Health / Immunization Supply Financing Consultant

Consultancy Title: Health / Immunization Supply Financing Consultant

LOCATION/DURATION:

*Duration**:* 4-6 months (expected)

*Location: Expected to be based in Nairobi, Kenya, for multi-month period or for extended periods

*Start Date**:* August / September 2016

*Reporting to**:* Jointly to Finance Specialist, Director’s Office / MFSDU, UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen, the Child Survival & Development Specialist, UNICEF Kenya

BACKGROUND:

Under the 2016 GAVI PEF TCA, UNICEF is assisting Kenya in the identification of suitable supply financing options for vaccine procurement as well as renewal of access to VII (Vaccine Independence Initiative). An initial scoping visit has occurred where needs and an action plan for future activities have been identified. UNICEF is looking for the consultant to continue the initiated activities related to the supply financing options assessment and VII renewal.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

Under the joint supervision of the Finance Specialist, Director’s Office / MFSDU, UNICEF Supply Division, and the

Child Survival & Development Specialist, UNICEF Kenya, the consultant’s duties and responsibilities will include:

• Map the existing health / immunization budgeting process as well as the exact process required for release of funds on both the national and county level; describe how counties work together with the national level to ensure vaccine related requirements are aligned with injection device and cold chain equipment related requirements; identify challenges and solutions; Review and revise the available overview of funding needs for 2016-2020 vaccine / immunization (including injection device and cold chain equipment) funding needs, planned budget allocation and the immunization budget funding gap;
• Map the available / potential sources of funding for health / immunization;
• Map the existing and potential supply financing options and financing products for health / immunization, including commercial and structured financing solutions.
• Review historical VII (Vaccine Independence Initiative) utilization in Kenya and identify bottlenecks preventing the efficient use of the initiative;
• Support the country in preparation of other documents required for the VII subscription renewal, including engaging with Ministry of Finance;
• Prepare the report detailing budgeting / payment release process and recommendations for improvement; revised overview of 2016-2020 immunization procurement needs, available resources and the forecasted funding gap; available / potential funding sources for health / immunization; recommendations on which supply financing options could be implemented in the country, the operational plan and costing for setting-up the solutions should be developed; e) analysis of the historical VII utilization and recommendations for increasing the VII efficiency;
• Assist in preparation of the workshop to present the developed recommendations;
• Based on the agreements reached during the workshop, develop the detailed action plan for recommendations’ implementation.
  KEY DELIVERABLES:
• Map the existing health / immunization budgeting and payment release process on both the national and county level (10% time allocation)
  In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance of Kenya, the consultant will prepare an overview of the existing health / immunization budgeting and payment release process in Kenya as described above.
• Review and revise the existing overview of 2016-2020 immunization funding needs, the existing and possible sources of funding and the identified immunization budget funding gap (20% time allocation)
  In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance of Kenya, the consultant will review and revise the existing overview of 2016-2020 immunization funding needs, the existing and possible sources of funding as well as the identified funding gap.
• Map the available / potential sources of funding for health / immunization (10% time allocation)
• In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance of Kenya, the consultant will prepare an overview of the available / potential sources of funding for health / immunization;
• Map the existing and potential supply financing options and financing products for health / immunization, including the locally-funded ones (10% time allocation)
  In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance of Kenya as well as with the banks, the consultant will prepare an overview of the existing and potential supply financing options and products for health / immunization financing in Kenya.
• Review historical VII utilization and identify bottlenecks preventing from efficient usage of the initiative (10% time allocation)
  In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office and the Ministry of Health of Kenya, the consultant will prepare a review document on historical VII utilization in Kenya, including identification of the bottlenecks.
• Support the country in preparation of other documents required for the VII subscription renewal (10% time allocation)
  In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance of Kenya, the consultant will support the country in preparation of other documents (MoU, LoG) required for the VII subscription renewal;
• Prepare the assessment report with recommendations (20% time allocation)
• Prepare the report including: a) complete map out of budgeting / payment release process and recommendations for improvement on both the county and national level (including description of how counties work together with the national level to ensure vaccine related requirements are aligned with injection device and cold chain equipment related requirements; identification of challenges and solutions); b) revised overview of 2016-2020 immunization procurement needs, available resources and the forecasted funding gap; c) map out of the available / potential funding sources for health / immunization; d) recommendations on which supply financing options could be implemented in the country including commercial financing and other structured solutions to assure timely availability of resources, depending on the recommendations, the operational plan and costing for setting-up of the solution should be developed; e) analysis of the historical VII utilization and recommendations for increasing the VII efficiency;
• Prepare the workshop (jointly with UNICEF staff) to present the recommendations (5% time allocation)
  The consultant will assist in preparation of the workshop (jointly with UNICEF staff) to present the developed recommendations.
• Develop the detailed action plan for recommendations’ implementation (5% time allocation)
  The consultant will develop the detailed action plan for recommendations’ implementation.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Master Degree in Business, Public Health, Development or Public Finance, Economics / or in another relevant discipline for health / supply financing

