International Individual Consultancy: International quality monitoring expertise to ensure high quality of the product, Electronic Immunization Registry (EIR), in Uzbekistan

Contract

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Background:

Immunization is the most cost‐effective and efficient way to control and eliminate vaccine‐preventable diseases that contribute significantly to childhood morbidity and mortality. Starting January 2014, Uzbekistan has entered the accelerated transition phase from GAVI support to independent and sustainable vaccine procurement by the end of 2020. Taking this into consideration, the Ministry of Health, with the support of UNICEF and WHO, began implementing the project on substantial cold chain improvement – Health System Strengthening (HSS). The project includes construction and renovation of cold chain facilities across the country, installing modern equipment and devices, and establishing a modern electronic database for vaccine stock inventory at the national, regional, district, and PHC levels.

Notwithstanding the Covid-19 associated restrictions starting from March 2020, significant progress has been achieved in all aspects of the National Immunization Programme. The coverage with the routine vaccine remained above 95 percent, which is relatively high compared to other regions. Despite the expansion of the EPI programme and significant advances in routine immunization, the problem of missed communities and zero-doze children persists in all parts of the country. Regular outbreaks of measles signals that this problem should be addressed urgently. Furthermore, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan poses a threat of cross-border transmission of VPIs, particularly CVDPV – 2. It is likely that underserved and hard-to-reach populations have low immunization coverage, and evidence from other countries shows that vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks tend to occur among these populations, thus increasing their vulnerabilities as well as those of the general population.

UNICEF has supported the development of Vaccine Logistics Management Information System (VLMIS). In November 2021, the VLMIS software is accepted by the MOH for subsequent deployment in the national (1), regional (14) and district (209) level vaccine warehouses. The VLMIS is ready to connect all cold chain stores located at various levels into one network for constant consolidation and analysis of up-to-date information on vaccines stock, its movement and consumption, and possible re-fill, and to provide a ready-to-go reports and information for decision makers, serve as a basis for the budgeting and forecasting.

After discussion with the stakeholders and studying best practices, it was decided that establishing an electronic immunization registry (EIR) connected to the civil registry database and VLMIS would help to identify the most problematic communities in the country and concentrate efforts to improve vaccine uptake. Additionally, such a kind of unified electronic system will provide ready-to-go reports and information for decision-makers and serve as a basis for budgeting and forecasting. The system will be fully integrated into the Health Management Information System (HMIS) through the MOH’s focal point for digitalization, IT Med. This initiative is in line with the current government strategy to digitalize the information in the healthcare system.

Considering the complexity of the EIR project, it was recommended to hire an international expert to monitor the quality of the system and recommend adjustments throughout the project implementation period.

Objectives:

To hire a quality monitoring expert who will ensure the development of a high-quality product, monitor the development and implementation, and recommend improvement to the system during the entire project of the development of EIR, as well as deployment and further exploitation of VLMIS. The consultant will provide technical support during implementation and coordinate the final testing of the EIR before the completion of the project.

Timeline & Deliverables:

The consultant will ensure high-quality software is developed and implemented by conducting the following tasks from February 2022 through December 2022. The initial period (February-March 2022) will require more intensive monitoring and technical support during software planning and development. Less contribution will be required at the stage of implementation, and more substantial involvement will be needed during the final evaluation of the product. These deliverables are interlinked and need to be carried out on an on-going basis until the consultancy concludes.

Activity and Deliverables, Working days

1. Initial stage

1. In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office and MOH (including the Service for Sanitary Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health – former SES, ITMED), the consultant will develop a consultancy workplan articulating linkages with the work of EIR and VLMIS developing vendors and the national consultant to ensure synergies, as well as a draft consultancy report layout - Consultancy workplan - 5 days.

2. Advisory services and in-depth support during assessing, designing and developing of digital framework to reflect all aspects required for immunization programme and interoperable standard for health information systems - Mapping of workflows according to immunization programme processes with expected user stories to be added to the digital framework. Digital framework with the pillars/indicators/milestones identified together with MOH, UNICEF and WHO, and reflected appropriately in the software plan - 5 days.

3. Check to ensure proposed software in line with the country immunization programme’s priorities and requirements and with international context of universal digital platforms to ensure compliance with interoperability standard with other key health information systems. Through application programming interfaces (APIs) - Definition document by considering capacity and enabling environment requirements to ensure software developed in line with the project requirements and immunization programme needs and global standard for digital health platforms - 10 days.

2. Implementation stage

4. Provide support for setting the business processes to align with the country immunization programme - Set of the business process required to implement the system - 5 days.

5. Checking the quality of piloting and implementation stage by having access to the software and monitoring the entire process - Weekly assessment of the software and reporting on quality - 2 days per month (total up to 12 days within 6 months).

6. Working with the national IT EIR consultant and IT Med company to provide guidance for improving/adjusting the software and fixing any issue - Progress report with the list of problems and solutions identified - 2 days per month (total up to 12 days within 6 months).

7. Verification of the pilot version before nationwide implementation - Pilot version of software is verified and a report a prepared - 3 days.

8. Contribute to the training documents (agenda, modules, distribution materials) - Training materials improved - 5 days.

3. Final stage

9. Verification of the quality of software in line with the project requirements and international standards - Report - 4 days

10. Contribution to the final evaluation of the company performance in line with the project requirements - Report - 3 days

4. General tasks

11. Contribute to the multilateral discussion throughout implementation period - Meeting notes - 5 days throughout the project implementation

12. Contribute to the reporting to partners/donors/UNICEF - Reports - 3 days

13. Assessing further needs and development of recommendations for sustainability - Lessons learned and recommendations in the reports/final report - 3 days

14. Provide expertise inputs for deployment of VLMIS at all three (national, regional and district) levels of immunization supply chain. Support capacity building of immunization staff - Report - 10 days

15. Supporting VLMIS developing vendor and the national consultant in first line support for maintaining the normal operation of the System thru providing first level troubleshooting via the phone on receipt of information from users on a defect / error or malfunction in the solution. If the problem cannot be resolved over the phone, the defect / error or malfunction will be escalated to the second level of support (to the VLMIS developing vendor company) - Reports - 1 day per month (total up to 11 days within 11 months)

16. Develop TOR for the integration of VLMIS, EIR and other HMIS (if required) - TOR - 5 days

Total: 101 days over the 11 months

Methodology/Activities:

The consultant will work remotely with up to two visits to the country if needed office-based work with the relevant stakeholders and partners following EIR project implementation timeframe and UNICEF regulations related to this issue. All travel related to the project will be reimbursed based on UN DSA rates and in line with travel guidelines and procedures established in the office.

Under the subject task, it is expected that UNICEF will recruit a national consultant as well under the subject assignment. International consultant will lead the consultancy and will be responsible for core deliverables, while national consultant will support to collect necessary data for desk review, liaise with national authorities and engage with other activities to ensure successful implementation of consultancy

Management:

The Contractor shall work under the direct supervision of the Immunization Officer and in close collaboration with the National EIR Consultant, IT Med, and Agency for Sanitary and Epidemiologic Wellbeing under the Ministry of Health.

Resource requirements and payments:

The payment will be made based on the daily rate and stages implemented upon submitting the deliverables and reports. Payments may be partially or fully withheld in case of unsatisfactory performance of duties or failure to provide the deliverables by the agreed deadlines.

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

• Advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent related practical experience. • At least 8 years of professional experience in IT development area, out of which five years should be in e-Health programme. • At least five years of experience in providing technical assistance and thought leadership surrounding the design and implementation of digital solutions for health system strengthening, including the application of recommended Health Information System architectures and standards. • Significant experience with project management with an ability to translate complex ideas from various fields into unified, clear guidance is a must. • Knowledge and experience with DHIS2, OpenMRS, iHRIS, OpenHIE, MoTECH, CommCare, RapidPro, etc. • Familiarity with open-source technology. • Excellent written communication skills in English, knowledge of Russian is an asset.

Procedures and Working Conditions

The contractor shall provide technical expertise and advice throughout the EIR project implementation period to the national consultant, selected company, and stakeholders. He/she shall work independently and in close collaboration with the responsible UNICEF and Ministry of Health staff.

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 contributions 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).

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 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.