Individual Consultant for Health Commodities Traceability and Verification System (TRVST) for Nepal - Kathmandu, Nepal Country Office ( Only for Nepalese National)

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, result.

As COVID-19 vaccine distribution ramps worldwide, counterfeit vaccines present significant risks to public health and financial loss. The need for product quality verification and traceability extends beyond COVID-19 vaccines to all health products. Falsified vaccines and medicines cost low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) $30 billion/year and over $200 billion globally. Investments in verification and traceability can protect beneficiaries from counterfeit health products while strengthening digitally enabled supply chains for all public health use cases.

The objective of the assignment is to support UNICEF Supply Division and Nepal Country Office on the deployment of a global repository solution in Nepal to reduce the risk of falsified and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines and other health products entering the national supply chains and to establish a national-level verification solution that is in alignment with global data storage capabilities. This work is expected to set the foundation for full national level GS1-enabled track and trace capabilities. Full time technical expertise is needed at the country level to implement and manage this new project.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF plays a vital role globally as the COVAX procurement coordinator and agent. Likewise, at the regional and local levels, UNICEF contributes to response and recovery measures by strengthening the health system and supporting local governments. In response to the COVID-19 health pandemic, health supply chains are being challenged to significantly more products to a more significant number of beneficiaries under increasingly limited conditions. UNICEF and partners will avail supply surges to countries to enable them to maintain operations in response to supply chain human resource reduced capacity; UNICEF supports governments in managing their supply chains and building resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The individual contractor will be working full time as an honest broker for UNICEF, the government, and partners in identifying end-to-end commodity traceability solutions. She/he will support UNICEF and government coordination efforts; report writing and result monitoring in the project.

Reporting: The individual contractor will be reporting to Immunization Specialist, Nepal Country Office and closely coordinating with the Digitalization and Traceability Manager, Supply Chain Strengthening Centre, UNICEF Supply Division.

Impact of Results

1. Timely and quality expert analysis leads to actionable recommendations that efficiently and effectively resolve complex supply chain issues, removing barriers and bottlenecks to prevent falsification and diversion of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics with a medium to the long-term vision of end-to-end commodity traceability.

2. The highest level of integrity, standards, and accountability are maintained by implementing sound, accurate supply chain advice by UNICEF procedures, including regular and accurate reporting.

3. Technical leadership, support, coaching, and training build the capacity of UNICEF and government staff to replicate, expand, and improve on system strengthening and resilience efforts.

4. Effective collaboration with UNICEF, governments and local partners maintains coordination, communication, and networking, reinforcing strong working relationships

Duration of Contract: The total duration of the contract is for 11.5 months tentatively starting from 01 October 2022.

Duty station****: The consultant will be based at the department of drug administration (DDA) Partner’s office, Kathmandu.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks****Deliverables****Timeline****Proposed Fee (Nepalese Currency)1. Subject Matter Expertise: Provide traceability technical leadership and advice on implementing national-level verification solutions to prevent falsifications and diversion of the COVID-19 vaccine and other health products. • Work closely with the government of Nepal Department of Drug Administration (DDA) to finalize requirements and selection of the national verification solution, which utilizes, at minimum, GS1 barcoding on secondary packaging of COVID-19 vaccines and other health products. ○ Work closely with the government of Nepal to align the TRVST with the national supply chain and traceability system(s)/IT infrastructure and roadmap/plan. ○ Do not reinvent the wheel – build on what exists – work with partners to define opportunities to strengthen existing systems The contractor will be expected to produce the following deliverables in collaboration with the government of Nepal, UNICEF, and other key stakeholders. 1. Submission of summary of the current state of the traceability enabling environment (e.g., vision/strategy, policy, governance, data/IT systems, and infrastructure) 2. Submission of Nepal global repository stakeholder mapping of traceability key partners, stakeholder groups, areas of expertise, and assets 3. Requirements of a National traceability system (track and trace) with increased supply chain visibility.By end October 2022

By end November 2022

By end November 2022

2. Landscape & Roadmap: Work with National Regulatory Authority (DDA) to establish the necessary data repository; associated standard operating procedures (SOP); data privacy rules and regulations; administrative rights to national verification solution; and other tasks as needed.

Mapping the existing enabling environment (e.g., policy, strategy, governance, etc.) ○ Gather information on current traceability IT systems/infrastructure and capabilities ○ Draft an end-to-end traceability roadmap for medium to long-term vision of end-to-end commodity traceability. ○ Utilize the information from the LMIS mapping, and the efforts of partners (USAID, Global Fund, and others) to inform the roadmap

4. Submission of Nepal TRVST project schedule/work plan
   5. Submission of Nepal TRVST budget/financial plan
   6. Develop a training plan and budget for modality C of TRVST
   7. Develop operations plans and SOPs for modality C (Interface with National Product Catalog), including data analysis.
   8. Develop a sustainability plan, including a transition plan.
   9. Help desk procedures in place and monitoredBy end Dec 2022

By end Dec 2022

By end Jan 2023

By end Jan 2023

3. Project Management & Coordination: Provide project management services to develop work plans and project materials in collaboration with DDA to implement the global repository tool. This includes: ○ Liaising with stakeholders such as project personnel, vendors, and end-users regarding project requirements. ○ Working closely with the government of Nepal’s responsible entities to plan and oversee the preparations, project artifacts, and project communications. ○ Working closely with TRVST vendor, UNICEF RO, CO, and SD at HQ (Supply chain strengthening center) to ensure timely delivery of project deliverables. o Implementing document control policies and documentation templates as the Project Charter outlines. ○ Monitoring project progress and implementing changes where necessary. ○ Ensuring compliance with objectives, organizational policies, procedures, and standards. ○ Work closely with the Verification & Traceability Initiative Project Management Unit (PMU) to compile project reports and inform 10. Establish a weekly project meeting to coordinate team members from the government of Nepal, UNICEF, and other key stakeholders; develop meeting agendas and materials, track action items
   11. Submission of Bi weekly status updates/reports to the Nepal Traceability Technical Working Group, the Verification & Traceability Initiative
   12. Submission of the activity completion report. /Final report with recommendationsBimonthly/Monthly from Oct 2022 to Sept 2023

Biweekly from Oct 2022 to Sept 2023

By 15 September 2023

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

An advanced university degree is required, preferably in a relevant field (e.g., health supply chain management, IT, business, pharmacy, public health, procurement, logistics, or other quantitative studies). Relevant work experience can substitute in cases where a university degree is not aligned to a relevant field.

Experience:

• At least eight years of experience in health supply chain management or system strengthening. • Previous experience implementing health management information systems such as electronic logistics (eLMIS), warehouse management systems, or warehouse management systems. • Strong knowledge of Project management implementation: eliciting requirements, system configuration, user acceptance test, and solution deployment. • Ability to engage with multiple stakeholders. • At least two years of work experience working in Global Traceability standard (GS1) trace and trace systems and general supply chain management at the country or global level • Technical aptitude in supply chain operations; tracking technologies and solutions; medicine verification systems; traceability legislation; regulation and manufacturer labelling. • Knowledge of Nepal health information systems and e-health architecture • Ability to train and educate staff on the latest knowledge and skills in health product traceability. • Strong analytical and communication skills with the ability to translate technical and quantitative data into executive-level presentations with clear, actionable recommendations • Fluency in English and Nepali is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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:

Request to submit financial proposal as per deliverable in Nepalese currency. Please propose your monthly professional fees in NPR

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates from under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

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.

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.