Consultancy : Review of ACO Extender Modality, Kabul, Afghanistan

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

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Terms Of Reference

Funding Code

0060/A0/07/880/004

SM189910

Type of engagement

Consultant

Individual Contractor Part-Time

Individual Contractor Full-Time

Duty Station:

Kabul & Home based

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Afghanistan has been utilizing “Extenders” to support delivery and monitoring of programme activities in areas that are not easily accessible to UNICEF staff members. Extenders are drawn from Afghanistan citizens with specific expertise and knowledge of the territory in which they operate, based on their residency and/or work experience and contracted through an institutional contract.

The Extender system was first established in when the Afghanistan office expanded its operations. They were primarily responsible for monitoring UNICEF-supported activities. As time passed, they started to contribute to planning and coordinating UNICEF activities in their area of responsibility. These Extenders provide necessary support for coordinating, planning, implementation monitoring and reporting of project activities. In the absence of international and national staff on ground, they perform various functions which otherwise would have been performed by UNICEF staff.

Afghanistan CO entered into a contract CTG with for the provision of Extender services. Currently Extenders are embedded within field offices, programmes and operations sections. ACO has an Extender database that has a total of 1390 Extenders. This number of Extenders is being verified through payments at Global Service Center (GSSC).

Given the significant changes in 2021 in programming and operational context, access and staffing capacity, and drawing from lessons learned in the use of the Extender modality over the past years and within Afghanistan and the other countries, Afghanistan Country Office wishes to undertake an in-depth review of the modality, TORs, grading, title, salary scales, requesting processes, justification, approval processes and SOPs for Extender use to inform the use of Extenders in the new operating environment.

Given the scope and scale of this task, Afghanistan Country Office wishes to draw upon the expertise of a consultant to undertake this process in consultation with ACO staff and management.

Scope of Work:

Specific objectives

• Review existing Country Programme human resources needs to achieve planned results in reference to areas with limited access
• Review value addition of Extenders roles related to planning, implementation, technical support and monitoring Review whether the specific functions the current Extenders play is still required.
• Assess cost effectiveness of using Extenders versus other modalities of operation to support planning, implementation, technical support and monitoring in hard to reach areas
• Develop requisite TORs for the service contract, TORs for the Extenders, SOPs for Extender use; Codes of Conduct for Extenders and technical guidance on monitoring and reporting activities to be done by Extenders. The SOP should among other things include a requirement for all Extenders to provide a work plan for the month; monthly report, performance measurement tool/template, recruitment and approval process, process of monitoring the LTA holder, and LTA management fees. The SOP for LTA holders should among other things include policies on insurance, duty of care, leave days,
• Close all action points of the ACO CMT Retreat of April 2022.

2: Approach & Methodology

• Undertake a desk review of most recent documents related to the Extender modality and use in Afghanistan and other countries. A desk review of key documents including Extender strategy, SoPs, monitoring plans and reports
• Meet and consult with key UNICEF staff (field operations, programme and operations) using the Extender modality as well as with Extenders, implementing partners with whom Extenders interacted, and the contracting company representatives. Survey of UNICEF staff and extenders on the current approach, what is working and what needs to be improved
• Interviews and focus group discussions with key informants including extenders, Section Chiefs, Chiefs of Field Office, PMR Section, relevant RO colleagues, the service provider/contractor, other UN Agencies, and implementing partners
• Consultation with UNICEF sections (field operations, programme and operations) who use the Extender modality and with Extenders and current service provider(s) to review relevance of roles and responsibilities of Extenders related to planning, implementation, technical support and monitoring.
• Working Session with key stakeholders to verify draft findings and recommendations
• Present findings and recommended options, modalities and procedures for the continued contracting and use of Extenders by Afghanistan Country Office to UNICEF CMT for endorsement
• Document findings from the review of Extenders use in Afghanistan, lessons learned/good practice and risk informed, recommended options, modalities and procedures for continued, use of Extenders by Afghanistan Country Office.
• Develop the requisite documents for the contracting, process, management and use of the Extender modality by UNICEF Country Office

