Individual Contractor for Emergency Recovery in Bahia, Brazil

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

In the beginning of 2022, 163 municipalities in Bahia State reported emergency state due to a dam collapse followed by flooding in this period in Brazil. Most municipalities had already been affected by strong rains at the end of November and are located in the south of the state.

The Southern part of Bahia State and North of Minas Gerais state are suffering from the consequences of the floods: houses, schools, hospitals and other infrastructures have been destroyed and damaged along with other losses. The total affected population is estimated to be 815,597 with an estimated 101,256 people in need, of those, 28,224 people displaced staying in shelters and 73,032 people being hosted by family and friends, with 2 missing, 520 wounded and 26 deaths.

UNICEF with its zonal office in Salvador, Bahia, carry out the firsts visits on that affected region in Bahia, confirming several sanitarians, social physical, educational and social protection challenges that were affecting children and their families.

Sanitary conditions are severely compromised wish risk of disease outbreaks; schools are being used as shelters jeopardizing safe return to education, and there are risks to mental health and violence against children and adolescents. UNICEF estimates a target of 30,000 people for humanitarian cash transfers and service delivery through partners, as well as technical support and advocacy for government and partners to reach 101,256 people (indirect results).

The consultant will have the Chief of Salvador Zone Office as the direct supervisor. Members of local staff; Emergency Technical Team (ETT); Programmatic Sectorial Team; as well the Brazilian Semi-Arid (SAB) focal point on Child Protection, Education, Social Protection, Monitoring and Evaluation; and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) will be working in dialogue with the consultant.

Purpose

Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief of Salvador Field Office the consultant will provide overall technical support to UNICEF emergency recovery effort and response analysis in Bahia. The purpose of this assignment is to provide integrated technical/advocacy strategy with a child-focus for recovery emergency plans for the affected area, especially at the level of state authorities and to draw lessons from Bahia response to strengthen UNICEF Brazil Country Office capacity to address localized sudden emergencies.

The incumbent will mainly work at state level in Bahia but may be requested to travel to affected municipalities in Bahia, visiting impaired communities in Recôncavo, Semiarid and South regions. The Consultant will also be requested to attend webinars and virtual meetings with UNICEF teams, Emergency Technical Team, Secretariats at State level, Prosecution Office’s Operational Working Group and Non-Government Organization (NGO) partners. The consultant may also be requested to prepare activities such as organizing meetings, workshops, training when necessary, production of reports, analysis and systematization (will be requested in Portuguese and/or English).

Expected results:

In line with the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) and National Brazilian Protocols for Children in Emergency and Disasters, this consultancy aims at cooperating to achieve the following results:

Expected Result 1 – UNICEF’s intervention is properly evaluated and documented.

Activities:

1.1 Identify and analyze situation of children at risk in affected communities since Children Village’s Data survey to ensure proper data collection, analysis and reporting.

1.2 Support the Salvador Office and in coordination with the ETT prepare a complete Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis of UNICEF’ response in Bahia.

Expected Result 2 - Recovery and contingency plans and responses of Bahia State, and municipalities of Itabuna, Ilhéus and SELO Municipalities in the Vale do Jiquiriça Region, under gender and child-oriented perspectives.

Activities:

2.1. Support the UNICEF programme officers to engage and mobilize the States and Municipal secretariats of Education, Social Assistance, Health, Civil Defense to develop the recovery and contingency plans response to floods and other disasters that are gender and child-sensitive (focus on 5 key elements which can be discussed and adapted: (i) quick establishments of safe spaces for children building on the Super Panas experience in the migration response, (ii) identification of children at risk and their protection, to adopt gender and child-oriented approaches to face violence in recovering emergency context (iii) communication with affected population on social assistance during disaster, (iv) maternal-new born health services continuity during disasters, safe environment and water during temporary shelter and recovery phase and (v) schools reopening processes).

2.2. Develop check-lists from the existing National protocol for children and elderlies in disasters and developed training/awareness sessions with the above mentioned State institutions and key focus of interventions for UNICEF.

Expected Result 3 - Bahia Public Prosecution Office’s Operational Working Group on Child Protection in emergence recovery with propped technical support and guidance.

Activities:

3.1. Technical support to UNICEF team on the meetings with the Bahia government secretariats aiming to influence a Child Rights oriented strategy in recovering context.

