National Consultancy – Early Childhood Development and Pre-Primary Education Spending Efficiency Analysis, Windhoek, Namibia (Open for Namibia Nationals only)

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.

For every child, quality education

Scope of Work: Over the years, the Government of the Republic of Namibia and Partner such as EU have made significant investments towards ECD and Pre-Primary Education in Namibia. The European Union (EU) and Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) entered into an Education Sector Reform Contract, which through a Budget Support mechanism, received in excess of EUR24M. The budget support included expansion of infrastructure to improve access to ECD and Pre-Primary Education. However, concerns have been raised with respect to efficient utilization of such funding towards achieving the intended outcomes. To further unpack these concerns, there is need for a bottleneck analysis to assess the implementation challenges, with a view to proffer solutions that can help enhance budget efficiencies.

Bottlenecks in the fund flow chain and procurement of services, have often been identified in tracking surveys as serious problems affecting quality of services and impact of public investments. Such bottlenecks, which may be linked to delays in funds releases, administrative costs or leakages at different layers/levels, low institutional capacities (to plan, monitor, report and implement), often results in a weak correlation between the level of expenditure and outcomes.

Whilst this may be true for ECD and Pre-Primary Education spending in Namibia, there is need for an analysis of past spending trends to identify any bottlenecks and proffer solutions that can improve efficiencies and outcomes.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: • To identify challenges in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) funding chain, from national to facility level, and provide practical recommendation for future funding by the Government and Partners, to strengthen value for money and impact.

Scope of the Analysis: This Study seeks to undertake a light bottleneck analysis to unpack challenges in the implementation of public spending, including donor support towards ECD centers and Pre-Primary Education in Namibia. The bottleneck analysis will employ the Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) methodological approach to shed light on the actual functioning of public expenditure system, including planning, procurement, management and monitoring capacities within the respective ministries; delays in disbursements, if any; and accountability mechanisms. The overall aim of the analysis is to identify challenges in the funding chain, from national to facility level, and provide practical recommendation for future funding by the government and Partners, to strengthen value for money and impact.

The proposed methodology - PETS tracks, locates, and quantifies the flow of public resources across various administrative levels of government. It can serve at least three purposes: diagnostic, analytical and impact evaluation, which are the main underpinnings of this analysis.

Specific objectives of the Analysis Specifically, the analysis seeks to: • Identify challenges in the funding flow chain (at the different stages from national level to facility), how they impact on efficient use of resources and on intended impacts;

• Assess any efficiency issues (delays in disbursements, challenges in procurement, transaction and other administrative costs) that impact on resources reaching the facility level; • Assess the institutional capacities of the relevant organisations, ministries and agencies (OMAs) for effective planning, procurement, monitoring, reporting, accounting and implementation as well as in meeting donor requirements. • Establish the link between expenditure in ECD & Pre-Primary Education and outcomes – value for money issues; • Assess any implementation quality issues, including assessment of stakeholder participation in development and implementation of expansion blueprints; and • Based on the foregoing, provide practical recommendations on how the funding chain can be further strengthened for improved outcomes, to guide future funding by EU, Partners and the government.

Key Analytical Questions To achieve the set objectives, the analysis will focus on the following aspects: I. Efficiency analysis focusing on: a. Are there delays in fund disbursements at each level of the funding chain and differences amounts disbursed and received? b. What causes the delays and discrepancies in values transferred and received (if any) at each level? c. How does the above impact on outcomes/impact? d. Are there sufficient institutional/ individual capacities at each level to effectively plan, procure, monitor, implement and report expenditures? e. Any proposed solutions to address the above challenges? II. Value for Money a. Undertake a simple input -output analysis to determine value for money from the investment. b. What are the key factors impacting on value for money (these could be administration or transactional costs in the funding chain)? III. Quality of the infrastructure a. Is the infrastructure design appropriate for ECD and Pre-Primary Education? b. Is there access to other amenities (Water, sanitation) as part of the design or in proximity to other facilities? c. Are the designs disability inclusive? d. How are the centers situated in relation to other facilities, schools and proximity to communities? e. What role does the community play in the design and siting of the centers as well as funding of the centers?

Expected Outputs/ uses of the Findings A key deliverable of the Analysis is a comprehensive report highlighting the bottlenecks and challenges within the current ECD and Pre-Primary Education funding chain, how they impact on efficient utilization of resources and outcomes. The Report should proffer concrete and practical recommendations for strengthening the funds flow for impact, which will inform future funding mechanisms by the EU, government and other Partners.

Sampling Given the timelines of the study, 4 ECD and 4 pre-primary centers in a maximum of 4 regions (Kunene, Omusati, Oshana and Omakeke) will be purposively sampled and analyzed. This entails having interviews with key informants within the respective regions that the selected centers fall under, as well as extracting financial flow data at each level. At National Level, interviews will be contacted with the Ministries of Finance/ NPC; Education, Arts and Culture; and Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, given their overall mandate on the budget, ECD and Pre-Primary Education.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Estimate Budget*

1. Inception phase

Inception Report

5 days

30%

2. Data collection (interviews and field mission)

Raw data (qualitative and quantitative) for analysis

5 days

20%

3. Data analysis and report writing

Draft Report

10 days

20%

4. Validation of findings and incorporation of comments on the Draft Report

Final Report

5 days

30%

The indicated budget per deliverable is intended to show the weighting of the deliverables, not the payment schedule. A lump-sum payment of total contract value will be paid upon satisfactory submission of the final deliverable.

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

Work Experience • A minimum of 5 years’ experience in Economic Analysis and Management, Budget Analysis or Expenditure Reviews, Public Finance Management or ECD • Previous work experience with ministries of Education, Gender and finance, UN Agencies or other partners in ECD or public financial management is a merit • Strong analytical and critical thinking skills • Strong coordination, convening and persuasive skills • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications • Strong verbal and written communication skills • Ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision and without compromising quality and integrity • Must be able to work in a team with diversity

Administrative issues:

The Consultant is expected to use own equipment to undertake the analysis. UNICEF will not provide him/ her with working space, computer, internet connectivity or other related accessories including office printing and scanning facilities.

The selection and conditions of service of consultant will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s Policies and General Terms and Conditions for individual consultants/contractors.

No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant/contractor. Consultant/Contractor will be required to complete mandatory online courses (e.g. Ethics, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Security) upon receipt of offer and before the signature of contract.

Consultant/Contractor will be required to sign the Health Statement for consultants/contractors and to share an applicable proof of health insurance prior to taking up the assignment.

Payment of professional fees 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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Required Competencies • Manages ambiguity and complexity • Thinks and acts strategically • Works collaboratively with others • Drive to achieve results for impact • Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested candidates can access UNICEF’s vacancies page at https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/545557?lApplicationSubSourceID= or Vacancies | UNICEF Careers to submit an online application before the closing date.

Please submit expression of interest together with: • A cover letter, no longer than 1 page, and curriculum vitae showing how the consultant meets the required qualifications, experience and expertise; • 2-pager Technical Proposal demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the ToRs, the proposed methodology/approach and timelines for the respective deliverables; and • A financial proposal/budget, which must include all expenses related to the assignment.

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:

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.