On November 26, 2003 a community of the very best health management consultants from Africa, Asia, and Latin America opens its virtual doors. Conceived by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), the Technical Cooperation Network (TCNetwork) has established a set of professional standards for membership that defines excellence in technical work, consulting style, accountability and program impact, and sets a global benchmark for performance. Through its on-line virtual marketspace, the TCNetwork will help donors and clients access consistently reliable, high quality expertise.

MSH Founder and CEO, Dr. Ronald O'Connor, noted that "MSH works with innovative local technical assistance providers every day to improve the quality of health for people in developing countries. The TCNetwork can increase exposure for these talented local consultants and give them the greater opportunities and recognition they deserve."

The TCNetwork is a dynamic, distributed network that mirrors the multi-directional communications flow of the Internet, and the globally dispersed ownership model of interbank credit cards, like Visa. It has already attracted the interest of public health management consultants who welcome the opportunity to associate with the quality brand. Many are excited about the possibility of collaborative bidding with other TCNetwork members on regional or international projects.

With start-up support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), MSH consulted with hundreds of health management professionals, and donor and client organization representatives in a dozen countries in order to understand the priorities and challenges in procuring local technical assistance. Additional research on networks in development also sought to clarify why so many failed, and looked at multiple sectors to find adaptable, successful models. In June 2003 a group of leading consultants and agency representatives working in management and leadership for health met in Washington D.C. to establish principles and operating procedures for the network. Once these were in place, the group crafted the quality standards which will become the hallmark of the TCNetwork brand.

Says Susan Wright of the USAID Global Health Bureau, "The TCNetwork is poised to become a vital link in promoting and sustaining good management practices in health systems worldwide. Each member has a lot to contribute. Maintaining the communications and integrity of the quality standards within the network will work to the advantage of all members and their clients."

Quality is maintained within the network through a rigorous application process, which includes confidential references from a member of the TCNetwork and four recent donors and clients, with repeat certification every two years required for membership renewal.

Members of the TCNetwork will have access to weblinks to donor sites offering new program and procurement information. The TCNetwork will also offer high quality tools, training opportunities and chat rooms where collaboration and information sharing can take place. Early applicants are from Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Georgia, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Mexico, the Philippines, and Senegal, although membership is open to consultants, firms and academic institutions based in any developing country.

As membership grows, the TCNetwork site will offer donors and clients a place to source high quality, pre-screened consulting services. Job opportunities can be posted any time. Keeping an eye on quality, the TCNetwork is likely to limit admission to 50-70 members in the first year, with growth anticipated to some 500 members by 2008.

For more information visit TCNetwork Web site at www.tcnetwork.net or write to tcnetwork@msh.org

If you know of outstanding technical assistance providers who you think might be interested in the TCNetwork, please pass this announcement and flyer on to them!

• More information on the TCNetwork
   
• The TCNetwork flyer - [PDF - 402 KB]
   
• The TCNetwork Web site

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