Deadline extended: National Individual Consultancy for needs assessment in Remote Real-Time Temperature Monitoring (RTM) system for vaccine refrigerators in the Republic of Moldova

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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MD Home-based; Chisinau (Moldova)

Application deadline 1 year ago: Sunday 11 Sep 2022 at 20:55 UTC

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Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, health

UNICEF is supporting the Government of Moldova in strengthening the cold chain system for national immunization programme and COVID-19 vaccination. A strong cold chain system is crucial to ensure the safety of vaccines. Currently, one of the risks associated with the stability and quality if the cold chain system is the lack of technical capabilities to remotely control the temperature in the vaccine refrigerators, which can lead to improper conditions for vaccine storage and consequently - to their degradation. To partly address this challenge, UNICEF has already installed 3 RTMs at the central warehouse of the National Agency of Public Health (NAPH). Next, UNICEF will support the Ministry of Health to install RTM devices in all vaccine warehouses at the local level, totaling 44. A functional RTM represents an essential asset to perform automatic temperature auditing and remote data logging. Moreover, there is a RTM portal that allows the automatic transmission of data to the server, with data access, setup of alarm thresholds, and setup of alarm recipients through internet accessible dashboard, capable of alarm notifications via SMS, email and/or iOS & Android mobile applications. Furthermore, it is configurable to suit specific applications and scalable to allow for the later installation of additional temperature monitoring products and/or storage facilities.

The storage of vaccines in the Republic of Moldova has 3 levels. Initially, the vaccines are stored in the central storage, and then they are distributed to 10 regional vaccine warehouses. Finally, they are distributed to 34 warehouses at the rayon level according to planned and needed quantities.

The consultant will assess the need to establish RTMs in all 44 warehouses and in the central one and will develop an improvement plan for RTM at the national level to be validated by relevant stakeholders and UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?

1. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to UNICEF CO Moldova and government partners with the assessment of the current situation regarding the RTM for vaccine refrigerators in place and, to provide a scale-up budgeted plan (two scenarios) for the public health warehouses across the country.

2. Objectives of the consultancy

The objectives of this consultancy are:

  • Conduct an assessment of gaps and needs for the RTM system in the Republic of Moldova;
  • Conduct an assessment of the RTM web portal and provide further recommendations for improvement;
  • Develop a costed scale-up plan, including two potential scenarios (installation of RTM in the central warehouse and other 10 regional ones; installation of RTM in all 44 warehouses at the national level, including the regional and the central warehouse) and a summary report.
  • Conduct a workshop with the NAPH technical working group to validate and discuss the results of the assessments and the new proposed plan for scaling-up the intervention at the national level.

3. Details of how the work should be delivered

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the consultant, in close consultation with UNICEF and the NAPH, will conduct an assessment of gaps and needs for the RTM system in the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, the RTM web portal will be assessed as well. Subsequently, a budgeted scale-up plan, including two potential scenarios will be developed. Moreover, the contractor will conduct a workshop with the NAPH to validate and discuss the results of the assessment and the new proposed plan.

All activities and deliverables undertaken by the consultant shall be discussed and planned in consultation with UNICEF. The consultant is expected to deliver each component of the workplan electronically (in Word format) and in English. At each stage, the deliverable shall be sent to the UNICEF Health Officer by email.

4. Work location and official travel involved

The assignment will be performed remotely and will require local travel in order to conduct the RTM assessment at the national level.

The consultant will make and pay for own travel arrangements, in order to complete the deliverables outlined in this TOR.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

  • Degree in public health, (bio-)engineering or other health related areas.
  • At least 3 years of experience in (bio-)engineering, RTM, medical supply chain management, vaccine management, cold chain, and logistics.
  • Proven experience in conducting similar assignments.
  • Familiarity with relevant WHO and UNICEF standards and tools.
  • Experience in developing RTM improvement plans.
  • Strong communication, interpersonal skills and sensitivity to different cultural contexts and situations.
  • Previous experience with the UN is an asset.
  • Fluency in Romanian and strong command of English, both oral and written, is required.
  • Working knowledge of Russian is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

For more details on deliverables and minimum requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR)

2022_ToR_Nat Indiv Consultancy_RMT_VA.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain following attachments: Technical and Financial Proposals (templates below). Please secure the Financial Proposal *.pdf document with a password on document view; the password will be requested only from technically qualified candidates.

Technical Offer_RMT.docx

Financial Offer_RMT.xlsx

Applications for this assignment must be received no later than: 11 September 2022

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org