"This document was prepared with the active involvement of many national and international institutions over the past 3 years."

Tracking key aspects of procurement and supply management (PSM) and taking the necessary corrective actions result in continuous improvement of the system’s effectiveness. This document presents 12 core indicators for monitoring and evaluating PSM at national level. Six of the 12 indicators are defined as early-warning indicators of stock-outs and overstocking of medicines, which, in this document, are antiretroviral agents (ARVs) and medicines to treat tuberculosis and malaria.

This manual is recommended for use in tracking the performance of national PSM systems and for preventing frequent stock-outs and overstocking, for regular use and interpretation of early-warning indicators in PSM. The indicators will also alert managers to areas in which technical support is required to strengthen the national PSM system. The manual will be disseminated to procurement and supply management managers for wider use and will be updated on the basis of experience gained from users.