National Consultant to provide methodological support and quality assurance of the Global AIDS Monitoring (GAM) 2024 reporting

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, health 

UNICEF’s mission in Moldova is to make sure every child in the country is healthy, educated and safe from harm, therefore having the best start in life and a fair chance to reach her or his full potential and benefit from the country’s prosperity. We believe children have a right to live in a more equitable society, where their voices are heard, and needs met as a matter of priority in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In partnership with the government and other stakeholders, UNICEF supports creating healthy lives for children by firstly focusing on the well-being of pregnant women and the safe delivery of their children through increased knowledge of child health care and improved access to health services. Since the adoption of the first groundbreaking UNGASS on HIV/AIDS (The UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS) in June 2001 – the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS followed by 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 high level Political Declarations on HIV/AIDS, the most recent one – Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030 was adopted in June 2021.

Moldova has reported on its progress under UNGASS (The UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS) starting with the first cycle of the reporting, improving both content-wise and process-wise from one cycle to another. Our country is invited to submit to UNAIDS its monitoring data, HIV estimates and a narrative report for the year 2023 (2024 GAM Reporting).

The National AIDS Programme Coordination Unit is responsible  for data generation, monitoring & evaluation, including development of the AIDS annual country report and GAM report (for Moldova and its Transnistrian region, breakaway region called also left bank). 

A team of national Consultants (supported by UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF) will be established to provide technical support to the National AIDS Programme (NAP) Coordination Unit and the Ministry of Health in the process of 2024 GAM reporting development.

In that regard, UNICEF is seeking to contract a National Consultant to provide technical support to the NAP coordination team and the Ministry of Health to ensure data quality management in the context of the 2024 GAM reporting, with a targeted focus on PMTCT, (antiretroviral treatment) ARV and pediatric ARVT, National Commitment and Policy Instrument (NCPI) part A and health system related indicators, with a specific focus on the aspects related to children’s and pregnant women health.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Purpose of the individual consultancy

This consultancy aims to provide technical support to the NAP coordination team and the Ministry of Health, and ensure data quality management for the 2024 GAM report, with a targeted focus on PMTCT, ARV, NCPI part A and health system related indicators.

2. Specific objectives of the individual consultancy

The National Consultant will provide technical assistance, supporting the NAP (National AIDS Programme) coordination team and the Ministry of Health in the context of the 2024 GAM reporting, and particularly in the following:

• Work closely with NAP coordination team to ensure that women and child related information (PMTCT, treatment cascade, etc.) are included in the newly developed 2024 GAM Report.
• Support methodologically the analysis of data coming from different sources, including: national HIV mortality, Spectrum* data and estimations, data from the Transnistrian region, including the NCPI part A questionnaire. Provide methodological support on indicators’ definition, measurement, technical advice as requested by the NAP team.
• Oversee and provide technical input related to quality assurance of data and evidence used for generation of the GAM report: reviews the Spectrum*, GAM report and all related to it annexes. Provide support to the NAP coordination team to prepare the 2024 GAM Report validation process.

* https://hivtools.unaids.org/

3. Details of how the work should be delivered

Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Health Specialist the consultant will work closely with the NAP Coordination Unit and will have a technical reporting line to the Head of Team of Consultants.

The contracted National Consultant will be working in collaboration with other members of the Team of Consultants who will provide technical support to the NAP Coordination Unit and the Ministry of Health in the 2024 GAM reporting development process.

All activities and deliverables undertaken by the consultant shall be discussed and planned in consultation with UNICEF and UNAIDS.

Close consultation and collaboration are expected with the MoH, Country Coordination Mechanism on HIV and TB Control (CCM) and the UN Joint Team on HIV/AIDS.

4. Deliverables and delivery dates

Tasks	Deliverable	Timeline**
Work closely with NAP coordination team to ensure that mother and child related information is included in the newly developed 2024 GAM Report. -Provide methodological support on indicators definition, measurement, clarifications as requested by the NAP team. –  Support methodologically the analysis of data coming from different sources: national HIV mortality, Spectrum data and estimations, data from the Transnistrian region.	indicators definition, measurement, data analyses (HIV mortality audit, Spectrum, data from the left bank) defined jointly with coordination unit NAP mother and child related information is included in the newly developed 2024 GAM Report. Data from different sources fed the 2024 GAM report and were coordinated with NAP coordination unit	6 working days
-Provide recommendations to GAM team for reporting improvement and quality assurance. -Peer reviews the Spectrum data, GAM report and all related to it annexes. -Provide support to the NAP coordination team to prepare the validation process of the 2024 GAM Reporting exercise.	recommendations to GAM team for Reporting improvement quality assurance submitted Spectrum data, GAM Report and all related to it annexes reviewed materials related to validation exercise developed track of recommendations provided to NAP team submitted to UNICEF	4 working days
-Oversee and verify the GAM and Spectrum data, with the focus on the health system related ones, PMTCT, NCPI part A and treatment cascade.	GAM final report, including PMTCT, health sector related, treatment cascade and NCPI part A indicators validated by MoH, NAP coordination unit and national stakeholders narrative report (English) that reflects the consultant support to the NAP team submitted to UNICEF	5 working days
Total:		15 working days

5. Payment schedule

The payment will be made in 1 instalment/lumpsum, upon submission and acceptance of all deliverables stipulated in the table above.

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.

6. Definition of supervision arrangements

The selected consultant will work under direct supervision and in close consultation with UNICEF Health Specialist. Fees will be rendered upon written approval by the UNICEF Supervisor, and contingent upon the quality and achievement of deliverables. UNICEF will regularly communicate with the selected consultant and provide formats for reports, feedback and guidance on performance and all other necessary support to achieve objectives of the document, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to expert’s performance and quality of work.

7. Work location and official travel involved

The consultancy will be performed remotely. The work will not require local travels.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• Relevant educational background in sociology, health or related field, is required;
• At least 5 years of proved relevant working experience in the field of HIV/AIDS national response and/or HIV/AIDS national M&E system, is required;
• Analytical and report writing skills; Experience of working in unsupervised, ability to work under pressure, prioritize work and use personal initiative;
• Prior experience of working with UN Agencies and familiarity with UNICEF’s work and mandate, would be an asset;
• Oral and written fluency in Romanian, working knowledge of Russian and English.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

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

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR)

 2024_ToR_Nat Indiv Consultant_GAM_VA.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain the Technical Offer and Financial Offer (templates below). Please secure the Financial Proposal *.pdf document with a password on document view; the password will be requested only from technically qualified candidates.  

 Technical Offer_GAM.docx

 Financial Offer_GAM.xlsx

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 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.