UNICEF LESOTHO - Consultancy Assignment, National Information System for Social Assistance (NISSA) Consultant

UNICEF Lesotho is recruiting a National Information System for Social Assistance (NISSA) Consultant to provide necessary technical assistance to the Ministry of Social Development, and other national stakeholders involved in the NISSA, to undertake activities for the National Expansion of NISSA which will include among others, updating and developing manuals, improving PMT formula, drafting of TORs for Data Collection exercise, training MOSD and BOS,  collecting data to test tools and materials for NISSA and liaising with other stakeholders to ensure that MIS/Mobile Application are ready for NISSA Data collection.

How to Apply

Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications (a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form which can be downloaded at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc)  quoting the consultancy reference LES/SSA/SP/2016-03 on or before 20 April 2016: Email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Applications submitted without an all-inclusive fee/ rate will not be considered.  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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 the organization.

UNICEF LESOTHO

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCY

               Title:     National Information System for Social Assistance (NISSA) Consultant

               Location:    Lesotho

Duration:        10 Months

Timeline:        May 2016-February 2017

               Fees:    Consultants must quote an All-Inclusive Fee/rate

Background

To establish a comprehensive and integrated Social Protection System, and to improve coordination between existing social protection interventions, the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho has decided to institutionalize a National Information System for Social Assistance (NISSA). The development of a national registry in Lesotho will create a single database in which information on all potential households and individuals eligible for social protection interventions is securely stored. The information can be used to (pro-poor) target beneficiaries of several social safety nets, to support the management and linkages of social protection programmes, and to conduct research on beneficiaries’ needs or other social aspects. This NISSA improves time and cost efficiency, as well as ease the implementation of existing and future programming of social expenditure.

Currently, NISSA is administered and managed by a selected unit in the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD). In partnership with World Vision Lesotho (WVL) a door-to-door census-based survey approach is applied to collect information from households in an interview-style. Based on village and household lists confirmed by the local government and village chiefs, up to 250 enumerators are hired to conduct interviews covering all households in the selected areas. For the data collection, Mobile Research Technology (MTR) is used, which automatically uploads all collected information into the NISSA server.

Up to now, NISSA data collection has been aligned to the expansion of the Child Grants Programme (CGP). During the pilot phase 2008 to 2011 up to 40,000 households, in 21 community councils in 5 of 10 districts, have been registered into NISSA. Since 2012, information of additional 65,000 households, in 28 councils in all 10 districts, has been entered into NISSA. Currently, NISSA contains socio-economic information of 100,000 households, with more than 560,000 household members, including approx. 260,000 children, in 49 community councils in all districts of Lesotho.

Justification

A Review of Social Safety Nets in Lesotho, conducted by The World Bank in 2012, suggests moving towards a unified and integrated system of Social Safety Nets (SSN) in Lesotho, with specific focus on the extreme poor and most vulnerable. The programme may still consist of several distinct interventions to some very specific groups of the ultra-poor, but will operate within an integrated approach to objectives and targeting. The study further emphasizes the potential of NISSA to be expanded as national registry for social assistance. Using NISSA as single registry for social assistance has the potential to reduce the costs and increasing efficiency and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated social safety net system.  

During the Mid-Term Review of the Child Grants Programme, in August 2013, the Government of Lesotho and its stakeholders in Social Protection agreed on moving towards an integrated Social Protection System by providing a coordinated portfolio of interventions to address different dimensions of poverty and deprivations, aiming to reduce vulnerability across the life-cycle and ensuring cumulative benefits across generations.

On the policy level, Government has recently led the formulation of the national Social Protection Strategy which provides a clear vision of the sector during the coming years. The strategy uses a life cycle approach to propose strategic actions that address various types of vulnerabilities across the life course. The strategy considers the establishment of a functional national registry as one the key milestone around which a system can be built, given that it will provide support for targeting of national programmes as well as promoting their coordination.

The NISSA review exercise (2014) has provided analysis on the national statistical system as well as data collection approaches that will be utilized. Based on options proposed by the review, Government has decided on the utilization of a compressed approach for NISSA data collection, aiming to enter all households in Lesotho into the database in a short period of time.

The review shows the existence of capacity gaps within government that need to be filled in order to improve the quality of data that will be stored NISSA.

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide necessary technical assistance to the Ministry of Social Development, and other national stakeholders involved in the NISSA, to undertake activities for the National Expansion of NISSA which will include among others, updating and developing manuals, improving PMT formula, drafting of TORs for Data Collection exercise, training MOSD and BOS,  collecting data to test tools and materials for NISSA and liaising with other stakeholders to ensure that MIS/Mobile Application are ready for NISSA Data collection.

