National Consultant for supporting Immunization: Covid-19 vaccines implementation, Kigali, 6 months (Open for Rwandans Only)

Contract

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Title of Assignment Immunization: Covid-19 vaccines implementation individual consultant

Category of the Consultancy: National

Proposed level of Consultancy : Middle level

Number of consultants : Two (2)

Section: Child Health

Location: Kigali

Duration: 6 months

Start date: From:01/06/ 2021 To: 30/12/ 2021

Background

In July 2020, the Gavi Board approved Gavi as the legal entity to administer the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility “COVAX Facility”, a global mechanism to pool resources and demand for COVID-19 vaccines with the goal of accelerating the availability of and equitable access to safe and efficacious vaccines. The Board also approved the establishment of the Gavi COVAX AMC, a financing mechanism to accelerate and reserve COVID-19 vaccines to ensure that low income and lower-middle income economies, as well as other IDA-eligible economies, have access to COVID-19 vaccines at the same time as wealthier economies (COVAX AMC, which includes 92 eligible economies including Rwanda. The Government of Rwanda through Ministry of Health introduced the Covid-19 vaccines through the Covax facilities. With this support, about 342,960 doses were received in country and the first cohort received their first dose of Astrazeneca while the second dose of Pfizer is currently being administered. With lessons learnt during this campaign, a huge gap of staffing for vaccine logistics management was observed at the Central Vaccines Warehouse. A need of more staff is paramount to accomplish all tasks related to logistics management of COVID-19 vaccines, considering the upcoming consignments. To facilitate smooth implementation of this activity to respond to covid-19 pandemic, the National Immunization and Logistics Working Group (NILWG) in its last meeting of March 24-25, 2021, proposed to find more staff that would support the existing team at the Central Vaccines Warehouse. The UNICEF Country Office is supporting the immunization supply chain and logistics which is the main pillar of immunization program. Talented and equipped personnel ensure efficient vaccines stock management and logistics practices are performed through vaccines supply chain at all tiers in the country, in order to deliver potent lifesaving vaccines to protect targeted population against vaccine preventable diseases and subsequently to reach a good immunization coverage.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to support MOH/RBC to prepare and implement Covid-19 vaccination supply chain and logistics activities at the Central vaccines warehouse. This will include vaccines management and distribution of vaccines and vaccines materials as well as data management for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Justification

Rwanda is among Covax facility countries members and started to implement Covax activities trough GAVI-WHO and UNICEF partnership. It has been found that the program is facing staffing problems where the current team is overwhelmed due to the mass vaccination campaign and the country’s plan to vaccinate 60% of its population by the end of 2022 (see National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccine). To allow the team perform both routine and supplemental activities without impeding one another, the NILWG recommended for additional staff to be hired and support ongoing activities related to vaccine stock management, distribution and data management of COVID-19 vaccines at the Central Vaccines Warehouse. The UNICEF, through Gavi seed funds, is in charge of supporting MOH/RBC in all logistics aspects for Covax facilities. To be able to provide quality support, the UNICEF is recruiting a consultant who will provide a quality technical assistance to EPI/RBC under UNICEF guidances.

Objectives

The aim of this consultancy services is to provide quality and timely technical assistance to MOH/RBC/EPI for the smooth implementation of Covid-19 vaccination activities in the area of supply chain and logistics of vaccines and vaccine materials.

The specific objectives include:

1. Provide technical expertise in the efficient management and delivery of Covid19 vaccines to the targeted population, 2. Support the operationalisation of NILWG recommendations related to Covid19 vaccines activities, 3. Support the use of vaccines stock management tools (SMT, ViVa, inventory, ESRI..) in place and provide regular analysis and reports to the stakeholders. 4. Monitor covid-19 vaccination campaign through supportive supervision of vaccine logistics and monitor wastage 5. Provide monthly reports and recommendations for smooth implementation of covid-19

Main tasks of the consultant

Under the general guidance of the UNICEF Country Office and the MOH/RBC/EPI, the consultant will: • Ensure adequate storage of Covid19 vaccines and ancillary products both in cold rooms and dry store. • Support monitoring of vaccines stock movements between Central Vaccines Warehouse and distribution/vaccination sites and ensure timely stock replenishment planning to each vaccination site. • Reinforce importance of adequate stock levels, accurate forecast of vaccine requirements and wastage reduction. • Ensure that all supply chain challenges and risks are identified, discussed with EPI Director and entire COVID-19 logistics teams and mitigation measures established and implemented. • Report on Covid-19 vaccine wastage rate (Vaccine doses supplied-vaccine doses administered/Total vaccine doses supplied). • Ensure that unused vaccines at the end of the vaccination day are collected, recorded as return and are stored in correct storage conditions (reverse logistics), • Support close supervision & monitoring of vaccine supply chain & logistics interventions • Participate in daily data aggregation, analysis and reporting, • Share regular reports and updates on supply & logistics activities for COVID-19 vaccines with the UNICEF Country Office team. • Identify and document enabling factors, challenges and lessons learnt from the vaccine deployment activities.

Deliverables:

Deliverables outlined below, are due on a timeline to be agreed at the start of the consultancy:

• Weekly workplans and updates provided, • Covid-19 vaccines stock movement recorded and SMT updated regularly • Covid-19 vaccines distributed to health facilities and vaccination sites as per MOH/RBC/EPI plans, • Physical inventory report of Covid-19 vaccines submitted on monthly basis, • COVID-19 vaccines wastage rate recorded, monitored and updated regularly and • Lessons learnt from Covid-19 vaccine rollout and management well documented, • At the beginning of the assignment, the consultant is expected to produce and agree with UNICEF and MOH/RBC/EPI on a detailed work plan schedules for the assignment period against which monthly report will be developed and summitted timely.

The monthly payment will be based on submitted monthly report on completed deliverables.

Evaluation Criteria

The Technical proposal is weighted at 70% and 30% for the Financial proposal.

Please note that the final remuneration will be negotiated by HR.

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

Academic qualifications.

Advanced university degree from a recognized academic institution in one or more of the following areas is preferred: Immunization supply chain, Public Health Sciences, Medical supply logistics. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 5 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Work experience.

• Knowledge and experience in mass vaccination campaigns • Minimum 5 years progressively responsible professional work experience in monitoring immunization activities including data management, managing health commodities and logistics, vaccine supply management and medical supply management. Work experience with Government, UNICEF or WHO, working in monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management and mitigation will be an asset and, • Knowledge and experience in vaccine preventable diseases, outbreaks logistics and supply chain related activities.

Competencies

• Excellent writing and communication skills. • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with analytic approach • Strong interpersonal, management skills • Highly motivated and solution-orientated • Fluency in written and spoken English is required, fluency in French is desirable

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.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit their Technical proposal that includes the consultant’s overall understanding of the terms of reference, relevant expertise and experience for this assignment, the proposed approach to the consultancy, a workplan and a realistic implementation timeline and relevant documentation of previous assignments to demonstrate level of expertise. The proposal must include the consultant’s CV, as well as three references’ contact information and P-11 form https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc .

The application is submitted to the provided online portal before the indicated deadline on the advert.

Financial proposal: Only candidates who qualify for the technical proposal will be contacted for submitting a financial proposal outlining the total costs for this consultancy with payment linked to the four main tasks outlined above

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:

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.