National consultancy to provide technical assistance for the roll out of IMAM programme in the context of COVID-19

 Background and rationale

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will have lasting effects on people and their nutrition, healthcare, economies and food systems in all corners of the world. Poor people often lack sufficient economic resources to access health care and/or live in remote areas far from services. People in food crises often have higher rates of underlying health conditions, including non-communicable diseases and malnutrition (acute, chronic and micronutrient deficiencies), which weaken the immune system and increase the risk of people developing severe COVID-19 symptoms.

 

In Tajikistan, 18% of children between 0 and 5 years of age suffer from stunting and 6% were reported to be wasted, among which 1.8% of them are considered severely wasted. Before COVID 19 pandemic, food insecurity and malnutrition especially in remote area and in poor households has been challenge.  The annual estimated number of cases of severe wasting in Tajikistan is over 58,000, but the indirect coverage of the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is less than 6%. Prevention and management of acute malnutrition is therefore a large unfinished agenda in the country. With COVID 19 and rising levels of food insecurity and limited of access to healthcare – either because of movement restrictions, strained health systems or falling incomes – are likely to increase acute malnutrition rates, particularly among children, pregnant and lactating women in Tajikistan.

 

UNCIEF has been supporting Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP) in treating children with SAM since 2016. Between 2017 and 2018, UNICEF worked alongside with the WHO and WFP to support the MoHSP in updating the National Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) guidelines ensuring the compliance with 2013 WHO global recommendations on SAM.^[1] Most recently, with the aim of SAM treatment coverage, together with MoHSP and other partners developed national plan on scaling up of IMAM programme  in the country to be implemented with UNICEF technical support. In this regard, UNICEF requires additional technical support of appropriate and experienced nutrition professional to provide support for the roll out of IMAM programme in the context of COVID-19.

 

OBJECTIVE:

 

The proposed national consultancy would provide technical assistance to the UNICEF country office for capacity building/strengthening  of health staff at primary health centers in Dushanbe and Khatlon  on treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition through provision of  monitoring, and support UNICEF and MoHSPP  in setting up effective monitoring and supervision in the targeted areas.

 

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

 

The national consultant will be responsible for the assignments stipulated below:

 

1. Conduct supportive supervision to health staff in Dushanbe and Khatlon on SAM treatment, including the context of COVID-19.
2. Development of capacity of health officials in IMAM monitoring and support the health official at the regional level in adopting of the monitoring plan and tools.
3. Review and provide recommendations to UNICEF, government and partners on the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of IMAM in coordination and collaboration with government and other partners.
4. Provide technical inputs to MoHSP in finalization of the National Nutrition preparedness and response plan in the context of COVID-19.

 

 

KEY DELIVERABLES:

 

№	Tasks	Deliverables of tasks	Deadline	Estimated number of work days	Payment Schedule
1.	Conduct monitoring of SAM treatment programme in Dushanbe and Khatlon	Monitoring of SAM treatment programme in Dushanbe and Khatlon conducted	30 of December 2020	30	50% of consultancy fee upon submission of deliverables approved by UNICEF
3.	Review and provide recommendations to UNICEF, government and partners on the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of IMAM	. Report with recommendations on the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of IMAM submitted	30 of December 2020	15
4	Provide technical inputs in finalization of the National Nutrition preparedness and response plan in the context of COVID-19.	Inputs for the draft National Nutrition preparedness and response plan in the context of COVID-19 provided and submitted to MoHSPP	30 of November 2020	10	50% upon UNICEF approval of all deliverables
6	Prepare a completion report for the completed tasks.	Final consultancy completion report	30 January 2020	5

 

Considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the tasks and deliverables may need adjustment, therefore the consultant is required to be flexible to re-adjust the deliverable in consultation with UNICEF.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/output is incomplete, not delivered, or for failure to meet deadlines.

TRAVEL

The consultant will be stationed in Dushanbe with travel to Khatlon region (15 days) and Dushanbe.

 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Advanced University Degree in nutrition, Public Health, Medicine or in other related fields. Training on monitoring IMAM programme will be an added advantage.

Work Experience: 5 years of professional experience in Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition, particularly in monitoring and evaluation of SAM/MAM programme.

Competencies: Solid knowledge and work experience with grounded understanding of Government processes and procedures in Tajikistan.

Technical Knowledge: Excellent facilitation, analytical and report writing skills.

Language: Fluency in Tajik and Russian languages (written and oral).

 

 

EVALUATION PROCESS:

 

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application.
2. A technical proposal with proposed methodology/approach to managing the project, showing understanding of tasks, work plan.
3. Financial quote for the consultancy in TJS per deliverable, and/or daily rate in TJS. The travel cost and DSA should be indicated separately in additional line.
4. CV.
5. Examples of previous, relevant work related to the deliverables.
6. At least 2 References

 

Queries can be sent to: [email protected]  with subject line “National consultancy to provide technical assistance for the roll out of IMAM programme in the context of COVID-19.” Applications must be received in the system by the XX October 2020 at our website: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index.php  

 

Travel costs and DSA will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations. No other remunerations apply. UNICEF considers best value for money as criteria for evaluating potential candidates.  As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Please note that consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.

 

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis methodology. The award of the Contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

 

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

 

b) Having received the highest score out of a weighted set of technical and financial criteria.

* Technical Criteria weight – 70%;

* Financial Criteria weight – 30%;

 

 

 

Criteria	Weight	Max. Point
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (max. 70 points)	70%	70
Overall Response (25 points)
Understanding of tasks, objectives and completeness and coherence of response		15
Overall match between the TOR requirements and proposal		10
Proposed Methodology and Approach (20 points)
Quality of proposed approach/methodology		10
Quality of proposed work plan		10
Technical Capacity (25 points)
Advanced University Degree in nutrition, Public Health, Medicine or in other related fields. Training and monitoring IMAM programme will be an added advantage.		5
5 years of professional experience in Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition, particularly in monitoring and evaluation of SAM/MAM programme.		5
Solid knowledge and work experience with grounded understanding of Government processes and procedures.		10
Excellent proficiency in Tajik and Russian languages (written and oral).		5
FINANCIAL PROPOSAL (max. 30 points) (daily rate, lump sum, per deliverable)	30%	30
TOTAL SCORE (max. 100 points)

 

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in Technical Criteria evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.