Objectives

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical support and guidance to the MOSD and all relevant stakeholders, including the Bureau of Statistics, for the NISSA expansion data collection.

Specifically based on the NISSA review report and review of recently conducted NISSA Expansion Pilot conducted in eight Community Councils of Lesotho. The consultancy aims to provide assistance and guidance on:

• Support preparatory activities for NISSA data collection including ensuring proper configuration of NISSA form into MIS, Mobile Application and data entry tools (Mobile Devices}

• Revise and update manuals and guidelines and adapt them according to the new NISSA data collection approach.

• Ensure that the NISSA data collection TOR is drafted

• Support the NISSA Manager to coordinate and supervise data collection and prepare logistics for Monitoring and Evaluation of data collection to ensure data quality.

Key Deliverables

1. Inception report on methodology and approach for NISSA expansion with a clear timeline.

2. Revised NISSA form correctly configured into MIS and Mobile application for ease computation of PMT scores based on final discussions with MOSD and other stakeholders.

3. NISSA data collection guidelines and tools updated/developed.

4. Training materials for NISSA data collection finalized and approved.

5. Develop data quality assurance protocols for NISSA data collection for at least 60,000 households.

6. Collected Information is cleaned, treated and stored in the MIS.

7. MOSD Protocols and procedures for addressing data inconsistencies/ miss- reporting when identified

8. Protocols for management of gadgets in case of incidents, breakage, damage, malfunctioning of the electronic equipment, or any other adverse event affecting its usage and/or its connection with the remote server

9. Guidelines for NISSA data access

Activities

• Undertake a comprehensive desk review on NISSA work from 2010 to 2014

• Work in collaboration with the local IT service provider to ensure compatibility between NISSA modules functions and the new data collection needs

• Work in close collaboration with MOSD/UNICEF and other stakeholders to develop a final design and methodology for the NISSA expansion based on Review of NISSA expansion and other reports

• In collaboration with UNICEF and the MOSD, develop a work plan for the full exercise.

• Collaborate with the IT unit of the MOSD and local IT firm on the configuration of the MIS and Mobile Application and the web link to the existing management information system (MIS).

• Provide support to test utilization of Mobile Devices for data collection

• Support the government to prepare data collection logistical needs.

• Advise on the incorporation of NISSA activities within the new MIS, taking into consideration the use of Mobile Devices for data collection.

• Work in close collaboration with NISSA team in MOSD and the BOS to update and or develop guidelines and manuals for NISSA.

• Develop training materials for enumerators for NISSA data collection.

• Coordinate with NISSA team on community sensitization and determination of preliminary lists of households for NISSA data collection.

• Work with MOSD and BOS to supervise and coordinate data collection during the testing.

• Work with MOSD and BOS on the data treatment and storage into the NISSA database.

Payment Schedule

• Monthly payment will be issued based on the approval of the monthly implementation report by the Ministry and UNICEF. The monthly implementation report will summarize progress on implementation of planned activities during the month. It also highlights challenges, recommendations and suggests the work plan for the next month.

• The final payment will be linked with a full implementation report during the 10 months of consultancy. This report will document key progress, achievements, challenges and proposed recommendations.

Supervision and Place of Work

Under the overall supervision of UNICEF Chief Social policy, the consultant will directly report to the NISSA Manager.

The Consultant will be assigned to work directly and on a daily basis with the Social Assistance unit staff at the Ministry of Social Development.

Qualifications

• At least a master’s degree in development, economics or programme/project management.

• At least 7 years of professional experience in the field of social protection, that includes data collection for expansion database.

• Practical experience on implementation and monitoring of social protection programmes in developing countries.

• A good knowledge of social protection systems and database (single registry) operations

• At least 3 years of regional experience and good knowledge of working with Government.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills.

• Good negotiation and leadership skills.

• Good command of IT software particularly database systems.

• Initiative and self-management.

General Conditions

• The consultant will be based in the Ministry of Social Development.

• The consultant will use their own computer

• Fees quoted must be All-Inclusive Flight costs, transport costs, daily subsistence allowance and any other costs related to this work should be included as part of the consultancy fees. These costs will be not be covered separately by UNICEF

How to Apply

Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications (a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form which can be downloaded at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc), quoting the consultancy reference LES/SSA/SP/2016-03 on or before 20 April 2016: Email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Applications submitted without an all-inclusive fee/ rate will not be considered.  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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 the organization.