Independent Review Committees

To support an independent and systematic process of reviewing new proposals of support and monitoring existing support to countries, GAVI has established two Independent Review Committees (IRC); a monitoring IRC and a new proposals IRC.

Key characteristics

Since their inception, the structure and composition of the GAVI IRCs have been considered effective due to key characteristics:

• the committee relies upon a wide range of experts in public health, epidemiology, development, finance and economics;
• the committee is based on a system of peer review; and
• the committee is independent.

The GAVI Alliance Board

The monitoring and new proposals IRCs are directly accountable to the GAVI Alliance Board and communicate their recommendations directly to the GAVI Alliance Board. The GAVI Alliance Board makes the ultimate decision on whether to renew the funding of any existing country grants. The GAVI Alliance Board also has the responsibility for communicating its decision to countries, via the GAVI Secretariat.

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The mandate of the monitoring IRC is to:

1. review country annual progress reports (APRs) in accordance with policies stipulated by the GAVI Alliance Board, GAVI-approved original proposals and the criteria for grant monitoring in the guidelines;
2. make country grant renewal recommendations to the GAVI Alliance Board; and
3. make mid-term/long-term programmatic, financial and policy recommendations on the improvement of monitoring process to countries as well as GAVI Board.

2011 Members of the Monitoring IRC

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The mandate of the integrated new proposals IRC is to review each new proposal submitted and make recommendations to the GAVI Alliance Executive Committee.

This review should consider the information available to countries within current guidelines and application forms and ensure that any new proposal contributes to achieving:

• the GAVI Alliance mission - ‘To save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries’;
• the GAVI Alliance strategic goals; and
• the eligibility criteria as per GAVI guidelines for new proposals of support. 

2011 Members of the Proposal IRC

IRC members generally serve a term of three years. Once nominations are submitted, the pool of experts and proposed chair is submitted to the Programme and Policy Committee for review and to the Executive Committee of the Board for approval. The Chief Executive of the GAVI Alliance then selects members from an approved pool of members.

Range of expertise

The increasing complexity of new proposals and the subsequent grant monitoring requires an IRC with a broad range of expertise in areas such as:

• Immunisation programme planning;
• Epidemiology and disease control of vaccine preventable diseases;
• Reproductive and child or adolescent health services;
• Epidemiology and disease control with specific experience in cancer prevention; and control programmes at national/international level;
• Background in Adolescent Medicine or Gynaecology;
• Health Systems Strengthening;
• Experience on Civil Society Organizations; 
• Experience in planning of health programmes and health financing;
• Delivery of health services at community/school level;
• Experience in developing community based preventive programmes;
• Logistics and procurement;
• Auditing and financing.

In-country experience

Broad expertise in these various health disciplines is necessary, but not sufficient. Practical, “system-wise” experience in low- and middle-income countries and integrity are also a prerequisite. Due regard is paid to the importance of selecting experts on a wide geographic basis and gender balance. 

Each IRC member is asked to sign a confidentiality and conflict of interest statement and will not come from Alliance partner agencies, and have not taken part in technical assistance to or pre-review processes of country applications.