Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

For the Caribbean in general and for Jamaica, specifically, gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent forms of violence and it directly impacts citizen security, including the stability and health of a family and community. And the most prevalent form of gender-based violence is violence against women.  Despite the prevalence of GBV in the Jamaica and other CARICOM territories, citizen security approaches too often fail to give consideration to GBV – including sexual violence - as “serious” citizen security issues. Rather, GBV cases are often seen as a “soft” issues or “private” family issues and separate from the state security concerns related to the more public manifestations of insecurity such as crime, including drug interdiction and small arms control.

Despite the overwhelming indicative statistics, no CARICOM member state, including Jamaica, generates regular and comprehensive national data on the prevalence, nature and response to GBV, including sexual violence.  While there have been notable efforts by police and key Ministries in the collection of administrative data on GBV, lack of comprehensive, systematic, data remains a serious bottleneck in determining the scope of the problem.

Government and Non-Government organisations in the Caribbean have expressed concern about the lack of both types of data, and UN Women, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP and others will work to support nationally-owned processes to address these gaps throughout the CARICOM region.

To this end, with the support of the UN, CARICOM statistical experts and governments reviewed the various models of assessing prevalence of gender-based violence, and agreed to CARICOM piloting and adopting a CARICOM Model on National Prevalence Surveys on Gender-Based Violence.  The CARICOM Model being piloted is based on the original WHO global model for assessing prevalence of intimate partner violence (with specific focus on women as the most affected group). Once adopted, the CARICOM Model should be implemented once every ten years in a country as a minimum.

Subsequently, a partnership was developed among the Government of Jamaica, UN Women, and the Inter-American Development Bank, to pilot the model in Jamaica as the first nationally-led Prevalence Study on GBV in CARICOM. Results of the pilot will inform the use of the Prevalence Survey throughout CARICOM. Technical and financial support will be provided by UN Women; and also by the IDB through Phase II of the Government of Jamaica’s Citizens Security and Justice Programme (CSJP II). The Prevalence Survey is to be implemented by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).

The objectives of the Prevalence Survey are as follows:

• To obtain reliable estimates of the prevalence and incidence of different forms of violence against women;
• To assess the extent to which intimate partner violence against women is associated with a range of health and other outcomes;
• To identify factors that may either protect or put women at risk of intimate partner violence against women;
• To identify how men’s role in gender-based violence is manifested;
• To document and compare the strategies and services used to deal with intimate partner violence.
• Ensure that the data and results of the study are put to good use and utilized in the different departments and institutions for formulating policies and legislature and other programmes of intervention against gender based violence, in parallel with the GOJ’s National Strategic Action Plan on Gender Based Violence that is being finalised by the OPM/Bureau of Gender Affairs, and as part of the broader Citizen Security Programme of Jamaica.

To guide the Piloting and implementation of the Prevalence Survey in Jamaica, a Steering Committee was formed in December 2014. It is chaired by the Planning Institute of Jamaica.  The Statistical Institute of Jamaica is the main implementing partner. Other members include:

• Planning Institute of Jamaica;
• Ministry of National Security;
• Office of the Prime Minister & the Bureau of Women’s Affairs;
• National Family Planning Board;
• Gender & Development consultant/research methodologist (individual);
• Inter-American Development Bank;
• UN Women (Secretariat of Steering Committee).

A Research Sub-Committee is also being formed to guide the research management process.  As guided by the TOR of the Steering Committee, to facilitate the creation of “ad hoc advisory or expert sub-groups to support the implementation of the Prevalence Survey”; this sub-committee will provide more specialized attention to the core research methodologies of the survey and the ethics and standards required. Specifically, the sub-committee, with the advice of the international experts and STATIN, will guide the Steering Committee in outlining the qualitative components of the final report, including the methodology for focus group discussions; and would think through in a comprehensive manner any proposed amendments to the Survey Questionnaire.

UN Women has contracted the Global Women’s Institute (GWI) of George Washington University to provide technical advice and support to the implementation of the Prevalence Survey, where required.

The ethics and methodology for the Survey are to be grounded in the CARICOM Model and subsequent WHO tools.

Duties and Responsibilities

The objectives of the Project Coordinator (consultant) is, working with the Project Director at STATIN, to coordinate the daily activities related to the implementation of the “Women’s Health” Survey, and act as liaison between the Research Sub-Committee and/or the Steering Committee.

The Project Coordinator will also work with STATIN’s operational group (constituted for this specific survey).

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating and ensuring the implementation of the following activities by the operational group:

• Preparing survey plan, survey tool, customization of questionnaires and indicators, field manuals for interviewers and supervisors;
• Pre-testing and piloting of questionnaires and documentation of results and feedback;
• Preparing work plan and timelines and ensuring their implementation within the stipulated time frame;
• Ensuring all the logistical arrangements for the field work;
• Coordinating with the Corporate Service Division to ensure that the field team is issued with contracts and identification cards and are compensated on a timely basis;
• Coordinating with the Field Services Division for the hiring of field workers;
• Coordinating with the IT Division for the data capture and processing of the survey;
• Coordinating with RD&E Division for the sample design and the selection of the sample;
• Coordinating with the relevant teams mentioned above and be responsible for write up and analysis of the quantitative and qualitative components of the study.

Competencies

Core Values / Guiding Principles:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness;
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Competencies Desired:

• Excellent planning and facilitation skills;
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and flexibly;
• Strong analytical and presentation skills;
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity;
• Ability to research, analyse and present complex information as demonstrated by past work experience and references;
• Ability to establish and maintain strong and effective working relationships;
• Strong interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills;
• Strong analytical and presentation skills as demonstrated by past work experience and references;
• Strong working knowledge of SPSS or STATA.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Post-graduate degree, at least a Master’s degree, in Statistics, Sociology, Demography or a related field with working experience in  one of the following areas:  social research methods; qualitative research; survey design and management; project management; public administration; gender studies, development studies, or a related field of study.

Experience:

• Seven years of working experience in one of the following - social research methods; qualitative and qualitative research; survey design and management; project management; public administration; gender studies, development studies or a related field of study);
• Demonstrated experience in working in and around surveys;
• Working experience in the Caribbean on social research;
• Strong qualitative methodological and analytical skills with considerable knowledge of the field of gender and the use of participatory research methods;
• Substantive experience in surveys and use of mixed methods of research;
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in the field of Statistics and survey design and management and a demonstrable and comprehensive understanding social policy issues, and/or gender issues of the Caribbean;
• Proven expertise in the area of in supporting the statistical processes, capacities and systems of the Caribbean, at the national and/or regional level;
• Proven capacity to work with a broad range of partners, including statistical experts, government bodies, non-government organisations and academia in the Caribbean;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a small team, manage competing priorities and perform well under pressure;
• Experience in supporting or contributing to national policy development;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.

Note:

The candidate is expected to have significant experience in qualitative research, mixed methodologies and survey implementation and research management.

Experience and competencies desired will be assessed by a written test and competency based interview.

Official Travel and Other Requisites:

• The Consultant will be required to travel within the country.

Deliverables:

Specific activities and deliverables:

• Assisting in the preparation of survey plan, survey tool, customization of questionnaires and indicators, field manuals for interviewers and supervisors;
• Assist in preparing reports on each stage of the survey to inform and guide the Technical and Steering Committees;
• Coordinating personnel and data analysis for the triangulation of the quantitative and qualitative components of the survey;
• Drafting the combined report and analysis (qualitative and quantitative parts) for input and feedback from the GWI and research-subcommittee;
• In collaboration with STATIN, finalise the combined report for formatting and printing by STATIN.

Reporting Requirements:

• Under the overall responsibility of the UN Women MCO-Caribbean Representative and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, day to day supervision will be under the Project Director of Special Projects of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica. The Project Coordinator is also expected to be a member of STATIN's Technical Committee and an ex-officio member of the Research Sub-committee and will be required to attend these meetings.

Remuneration:

• The consultancy fee will be negotiated before contracting. Each payment will be based on a predefined and formal agreement between UN Women and will be disbursed based on satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables.

Hardware, software, and communication:

• The consultant must be equipped with a portable computer (laptops). The consultant must be reasonably accessible by email and telephone (preferably mobile). The use of reliable, internet-based communication (Skype or equivalent) is required.

Timeframes and Institutional Arrangements:

• The contract will run from 14 December 2015 until 13 December 2016 (estimated). The consultancy will be based in Jamaica, specifically at the office of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

We are seeking the services to coordinate the implementation of the Jamaica pilot of the CARICOM model on a prevalence survey on gender-based violence; we kindly request you to submit your quotation as per terms of reference/specifications, detailed in Annex I of this RFQ.

Quotations may be submitted on or before 27 November, 2015 – 14:00 hours (Barbados local time) and via e-mail to the address below:

• UN WOMEN MCO Caribbean: BRB30 14 2015 – Project Coordinator – Coordinating the Implementation of the Jamaica Pilot of the CARICOM Model on a Prevalence Survey on Gender-Based Violence;
• e-mail: procurement.brb@unwomen.org.

Quotations submitted by email must be limited to a maximum of 10 MB, virus-free and no more than 3 email transmissions.  They must be signed and in .pdf format, free from any form of virus or corrupted contents, or the quotations shall be rejected.

It shall remain your responsibility to ensure that your quotation will reach the address above on or before the deadline.  Quotations that are received by UN WOMEN after the deadline indicated above, for whatever reason, shall not be considered for evaluation.

Conditions:

• Payment Terms - 30 days upon invoice;
• Validity of Quotation - 60 days;
• Preliminary Examination - Completeness of quotation: Partial bids not permitted;
• General Consumption Tax/Value Added Tax on Price Quotation - GCT/VAT and other applicable indirect taxes, must be specified separately;
• Contact Person for Inquiries (Written inquiries only) - Inquiries may be submitted on or before November 25, 2015 - 14:00 hours (Barbados local time) and via e-mail to procurement.brb@unwomen.org.

At any time during the validity of the quotation, no price variation due to escalation, inflation, fluctuation in exchange rates, or any other market factors shall be accepted by UN WOMEN after it has received the quotation.At the time of award of Contract or Purchase Order, UN WOMEN reserves the right to vary (increase or decrease) the quantity of services and/or goods, by up to a maximum twenty five per cent (25%) of the total offer, without any change in the unit price or other terms and conditions.

Any Contract or Purchase Order that will be issued as a result of this RFQ shall be subject to the General Conditions detailed in the following link: http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/commoncontent/procurement/unwomen-generalconditionsofcontract-services-en.pdf.  The mere act of submission of a quotation implies that the vendor accepts without question the General Conditions of UN WOMEN herein attached. The UN Women has set out a vendor protest procedure intended to afford an opportunity to appeal to persons or firms not awarded a purchase order or contract in a competitive procurement process. It is not available to non-responsive or non-timely proposers/bidders or when all proposals/bids are rejected. In the event that you believe you have not been fairly treated, you can find detailed information about vendor protest procedures in the following link: http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/procurement/vendor-protest-procedure.

Evaluation Procedure:

The evaluation will follow the subsequent procedure:

Stage 1: Preliminary examination

Prior to the detailed evaluation of each offer UN Women will undertake a preliminary examination of the offers in order to  determine whether the offers meet the administrative requirements.  UN Women may reject any offer during the preliminary examination which does not comply with the requirements set out in this solicitation document, without further consultation with the bidder.

Offers will not be considered for further evaluation in cases where:

• They are incomplete (i.e. does not include all required data and/or documents as specified);
• The validity of the offer is not in accordance with the requirements;
• The technical and financial documents have not been submitted;
• If the bidder does not accept the correction of arithmetical errors;
• Offers which are incomplete frivolous, clearly not compatible, or contain material deviations from or reservations to the terms of the contract, may in UN Women´s absolute discretion, be rejected or excluded from further consideration at any time during the evaluation, including after preliminary evaluation.

Stage 2: Technical Evaluation

The candidates must possess minimum qualification criteria to be eligible for further technical evaluation (see Annex 1). Technical evaluation will be as follows:

• Postgraduate Degree in Statistics, Sociology, Demography or a related field (10 points);
• Seven years of working experience social research methods; qualitative and qualitative research; survey design and management; project management; public administration; gender studies, development studies or a related field of study (15 points);
• Demonstrated experience in working in and around Surveys (15 points);
• Working experience in the Caribbean on social research (10 points).

Written test and Competency Based Interview (20 points) to determine:

• Qualitative methodological and analytical skills with considerable knowledge of the field of gender and the use of participatory research methods;
• Substantive experience in surveys and use of mixed methods of research;
• Expertise in supporting the statistical processes, capacities and systems of the Caribbean, at the national and/or regional level;
• Demonstrable and comprehensive understanding social policy issues, and/or gender issues of the Caribbean;
• Proven capacity to work with a broad range of partners, including statistical experts, government bodies, non-government organisations and academia in the Caribbean;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a small team, manage competing priorities and perform well under pressure;
• Experience in supporting or contributing to national policy development;
• Ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences;
• Competences as outlined in Annex 1.

Maximum total technical score amounts to 70 points. Only candidates who have passed over the minimum qualification criteria and have accumulated at least 49 points out of maximum 70 under technical evaluation will qualify for the next stage i.e. evaluation of their financial proposals.

Stage 3: Financial Evaluation:

• Financial Evaluation should include the consultant’s daily fee and any travel costs associated with the consultancy;
• Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 30;
• S – score received on financial evaluation;
• Fmin – the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;
• F – financial offer under consideration;
• The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical score + financial score).

How To Apply:

A complete application consists of:

• Detailed curriculum vitae including a description of main achievements;
• Dully filled Personal History Form PHF11 that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment;
• Financial Proposals (in USD) - 1 proposal identifying Lump sum financial proposal/offer, aggregated including fee per day and a calculation of total fee by assessing how many days each deliverable will take to complete;
• Submission of contact details of 3 referees to verify work experience and competences  (name of referee, organization of employ, phone numbers, email address).

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

The consultant contracted will be required to sign a statement of confidentiality and freedom from any conflict of interest with potential future contractors with respect to the TORs and work that they will be delivering.