Republic of Moldova

National Consultant to support authorities in conducting behavioral surveillance survey among inmates in Moldova

Vacancy Number: Pr12/00208

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	03 Oct 2012, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	08 Oct 2012
Reference to the project:	XCEA01 Strengthening national capacities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to address HIV/AIDS in vulnerable populations
Expected Duration of Assignment:	up to 30 working days, during October - December 2012
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online or by email to vacancies-moldova@undp.org, no later than 3 October 2012. Any request for clarification must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: elena.jidobin@unodc.org.UNDP/UNODC will respond by standard electronic mail and will send copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Background

Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the only region where HIV prevalence clearly remains on the rise. The HIV epidemic that is mainly IDU-driven poses one of the most formidable challenges to the development, progress and stability of the countries of the region. Moldova has a significant HIV epidemic which is particularly concentrated among certain sub-populations, such as injecting drug users. HIV prevalence among the general population is currently 0.37%. As of January 1, 2012, a cumulative number of 7,125 HIV cases were registered, including 2,268 in the Transnistrian region.

Even though progress has been registered in the field of harm reduction in Moldova, there are still a range of constraints related to availability, coverage and quality of comprehensive harm reduction services to most-at-risk populations, including in prisons. Relatively lax border control from the East, a geographic position that makes Moldova a transit country for illicit drugs bound for the Balkans, and production of poppy and cannabis locally, all contribute towards high rates of opiate use in Moldova. Prison institutions also face drug trafficking and consumption challenge.

National Drug Dispensary routine statistics reflects the following situation, at the end of 2010, there were 8960 people who used drugs, including 3361 injecting drugs; 32 people who tested HIV positive in 2010 of the total number of newly registered HIV cases among injecting drug users.

Given the evidence on the effectiveness of drug-dependence treatment for HIV/AIDS  prevention among injecting drug users, it is strongly recommended that a full and comprehensive range of high-quality treatment services be established in affected communities and that as many injecting drug users as possible have access to them (WHO, UNAIDS and UNODC).

In November 2011, the Ministry of Health/National Centre for Health Management requested UNODC support to co-fund the Behavioral Surveillance Survey 2012-2013 (BSS) in Moldova. The BSS is coordinated by health authorities and Ministry of Justice is a partner to the survey for the BSS component for inmates. 

BSS consists of systematic and repeated cross-sectional surveys of HIV and sexually transmitted disease-related behaviors, with other knowledge and attitudinal variables added where appropriate. Its major purpose and utility is in detecting trends among selected vulnerable and high-risk population groups whose behavioral change can have the most impact on the epidemic. BSS is also useful for tracking trends in behaviors over time in regions exposed to HIV prevention activities, as a contributing component to the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of interventions.

The survey has the objective to gather strategic information regarding risk factors conducive to transmission of HIV, Hepatitis and STIs in vulnerable groups and evaluate HIV response interventions in the respective target group for better advocacy, planning and design of future prevention programs. The expected results of this survey are the measurement of HIV knowledge and behavior indicators with risk to HIV transmission in vulnerable groups and as well as a comparison with the previous BSS (conducted in 2008/2009, 2006/2007 and 2003/2004) taking into account the limitations of applied methodologies over time.  

National Health Management Centre (NHMC) and the Department of Penitentiary Institutions (DPI) represent national authorities to be supported by the consultant/s in planning, implementing and reporting within the BSS 2012-2013. NHMC is the authority which coordinates national level processes and the DPI ensures survey implementation at local level.

Scope of work

UNODC issues this call for proposals for a national consultant or team of consultants to support the national authorities in designing and implementing the survey among inmates according to consultancy deliverables.  The consultant/s is/are expected to support the Department of Penitentiary Institutions (DPI) to design the survey according to data and programmatic needs, develop the methodology; meanwhile the DPI will coordinate themselves the survey implementation in the field. 

Under the guidance of NHMC team, a national consultant or a team of consultants will be hired to provide support in designing the BSS survey component for inmates in Moldova.

The consultancy foresees in country travel.  The following tasks are suggested to the consultant, but are flexible to adjustment:

1.  Undertake a desk review of previous BSS and analyze reports as a result of previous research conducted in Moldova;

2.  Consult national HIV/AIDS team in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, within CCM with regards to BSS in prisons scope and results;

3.  Consult with DPI authority on BSS survey specific objectives;

4.  Design the survey protocol for implementation in prisons, consult national stakeholders and agree duties and responsibilities between main survey implementation actors;

5.  Develop/adjust the survey data collection instrument and consult it largely with national stakeholders taking into account pre-testing suggestions, specific survey objectives, international requirements and national data needs;

6.  Draft survey budget and coordinate possible in kind contribution costs on behalf of governmental and nongovernmental actors;

7. Support the NHMC in developing specific software for survey implementation, or inmates;

8.  Co-facilitate the 2 days induction training course for national team to implement the survey in prisons;

9.   Support the DPI implement the survey in prisons during data collection with no delays and facilitate communication with AIDS laboratories across the country, when necessary;

10.  Facilitate data entry and validation with no delays within survey timeline;

11.  Provide support in analyzing data for prison segment and in drafting preliminary report;

12.  Finalize the report after consulting health and justice authorities, as well as UN agencies and civil society representatives and facilitate report translation into English;

13.  National consultant/s should be available for continuous communication with UNAIDS and UNODC during the consultancy and should report on a weekly basis to UNODC and UNAIDS on consultancy progress.

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

Requirements for experience

I. Academic Qualifications:

• At least a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Public Health, Sociology, Social Work, Public Administration or related field connected with HIV/AIDS;

II. Years of experience:

• Experience in developing and carrying out representative surveys, i.e  biological and behavioral surveillance, program design and evaluation.
• Research experience in drafting survey protocols for vulnerable populations, including people using drugs, HIV positive people;
• Experience and expertise in the fields of Monitoring and Evaluation;

III. Competencies:

• Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to HIV prevention, including among injection drug users and in prisons, WHO/UNAIDS/UNODC guidelines provisions;
• Deep understanding and knowledge of nationally provided services on HIV and harm reduction;
• Excellent skills in meeting facilitation and partner coordination;
• Ability to work independently and take initiative;
• Familiarity with international reporting processes;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Availability to travel across the country during the consultancy;
• Good knowledge of Romanian and Russian is required, English is optional.
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools

Financial proposal

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

1. Proposal explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
2. Financial proposal;
3. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references or the dully filled Personal History Form (P11).

 

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