3.2. Offer timely and effective technical guidance and recommendations for the members of the Operational Working Group of Public Prosecution regarding child-focus for recovery emergency plans, especially at the level of state authorities and their duty bearers, in emergency and disasters context.

Expected Result 4 - Lessons learned are used to develop a localized emergency response SOP (Standard Operational Procedure) for Semi-Arid Territory and support the development of the Emergency Preparedness Platform measures for Brazil Country Office.

Activities:

4.1. Lead the analysis of the Bahia emergency response to collect lessons learned and feed the definition of SOPs for localized emergencies in the Semi-Arid territory that can be replicated and adapted to other territories.

4.2. Support the definition of risks, scenarios, response and Minimum Standard Procedures of the Emergency Preparedness Platform in coordination with the ETT - Emergency Technical Team in Brasilia.

Deliverables:

1. Deliverable (1st Month)

   • Duration/Deadline: 30 days from the date of contract signature
   • Payment: 20% of the contract
   • 1st Report structured in 2 main parts: Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan for UNICEF’s recovery response through the identified Implementing Partner (IP) in the Vale do Jiquiriça Region.

2. Deliverable (3rd Month)

   • Duration/Deadline: 90 days from the date of contract signature
   • Payment: 40% of the contract
   • 2nd Report structured in two parts: Present progress on recovery and contingency plans discussion with State and Municipalities; Checklists prepared from the National protocol for children in disasters with awareness/training sessions content developed; Present progress on technical support, meetings and guidance offered to the State institutions of Bahia Government and Public Prosecution Office’s.
3. Deliverable (4th Month)
   • Duration/Deadline: 120 days from the date of contract signature
   • Payment: 20% of the contract
   • 3rd Report structured in 2 parts: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for localized response process in Semi-Arid territory developed.
4. Deliverable (5th Month)
   • Duration/Deadline: 150 days from the date of contract signature
   • Payment: 20% of the contract
   • 4th and final report includes: completed SWOT analysis of UNICEF’s response to Bahia floods; Risks, Scenarios, Response for Semi-Arid territory completed

T****IMEFRAME

5 months from the signature of contract.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• The monthly reports shall be subject to review and approval by UNICEF after delivery by the consultant. If needed, revisions and alterations may be requested by UNICEF related to quality and technical depth parameters. Only after final clearance from the UNICEF Brazil, will the payment be processed.
• Activity reports should be submitted with frequency lists of meetings and / or events, minutes of meetings with referrals agreed, photographic record with permission to use image according to UNICEF standard and life histories.
• If the product's delivery date is at the weekend or on a public holiday, it must be delivered on the next following business day.
• UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the contract and/or withhold all or a portion of payment if the rules and the regulations regarding confidentiality, ethics and procedures of UNICEF and the partners are not followed, the performance is unsatisfactory, or work/deliverables are incomplete, not delivered or fail to meet the deadlines.

KEY COMPETENCES, TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED DEADLINE

Academic requirement

• University degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Education, Law, Communications, social work, or related area relevant with UNICEF fields of actions.

• Master’s degree would be an asset.

Professional Experience Requirement

• At least 3 years of professional experience at the national or international levels in international/ civil society organizations on knowledge of public policy for children and adolescents, as well as disaster preparedness and response.
• Background and familiarity with international human rights and emergency response, recovery and preparedness.
• Working knowledge with the State, municipal governments of Bahia, and civil society organizations of the region will be a plus.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and proven ability to facilitating interagency processes to achieve a common goal.
• Experience working with traditional and vulnerable population is an asset.
• Computer and database literacy and social media would be an asset, as well as Information Management or SIG skills.
• Native Portuguese and fluent English. Working Spanish would be an asset.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• UNICEF will provide the Consultant all required core equipment and material for fulfilling his duty, including computer
• For Consultant’s, travel costs should be included in the consultant’s fee.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant or Individual Contractor
• Consultants/ICs will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• The consultant will work on-site under a full-time basis and prior authorization and/or clearance from UNICEF to engage in outside UNICEF activities is required.

Financial Proposal

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants and individual contractors are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment 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.

Insurance and health coverage

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.

• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

  Restrictions

• Consultants and individual contractors may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF. Notwithstanding, consultants and individual contracts must complete the applicable mandatory trainings.

• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

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.

UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.