International consultancy to develop and implement appropriate Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management policies and mechanisms

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 107,942 USD and 141,342 USD.

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For every child,

Background

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSPP) to implement a Maternal and Child Health Integrated Care (MCHIC) Project within the purview of the National Health Strategy 2010-2020. The project aims at improving the health status and well-being of mothers and children in 3 districts (Shamsuddin Shohin, Rasht, and Fayzobod) focusing on the integrated MCH care delivery at both primary and secondary health care levels. UNICEF in the framework of the ADB MCHICP initiated adaptation of the IPC assessment checklist for health care facilities and planning to conduct training for the assessment teams and further conduct assessment IPC assessment in the selected primary and secondary health facilities of the project districts.

The EU under the Health Development Program is supporting UNICEF to implement the IPC project in selected district of the country. The project aims to achieve effective infection prevention and control system at the primary and secondary health care delivery levels and to contribute to enhancing the capacity of the Government of Tajikistan for effective COVID-19 crisis response. This will be achieved through the implementation of a composite set of a continuum of interventions that sums up to improving the quality of infrastructure and practice of IPC at selected primary and secondary health facilities' levels. IPC in this context includes supportive policy; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Health Care Waste Management infrastructure that meets agreed national standards; improved IPC and quality care knowledge and practice of health workers; as well as improved awareness and knowledge on IPC at household level. The project will be implemented in 40 selected districts and 10 infectious diseases department hospitals.

Within this context, UNICEF Tajikistan Country Office seeks to hire an international consultant to provide technical assistance to MOHSPP in the development and implementation of context-appropriate infection control and healthcare waste management policies and mechanisms for the ADB Maternal and Child Health Integrated and the EU IPC Projects in Tajikistan

How can you make a difference?

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the consultancy assignment is to support the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population in development of context-appropriate infection control and healthcare waste management policies and mechanisms in line with the latest international standards. This includes the development of Standard Operations Procedures, guidelines, instructions and tools. The required technical support will include a review of the existing policies, standards, the assessment, and situation analysis on Infection Control practices and Healthcare Waste Management in selected health facilities of project districts, revision and updating of existing policies and the clinical practice guidelines, development of facility and district-specific plans and conduct training for national and regional trainers on the revised policies/tools.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT: The consultant will work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population, experts of the national and districts center of Sanitary and Epidemiological Services (SES), the Republican Clinical Centre for Family Medicine and other relevant departments and centers of MOHSP to do the following:

1. Review the existing national regulatory, policies, guidelines, protocols and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management with particular focus on mother and child health care services;
2. Review the available IPC/HWM assessment / supportive supervision tools and choose/adapt ones that are most appropriate for external (baseline assessment) and self-assessments as well as supportive supervision for continuous IPC improvement process at the selected facilities of the project districts. Train the assessment team selected by the MoHSP and Oblast/District health authorities.
3. In conjunction with local experts facilitate/conduct an assessment of the PC/HWM at the primary and secondary health care facilities the project districts;
4. Finalize the assessment findings and facilitate initial discussions of the results with each national, oblast and districts experts and at the assessed health facilities to develop IPC Facility Scorecards and plans to implement the recommendations of the assessments;
5. Based on the review and the assessment findings in close coordination with the national experts develop/revise and update the existing national regulatory environment, policies, guidelines, protocols, SOPs, and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management;
6. Develop Supportive Supervision Operations Manual for project target districts and provide training and subsequent coaching for Infection Control subcommittees at all levels and district/oblast health managers to implement IPC/HWM standards.
7. Based on the revised policies, guidelines, protocols, SOPs, and standards develop training modules and materials and conduct training for national and regional trainers.
8. Produce a final report, summarizing the process and outcomes of the assignment as well as a set of recommendations and follow-up actions;

K****EY DELIVERABLES and PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

#

Tasks/Milestone

Deliverables/Outputs

Number of days

Timeline

Payment schedule

1

Review the existing national regulatory environment, policies, guidelines, protocols and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management with particular focus on mother and child health care services

Report on conducted review of the existing national regulatory environment, policies, guidelines, protocols and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management with recommnedations and outline of activities to be addressed in the frame of this consultancy.

5

March 30, 2021

30% upon submission of deliverables

2

Review the available IPC/HWM assessment / supportive supervision tools and choose/adapt ones that are most appropriate for external and self-assessments as well as supportive supervision for continuous IPC improvement process at the selected facilities of the project districts. Train the assessment team selected by the MoHSP and Oblast/District health authorities.

Baseline and self-assessments tools and methodology as well as supportive supervision tools for continuous IPC/HWM finalized;

Number of experts trained on the assessment tool and methodology.

10

April 15th 2021

3

In conjunction with local experts facilitate/conduct an assessment of the PC/HWM at the primary and secondary health care facilities the project districts (inlcuing inventriy of equipment)

1. The assessment report on Infection Control and the Healthcare Waste Management in the project districts;
2. Inventory of essential equipment for PHC and selected secondary (surgical, maternity, pediatrric and infectious diseases departments of the EU IPC project districts)Â

40

June 30th 2021

4

Develop/revise and update the existing national regulatory environment, policies, guidelines, protocols, SOPs, and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management;

The revised and updated national regulatory environment, policies, guidelines, protocols, SOPs, and standards on Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management

20

July 30th  2020

30% upon submission of deliverables

5

To develop IPC Facility Scorecards and plans to implement the recommendations of the assessments

Development of a facility specific plan on IPC and HWM.