Work Experience: Minimum ten years professional relevant work experience in health fiscal space analysis, health / immunization financing, setting up financial solutions for health (including trust funds etc).

Competencies: The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate the following competencies that are considered to be necessary to this consultancy:

Core Competencies

• Excellent communicator of verbal and written concepts to a government and international audience.
• Able to quickly understand instructions, to proactively seek clarification when needed.
• Able to work well in a team environment.

Functional Competencies

• Works independently and problem-solving oriented.
• Works in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proven capacity to work with and lead collaborative teams across different locations and with different technical skills.

UNICEF CORE VALUES

Diversity and Inclusion

Treats all people with dignity and respect; shows respect and sensitivity towards gender, cultural and religious differences; challenges prejudice, biases and intolerance in the workplace; encourages diversity wherever possible.

Integrity

Maintains high ethical standards; takes clear ethical stands; keeps promises; immediately addresses untrustworthy or dishonest behaviour; resists pressure in decision-making from internal and external sources; does not abuse power or authority.

Commitment

Demonstrates commitment to UNICEF’s mission and to the wider UN system; demonstrates the values of UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours; seeks out new challenges, assignments and responsibilities; promotes UNICEF’s cause.

Language:

Very good working knowledge (written and spoken) of English is required. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a telephone interview and will be evaluated by the following criteria:

Applicant x

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (max. 70 points)

Overall Response (20 points)

Understanding of tasks, objectives and completeness and coherence of response

Overall match between the TOR requirements and consultant’s competencies

Technical Capacity (50 points)

Relevance of consultant’s experience with similar projects and as per required qualifications

Quality of previous work

References

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION - Total Points

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL (max. 30 points)

Daily rate

Economy Air Ticket

Other costs

Total estimated cost of contract (proposed contract fee only)

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL - Weight Combined Score

TOTAL SCORE

General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

1. Legal Status

The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Experts on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

1. Obligations

The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

1. Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

1. Travel

If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:

(a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.

(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

1. Statement of good health

Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.

1. Insurance

The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.

1. Service incurred death, injury or illness

If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).

1. Arbitration

(a) Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.

(b) If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.

1. Penalties for Underperformance

Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.

1. Termination of Contract

This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph 10, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF’s satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph 10.

1. Taxation

UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor

HOW TO APPLY:

**EVALUATION PROCESS:**

***Qualified candidates are requested to submit:***

1. Cover letter/application.
2. Financial quote for the consultancy which must include: the total consultancy fee (broken down into daily rate in US Dollars and number of consultancy days), travel costs (with details of the economy class ticket price) and administrative fees (if applicable, broken down into the separate categories of costs like internet, phone etc).
3. CV.
4. Examples of previous, relevant work.
5. References.
6. P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website athttp://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html).

The applications should be submitted online through the UNICEF website. Queries can be directed toakrukar@unicef.org with subject line “Health / Immunization Supply Financing Consultant”. Applications must be received by 27 July 2016. Please indicate your availability and daily rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.