Republic of Moldova

SCBM/National Consultant to support the development of a statistical toolkit and methodology for household budget survey on the left bank of the Nistru River

Vacancy Number: Pr17/01613

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	04 Sep 2017, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	12 Sep 2017, 16:00 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	20 Sep 2017, 16:00 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	18 Sep 2017
Reference to the project:	Support to Confidence Building Measures
Expected Duration of Assignment:	September 2017-March 2018, estimated workload: up to 70 working days
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than 04 September 2017. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: aurelia.spataru@undp.org. UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Background

The SCBM Programme aims to support the skills development and improve capacity of statisticians from both banks of the Nistru River to produce accurate and reliable statistical data, complying with international standards and best practices. Also, it contributes to enhancing of data users’ abilities to make best use of available statistical information, fostering the dialogue and future partnerships between the communities of data experts on both banks.

An additional incentive for such an effort would be the growing demand of qualitative data on behalf of local and international data users which are necessary to describe the current status of affairs in different fields of activity and sectors, to identify the occurring shortcomings and prevent potential factors of risk, to design the needed measures and governance decisions.

Under the current assignment, the Programme aims to respond to the request of statisticians from the left bank of the Nistru River regarding the launch of preparatory works for developing the tools and methodological materials, compliant with international standards, necessary for gradual implementation of the household budget survey on the left bank of the Nistru River.

Scope of work

Under the current assignment, the EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Programme is to hire a National Consultant to provide technical assistance and expert support to UNDP Moldova and its implementing partners (especially the statistical service in Tiraspol, International consultant, sampling and other experts) for the methodological set-up and organisation of a household budget survey on the left bank of the Nistru river.

The scope of the Consultant’s work is to:

1. support the development of required materials and outputs required for the successful preparation and organisation of the HBS survey (by the envisaged stages – planning, organisation of field work and preparations for data collection) on the left bank of Nistru river;
2. provide technical assistance in development of HBS methodological framework and survey’s toolkit, in compliance with international and EU requirements in the respective field;
3. coordinate overall and support the work of involved resource specialists (on sampling, organisational issues, etc.) involved in the HBS preparation process and ensure expert report on preparation activities undertaken by the implementing partners;
4. contribute to raising the public awareness (through communication, debriefing, etc.) on the importance and utility of the HBS and information resulted from it, its applicability for the policy-making and general society needs.

The National Consultant will provide expertise and support, throughout the survey planning and methodological set-up, based on his/her deep knowledge of international/EU standards and best practices, own practical experience on their application, as well as documents and resources made available by the Programme’s counterparts.

The National Consultant will perform a team work together with an international consultant (to second the development of HBS toolkit and its testing) and one international consultant, to be hired by WHO, who will develop only health module to be included in the future HBS on the left bank of Nistru.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 – Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in statistics, economics, social science and/or other science related to areas relevant for the assignment;
• Other formal education relevant for the assignment (confirmed by certificates);

Years of experience:

• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience (expertise, executing function, consultancy, advising, etc.) in statistics (preferably official/Government statistics system);
• At least 5 records of practical experience in organisation and implementation of statistical surveys for defining and measuring social and economic phenomena (design of statistical concepts, definitions, methodologies, sampling, questionnaires, statistical analysis); [confirming documents will be mandatory provided with clear specification of the topics of surveys and description of applicant’s involvement]
• At least 3 records of practical experience in conducting training of statisticians in the social sector and public presentation skills (having regard to the participation in numerous national and international meetings);
• Experience of work with international organizations/projects, including UN and/or European ones;
• Proven experience in collaboration with public institutions and service providers (incl. multi-stakeholders);

Competencies:

• Deep knowledge of international/European standards, legislation and best practices, terminology and definitions used in the European Statistical System’ in the field of social, welfare and living conditions statistics (confirmed by experience records);
• Knowledge of the development context on the left bank of the Nistru River;
• Strong analytical, writing and training skills;
• Excellent written and spoken Russian;
• Knowledge of English will be an asset;

Personal Qualities and other requirements:

• Good interpersonal skills, solid judgment/decision making, initiative and creativity;
• Ability to analyse, plan, communicate effectively orally and in writing, draft reports, organize and meet expected results, adapt to different environments (cultural, economic, political and social);
• Proven commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular, respecting differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status.

The UN Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women and men, persons with different types of disabilities, LGBT, Roma and other ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non‐citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Documents to be included

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Proposal explaining how applicant responds to each of the qualification requirements and why he/she is the most suitable for the work. Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work.
2. Financial proposal - in USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days.

3. Personal information (as a detailed CV or as a Personal History Form /P11) including records on past experience in similar projects/assignments and concrete outputs obtained, and at least 3 references.

4. Documents that confirm Applicant’s records of practical experience in organisation and implementation of statistical surveys for defining and measuring social and economic phenomena (copies or links to documents with statistical concepts, definitions, methodologies, sampling, questionnaires, statistical analysis – developed by the Applicant).

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). The payment for services provided by the Contractor under the SCBM Programme will be made post factum on a lump-sum deliverables basis, as per contract, after the work has been accepted by the SCBM Project  Manager. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of offers, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee per day, travel, per diem, mobile phone costs, number of anticipated working days, etc.).

Travel

The consultant is expected to carry out field research, training activities and discussions with Programme’s stakeholders that would involve travel across the river, and should budget for it accordingly. At least 5 missions to the implementing partner’s venue are envisaged, including round trips to Tiraspol (about 70 km distance from Chisinau to Tiraspol).

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

 

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