UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting proposals from individual national consultants to provide technical support in the Development of a Community Based Nutrition Data Management System Phase IV

Food and nutrition security are a priority for the Government of Zimbabwe, and they occupy a prominent position in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET), the government’s new economic turnaround blue-print, as cluster number one. Execution of the ZIMASSET is guided by its mission which is to “To provide an enabling environment for sustainable economic empowerment and social transformation to the people of Zimbabwe”. In addition the government of Zimbabwe has recently endorsed a multi-sectoral food and nutrition security policy and implementation plan, that calls for stakeholders in agriculture, social protection, health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation sectors to address food and nutrition insecurity using a multi-sectoral approach. The policy also calls for establishment and capacity strengthening of multi-sectoral coordination and implementation structures at sub-national levels to ensure a cohesive response to food and nutrition issues

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Background

Food and nutrition security are a priority for the Government of Zimbabwe, and they occupy a prominent position in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET), the government's new economic turnaround blue-print, as cluster number one. Execution of the ZIMASSET is guided by its mission which is to "To provide an enabling environment for sustainable economic empowerment and social transformation to the people of Zimbabwe". In addition the government of Zimbabwe has recently endorsed a multi-sectoral food and nutrition security policy and implementation plan, that calls for stakeholders in agriculture, social protection, health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation sectors to address food and nutrition insecurity using a multi-sectoral approach. The policy also calls for establishment and capacity strengthening of multi-sectoral coordination and implementation structures at sub-national levels to ensure a cohesive response to food and nutrition issues.

Introduction

UNICEF's support to the Community Based Multi-sectoral approach model to address stunting in selected districts of Zimbabwe is funded through the multi-donor supported Health Transition Fund and commenced in February 2015. A key feature of the programme as designed is micro-planning which requires data, action and analysis of local actions and their effects in order to inform the next cycle of action plans. The challenges in data collection, utilisation and social accountability systems present an opportunity for targeted support that will strengthen the ability of the stunting reduction initiative to fully operationalize its model and improve results achievement. With funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and technical support from UNICEF Eastern and Southern Regional Office (ESARO), UNICEF Zimbabwe intends to support institutional strengthening in real-time programme monitoring and response at district and sub-district levels. Real time monitoring will become an integral part of the stunting reduction intervention model and be scaled-up at the pace of the stunting reduction initiative[1] with lessons available for utilisation in other programme intervention areas. The intervention builds on previous efforts in programme monitoring and response using the MoRES approach and will focus on improving monitoring and feedback mechanisms and processes at community and district levels, simplifying tools, facilitating the generation of real-time data and timely feedback for programme adjustments, ensuring institutional and social accountability, and promoting learning and knowledge exchange. At present, there is no operational system with the designated functionality and it is in this regard that the support provided will contribute to the development of a National Nutrition Information Management System pulling together data from various systems and strengthening the model of data utilisation for both programming and accountability.

The mechanism for community and beneficiary feedback on the activities of the Food and Nutrition Security Committees at village, ward, and district, provincial and national levels will be strengthened, as will be learning across districts (including those not targeted by the Community Based Multi-sectoral Stunting Intervention).

To date UNICEF has supported the designing and setting up of an ODK server that will be used to store data entered at Ward level using tablets. This data will later be linked to the System database for further processing. A web based database that will store all level data from Ward (through ODK server) district and provincial levels, consisting of separate data entry platforms for additional data from district and provincial levels has also been designed. Thus, a prototype of the NNIMS is now in place built on the ODK platform for data collection, analysis and feedback and RapidPro for the social accountability component of the system.

The system development process is now going into the fourth phase that seeks to enhance the available prototype system into a more comprehensive system that fully addresses the information needs of the large stakeholder base.

Objective (s)

The objectives of the assignment are:

 Develop the approval and reviewing components of Action/Micro-Plans

1. Child Nutrition Reporting – MAD as the end product
2. Design operating reports for different stakeholders
3. Develop a mobile interface/form for inputting Action-Plans at the community level
4. Module for inputting baseline-statistics
5. Design the system-based WFNSC Meetings Reporting TemplateMethodology & Expected OutputThe consultant is expected to improve on the prototype Community Based Nutrition Data Management System so that the system is integrated with other existing systems from government ministries and related sectors. 

Major Tasks & Deliverables

Task: Enhance the modules developed to include approval and reviewing components of Action/Micro-Plans

Deliverable: Rollout enhanced modules for approving and reviewing Action/Micro-Plans

Task: Child Nutrition Reporting – MAD as the end product

Deliverable: Demonstrate a functional Child Nutrition Reports

 Task: Enhance operating reports for different stakeholders (FNC and implementation team)

Deliverable: Rollout enhanced functional reports for the implementation and review team

Task: Develop a mobile interface/form for inputting Action-Plans at the community level

Deliverable: Demonstrate a functional interface/forms for inputting Action-Plans at the community level

Task: Module for inputting baseline-statistics

Deliverable: Demonstrate a functional module for inputting baseline-statistics

Task: Change management and maintenance

Deliverable: Analyze the user feedback, implement approved changes.

All deliverables will have to meet expected quality as assessed by the supervisor of the assignment.

Timeframe

The consultant is expected to start in April 2017 and complete the assignment in 66 working days, concluding in February 2018.

Consultancy Requirements

The assignment is expected to be undertaken by a consultant with assistance from the Food and Nutrition Committee (FNC), PME and UNICEF Nutrition Section.

The Consultant should have the following:

• Advanced university degree in Computer science, Information Technology or related field

• At least 5 years' experience in designing Nutrition or Health Management Information Systems and dashboards
• In-depth knowledge of web based database development and analysis techniques
• Proven experience in coding systems on similar subjects

• 5 years hands-on software development experience with a mix of the following frameworks, tools and languages:
  1. Python or Ruby
  2. Django (or experience with a framework such as Cheetah, Camping, Rails)
  3. Source code management / Version control systems (Git)
  4. AJAX and JavaScript including libraries (such as jQuery and Mootools)
  5. mySQL (postgres), SQL Server Express
  6. XHTML and CSS
  7. XML
  8. Mapping (Google Maps API/ Openlayers)
  9. Lightweight libraries for interacting with graphing, photos.
  10. Linux
• Proficiency in object oriented back-end programming languages;
• Ability to produce high quality work on a variety of issues within very short deadlines.

Application Procedure

If interested and available, please submit your application letter, CV, Technical proposal and an all-inclusive financial proposal detailing monthly professional fees etc, as well as 2 samples of previous similar work by 10 April 2017. To quote "Data management System Consultancy" as the email subject heading.

 Only shortlisted consultants will be contacted. UNICEF does not charge a fee during the recruitment process.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.