15

August 30st 2021

6

To develop training modules and materials and leading to conduct ToT at the national level.

Develop the training module on IPC/HWM and leading to conduct ToT training on IPC/HWM

10

September 30th 2021

20% upon submission of deliverable

7

Produce a final report, summarizing the process and outcomes of the assignment as well as a set of recommendations and follow-up actions

Final report with set of the recommendations

10

October 30th 2021

20% upon submission and final report and it approval by UNICEF/MOH

Note: Due to COVID 19, the work and deliverables are subject to change. Consultant need to be flexible to adjust to any unforeseen adjustments that might occur during the implementation. In addition, the contract duration may factored potential delay due to travel restriction, thus project duration will be until 10th of December 2021.

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results:

The evaluation of the results will be based on:

1. Technical and professional competence (quality of the products delivered to UNICEF); 2. Scope of work (e.g. No. of meetings with the stakeholders); 3. Quality of work (quality of methodology, draft, and final report); 4. Quantity of work (completing the tasks indicated in the table above within the set timeframe)

In addition, such indicators as work relations, responsibility, drive for results, and communication will be taken into account during the evaluation of the Consultant's work.

Estimated duration of contract and remuneration: The assignment will be carried out in 110 working days spread over a period ranging from March till December 2021.

Location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan with travel to the field.

On-location working days: Approx. 90 days; O****ff-location working days: Approx. 20 days

Travel involved: Consultant is expected to travel to Tajikistan. Travel plans to be pre-approved and agreed to by UNICEF Tajikistan. Travel paid for by UNICEF shall be based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.

Supervision: The consultant will work under the technical guidance of the Health Specialist responsible for MNCH programming, in close collaboration with the MCH Officer and WASH Specialist and with overall guidance provided by UNICEF Chief of Health and Nutrition. UNICEF will be responsible for arranging meetings with government counterparts and other stakeholders and for convening consultation events.

Reporting to**: Health Specialist, UNICEF Tajikistan

Insurances: UNICEF does not provide or arrange life or health insurance coverage for consultants and individual contractors, and consultants and individual contractors are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming all costs related to required inoculations, vaccinations and medical examinations. Consultants and individual contractors are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the period of their services as they consider appropriate. The responsibility of UNICEF is limited solely to the payment of compensation for service-incurred death, injury or illness as per the provisions detailed below.

Recourse: UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

Ethical considerations: Adequate measures should be taken to ensure that the process responds to quality and ethical requirements. The contracted consultant should be sensitive to beliefs, manners, and customs and act with integrity and honesty in their relationships with all stakeholders. It should also protect the anonymity and confidentiality of individual information.

Mandatory trainings: Consultants and individual contractors, regardless of contract duration, must complete the applicable mandatory trainings. The link will be provided during the selection process for the successful candidates.

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

• Education: Advanced university degree in the fields of Public Health and/or Health/Social Policy and has masters on Epidemiology with specialization on Infection control and/or Healthcare Waste Management or PhD Degree in health policy/health management or related areas.
• Expertise in development of adapting global standards and guidelines to developing countries context national strategies, health policy documents, national policies and guidelines, especially related to Infection Prevention and Control and the Healthcare Waste Management.
• Work Experience: Minimum 10 years of practical experience: in the field of planning and implementation of the health sector assessments; strategic planning and capacity building (mandatory); Recent experience (within the past 5 years) in the development projects with Infection control and a medical waste management aspects in countries with transition economies and experience of working with top-management of national ministries and local authorities would be an advantage;
• Relevant technical expertise and consultancy experiences with international/UN organization in the field of epidemiological safety (including assessment in accordance with WHO guidelines) and health system strengthening. Extensive experience in CIS countries is an asset.
• Competencies: Strong analytical and conceptual thinking. Excellent writing skills. Excellent communication and presentation skills with stakeholders and the ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to a tight timeframe.
• Language: Fluency in English (written and spoken), knowledge of Russian and/or Tajik is an asset.

EVALUATION PROCESS: Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application/CV. 2. A technical proposal with proposed methodology/approach and work plan to managing the project, showing understanding of tasks. 3. Financial quote for the consultancy in USD per deliverable, stating also the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate in USD. 4.Examples of previous, relevant work related to the deliverables. 5. At least 2 References

Queries can be sent to: tad-procurement@unicef.org with subject line "International consultancy to develop and implement appropriate Infection Prevention and Control and Healthcare Waste Management policies and mechanisms". Applications must be received by the 10 March 2021 on our website: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index.php.

Travel costs and DSA will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations. No other remunerations apply. The office retains the right to adopt assessment methodology including but not limited to interview or a small assignment. As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor follow the best value for money principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible cost.

Please note that consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.

During the selection, the ratio between the technical evaluation and commercial offer is 80 to 20.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis methodology. The award of the Contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) Having received the highest score out of a weighted set of technical and financial criteria.

* Technical Criteria weight -80%;n* Financial Criteria weight - 20%;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 60 points in Technical Criteria evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial Proposal: Please provide a rate all-inclusive price (in US dollars) for delivery of professional services in accordance with the assignments described under this TOR.

The formula for the rating of the Financial Proposals will be as follows: FP Rating = (Lowest Priced Offer / Price of the Offer Being Reviewed) x 100

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

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