Call for Mentor Institute: MAINSTREAM Initiative – Madagascar

The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and UNICEF are seeking a country-based mentor institute (or consortium) based in Madagascar for their joint initiative with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance on Institutionalizing learning by mainstreaming embedded implementation research in country immunization programmes (MAINSTREAM). The mentor institute/consortium (referred to hereafter as the mentor institute) will provide technical mentorship in implementation research to local research teams, as well as local organizational facilitation, convening of in-country stakeholders, and administration of all aspects of the initiative. This is not a call for research proposals.

A consortium consisting of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (the Alliance) / WHO Science Division and UNICEF’s Primary Health Care and Health Systems Strengthening (PHC-HSS) Unit, New York in a coordinating role, together with the WHO Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals (IVB) Department, WHO and UNICEF regional and Madagascar country office, and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance is launching the MAINSTREAM initiative with the following objectives:

• Assess knowledge gaps and priorities regarding immunization coverage and equity based on policy-maker/implementer priorities, aligned with country research agenda development and implementation (needs assessment objective);
• Enable the integration of learning through embedded implementation research into national immunization programmes (Implementation research integration objective);
• Scale up learning through embedded implementation research on implementers’ priorities as part of regular country support (scale objective); and
• Improve the use of evidence to guide policy development and implementation of programmes toward improving immunization coverage and equity (policy and practice objective).

To help execute this initiative, the Alliance and UNICEF will identify, engage and support an in-country academic/research institution as a mentor institute in collaboration with government and other in-country stakeholders. The mentor institute will:

• support the government by organizing country-level stakeholder meetings to define the scope and priorities for embedded implementation research through a multi-stakeholder workshop;
• select multiple decision-maker-led country research teams;
• facilitate and mentor research teams; and
• organize protocol development and country dissemination workshops.

The mentor institute will be an academic/research institution based in Madagascar that will provide technical mentorship in implementation research to the research teams, and local organizational facilitation and administration of all aspects of the initiative. The mentor institute will work in close collaboration with government and other in-country stakeholders and will operate with oversight from the Alliance and UNICEF secretariats as coordinator of the initiative.

Funding and Period 

• The maximum amount of funding available from the Alliance and UNICEF will be US$ 314 000 over the period 1 May 2024 – 30 July 2025. No further funding will be provided by the Alliance or UNICEF within and beyond the project period.
• One research prioritization workshop with local stakeholders, one protocol development workshop for research teams, and one dissemination workshop should be included, as should the costs of monitoring the implementation of research grants.

Specific Tasks of the Mentor Institute

• Develop and issue a call for implementation research proposals from in-country stakeholders, based on the priorities identified, for teams led by in-country health system decision-makers. Arrange transparent review and selection of proposals for funding support.
• Make subgrants to the selected research teams for undertaking the research.
• In collaboration with government, convene a protocol development workshop to assist selected research teams in developing sound implementation research protocols. This includes arranging logistics and local travel, sending invitations, developing the agenda and facilitation, recording minutes and preparing reports of the workshop.
• Facilitate submission of research plans to local Institutional Review Boards and government ethics review committees, as needed, for ethical clearance.
• Provide technical assistance to research teams throughout the entire research process.
• Ensure quality assurance throughout the implementation research cycle – from protocol development to data collection and analysis, write up, dissemination and utilization of research findings.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria 

• To be eligible to be considered as a mentor institute, the following criteria apply:
  • Geographically located in Madagascar.
  • All sections of the proposal, as well as the maximum proposal length, duly completed and considered.
  • Compliance with budget allocation specifications.
  • At least 50% of the named team members on the bid should be women.
• To be competitive as a mentor institute, the following selection criteria apply:
  • Demonstrable leadership experience in the public health community in the respective country (essential) and globally (desirable).
  • Strong networks and demonstrated relationships with the National Immunization Programme and/or Essential Programme on Immunization (EPI) and Ministry of Public Health
  • Strong reputation and experience in health systems and implementation research, and in research mentorship.
  • Administrative capacity to issue and manage subgrant contracts to research teams in Madagascar.
  • Track record of working with the government on issues relevant to the call.

For more information, visit Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research.