Building upon the FY 2007 activity #19278, NASTAD will provide support to USG and CDC-Zambia's

portfolio of PHE, policy analysis and quality improvement activities by providing logistical support to

international and local consultants. NASTAD will work with CDC-Zambia to identify and procure services of

short-term consultants with specialized skills that are often outside of the normal technical assistance

available through large partners. One example will be the retention of a systems modeling consultant to

support CDC-Zambia's PHE on antiretroviral therapy and supportive services. Funds will be used for a

consultant to develop a prototype service delivery evaluation model by the end of 2007. Other examples

may include experts in quality improvement and policy analysis to complement activities in support of the

National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council and the Ministry of Health.

In FY 2008, funds will continue to cover costs related to consulting services for model finalization and

publication, travel for the consultant to Zambia and/or other destination (conference) for dissemination, and

supports a local dissemination workshop to enable policy dialogue on care and treatment strategies and

supportive services.

The funding level for this activity in FY 2008 has increased since FY 2007 due to the movement of strategic

information program area funds to this activity. All funding for this partner is now located within this program

area, overall partner funding has not increased. Narrative changes include updates on progress made and

expansion of activities. Please note that there is no longer a NASTAD entry in the COP under Strategic

Information.

This activity is related to University of Zambia Monitoring and Evaluation (UNZA M&E), SHARe, National

AIDS Council (NAC), and Technical Assistance-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As part of the activities outlined below, NASTAD will focus its support to the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB

Council (NAC) for technical assistance (TA) on data utilization from existing planning, reporting, and

mapping systems and processes, and support to NAC for implementation of the data system integration

plan.

In 2006-2007, United States Government (USG) supported NASTAD to coordinate and provide TA to

Zambia's NAC national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system in partnership with SHARe, University of

Zambia (UNZA), and the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS). The continued goals have been

1) to catalyze the flow of information from the district and provincial levels to the central level for improved

system-wide planning, and 2) to enable better decision making among district and provincial bodies.

NAC continues to strengthen multi-sectoral planning and data use efforts with NASTAD working in tandem

with NAC to support Provincial AIDS Coordinating Advisors (PACAs), District AIDS Coordinating Advisors

(DACAs), Provincial AIDS Task Forces (PATFs), and District AIDS Task Forces (DATFs) intensively in

refining, prioritizing, resource finding, implementing, and monitoring these activities. In 2007, districts in

Southern and Western provinces received TA from NASTAD to support planning, and data use in

cooperation with partners. Training activities built upon the December 2006 M&E Cascade Training, which

carried forward the national M&E manual and curriculum developed by the partners and with technical

assistance from CDC. NASTAD and SHARe continued to work in close collaboration using their unique

approaches to maximize appropriate and timely support as well as geographical coverage. NASTAD is

uniquely structured to provide intensive, in-depth support to the districts in need over a sustained period of

time. In 2008, NASTAD will continue to provide on-the-ground and distance-based technical support to the

PATF in Southern, Western, Eastern, and Lusaka Provinces and in-depth support to the PATF and three

DATFs in Southern Province and Western Province and the PATF and one DATF in each Eastern and

Lusaka (12 sites). In-depth TA will include establishing systems for multi-partner resource tracking, activity

-based resource gap analysis, and improving activity-based data collection tools consistent with national

requirements. In total, four PACAs will be directly supported with TA while the remaining five will be directly

supported through national activities. Using national curricula and tools, at least five individuals will be

trained in the above areas in each district at each site (12) totaling 60 individuals. As PATFs and DATFs

are often made up of various local organizations (on average at least four) NASTAD will aim to assist 50

organizations during FY 2008.

USG will continue to support the UNZA to become an in-country training and resource center for capacity

building in planning, monitoring, and evaluation. In 2007, NASTAD worked closely with UNZA to develop

an M&E Centre for Excellence Strategic Plan as well as business plan for 2007-2011. The business plan

outlined an organizational structure, services areas, potential markets, and fee structure to provide

planning, monitoring, and evaluation consultation to HIV/AIDS related organizations in Zambia. In 2008,

NASTAD will continue working with UNZA to outline and identify potential sources of grants and regional

partnerships. In addition, NASTAD will work with UNZA to outline a visiting scholar's program. USG will

work with NASTAD to identify a state or city HIV/AIDS department, a university, or foundation, to establish a

long-term relationship of financial and technical support

NASTAD has developed a highly skilled team of state AIDS directors and/or their program staff who

currently work within United States State Health Departments managing HIV/AIDS program planning,

funding, and implementation activities. The TA team has built peer-to-peer relationships with the PATF and

DATFs where the technical expertise has been jointly developed and delivered. In 2007, NASTAD placed a

full-time technical advisor at NAC to facilitate continuity in TA provision and to assist with the analysis and

use of NARF data. In 2008, this position will continue to be funded and will support NAC and the NASTAD

team.

USG has been instrumental in developing a joint capacity building plan with NAC and the national M&E

Technical Working Group to ensure harmonization of materials and training coverage. An Evaluation

Capacity-Building Sub-Committee includes staff from NAC, SHARe, UNAIDS, United Nations Development

Program, Global Fund, Ministry of Health, United States Agency for International Development, and CDC.

CDC ensures that NASTAD's efforts are focused among the activities of this group. The sub-committee has

developed a very specific plan to ensure an integrated and coordinated implementation plan. In 2007, a

countrywide TA plan was developed in collaboration with NASTAD, SHARe and USG. Depending on

resources, plans to implement elements of this TA plan may be considered in 2008.

In addition to the activities aligned with NAC's capacity-building plans, NASTAD will also provide logistical

and travel support for consultants as required by USG through CDC's M&E Unit.

Targets set for this activity cover a period ending September 30, 2009.