International consultant on vaccine management to provide technical support to the Government of Uzbekistan in vaccine management for Routine immunization program and COVID-19 vaccine progra

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.

Background

Timely and equitable immunization services are amongst the most cost-effective development interventions with sustained and long-term health and economic dividends for nations. And effective end-to-end vaccine stock management is at its core, ensuring life-saving vaccines are always available up to the last mile, coverage goals are met, and no child is left behind. However, each year at least one-third of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience one or more vaccine stockouts lasting for one month or more including Uzbekistan. By reviewing annual government reported supply chain indicators over the last ten years, LMICs have seen an increase in the number of stock outs of at least one routine antigen from 30% in 2010 to 45% in 2019.

Sub-optimal stock management not only increases the operational and opportunity costs of vaccination but can also play a significant role in broadening inequities and stagnating demand, specifically affecting under-served, urban poor, insecure and hard-to-reach populations.

To proactively address stock management (COVID-19 and RI) challenges and ensure relevant national and subnational authorities (NLWG/EOC/National EPI agency) have adequate capacity to received, store, distribute and monitor the major surge in COVID-19 vaccines, UNICEF would like to hire international vaccine management (VM) specialists to provide support to the Government.

Objectives

To proactively address stock management (COVID-19 and RI) challenges and ensure relevant national and subnational authorities (NLWG/EOC/National EPI agency) have adequate capacity to received, store, distribute and monitor the major surge in COVID-19 vaccines.

Timeline & Deliverables

These deliverables are interlinked and need to be carried out on an on-going basis until the consultancy concludes.

1. Monthly vaccine accountability reports, including stock receipts, distribution, utilization, and wastage rates, developed, and shared with NLWG and UNICEF country and regional offices - Monthly. 2. Supply Chain and Waste Management section of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19 revalidated - Monthly. 3. NLWG/EOCs supported to effectively plan the arrivals, storage, temperature monitoring and control during storage and distribution and redistribution of COVID-19 and routine vaccines - Ongoing until the end of consultancy. 4. Vaccine accountability, disposal and waste management activities at central and subnational levels supported. SOPs reviewed and implemented, and related data collected and shared on weekly basis - Ongoing until the end of consultancy. 5. Ensure NLWG/EOC has access to updated stock management data including on forecast/actual quantities, stock-on-hand, consumption rates, expiry dates, open and closed vial wastage, critical operational challenges. And make sure this data is used for data-driven planning and decision making - Establish within first two months and ongoing afterwards. 6. NLWG/EOC or equivalent supported and dataflows, vaccine inventory tools and LMIS mapped. Vaccine management issues captured and rapidly shared with decision makers - Mapping within 30 days and monthly afterwards. 7. NLWG is supported to forecast vaccines. Data on vaccine stock, consumption, expiry, destruction and relocation are collected, analyzed, presented and shared. This also includes analysis of the barriers in data use and promotion of smart demand for it - Ongoing.

Methodology/Activities

Under the overall supervision of chief of health, the VM specialist will be accountable for the following key activities.

1. Ensure issues in vaccine management are identified and actively addressed at local level.

2. Support revalidation of Supply Chain and Waste Management section of country National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19.

3. Support NLWG/EOCs to effectively manage the arrivals, storage, temperature monitoring and control during storage and distribution and redistribution, vaccine accountability, disposal and waste management for COVID19 and routine vaccines.

4. Plan, receive, store, deploy and monitor COVID-19 related logistics (UCC equipment, shippers) including waste management as per manufacturer’s guidelines.

5. Facilitate NLWG/EOC access to up-to-date stock management data including on forecast/actual quantities, stockon-hand, consumption rates, expiry dates, open and closed vial wastage, critical operational challenges and data use for action.

6. Lead the development of monthly vaccine accountability reports at national and subnational levels, including stock receipts, distribution, utilization, and wastage rates.

7. Support the deployment or where exist the strengthening of vaccine inventory tools to automate data collection on vaccine arrivals, dispatch and closed vial wastage. Develop/adopt relevant SOPs and guidelines.

8. Support vaccine forecasting, data triangulation of stock, consumption, and coverage at all levels of the supply chain, considering data use barriers and mitigation strategies.

9. Support countries with targeted assessment and monitoring of iSC performance, especially with stock management, per EVM2.0 guidelines and iterative development and implementation of improvement plans within a cycle of continuous improvement.

10. Update CCE inventories on quarterly basis. Document and follow-up UCC maintenance and waste management plans.

11. Support the integration and deployment of Thrive360 and iDash as well as vaccine verification systems.

12. Organize capacity development events and devise on-the-job training plans for key partners. The VM Specialist will be deployed to a UNICEF country or field office and could be seated within the national EPI agency, National Logistics working group or emergency operation centre.

Management

The consultant will work under the supervision of Chief of Health with daily collaboration with Health Supply Officer.

Resource requirements and payments

According to UNICEF policy, the final fees will be set up based on the “best value for money” principle. UCO will offer a monthly fee based on acceptable deliverables.

The Consultant will be paid on a monthly based on deliverables upon submission of her/his report and subject to certification by the Supervisor, based on the monthly work-plan, outlining the expected work outputs agreed in the beginning of the reporting period.

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

University degree is required (Advanced degree an advantage), preferably in relevant field (e.g., business planning, supply chain management, economics, international development studies, medicine, procurement, logistics, or other quantitative degree). Applicable work experience can substitute in cases where university degree is not aligned to a relevant field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

At least (8) years of experience in international public health programme management including at least three (3) years in immunization, with experience in low- and middle-income countries, preferably in the areas of:

• Logistics management systems

• Supply chain bottleneck and root cause analysis

• Familiarity with inventory policies, allocation, ordering and distribution strategies and other supply chain operations

• Health systems strengthening

• Assessing and measuring supply chain performance

• Experience interfacing with national ministries of health an advantage.

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

• Proven experience in strategic negotiations and planning in multi-stakeholder settings

• Experience in writing complex strategic proposals, developing multi-year operational plans Experience in training, planning and delivery of technical assistance

• Effective presenter including ability to adapt the message and visual aids for multiple audiences to deliver concise, impactful presentations

• Knowledge of supply chain management and operations

• Excellent analysis skills

• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment

• Proven track record in interfacing with national ministries of health a distinct advantage.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken in English and the knowledge of Russian or Uzbek is an added value.

Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word - Familiarity with ODK, U-Report, RapidPro and field data collection is an asset

Procedures and Working Conditions

Consultant is office based with frequent travel to the subnational level SES and vaccination points. The applicants shall be required to submit a statement of good health prior of commencement of work and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. Consultants are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance available to UN staff members.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.