International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry in developing early intervention services model in ECD demonstration area, in line with international standards (Expert).

International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry in developing early intervention services model in ECD demonstration area, in line with international standards for further scaling-up. (Expert) This assignment will be implemented by a team of experts (supervisor and the expert) in cooperation with the consultant (hereinafter, consultant) hired for provision of the technical assistance to the State Medical University in developing a training course on early identification of developmental delays. PURPOSE Establishing early intervention services in the district and the region of ECD demonstration area with operationalization of the National standards, enabling and building capacity of future ECD specialists and building a system of referrals within health system and between health and education entities. OBJECTIVES I. Support establishment of developmental care at primary, district and velayat levels. Enable provision of developmental care within developed National Standards on early intervention at all levels within ECD demonstration area, including establishment of multi-sectoral referrals. Build capacity of etrap and velayat ECD Center professionals to enable provision of early intervention services. Coordinate and ensure quality control of training family doctors and family nurses/home visitors in GMCD tool to enable early identification of delays in ECD demonstration area. II. Develop pre-service and in-service curriculum and training modules for inclusion into the program of the State Medical University.

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Purpose of the Assignment International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry in developing early intervention services model in ECD demonstration area, in line with international standards for further scaling-up. (Expert)
This assignment will be implemented by a team of experts (supervisor and the expert) in cooperation with the consultant (hereinafter, consultant) hired for provision of the technical assistance to the State Medical University in developing a training course on early identification of developmental delays.
PURPOSE
Establishing early intervention services in the district and the region of ECD demonstration area with operationalization of the National standards, enabling and building capacity of future ECD specialists and building a system of referrals within health system and between health and education entities.
OBJECTIVES
I. Support establishment of developmental care at primary, district and velayat levels.
Enable provision of developmental care within developed National Standards on early intervention at all levels within ECD demonstration area, including establishment of multi-sectoral referrals.
Build capacity of etrap and velayat ECD Center professionals to enable provision of early intervention services.
Coordinate and ensure quality control of training family doctors and family nurses/home visitors in GMCD tool to enable early identification of delays in ECD demonstration area.
II. Develop pre-service and in-service curriculum and training modules for inclusion into the program of the State Medical University.

Assignment Tasks 
Contribute to a desk review of the relevant country documentation (out of country).
Develop training program for etrap and velayat ECD Centers of selected ECD demonstration areas (out of country)
Undertake a country visits to:
o Conduct a round table for key-decision makers in ECD field to plan activities on introduction of EI services in ECD demonstration area.
o Conduct site visit to etrap and velayat ECD Centers to take stock of available resources, assess potential challenges and monitor application of developed EI standards and assess its effectiveness.
Undertake two country visits to:
o Contribute to a round table for key-decision makers in ECD field to plan activities on introduction of EI services in ECD demonstration area.
o Conduct a site visit to etrap and velayat ECD Centers to take stock of available resources, assess potential challenges and monitor application of developed EI standards and assess its effectiveness.
o Train specialists of etrap and velayat ECD Centers of selected ECD demonstration areas.
o Train teaching fellows of the State Medical University in developmental care and enable their capacity for introduction of up-to-date ECD course, which includes early identification of developmental delays with GMCD tool.
Provide online mentoring for local training team when required (out of country).  
Contribute to finalization of the EI standards upon results of assessment and development of recommendations for nation-wide application (out of country).

Expected Deliverables

Desk review of the relevant country documentation in cooperation with the supervisor and consultant (out of country)
 Aug.2017
Training program for etrap and velayat ECD Centers of selected ECD demonstration areas in communication with the Training Hub staff developed in cooperation with the consultant and under the supervision of the team leader (out of country)
 Aug.-Sep., 2017
Curriculum of State Medical University in regards to developmental care reviewed and 8 hour pre-service program for medical students, 2 day and 5-day course for health professionals developed in cooperation with the consultant and under the supervision of the team leader (out of country).
 Aug. – Sep., 2017
1st interim Report with Training program for etrap and velayat ECD Centers and 8-hour, 2 and 5 days training programs developed in cooperation with the consultant and under the supervision of team leader
 End Sep.2017
Two country visit:

Round table for key-decision makers in ECD field to plan activities on introduction of EI services in ECD demonstration area conducted.

Site visit to etrap and velayat ECD Centers to understand resources available, assess potential challenges and monitor application of developed EI standards and assess its effectiveness performed.

Specialists of etrap and velayat ECD Centers of selected ECD demonstration areas trained.

Teaching fellows of the State Medical University trained in developmental care and enabled capacity for introduction of up-to-date ECD course.

 November, 2017
2nd Interim Report with activities performed during in-country visits and recommendations developed with contribution of the consultant and under the supervision of the team leader
 May, 2018
Online mentoring for local training team provided (out of country). August 2017 – June 2018
Finalized EI standards (out of country). October 2017 – May, 2018
Final Report with recommendations on further scaling up of early intervention services including final draft of EI standards, prepared in cooperation with consultant and under the supervision of the team leader, delivered. June, 2018

7. DELIVERY DATES: August, 2017 – July 1, 2018.

8. DUTY STATION : Turkmenistan.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required

• Proven experience in providing consultancy services in area of developmental pediatrics and early interventions;
• Minimum 5 years of working experience in the relevant field;
• Knowledge of global policies, development frameworks in establishing of developmental pediatrics and provision of early detection and early intervention services;
• Proven training experience in developmental pediatrics;
• Excellent analytical thinking, training, report writing and communication skills.
• Previous experience in implementation of relevant or similar consultancy work  in the CIS countries would be an asset;
• The consultant should be fluent in spoken and written English, knowledge of the Russian language is an asset.

Required documentation

o A completed Expression of Interest form (see Appendix A) and responses to the questions, including the professional fee/rate, per person day;
o Technical proposal and detailed work plan, including training program content;
o Financial proposal for the consultancy work: consultancy fee;
o Experts’ CVs
o Examples of related work

 Basis for fee and Payment Schedule:Payment will be processed as per satisfactory and timely completion of deliverables, as per submission of the consultancy report.

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

UNICEF’s general terms and conditions will apply to the contract awarded to the vendor.  Please note that, in the evaluation of the technical merits of each proposal, UNICEF will take into consideration any proposed amendments to the UNICEF General Terms and Conditions.  Proposed amendments to the UNICEF general terms and conditions may negatively affect the evaluation of the technical merits of the proposal.  

All submissions should be electronic.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete and not provided timely as indicated in the individual work plan of Contractor. This ToR is an integral part of the contract (PO) signed with the consultant.

UNICEF retains the right to patent and intellectual rights, as well as copyright and other similar intellectual property rights for any discoveries, inventions, products or works arising specifically from the implementation of the project in cooperation with UNICEF. The right to reproduce or use materials shall be transferred with a written approval of UNICEF based on the consideration of each separate case. Consultants should always refer to UNICEF Turkmenistan support in developing the materials when publishing the results of the research conducted while in Turkmenistan in academic journals, books and websites.

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Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

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