Consultancy to develop a comprehensive multi-year plan (cMYP) for the Immunization program in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Home-based with trips to BiH. Up to 35 working days over the period of 15 Sept - 15 Nov 2017.

For the preparation and development of a comprehensive costed immunization multi-year plan (CMYP) UNICEF is seeking two international consultants: one for the development and writing of the cMYP, and one for the costing and financing component. The assignment will include all stages from preparatory desk review to country mission and finalization in cooperation with the relevant country stakeholders, WHO and partner organizations.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Duration and location of Consultancy:

Location: Home-based and in country visit (B&H).

Dates: 15 Sept - 15 Nov 2017.

Duration: Up to 35 working days.

Background and Justification

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is an upper-middle-income country and despite notable progress in many areas of human development, more than half of population (58%) is poor or socially excluded and at risk of poverty or exclusion. The situation is particularly difficult for vulnerable families and children: children with disabilities, children of minorities, including Roma and children in impoverished communities.

Particularly concerning is the declining immunization coverage that remains one of the lowest in the region: DTP3 and MCV2 coverage is 78% at national level. 35% of districts have DTP3 coverage 50-79%. Only 13,9% of Roma children are immunized against measles.

Today the national immunization programme faces numerous challenges, including growing cost of vaccines, supply shortages and new market challenges linked to EU market integration. High costs of new vaccines are major reason for delay in introduction of Rota, PCV and HPV vaccines.

Bottlenecks to immunization include: a) insufficient and ineffective allocation of resources at all levels for continued vaccine supply, b) lack of strategic planning for immunization programme, c) vaccine hesitancy; d) equity issues, especially among Roma and hard to reach population.

In order to strengthen routine immunization and to ensure the financial sustainability of immunization programmes, countries are encouraged to develop comprehensive multiyear plans (cMYP) for immunization, including costing and financing components. cMYP developed in line with broader health plans, agreed by EPI partners and approved by governments are crucial instruments for the implementation of the Global and European Vaccine Action Plan in countries and for achieving immunization targets both at country and WHO regional and global level.

In order to support countries in the development of their immunization plans, WHO and UNICEF in collaboration with other partners have developed guidelines for developing cMYP as well as guidelines and user-friendly tools for costing and financing cMYP to facilitate countries in this process[1]. As national immunization programmes complete each step in the process, the programmes should ensure that plans meet national and global goals, respond to national policies and priorities, and generate estimates of resource requirements.

UNICEF and WHO have been providing technical support to countries that indicated the need for assistance in the cMYP process, including the involvement of potential consultants. BiH is planning to develop its own cMYP for the period 2018-2022 UNICEF is therefore proposing technical support for this exercise with the provision of two international consultants, one for the development and writing of the cMYP, and one for the costing and financing component.

Scope of Work and Objectives.

Preparation and development of a comprehensive costed immunization multi-year plan, including all stages from preparatory desk review to country mission and finalization in cooperation with the relevant country stakeholders, WHO and partner organizations.

The selected consultants are expected to follow the latest WHO guidelines (2013) in the development of the cMYP, including the cMYP costing and financing tool.

In addition, the following Terms of Reference apply for the two consultants:

1. Desk Review, remote support and finalization of the cMYP (home based)

1. Review key immunization programme documents or evaluations produced in the last five years by government, EPI partners or other relevant agencies pertinent to cMYP, including existing cMYP, health sector plans, etc., that the country EPI programme/cMYP working group should make available to the consultants (both narative and costing experts)
2. Develop data (both quantitative and qualitative) collection tool for country (both narative and costing experts)
3. Identify logistical and procurement needs and budget necessary support to the introduction of new vaccines during 2018-2022 (both narative and costing experts)
4. Ensure that the new cMYP is linked with all EPI related components of the national health plan (both narative and costing experts)
5. Review remotely cMYP costing & financing tools requiring quality check of data (costing expert)
6. If required, finalize the final draft and prepare presentation for introducing new cMYP to country’s interagency coordinating committee (ICC), health sector steering committee (HSSC) or other relevant stakeholders (both narative and costing experts)

2. In-country mission (travel to B&H)

1. Act as facilitator in the workshop to define the implication of all country entities and the 2018-2022 cMYP process and format (narative expert)
2. Analyze the current situation and key issues of the national immunization programme to be addressed in the development of new cMYP (both narative and costing experts)
3. Assist EPI programme and country team to populate and analyze the cMYP costing & financing tool (costing expert)
4. Contribute in drafting cMYP 2018-2022 in accordance with latest WHO guidelines, using the recommended templates and forms (both narative and costing experts)
5. Identify current budget gaps and propose options to ensure operational aspects for strengthening routine EPI, introduction of new vaccines, supplementary immunization activities and surveillance for vaccine preventable diseases (costing experts)
6. Work in collaboration with other partner agencies in the cMYP development throughout the process and finalization of the document (botth narative and costing experts)

Work relationships:  

The consultant will be under the direct supervision of the regional immunization specialist and in close consultation with the B&H health and nutrition officer. The assignment requires close collaboration between experts in performing their tasks.

Outputs/Deliverables:  

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

For narrative component of cMYP: 

• An Advanced degree in Public Health or other relevant social sciences;
• At least 5  years of experience in developing comprehensive multi-year plans for immunization;
• Familiarity with immunization programs and associated issues, particularly UNICEF/WHO global and regional activity in immunization;
• Experience in public health and/or development programing and evaluation
• Experience in working in Europe and Central Asia region/low-resource or developing country settings;
• Experience in working with UNICEF, World Bank, other UN agencies, and other international partners a plus;
•  Previous working experience in BiH will be an asset 
• Experience in writing highly professional English language reports and develop debriefing presentations;
• Other language skills desirable;

 For the financial component of cMYP: 

• Background in public health/MBA, health economics and financing;
• At least 5 years of experience in costing comprehensive multi-year plan for immunization;
• Familiarity with immunization programs and associated issues, particularly UNICEF/WHO global and regional activity in immunization, including financing;
• Experience in working in CEE/CIS region/ low-resource or developing country settings;
• Experience in working with UNICEF, World Bank, other UN agencies, and other international partners a plus;
• Experience in generating highly professional English language reports and develop debriefing presentations;
• Other language skills desirable;

Competencies of Successful Candidate

• Communicates effectively to varied audiences;
• Consistently achieves high-level results;
• Analyzes and integrates  different data from a number of sources;
• Sets clearly defined objectives and plans activities for self, own team or department;
• Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization;
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives;
• Knowledge and expertise in  the area of immunization programs

Conditions

The assignment require travels to B&H for both consultants. Two travels for narrative expert and one trip for costing expert.

Estimated Cost of Consultancy: Estimated cost of consultancy is up to 35 working days. The Consultant shall indicate the total amount with daily fees.  Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.

UNICEF will issue a consultant contract in USD. The payment will be made in USD by bank transfer and in instalments upon deliverables as per contractual agreement.

Reservations: UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the contract without a prior notice and/or withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if the rules and the regulations regarding confidentiality, ethics and procedures of UNICEF and the project partners are not followed, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. 

The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s “General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.”

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.