Product Evaluation Consultant

Product evaluation of reusable and single-use menstrual health management products in low-income settings

Background:

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provides life-saving emergency relief and longer-term medical care to some of the most vulnerable and excluded communities around the world. As an independent medical humanitarian organisation, we deliver care based only on need, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political affiliation.

Menstrual Health Management project

Our menstrual health management (MHM) research has generated a rich and comprehensive body of information on the varied aspects of menstrual health management on values, taboos and practices, menstrual hygiene needs related water and sanitation (WatSan) facilities as well as learning regarding availability, user preference, and acceptability of menstrual health products.

We wish to explore the availability of single use compostable and reusable MHM products in low-income settings, including product manufacturers, procurement procedures and supply chains within the countries/regions MSF operates in. We want this to be comprehensive, with an emphasis on functionality, and ease of use to facilitate and inform procurement processes of reusable and single use compostable products for MSF interventions.

We will develop a MHM toolkit to include tools and advice for MSF teams on how to procure reusable and single use compostable MHM products.

Requirements

1. Step 1: Product inventory and classification:

A comprehensive evaluation of available reusable and single use compostable MHM products including product specifications: materials, efficacy, lifespan, cost, availability, usage instructions, training, or support for product use and maintenance.

1. Step 2: Identification of product producers/ distributors and document insights regarding supply chains, distribution channels and market access. Identification of key stakeholders involved in the large-scale distribution of reusable and/or single use compostable MHM products including manufacturers, NGOs, health authorities, government bodies and health workers.
2. Structured interviews conducted to gather insights into:
3. What reusable and single-use products are available for large scale purchases, suitable for low-resources settings (based on validation of output 1)
4. Where these products can be purchased (globally, and in particularly in low-income settings)
5. What the procurement process is, including production lead times
6. How and where products are distributed (e.g., retail shops, NGOs, schools).
7. Affordability and access barriers (e.g., transport, awareness).
8. Pricing structures and supply chain logistics.
9. Step 3: Product Green Listing. MSF uses a procurement “Green List” to track and manage medical supplies. This list includes information on unit weights and packaging, is a crucial tool for demand planning, procurement and supply chain management.
10. Informed by outputs from step 1 and step 2, develop a list of recommended product and suppliers to be submitted for MSF green listing to include:

• Product Dossiers: Technical specs, unit weights, packaging, shelf life
• Supplier Profiles: Contact info, certifications, production capacity
• Environmental Impact: Biodegradability, waste reduction
• Use Case Justification: Suitability for MSF settings

1. Initiate and support the green listing application process

Specific Deliverables

Outputs to be presented in the following format:

• Comprehensive list of available reusable and single-use and compostable MHM products, to be submitted for reviewal and validation by MSF, before Step 2 can be commenced.
• Full written report (Microsoft Word) detailing all of the aspects detailed above, including a list of recommended product and suppliers to be submitted for green listing.
• Summary presentation (PowerPoint) of findings (1 hour presentation).

This is a remote-based consultancy.

Submission date: 15th July (midnight) 2025

Profile of consultant:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., product design, engineering, market research).
• Proven experience in product evaluation, usability testing, or market research.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent knowledge or experience of procurement processes and logistics in low-income countries and humanitarian settings.
• Demonstrated ability to cooperate and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders.
• Ability to transfer and translate knowledge effectively for a lay audience.
• Fluent in English, written and speech.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver in an international and multi-cultural environment.
• Knowledge and working proficiency of Microsoft 365 environment including Teams and SharePoint.
• Previous experience of working in an INGO humanitarian organisation
• Working knowledge of French desirable.

How to apply

To be submitted:

1. A proposal to include:

• Proposed approach
• A high-level plan
• What you see as being in/ out of scope
• Assumptions made, questions or areas of uncertainty.
• Examples of previous work – provide a summary of similar work that you have developed and delivered before.

1. CVs of the people involved
2. Total fee proposal

Deadline: 15th July (midnight) 2025

For further questions, please contact: admin.mu@london.msf.org