International MICS Consultant, Belarus

Under the overall supervision of the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, the International MICS Consultant (IMC) will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Belarus and Belstat for the preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS. The IMC will advise Belstat, especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS6 protocols and recommendations and quality requirements are being followed at all times.

Type of contract:        International individual consultancy

Duration:                    September 2018 – July 2019

 1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) is an international household survey programme developed and supported by UNICEF. MICS is designed to collect estimates of key indicators that are used to assess the situation of children and women. Over the past 20 years, MICS has evolved to respond to changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators in the first round to more than 200 indicators in the current sixth round, and becoming a key source of data on child protection, early childhood education, and a major source of data on child health and nutrition. In addition to being a data collection tool to generate data for monitoring the progress towards national goals and global commitments for promoting the welfare of children, MICS provided valuable data for MDG monitoring as a major source of data for the UN Secretary General’s Final Millennium Development Goals Report.

Since the inception of MICS in the 1990s, over 300 surveys have been carried out in more than 100 countries. As part of the global effort to further develop national capacities to generate and analyse high quality and disaggregated data, UNICEF launched the sixth round of MICS in October 2016, with results of first surveys expected to be available by the end of 2017. This new round is in accordance with the list of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2016, following the global adoption of the 17 SDGs and 169 targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The final SDG indicator framework currently includes 230 global indicators, of which around 30 per cent are household survey-based. Today, MICS, covering almost half of the SDG indicators that are household survey-based, is well positioned to play a central role in this new Agenda alongside other key demographic, health and socio-economic surveys and to complement data from administrative sources and censuses. The MICS questionnaires have undergone rigorous methodological and validation work to broaden the scope of the tools and include new topics that reflect SDG indicators and emerging issues in the 2030 Agenda context, including: social transfers, foundational learning skills (children age 7-14), child and adult functioning, migration status, use of clean fuels and technology, and victimisation.

As governments develop national frameworks to monitor progress towards the SDGs and establish baselines, strategic planning and investments will be required to collect robust, more frequent, and timely data. This round of MICS presents a unique opportunity to support this process.

The UNICEF Country Office has already supported MICS surveys in 2005 and 2012. To foster reviewing the progress in realization of Child Rights, setting up and monitoring the attainment of the SDGs, assessing the achievement of results outlined in the Country Programme Document for 2016-2020 and enhance timely revealing of specific bottlenecks to be removed and providing recommendations on public programs improvement UNICEF Belarus Country Office (CO) supports a MICS6 in 2017-2019. To ensure that the implementation of the MICS survey runs smoothly, specific deadlines are met and that the implementing partner the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belstat) receives the technical assistance necessary to produce statistically sound and reliable data, the UNICEF Belarus will hire a full-time international consultant to oversee the MICS process from preparatory work to release of results.

2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

Under the overall supervision of the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, the International MICS Consultant (IMC) will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Belarus and Belstat for the preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS. The IMC will advise Belstat, especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS6 protocols and recommendations and quality requirements are being followed at all times.

The IMC will be responsible for coordinating and supporting the work of other resource persons hired by UNICEF to provide technical assistance to the MICS process. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the survey team, the stakeholders, and Steering and Technical Committees and will represent UNICEF in meetings, trainings and workshops in relation to the survey as needed. The IMC will work in close collaboration with the regional MICS Coordinator and the Global MICS Team in UNICEF HQ supporting effective communication between the UNICEF Country Office, RO and Belstat, responding promptly to MICS related needs and issues as they arise.

At the time of preparation of this ToR the MoU between UNICEF and Belstat has been signed and the preparatory work started (CSP and budget developed, questionnaires customized and reviewed, CAPI application drafted; the above inputs should be finalized and/or shared for review).

3. KEY TASKS

1. Provide technical and managerial support to the MICS survey;
2. Update, if necessary, in collaboration with national partners and UNICEF Belarus, the Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable, sharing it with UNICEF Regional Office (RO);
3. Ensure that the Ethical Protocol and other ethical recommendations are addressed in the survey implementation process and that all MICS related documents are shared with the identified Ethical Board on time for approval;
4. Oversee each stage of the survey process and ensure that the MICS protocols and standards quality requirements are followed by Belstat, more specifically during training and field supervision visits;
5. Communicate regularly with the UNICEF CO, RO and/or Headquarters (HQ) responding to all MICS related issues in a timely manner, providing monthly updates on MICS activities;
6. Coordinate the work of Belstat specialists and UNICEF Regional Consultants and other resource persons assigned by the UNICEF CO and/or RO to support different survey stages;
7. Ensure that external technical reviews by experts are carried out at key survey stages and coordinate the feedback and response between the CO/RO/HQ and Belstat;
8. Ensure that all survey related documents and deliverables are properly archived throughout the survey process;
9. Participate in MICS Steering and Technical Committees meetings and MICS Regional Workshops;
10. Participate in, and contribute to, MICS-related trainings;
11. Ensure that lessons learned, problems, and good practices are documented throughout the MICS process and rapidly shared with the MICS community through all means available;
12. Present the MICS methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g. ministries, UN Agencies, etc.) and provide to the CO as needed timely technical support related to the preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS.

