USAID Health Evaluation and Applied Research Development (HEARD) Project Semi-Annual Technical Report (April 1, 2018–September 30, 2018)

The project focuses on implementation science and evaluative research that accelerates research-to-use processes, including multidisciplinary applied and implementation research, and evaluative research of pilot programs and at-scale tools, technologies, interventions, and policies. The HEARD Project aims to address high-priority interventions, technologies, policies, and products that show promise or are ready for scale-up. The project's research efforts are guided by the implementation science priority consultative process, which identifies priority implementation science questions to be addressed through research. The HEARD Project also engages in evidence strengthening and data liberation activities to leverage existing data and strengthen evidence to answer priority implementation science questions. During the reporting period of April 1, 2018, to September 30, 2018, the HEARD Core team made significant progress in various operational activities, including Partnership and Agenda Development, Evidence Strengthening and Data Liberation, Program Communications, Implementation of Specific Studies and Sponsored Activities, and Products and Knowledge Management. The primary aim of Partnership and Agenda Development is to establish an effective, sustainable, and responsive partnership for fostering collaboration in global health implementation science. The HEARD Project made progress in the following relevant areas during this reporting period: Implementation Science Collaborative (ISC) Ad Hoc HEARD Partners' Committee; engaging various stakeholders in discussions about the principles of stakeholder engagement in global health implementation science; building a directory of technical resources; and establishing a platform for developing and sharing case studies (CaseMaker). The Core Team also contributed to relevant meetings, including The Maternal Health Task Force's Global Maternal Health Symposium, and the 11th ECSA-HC Best Practices Forum and 27th Directors Joint Consultative Committee Meeting. Evidence Strengthening and Data Liberation activities primarily leverage existing data and strengthen evidence to answer priority implementation science questions identified through the implementation science priority consultative process and to accelerate evidence use. Progress was made on a rapid response systematic review learning module, and the Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis during this reporting period. The HEARD Project's Program Communications activities focus on ensuring efficient operation of the HEARD Project as well as effective and strategic communication of HEARD activities within the HEARD Partnership. In this reporting period, the Project worked on its operational partnership with Coordinating Implementation Research to Communicate Learning and Evidence (CIRCLE), the HEARD Project Website, and the ISforGH Newsletters. Implementation of Specific Studies and Sponsored Activities, which respond to USAID priorities for implementation science or evaluations, was also advanced during this reporting period. Significant progress was made on the Improving Malaria Care (IMC) Project Evaluation, the Global Health Program Cycle Improvement Project (GH Pro) Performance Evaluation, the Urban Health East Africa Three-country Nutrition Assessment, and Respectful Maternity Care in Tanzania.