Country: Kyrgyzstan
Closing date: 10 Jul 2018
VNC/KIRA/15/18
How can you make a difference?
Technical guidance should result in elaboration of viable project design and workplan to test normative/per capita financing in planning and budgeting of social service delivery at the municipality level/by selected service-provider organization in main types of settings, i.e. rural, urban and peri-urban. The latter is to contribute to the design of integrated and barrier-free community-based basic guaranteed service delivery.
Background
For many years, absence of systemic social service delivery remains one of the key bottlenecks in improving effective support to vulnerable people in the country. Vulnerable children and their families, persons with disabilities, elderly citizens, homeless etc. have been repeatedly prioritized in the state and sectoral policies and strategies, however they still do not enjoy even guaranteed minimum level of social protection. Social service (SS) as a public policy/programme and instrument is not fully codified. Though SS is declared in the normative framework, they are not part of government register/list of neither public, nor municipal services. Absence in the list literally means there is no methodology and related act(s) how to cost and budget SS. The latter makes SS inexistent for the Ministry of Finance (MF), and reiterates back& force referral to/from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development.
Complexity is aggravated by unfinished decentralization agenda, difference between ‘de jure’ and ‘de-facto’ in handling social issues at the local level, input-based budgeting. In such situation, residential institutions flourish, number of children, persons with disabilities in public care grows, state budget is used inefficiently. Still, topic is high on policy agenda and public discourse, and remains relevant to numerous stakeholders with different motivation and level of competence.
In such a situation, a most suitable approach to overcome the impasse is the generation of evidence bases empirical findings. Empirical findings will be generated throughout planning cycle. Entry point with multiple effect(s) might be approbation of the methodology of normative financing [available in UNICEF], verified by experts and community of practice, competent and experienced central and local officials and validated by sustainable NGOs providing services. Another catalytic factor might to be recently launched government-led progressive reform to automate business processes of registration and other public and municipal services. To assess how the above described complexity, reform initiatives and normative provisions might be pull together for breakthrough in SS delivery, expert consultancy is required.
Scope of work and key tasks:
Scope of work will be geared towards local solutions, such as viable model delivering integrated community-based social services. Integration areas and sequencing are to be defined with local authorities. It might be initially linked to early interventions and/or with ECD. Defining workable governance model will help to test the most effective means of delivering social guarantees to under-served children and their families, other vulnerable groups.
1. Review of analytical reports, costing methodologies, overviews, reviews etc. pertaining to the subject;
2. Familiarize with concept and progress of related inter-sectoral horizontal projects and initiative (Gender Promotion Initiative (GPI) on case management and shared database(s), Early Intervention project endorsed by Bishkek Mayor Office) commissioned by UNICEF and other organisations (Development Policy Institute (DPI), Swiss, GIZ, UNDP) with focus on governance and financing models;
3. Review of clustered minimum social services which might be provided at the local level and codify them as per current normative requirements (standards). The latter should be conceptually in line with an ongoing legal initiative, i.e. on delegating certain authorities in organizing local service delivery and development of model draft law on social service;
4. Review findings of local social planning completed in selected municipalities of Bishkek and guide mapping of vulnerable groups and services in selected new settlements of Bishkek (GPI) for design of testing/ approbation;
5. Review existing list of guaranteed minimum social services (Regulation No 255) and register/list of state/public and municipal services. Propose/draft justification narrative, arguments and recommendations on inclusion of guaranteed minimum social service in the register/list of state/public services. Provide inputs for their proper codification, i.e. draft technical reglament (sort of SOP) as state/public service in social service delivery;
6. Based on previous UNICEF-commissioned analyses and compilation of various financial normatives/norms for SS provision used by service-providers’ institutions under Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Education& Science MES), Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD), local governments, NGOs and individuals (meals norms, setting wage bill etc). In cooperation with focal point form Ministry of Finance, MLSD and national expert formulate recommendations for streamlining costing norms towards per capita financing;
7. Visit one sample of each typical settings, i.e. rural/rural remote, urban and peri-urban with numerous social issues [locations will be identified in consultation with MLSD] and document the findings through a standard survey form;
8. Formulate draft design of approbation/testing/appraisal of normative financing within local (strategic) planning cycle (1) and/or annual budgeting, needs assessment and related planning processes for social service delivery (2);
9. Conduct validation roundtable meeting where draft design of testing/appraisal will be presented;
10. Based on results of the validation meeting, finalize testing design and prepare action plan with outline and sample of appraisal reporting documentation;
11. Monitor implementation of the testing (at least one in-country site(s) visit);
12. Provide advice and inputs for the interim and final reporting;
13. Provide guidance on bigger – to - national scale up with linkages to other social policy/protection programmes/ instruments inter alia specialized and highly specialized, free, co-financed etc. SS.
Reporting and supervision
The consultant will be working with Social Policy Specialist and interacting with UNICEF Country Office Child Protection team, Early Child Development (ECD)&Education and Task Force on Children with Disability.
Qualification/level requirements
Duty station and official travel involved
Consultancy requires ‘work-from-home’ and in-country work in Bishkek and at least three field missions.
Consultant/individual contractor will be expected to make own travel arrangements and invoice UNICEF at the end of the travel. Reimbursements shall only be processed if travel was duly authorized in the individual contract or by authorized manager, in writing and prior to the travel. Travel will be based on the most economical direct itinerary and ticket/transport costs should be cleared with the hiring unit prior purchasing. All other travel entitlements authorized by UNICEF will be processed as per rules and regulations on consultants/individual contractor travel.
Consultants and individual contractors traveling on behalf of UNICEF must meet the standard trip prerequisites, including but not limited to Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver (see Annex 1). Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.
For international consultants/individual contractors the estimated costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).
Payment Terms
As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
The Consultant will be paid upon submission of progress reports reflecting successful completion of the deliverables.
Duration 11 months, from July 2018 to June 2019.
Deliverables:
1. First deliverable – first draft design of testing project of normative financing and governance model for local SS delivery 20 % of fee by end of July 2018
2. Second deliverable – report with several options of codified package of minimum basic/community-based services 30 % - by mid-September
3. Third deliverable - final design of testing project of normative financing and governance model for local SS, workplan, monitoring plan, sample for documentation and reporting 30 % - by December 2018
4. Fourth deliverable – oversight report on supervised practice in testing/approbation with practical recommendations on the content and methods for effective coaching of local planners and service-providers. Consultancy report and follow up plan 20 % by mid-May 2019
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.
Remarks:
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
How to apply:
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 organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=514089