Consultant – Expert Technical Review, Finalization, Editing and Packaging of the Integrated Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Training Guidelines

About Pact:

Pact is a global nonprofit organization operating in nearly 40 countries, dedicated to developing evidence-based, data-driven, and community-owned solutions for human development. Since its establishment in 1971, Pact has partnered with communities to foster resilience, enhance accountability, and build the knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable social impact.

Department: Programs

Pact's Programs Team is instrumental in realizing the vision of a world where all individuals are heard, capable, and thrive. This team integrates program management, technical support, and business development to advance Pact's global strategy. They ensure program excellence through continuous learning and monitoring, and provide thought leadership by leveraging diverse cross-functional expertise. The Programs Department drives progressive change through strategic planning and implementation, supports innovative solutions, pursues new business, and fosters effective engagement to maximize global impact. A culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect is central to all departmental activities.

Position Overview: Consultant - Integrated MNH Training Guidelines

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued under the Accelerating Children’s HIV/AIDS Treatment (ACHIEVE) Project, funded by the Department of State (DoS). The ACHIEVE project is committed to reducing pediatric HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality and improving health outcomes for children, adolescents, and their families in Malawi.

The Ministry of Health (MoH), through its Reproductive Health Directorate (RHD), has spearheaded the development of the Integrated Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Training Guidelines. These guidelines aim to establish a standardized, coordinated, and high-quality framework for MNH capacity-building interventions across Malawi, aligning with national priorities, standards, and evidence-based practices.

The development process has been highly collaborative, involving key stakeholders and implementing partners such as Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), UNICEF, Beginnings Fund, Last Mile Health (LMH), Jhpiego, Nest360, Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW), and the Association of Malawian Midwives (AMAMI). This consultative process included technical meetings and a review workshop in May 2026 to refine the draft guidelines and ensure alignment with current national policies, protocols, and global MNH best practices.

Following the review workshop, the RHD recommended a thematic expert review focusing on critical MNH areas: Maternal Health, Newborn Health, E-MOTIVE/Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH), Eclampsia and Anemia, APT-Sepsis, and the introductory/literature review sections. This expert review is crucial for validating and strengthening the technical content before final endorsement.

Pact, via the ACHIEVE Project, is seeking a qualified consultant to lead this thematic expert review. The consultant will be responsible for overall coordination, harmonization, technical editing, formatting, and final packaging of the Integrated MNH Training Guidelines. The objective is to produce a professionally designed, technically sound, and publication-ready document for submission to the Ministry of Health Senior Management Team (SMT).

Period of Performance: July 13, 2026 – August 12, 2026

Pact maintains a zero-tolerance policy for fraud, collusion, falsified proposals, bribery, or kickbacks. Any violations will result in disqualification, debarment from future opportunities, and potential reporting to the relevant Donor.

Pact employees and agents are strictly prohibited from soliciting or accepting any financial or material benefits from vendors or suppliers in exchange for business. Violators are subject to termination and reporting to the Donor. Pact will also inform the Donor of any supplier attempts to offer such benefits.

Offerors responding to this RFP must:

• Disclose any close familial or financial relationships with Pact or project staff.
• Disclose any familial or financial relationships with other offerors submitting proposals.
• Certify that proposal prices have been determined independently, without collusion or agreement with other offerors.

Key Responsibilities:

The consultant will support the MoH Reproductive Health Directorate (RHD) in the thematic expert review, technical validation, finalization, harmonization, editing, formatting, and packaging of the Integrated Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Training Guidelines. The goal is to ensure the document is technically robust, aligned with national priorities and global best practices, and ready for SMT review and endorsement.

Scope of Work:

The Consultant Shall:

• Thoroughly review the draft Integrated MNH Training Guidelines and all related reference materials, policies, and supporting documents.
• Develop and implement a thematic expert review process in collaboration with Pact and the MoH RHD to validate and enhance the technical content of the guidelines.
• Coordinate and facilitate expert input from specialists across key MNH content areas, including Maternal Health, Newborn Health, E-MOTIVE/Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH), Eclampsia and Anemia, APT-Sepsis, and introductory/literature review sections.
• Consolidate, harmonize, and integrate comments and recommendations from thematic reviewers, ensuring content consistency, eliminating redundancy, and resolving technical and structural issues.
• Edit the guidelines for technical accuracy, clarity, readability, grammar, terminology, and consistent formatting.
• Assist with the layout, design, and packaging of the guidelines to meet Ministry of Health standards and expectations.
• Incorporate feedback from validation and review meetings, working closely with Pact and the MoH RHD to finalize the document.
• Produce and submit final editable and print-ready versions of the Integrated MNH Training Guidelines, including all annexes and supporting materials, for SMT review and endorsement.
• Implement any necessary revisions following SMT review to facilitate final approval and publication.

Basic Requirements:

• An advanced degree in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Health Systems Management, or a related field.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience in maternal and newborn and child health programming, policy development, or technical advisory roles within Malawi.
• Proven experience in supporting the development, review, editing, and harmonization of national health guidelines, training curricula, manuals, or similar technical documents.
• Exceptional technical writing, editing, and document quality assurance skills, with the ability to synthesize diverse stakeholder inputs into a cohesive final product.
• Experience facilitating technical consultations, review workshops, or multi-stakeholder engagement processes.
• Demonstrated experience working with the Ministry of Health, development partners, professional associations, and other key stakeholders in Malawi.
• Strong project coordination, communication, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience supporting the development or revision of national maternal and newborn health policies, guidelines, standards, or training materials in Malawi.
• Previous experience collaborating with the Ministry of Health and/or development partners on maternal and newborn health initiatives.
• Familiarity with current national and global maternal and newborn health policies, standards, and best practices.
• Successful completion of similar assignments involving the review, harmonization, editing, and finalization of national health guidelines or training materials.