4.  DELIVERABLES 

1. Survey Planning of MICS:

• The Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable is revised and shared with all stakeholders and revised/updated whenever required;
• Survey supplies are procured and distributed in time for training and data collection;
• MICS Questionnaires undergo translation, an ethical review, are pre-tested and reviewed by the UNICEF RO and HQ before finalization;
• MICS Household Listing and Mapping, Supervisor, Measurer, and Interviewer Manuals are customized for the country specific context and translated;
• CAPI application template is customized by the data processing expert of Belstat with the guidance of the UNICEF Regional Data Processing Consultant;
• CAPI application is tested in the field, according to MICS6 standard procedures;
• CAPI application is reviewed by the UNICEF RO and/or HQ before finalization.

2. Listing and Mapping, Training and Fieldwork, and Data Processing:

• Listing and mapping is planned and performed per MICS guidelines and quality requirements, test of listing approach is done with the guidance of the UNICEF Regional Sampling Consultant;
• Training schedules are adequately adapted to the county context while following MICS guidelines/ planned in line with quality requirements;
• Provide support informing on the process and materials to identify quality interviewers;
• Appropriate resource persons are identified to facilitate training;
• Contribute to the main training of interviewers;
• Fieldwork and fieldwork monitoring visits are planned and performed according to MICS guidelines and quality requirements;
• MICS Field Check Tables are produced on a biweekly basis, immediately analyzed by survey managers, and main findings reported to field supervisors for action. Field Check Tables are immediately shared with UNICEF RO;
• Participation of UNICEF CO staff is organized to assist in monitoring MICS data collection;
• UNICEF Regional Data Processing Consultant is timely provided with necessary information and country visits are well managed and coordinated;
• Hardware is made available for the CAPI application (data collection and central office menu components), and software is properly installed and a working, data transfer system and data backup system is established;
• Monitor data processing and secondary data editing.

3. MICS Data Analysis and Report Writing:

• Sampling Weights are included in the datasets and reviewed by the sampling expert of Belstat with the guidance and review of the UNICEF Regional Sampling Consultant;
• MICS tabulation plan and standard syntax are customized and used in generating SPSS dataset and tables.
• Dataset/Tables including the wealth index are substantively reviewed by technical (e.g. sampling expert, analysts and methodologists) and subject matter experts at Belstat, as well as by UNICEF RO and HQ MICS Team before the report writing commences;
• Coordinate and contribute substantively to the elaboration of the Survey Final Report and snapshots, using the MICS template and according to MICS standards to ensure a timely release;
• Ensure that the Survey Final Report undergoes the technical review process by RO and HQ;
• Coordinate the printing and distribution of the Survey Final Report;
• Organise and facilitate the presentation of the Survey Final Report through a national seminar;
• Provide technical expertise and advice for wide dissemination of the Survey Final Report and main results;
• Develop specified by the CO MICS thematic factsheets and templates MICS briefs and visuals;
• Develop a detailed plan for MICS data dissemination;
• Ensure that the MICS survey archive with all final survey documents and materials is being produced by Belstat.

5. SUPERVISION, WORK RELATIONS & OVERSIGHT

The IMC will report directly to the M&E Specialist in the UNICEF CO. The IMC must respect the complete confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process. The IMC can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these Terms of Reference.

6. TRAVEL

Post is office-based, with occasional travels to project sites within the country and outside. Travel expenses will be covered in accordance with UNICEF DSA rates.

7. PAYMENT CONDITIONS

Remuneration amount will be based on the qualification of the consultant and will be paid monthly upon certification of deliverables. The IMC should remain on board until the Survey Final Report and the survey archive are produced.

8. UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE

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.

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. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. This ToR is an integral part of the contract (SSA) signed with the consultant.

9. QUALIFICATIONS OR SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Statistics, Social Sciences, Demography, Epidemiology or any other related technical field is required.
• Proven minimum of 5 year experience in coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys and research requested. Participation in MICS is an asset.
• Strong computer skills and strong expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software, particularly SPSS);
• Experience with CAPI data collection is an asset;
• Training experience and ability to organize and facilitate training and presentations;
• Experience in data analysis and survey report writing.
• Work experience in the UN or other international development organization is an asset.
• UNICEF is a non-smoking organization.

Languages

Fluent English and Russian

Other skills and attributes

• Proven organization, analytical, negotiation, communication (oral and written), interpersonal and training skills.
• High sense of responsibility. Tact, discretion, initiative and good judgment in dealing with staff members, local authorities and counterparts.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent oral and written communications in English and Russian is required.
• Familiarity and previous experience of working in Belarus highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and to establish harmonious and effective relationships both within and outside the organisation, more specifically with the Belstat.
• Demonstrated leadership, managerial and supervisory ability.
• Ability and willingness to travel in-country and to attend regional workshops.

 10. PAYMENTS:

Payments to the consultant will be conducted based on the submitted invoices with the number of consultancy days in line with actually reported deliverables.

11. SUPERVISION:

The consultant will perform the assignment under the direct supervision of Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.

12. PROCESS FOR APPLICATION

Proposal from candidates should include:

• Cover letter
• CV
• A completed P-11 form
• Estimation for the daily consultancy fee. The consultant is to indicate their  daily and monthly fee for the services to be provided. The fees payable to a consultant shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.

Criteria for the selection of proposals:

Selection of the consultant will be on competitive basis. 

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.

Applicants should submit their applications in English on-line y closing date 29 August 2018 to be eligible for consideration.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.