National Consultancy: “Technical expertise in monitoring of installation of vaccine Walk-in-Cold rooms and their maintenance”, only Iranian National

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For every child, Vaccination

Title of consultancy: Technical expertise in close monitoring of installation of vaccine Walk-in-Cold rooms and their maintenance

Place of Work/Location: 13 universities, Iran

Reports to: Health Specialist

Duration: 16 months

Expected Start Date of Assignment: 1^st August 2023- 1^st December 2024

Work Type: National Consultancy

 

1. Background

Following the nationwide immunization programme success of Iran, many of the vaccine preventable diseases that used to take the lives of many Iranian children, have been mostly eliminated. Currently, more than 95 per cent of children in Iran are vaccinated according to the national immunization program. Iran has been polio-free for more than 20 years now while diphtheria, pertussis and mumps are under control. The number of chronic hepatitis B carriers, which used to comprise 3 percent of the population in 1991, has fallen to less than half in recent years.

Considering the necessity to maintain and improve the achievements, national plan for adding new vaccines to the routine vaccination schedule, epidemic prone areas due to low immunization coverage of children in neighboring countries and the possibility of spreading diseases such as polio and measles and new arrival of Afghan refugees to Iran, all call for strategic intervention to strengthen an effective cold chain for the vaccine safety. A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain that includes all vaccine maintenance related equipment and procedures. The cold chain begins with the cold storage unit at the manufacturing plant, extends to the vaccines transport and delivery, proper storage at the provider facility, and ends with administration of the standard vaccine to the client. Walk-In Cold Rooms (WIC) are refrigerated enclosures accessible via at least one door and large enough for a person to walk into, housed within existing buildings. WICs are an important storage point in the temperature-controlled supply chain and usually used at the central, provincial and district level. Based on MoHME request for adding 19 walk- in- cold rooms in different district/ medical universities, UNICEF procured the equipment and commodities for 19 WICs in 13 universities. Now these calls for a technical expert to monitor the installation, identification of shortcomings and ensuring of proper operation of WICs for vaccine storage.

2. Objective and scope of work:

Under the general supervision of the UNICEF Health Specialist and national EPI manager, the consultant will provide technical support to instalment of the 19 WICs in 13 universities, including site readiness for installation phase, installation and correctly operation and at final stage will monitor the correct utilization of the Walk-In-Cold rooms. The universities are: Zabul (2 sites), Orumiyeh, Tabriz, Iran-Shahr, Bandar-Abbas, Esfarayen, Tehran (Shahid-Beheshti, Tehran and Iran in 3 sites), Ardebil, Lorestan, Isfahan, Mashhad (4 sites). The consultant should have in person visits from the mentioned sites at least 2 times during her/his contract.

3. Methodology and Technical Approach:

The duty station for the consultant is in the Department for Communicable Diseases Control, EPI office. He/she will be required to work closely with the MoHME, both at central level, as well as with respective universities, as well as with responsible experts in UNICEF, H&N unit.

• The planned timeline for having the Walk-In Cold rooms operational in 13 universities in 16 months
• Monitoring the Site-Readiness for Installation
• Supervising the performance of the installation company to ensure the process would be in line with the standard regulations and provision of feedback on correctness of steps.
• Reviewing the temperature mapping report prepared by the cold chain supplier and delivery the WICs to the universities.
• Monitoring the well-functioned of WICs after delivery to universities during the contract.
• Reviewing the guideline, up to date it if necessary, and conduct the trainings for relevant staffs on effective Walk-In- cold rooms management for 13 universities.
• Conducting training programme for the relevant staffs.

How can you make a difference?

4. Activities, Deliverables, Indicators, Timeframe, and Schedule of Payment

Deliverable1: Plan for the implementation the assignment process

Delivery of an executive plan based on expected above mentioned methodology to reach the target including field visits, training plan, deliver of reports and explanation how the deliverables of the contract will be achieved and other schedules. The document will also specify the contents of the progress reports.

• Corresponding Deliverable: 1
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable: 1
• Timeframe: 2 weeks after signing the contract
• Payment: 10 percent

Deliverable 2: First progress report

• Progress report on above plan including the progress report on expected stage installation in universities
• Corresponding Deliverable: 2
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable 2
• Timeframe: End of 4 months after the first deliverable reporting on installation of WICs and trip reports
• Payment: 20 percent

Deliverable 3: Second progress report

• Progress report on above plan including the progress report on expected stage installation in universities
• Corresponding Deliverable: 3
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable 3
• Timeframe: End of 4 months after the second deliverable reporting on installation of WICs and trip reports
•  Payment: 20 percent

Deliverable 4: Third progress report

• Progress report on above plan including the progress report on expected stage installation in universities
• Corresponding Deliverable: 3
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable 3
• Timeframe: End of 4 months after the third deliverable reporting on installation of WICs and trip reports
• Payment: 20 percent

Deliverable 5: fourth progress report

• Progress report on above plan including the progress report on expected stage installation in universities
• Corresponding Deliverable: 3
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable 3
• Timeframe: End of 3 months after the third deliverable reporting on installation of WICs and trip reports
• Payment: 20 percent

 

Deliverable 6: Final report

• Final report including the well-function report of all the WICs after handling over to universities and report on the reviewing the guideline and training workshop report
• Corresponding Deliverable: 4
• Indicator: Submission of deliverable 4
• Timeframe: Two weeks before the end of contract: 2 weeks before the end of contract
• Payment: 10 percent

N.B.  All reports and presentations could be submitted in Persian and/ or English

5.Management and Organization

5.1. Management: The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNICEF Iran’s Health specialist. The D.G. of the Center for Communicable Diseases Control – Ministry of Health and Medical Education will be the responsible government partner.

5.2. Travel: Required travel to universities will be covered by UNICEF.

  6. Budget and terms of payment

The assignment will be funded by UNICEF. 

The consultancy fee shall be paid in 6 installments to the consultant, upon approval of the above-mentioned deliverables by MoHME and UNICEF.

7. Conditions of Work

The consultant will be stationed in the MoHME, with defined trips to relevant universities for monitoring and supervision of the projects. The consultant trips and mission to the field will be planned and organized by EPI department and financial support by UNICEF. In average 2 monitoring trips from each university’ sites of the WICs should be taken place during contract. UNICEF is responsible to cover the mission expenses of the consultant.  Expenses related to travel should be seen in the invoices, which are at least two trips per month to 13 relevant universities

 

NOTE FOR CONSULTANTS AND INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS:

The Consultant should submit a technical proposal including a plan and a timeline for conducting the consultancy and an overview of the subject to demonstrate his/her knowledge.

Please submit a financial offer along with your proposal, which contains the following information:

• Fee for services to be provided – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference
• Wherever possible, indicate the itemized cost of the travel (air tickets etc.) in the country.

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

 

• Having work experience in the health network system
• Being fully familiar with the framework of national EPI programs
• Having more than 15 years’ experience of working in cold chain and vaccine management at both national and university levels
• Having a management experience, supervising, and monitoring of establishment and functioning of Walk-In-Cold rooms at university and national level
• Participated in short -term vaccine chain management training courses.
• Having an experience of cooperating with international health institutions in the field of vaccine/ vaccine cold chain
• Lack of employment relations with government agencies and non-governmental public institutions

 

Knowledge & Skills:

• Effective communication, planning, analytical and training skills.
• Good knowledge of computer skills including vaccine management software, proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point).
• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relations.
• Ability to manage immunization projects and coordinate multiple stakeholders.
• Previous working experience with UNICEF/UN is an asset.

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).  

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.  

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.