1. Key Deliverables

a) Summary and analysis of Survey Results

b) Final Report of key findings of the review and recommendations of the changes that need to be made to the

extender modality

c) A revised a SoP’s

d) Revised tools e.g., reporting templates, workflows, Extender ToRs

1.1 Specific deliverables

1. Presentation to the CMT of initial findings and recommended options, modalities and procedures for the continued contracting and use of Extenders by Afghanistan Country Office.
2. Final report which includes: a comprehensive review of the use of Extenders to support planning, implementation, technical support and monitoring of UNICEF programmes in Afghanistan; lessons learned and good practice from Extender use in Afghanistan and risk informed, recommended options, modalities and procedures for the continued, effective and efficient contracting and use of Extenders by Afghanistan Country Office.
3. Key documents to contract out and enhance the quality and effective use of Extenders by UNICEF Afghanistan, including: TORs for the service contract; TORs for the Extenders; SOPs for Extender use; Codes of Conduct for Extenders and technical guidance on monitoring and reporting activities to be done by Extenders
4. SOP to be used by the office
5. SOP to be used by the LTA holders

1.2 Documentation of evidence and risk

• Document examples of course corrections and programme adjustments made based on technical advice and monitoring roles carried by Extenders.
• Document lessons learned on Extender use in Afghanistan
• Assess the technical fit of Extenders to the programmes of work they were assigned to
• Analyze the current context, risks and prevailing organizational concerns (e.g. PSEA) that would inform continued use of Extenders in Afghanistan

1.3 Recommendations

• Propose recommendations, options, modalities and procedures for the continued, effective and efficient contracting and use of Extenders by Afghanistan Country Office.
• Provide recommendations to be used as the basis for taking forward the use of Extenders (for example, advise on geographical areas and performance areas that should continue or discontinue using Extenders based on need).

4: Qualification/Special Knowledge/experience:

• Experience of similar work in L3 countries
• At least 10 years experiences in the field of monitoring and reporting on development/humanitarian interventions and experience with third party modalities
• Experience in UN programming, Evaluation experience an asset, Experience in conducting comprehensive review
• exercises of programme delivery/results, Strong written communication skills in English, Knowledge of the Afghanistan
• context an asset
• Advanced University degree in social science or a related field
• Knowledge of UNICEF programming and programme delivery
• Ability to work independently but in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders
• Technically sound in drafting and editing reports.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English.
• Adaptability and flexibility, client orientation, confidentiality, initiative, concern for accuracy and quality

5: Payment Schedule:

Based on deliverables and timelines stipulated in these Terms of Reference.

6: Duty Station:

The desk review can be completed remotely. The consultant will need to travel to Kabul and field offices for a maximum of 4 weeks to conduct interviews, meetings, and Working Sessions with stakeholders.

7. Supervisor

The Review will be managed by the Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Reporting under the guidance of the Deputy Representative Programmes.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

30% upon signing

Inception Report

Contract signing date

40% upon submission of review report

- A desk review

-Summary and analysis of Survey Results

-Final Report of key findings of the review and recommendations of the changes that need to be made to the extender modality

7 weeks after signing of the contract

30% upon submission of revised strategy, SoP, Tools and Gap Analysis

- A revised Extender Strategy and SoP’s

- Revised tools e.g. reporting templates, workflows, Extender ToRs

8 weeks after signing the contract

Total estimated consultancy costs[i]

Minimum Qualifications required:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Masters

At least 10 years' experience in the field of monitoring and reporting on development/humanitarian interventions and experience with third party modalities. Experience in UN programming. Evaluation experiences an asset. Experience in conducting comprehensive review exercises of programme delivery/results. Strong written communication skills in English, Knowledge of the Afghanistan context an asset.

Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant