National Construction Engineer Consultant with UNICEF in Uzbekistan

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, support!

UNICEF supports the Government of the Republic of Karakalpakstan to increase access to climate resilient WASH services in remote communities by providing access to quality and safe drinking water, improving climate-resilient WASH infrastructure in primary healthcare facilities and schools in 11 communities (including 1 school and 1 healthcare facility) of Muynak, Kungrad, Bozataw and Takhtakopir districts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

UNICEF’s Health and Development section requires a National Construction Engineer Consultant to ensure compliance of works with the design documents and bill of quantities, supervise and monitor the construction progress, and timely flag any deviations between actual works and design documents.

The Consultant will provide technical support in monitoring and supervision of the construction and rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall guidance of Chief of Health and Development and the direct supervision of Health Programme Associate the Individual Consultant will support the management and supervision of the WASH construction and infrastructure improvement that complies with WHO and national standards on WASH in communities, healthcare facility and school.

The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Contribute to identification of project sites and development of the preliminary scope of works on WASH project sites.
• Contribute to development of bidding documents for project design and construction services.
• Contribute to the management of all phases of construction work.
• Contribute to achievement of concrete and sustainable program/project results according to plans, budget allocation, result based-management approaches, methodology and UNICEF’s strategic plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Duration of assignment: July – December 2024.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables - Timeline

1. Support the UNICEF project team to conduct situational analysis of communities in target districts for needs on access to clean and safe drinking water and to develop preliminary scope of work for water supply and WASH improvement works for selected project sites, jointly with the UNICEF Local Engineer in Nukus city and Engineers from the District Khakimiyats, schools and healthcare facilities - List of project sites and communities by districts formulated and preliminary scope of work developed on identified project sites - 5 days

2. Provide support to the UNICEF Project team in preparing the TORs and bidding documents for project design engineering firms and construction companies - Inputs provided to TORs and bidding documents for engineering firms and construction companies - 10 days

3. Provide support in conducting due diligence and technical evaluation of bidders - Due diligence reports for new bidders developed, inputs provided to technical evaluation of engineering firms and construction companies - 10 days

4. Close coordination with the hired supervision engineering firms and UNICEF Local Engineer in Nukus city, monitoring the progress of work carried out by the construction companies for ongoing activities - Weekly coordination meetings are held (online/on-site) with hired architectural firms for design and supervision and UNICEF Local Engineer in Nukus city - 10 days

5. Coordinating with engineering firm and construction companies to monitor the work progress at all sites and to ensure quality construction work - Weekly progress meeting is held between consultant, engineering/architectural supervision firm, UNICEF Local Engineer in Nukus city and contractors/construction companies -10 days

6. Monitoring and supervision of the construction work related to the access to clean and safe drinking water, WASH in school and healthcare facility by checking all parts of scheduled work as per technical documents - Regular monitoring visits carried out to the project locations as per Travel Plan enclosed hereto. Reports for all construction sites are received from supervision firm and validated by the Consultant - 10 days

7. Coordinating with the focal point within project team (Programme Associate) and Operations section for processing the payments to the contractors and engineering firms and for additional related contractual terms and conditions - All submitted payments are reviewed and processed in due time - 5 days

8. Preparing monthly updates/reports for the ongoing/completed activities under WASH projects - Monthly progress report for both projects are prepared and shared with supervisor for approval - 5 days

9. Participating in coordination meetings with donors and Government counterparts - Updates on the progress of works are reflected during joint meetings - 5 days

10. To verify the completeness of WASH infrastructure upgrades at project sites and ensure quality of construction work - 5 days

1) Verification statement for construction materials and quality of services based on BoQ for piloted project sites

2) Monitoring checklist with recommendations on improvement of construction process/materials

11. Providing necessary technical assistance to the Government counterparts during the construction of the WASH facilities - Clarifications are given to the District Khakimiyats, MoH and MoPSE upon request - 5 days

12. Reporting to the supervisor on the carried-out activities - Monthly report including the above-mentioned tasks is prepared and submitted to supervisor for approval - 5 days

13. Perform other tasks as deemed necessary and requested by Supervisor - 5 days

Total 90 days

Local Travel: At least three visits to each project site.

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

• University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: civil engineering, construction engineering, architecture or other relevant technical areas.
• More than 5 years of experience in construction supervision and contract management.
• Knowledge and experience of construction buildings for communities, education and healthcare needs.
• Knowledge of local construction standards and skills. Knowledge of materials, methods and appropriate tools to construct WASH/MWM facilities will be an asset.
• Knowledge of UN procurement procedures and tender preparation/evaluation.
• Fluency of Russian and Uzbek language. Knowledge of English is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. 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. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.