Consultancy services to Develop a National Interoperability Framework for Health Information Exchange in Two Member States

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES– INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

COUNTRY:

Ethiopia

NAME OF PROJECT:

Africa Centres for Disease Control Support Program to Combat Current and Future Public Health Threats Project (P178633)

Grant No.:

IDA-E1110

ASSIGNMENT TITLE:

HIRING OF INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL INTEROPERABILITY FRAMEWORK FOR HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE IN TWO MEMBER STATES ( Tunisia and Seychelles)

REFERENCE NO.:

ET-AUC-568094-CS-INDV

ISSUE DATE:

3 SEPTEMBER 2026

The African Union has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Africa Centres for Disease Control Support Program to Combat Current and Future Public Health Threats Project. The Project Development Objective is to enhance the capacity of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to support AU Member States in preventing, detecting, and responding to current and future public health threats and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

1. BACKGROUND

Health Information Systems interoperability is a foundational requirement for implementing national Health Information Exchange (HIE). A robust, standards-based interoperability framework is essential to enable secure data exchange, support system integration, and establish the technical and governance foundation for sustainable HIE implementation. Findings from the HIE maturity assessments conducted across AU Member States have identified interoperability as a high-impact priority, critical to enabling subsequent phases such as governance strengthening and phased digital health system implementation. As part of the support by Africa CDC in implementing HIE across Member States, digital maturity assessments were conducted in 12 AU Member States, alongside the development of HIE roadmaps. Following this, Africa CDC will support two of countries, Tunisia and Seychelles, through the engagement of two individual consultants to support each of the countries to design and develop comprehensive interoperability frameworks aligned with international best practices and tailored to their national contexts.

2. OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this assignment is to design two country-specific, standards-based national interoperability frameworks that provide: A structured architecture for health data exchange Governance and institutional coordination mechanisms Standards alignment and implementation guidance A phased, actionable roadmap for national HIE implementation

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The consultants will provide technical leadership and advisory support to develop national interoperability framework as a foundational component of its Health Information Exchange (HIE). The consultants will conduct a structured review of the current digital health ecosystem, identify interoperability needs and gaps, and design a comprehensive framework aligned with internationally recognised best practices.

The scope of work includes:

Defining a layered interoperability model addressing technical, semantic, organisational, and legal dimensions, Proposing standards-based data exchange approaches aligned with recognised international frameworks, Developing high-level architecture principles to guide secure system integration, Providing governance guidance to support institutional coordination and oversight, Identifying security, privacy, and sustainability considerations, Developing a phased implementation roadmap suitable for national adoption, Developing an M&E framework.

The consultants will conduct consultations, technical discussions, document reviews, and validation sessions with designated counterparts. The assignment focuses on framework development and strategic planning; it does not include system procurement, software development, or direct implementation activities. Specific institutional stakeholders and documentation to be reviewed will be provided by the Ministry of Health

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE

Deliverable Description Purpose Format Indicative Timeline

Inception Report Detailed workplan, methodology, stakeholder engagement plan, and information requirements To establish a clear implementation approach and confirm expectations with Africa CDC and national counterparts Structured report (Word/PDF) with timeline and milestones Within 2 weeks of contract start

Situational Analysis and Interoperability Landscape Review Assessment of current digital health systems, standards usage, data exchange practices, and interoperability gaps To provide an evidence-based baseline for framework design Analytical report with diagrams and findings By end of Month 2

Draft National Interoperability Framework Draft framework outlining architecture principles, governance guidance, standards alignment, security considerations, and interoperability layers To present proposed national framework for technical and stakeholder review Comprehensive technical framework document By end of Month 4

Validation Workshop Materials and Revised Framework Presentation materials and updated framework incorporating stakeholder input To ensure national ownership and technical validation Slide deck plus revised framework document Month 5

Final Interoperability Framework and Implementation Roadmap Finalized framework and phased implementation roadmap with recommendations and executive summary To provide an actionable, endorsed national interoperability framework Final report with roadmap and executive summary End of Month 6

5. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH EXPECTATIONS

The consultants are expected to apply internationally recognized best practices in digital health interoperability, drawing on established guidance and frameworks such as those promoted by global public health and standards organizations (for example WHO digital health guidance, HL7 interoperability standards, ISO principles for information systems, Open HIE architectural approaches, etc). The methodology should be consultative, evidence-based, and iterative, ensuring a