Local Sourcing and Supplier Development in Global Health: Analysis of the Supply Chain Management System's Local Procurement in 4 Countries

From 2006 to 2014, Supply Chain Management System (SCMS), the global procurement and distribution project for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), distributed over US$1.6 billion worth of antiretroviral drugs and other health commodities, with over US$263 million purchased from local vendors in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. A simple framework was developed and 39 local suppliers from 4 countries were interviewed between 2013 and 2014 to understand how SCMS local sourcing impacted supplier development. SCMS local suppliers reported new contracts with other businesses (77%), new assets acquired (67%), increased access to capital from local lending institutions (75%), offering more products and services (92%), and ability to negotiate better prices from their principles (80%). Additionally, 70% (n=27) of the businesses hired between 1 and 30 new employees after receiving their first SCMS contract and 15% (n=6) hired between 30 and 100 new employees. This study offers preliminary guidance on how bilateral and multilateral agencies could design effective local sourcing programs to create sustainable local markets for selected pharmaceutical products, laboratory, and transport services.