National consultant to support Eswatini on Vaccine, cold chain and Logistics in response to COVID 19

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that becomes the greatest challenge to countries in a short period of time. The pandemic is more than a health crisis that created an unprecedent socio-economic crisis stressing every country it touched.
Eswatini has experienced two surges of the pandemic – in May-June 2020 and in December 2020-February 2021. There is a high risk of a third wave to impact the country. At 24 May 2021, there are a cumulative total of 18,550 cases with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 3.6%. Eswatini is the second in the African Region with the highest number of COVID-19 related deaths per million population (585/million) after South Africa (945 deaths/million population).
Introducing the COVID-19 vaccine to the population is the intervention that promises to curb the surge of COVID-19 infections, especially since the kingdom of Eswatini is facing challenges in managing COVID-19 cases due to an overwhelmed health care system. To optimize the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Eswatini developed a National Vaccine Development Plan (NVDP) and targets. Eswatini has identified its needs and priorities based on the context, status of the pandemic and learning from first wave vaccination campaigns. In March 2021 32,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine were received and 39 days later 35,227 people received their first dose. The most beneficiaries were the elder population and the health workers as prioritized at inception. The country will receive second batch of the vaccine around 1st and 2nd week of June 2021. Lessons from the test runs shows that a common operational plan and strengthened cold chain system is required to guide all levels of the roll out. Rapidly deploying and quickly vaccinating target group will be of most goal of the exercise. In this regard the importance of effective supply chain in general and cold chain management remains vital. In such situation, several activities need to be accomplished within a record time, this includes but not limited to determination of the required logistics will be informed by vaccination strategies. The storage and transportation need for the vaccine should be understood and the required capacity should be determined in a short window of time. A detailed storage and distribution plan need to agree and followed strictly. These activities require additional time and knowledge.
Hence, the Ministry of health (MOH) through UNICEF Eswatini, is seeking assistance in the form of a consultancy to support on implementation and monitoring of the logistic and Cold Chain related activities during the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. In this regards, the consultant is expected to understand supply chain management processes required to successfully deploy, distribute and monitor vaccine and ancillary items.

Scope of Work:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to ensure that country logistic and supply chain manage effectively the COVID-19 vaccine and ancillary items received, in terms of storage, packing and safely shipping to specified distribution/usage points within the agreed timeline.

More specifically this review and engagement aims:

– Support the vaccine flow during the implementation period.
– Continue to monitor the dry storage and cold chain capacity at all levels with regards to the COVID-19 vaccines characteristics and suggest recommendations on how to fill the identified supply and logistics gaps.
– Support the regional microplanning (cold chain capacity, transport, supplies) implementation.
– Update vaccine stock management tools, operating procedures, and any other tool related to COVID 19 vaccines to reflect the characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines.
– Conduct supervision at regional level to monitor roll out of the vaccine distribution.
– Develop or revise monitoring tools to monitoring supplies and vaccine management practices.
– Strengthen the capacity of government staff including technicians on operation and maintenance of CCE for COVID-19 vaccines.
– Coordinate and update regularly the Technical Working Groups.
– Monitor UNICEF supply plan and CCE procurement.

The selected consultant will assist the implementation and monitoring of the logistic and cold chain related activities for COVID 19 vaccines flow as outlined below.

• On job training and mentoring of health workers and other key workers on cold chain and related risks, vaccine management, stock monitoring, transport, monitoring and waste management. maintenance management of existing cold chain equipment and of waste Management / incineration facilities and in temperature monitoring system including dashboard.
• Strengthen the use of WHO/UNICEF Stock Management Tool (SMT) by the region after the training conducted in April.
• Support implementation and monitoring of regional Micro plan activities.
• Support the development of procurement and distribution plans and tools as applicable and follow up procurement process.
• Assess if the received supplies of vaccines and other inputs consistent with target population and expected wastage factors.
• Coordinate with national level technical group such as TWG and NITAG to ensure timely planning, monitoring and implementation cold chain related activities.
• Use intra-campaign supervision visits to identify and correct inappropriate cold chain practices and safety and waste management.
• Participate in daily data aggregation, reporting and analysis
• Reinforce importance of adequate stock levels, accurate forecast of vaccine requirements and wastage reduction.
• Develop a quality survey to be conducted at the end of the campaign
• Document lessons learnt and convene stakeholders to share lessons learnt

Work Assignment Overview
Tasks/Milestone:	Deliverables/Outputs:	Timeline	Estimate Budget (SZL)
Update the assessment on vaccine, cold chain and logistics capacity to correct inappropriate cold chain practices and safety and waste management including develop/update vaccine stock management tools, monitoring tools, operating procedures, and any other tool related to COVID 19 vaccines.	Report on Vaccine, cold chain and Logistics capacity to correct inappropriate cold chain practices and safety and waste management, including monitoring tools, vaccine stock management tools, SOP to be used in all regions	month 1	15%
Develop for both MOH and UNICEF CCE, follow up procurement process up to the instalment of the procured CCE	Report on instalment of the CCE and procurement and distribution plans finalized	Month 2-4	15%
On job training and mentoring of health workers and other key workers on cold chain and related risks, vaccine management, stock monitoring, transport, monitoring and waste management. maintenance management of existing cold chain equipment and of waste Management / incineration facilities and in temperature monitoring system including dashboard and support the region in using WHO/UNICEF Stock Management Tool (SMT).	Monthly reports on job training and mentoring activities;	month 2 – 5	15%
Support implementation and monitoring of regional Micro plan activities including and assess if the received supplies of vaccines and other inputs consistent with target population and expected wastage factors	Monthly reports on monitoring the implementation of the vaccines roll out at both national and regional levels	month 2-5	15%
Use intra-campaign supervision visits to identify and correct inappropriate cold chain practices and safety and waste management and participate in daily data aggregation, reporting and analysis	Monthly reports on supervision visits	month 2-5	15%
Develop final report including a quality survey to be conducted at the end of the campaign and documentation of lessons learnt and convene stakeholders to share lessons learnt	Final report is available and includes proposed quality survey to be conducted at the end of the campaign and lessons learnt documented and presented to stakeholders	month 6	25%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

Administrative issues

The consultant will have to arrange own space and computer with reliable internet access to produce deliverables. The consultant should be able to travel to Eswatini. The Consultant should include costs of internal travel and communication within the financial consultancy proposal.

Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant.
Consultant will be required to complete online courses related to Ethics, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Security related trainings prior to taking up the assignment and/or travel.
Consultant will be required to sign the Health Statement for consultants/individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to share an appropriate proof of health insurance covering COVID-19, including Medical Evacuation.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to complete an application including profile and curriculum vitae to the respective advertisement on  https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/. Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.

The terms of reference specify the details of this assignment, and your application and the proposal should be elaborate on the basis of the given information. Separate technical and financial proposals (including breakdown of consultancy fees, travel costs, living allowance, admin fees) are required as part of the application. Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment.

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.