and operational presence in at least one UNICEF program country (list available on UNICEF website). For consortia, the lead partner must meet spatial requirements, while sub-partners can be based elsewhere. The applicant must also have established offices or partnerships in the target implementation region (e.g., Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia). Corporate legal audit requires the organization to be a legally registered entity (NGO, for-profit, university, or government agency) with a board or governing body. The organization must not be debarred or suspended by any UN agency and must have a signed code of conduct and anti-fraud policy. Additionally, applicants must have prior experience in capacity building (at least three projects of similar scale) and a track record of working with UNICEF or other UN agencies. For local NGOs, a recommendation letter from a government ministry (e.g., Ministry of Health) is required. Specific requirements include: the organization must have a safeguarding policy for children and vulnerable adults, data privacy protocols, and environmental sustainability guidelines. For supply chain components, the applicant must have experience with the WHO Essential Medicines List and cold chain logistics. Finally, the applicant must comply with UNICEF's Supplier Code of Conduct and undergo a pre-qualification assessment.

Path to Success

To secure this UNICEF opportunity, organizations must follow a strategic roadmap that integrates GSLI's training modules to build capacity in key areas. Step 1: Conduct a Capacity Gap Analysis (Months 1-2). Use GSLI's 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course to train your team on baseline assessments and indicator frameworks. Simultaneously, enroll in 'Procurement & Supply Chain' to understand logistics gaps. This ensures your proposal is grounded in real needs. Step 2: Develop a Comprehensive Proposal (Months 3-6). Leverage GSLI's 'Writing Winning Proposals' course to craft a donor-aligned narrative. Use 'Financial Management for NGOs' to design a robust budget. Include a theory of change linking M&E and SCM to child health outcomes. Step 3: Form Strategic Partnerships (Months 2-4). Use GSLI's 'Grants Management' course to structure consortium agreements. Partner with local organizations for community reach and with academic institutions for training certification. Step 4: Pilot Training Materials (Months 5-8). Develop sample modules using insights from 'Project Management for Development' and 'Public Health & Epidemiology'. Conduct a small-scale pilot in a single district to gather data. Include pilot results as an annex to your proposal. Step 5: Submit and Prepare for Implementation (Months 9-12). Use GSLI's 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' course to diversify funding sources for sustainability. Prepare for UNICEF's due diligence by aligning your policies with UN standards. GSLI's comprehensive courses not only enhance your proposal but also demonstrate your commitment to capacity building. Consider bundling 'WASH' and 'Monitoring & Evaluation' courses for a holistic health systems approach. Strongly recommended is 'Financial Management for NGOs' to pass UNICEF's rigorous financial audit. This path positions your organization as a credible, well-prepared partner.

Recommended GSLI Courses

Deadline: 2026-07-20

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal