Background

Purpose 

The purpose is to support the upgrade of the platform for COVID immunization system in Serbia for season flu.

Objective

The objective is to upgrade the cost-effective, quality, secure digital platform for COVID immunization system in Serbia to track and report season flu.

Background Information

Digital transformation of the national economy and public administration are among the key priorities of Serbian Government. In addition to providing high-level political support and institutional sponsorship, the Government introduced a new institutional framework to manage this process and initiate internal changes. In August 2017, a new cabinet-level body – Office for IT and e Government – was created to consolidate government's ICT resources, develop common infrastructures and support transition from institution-centric to citizen-centric model of designing and providing e services.

UNDP provided support to this broad digitalization agenda of the Serbian Government since its inception, through "Serbia at your Fingertips – Digital Transformation for Development" project. This project comprises five segments. The first three relate to development of the e-government system, the fourth includes support for implementation of activities from the ministerial councils' agendas, while the fifth includes support for implementation of big infrastructural projects in e Government.

COVID-19 is the worst global pandemic in 100 years which has affected all countries.  It is having a disastrous socioeconomic impact, especially on poor and vulnerable populations, as well as causing major disruptions to health systems, and essential services more broadly. Therefore, the cost-effective, quality, secure digital platform for COVID immunization system in Serbia was designed and implemented during previous phase. 

UNDP is looking for a highly skilled consultant to assist the Government’s Office for IT and e-Government (ITE) in analysis and development of the upgrade of the digital platform which will support the planning and roll out of flu immunization process in the Republic of Serbia. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work

Within this assignment, the Consultant will, under the guidance of the UNDP Portfolio Manager and Office for It and eGovernment:

1. Design and develop the upgrade of the data base of the eVaccine system to records and track season flu vaccination;

2. Design and development of the frontend i backend of the system for eVaccine to records and track season flu vaccination;

3. Design and development of the control tools for reporting system for the season flu;

4. Redesign of the web services for data exchange with eGovernment portal (Office for IT and eGovernment) for season flu tracking.

ITE/ Ministry of Health will provide the Consultant with the existing data, information and documentation related to the aspects listed above. 

Deliverables and Timelines

All deliverables should be in Serbian language. All deliverables will have to be quality reviewed and approved or accepted by the Portfolio Manager - Competitiveness and Digital Governance in consultations with the Office for IT and e-Government. 

Competencies

• Consistently ensures timeliness and quality of project work;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Evidence of ability to express ideas clearly, to work independently and in teams; 
• Ability to summarize and systematize complex information and identify priorities for follow up activities;
• Shares knowledge and experience;
• Focuses on results and responds positively to feedback;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling ethical standards.

Required Skills and Experience

The Consultant selected to undertake the assignment must fulfil the following minimal requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, IT/ICT or similar fields, or at least 20 years of relevant work experience in ICT industry. Master’s degree would be considered an asset; 
• At least 10 years of professional experience in project management and implementation of the ICT related projects; 
• Involvement in at least 5 projects related to development of the IT in health sector;
• Good knowledge of existing IT system in heath sector in Republic of Serbia;
• Experience in working with international organizations will consider an advantage.

Language requriements:

• Fluency in English and Serbian, both spoken and written.

Application Procedure:

Qualified and interested candidates are asked to submit their applications via UNDP Web site: UNDP in Serbia under section “Jobs” no later than Thursday, 30th September 2021.

Application should include: 

• CV in English language containing date of birth, contact information (home address, phone number, e-mail) and timeline of work experience (including description of duties).  
• Offeror’s Letter (only PDF format will be accepted) confirming Interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) Assignment. Can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.undp.org.rs/download/ic/Confirmation.docx. The Offeror’s Letter shall include financial proposal specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement with a breakdown of costs.
• Cover Letter – explaining why you are the most suitable for the work should be included in the CV.

In order to apply please merge above listed documents into a single PDF file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded.

Any request for clarification must be sent by standard electronic communication to the e-mail vacancy.rs@undp.org. The procuring UNDP entity will respond by standard electronic mail and will send response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

Financial Proposal:

Lump sum contracts

• 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). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

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.

Evaluation

1. Cumulative analysis 

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. 

* Technical Criteria weight; 70%

* Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Additional Information:

• Individual Contract (IC) will be applicable for individual consultants applying in their own capacity.  If the applicant is employed by any legal entity, IC would be issued upon submission of Consent letter from the employer acknowledging the engagement with UNDP. Template of General Conditions on IC could be found on: https://rs.undp.org/content/dam/serbia/downloads/General%20Conditions%20for%20Individual%20Contracts.pdf
• Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) will be applicable for applicants employed by any legal entity. Template of RLA with General Terms and Conditions could be found on: https://www.undp.org.rs/download/RLA%20with%20General%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.doc. In the case of engagement of Civil servants under IC contract modality a no-objection letter should be provided by the Government entity. The ‘no-objection’ letter must also state that the employer formally certifies that their employees are allowed to receive short-term consultancy assignment from another entity without being on “leave-without-pay” status (if applicable), and include any conditions and restrictions on granting such permission, if any. If the previous is not applicable ‘leave-without-pay’ confirmation should be submitted.

Engagement of Government Officials and Employees

• Government Officials or Employees are civil servants of UN Member States.  As such, if they will be engaged by UNDP under an IC which they will be signing in their individual capacity (i.e., engagement is not done through RLA signed by their Government employer), the following conditions must be met prior to the award of contract:

(i)       A “No-objection” letter in respect of the individual is received from the Government employing him/her, and;

(ii)     The individual must provide an official documentation from his/her employer formally certifying his or her status as being on “official leave without pay” for the duration of the IC.

• The above requirements are also applicable to Government-owned and controlled enterprises and well as other semi/partially or fully owned Government entities, whether or not the Government ownership is of majority or minority status.  

UNDP recognizes the possibility that there are situations when the Government entity employing the individual that UNDP wishes to engage is one that allows its employees to receive external short-term consultancy assignments (including but not limited to research institutions, state-owned colleges/universities, etc.), whereby a status of “on-leave-without-pay” is not required.  Under such circumstance, the individual entering into an IC with UNDP must still provide a “No-objection” letter from the Government employing him/her.  The “no objection” letter required under (i) above must also state that the employer formally certifies that their employees are allowed to receive short-term consultancy assignment from another entity without being on “leave-without-pay” status, and include any conditions and restrictions on granting such permission, if any.  The said document may be obtained by, and put on record of, UNDP, in lieu of the document (ii) listed above.