Context

Building on the USAID Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management Program (GHSC-PSM), the USAID Mission to Zambia sought additional logistics support to enhance transportation and distribution management through third- and fourth-party logistics services. The objective was to address challenges assessed in Zambia’s public sector supply chain, including improving distribution planning, optimize distribution networks, effective 3PL management for last-mile delivery, enhance information sharing across the supply chain, and stronger ownership and sustained investment from the Zambian government. The Program for Advancing Supply Chain Outcomes (PASCO) was initiated as a commodity distribution initiative aimed at strengthening existing supply chain systems and improving the availability of healthcare commodities in remote communities across Zambia.

The Opportunity

Connexi has been supporting PASCO by providing comprehensive supply chain expertise across Zambia’s ten provinces, including remote areas. Through the program, we have developed optimized distribution frameworks to enhance process efficiency, provided risk management insights, established KPIs, and overseen third-party logistics subcontractors. Additionally, Connexi developed a robust Commodity Security Risk Management (CSRM) plan to track and classify supply chain incidents. To strengthen local operations, Connexi stood up a team of logistics and managerial field staff, ensuring the implementation of effective standard operating procedures.

Results

Successfully coordinated logistics for over 1,141 destinations, issued over 194 purchase orders, and managed 3,746 deliveries with 3PL subcontractors from the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) warehouses, maintaining a 90% on-time delivery rate. A robust Commodity Security Risk Management (CSRM) plan was also established with the intent to identify and classify 61 supply chain incidents, revealing crucial insights for effective supply chain management and root cause analysis. Finally, Connexi fostered a conducive work environment by establishing operational procedures and empowering the local workforce, leading to optimized performance and supporting PASCO’s long-term goals.