Background

Myanmar is at a historic stage in its development. A new Constitution was adopted in May 2008 and elections were held in November 2010 with bi-elections in April 2012. Parliament and governments have been formed at the national and region/state levels. Parliamentary Elections took place in the fourth quarter of 2015. A number of reforms have already been undertaken focusing on good governance, human rights, socio-economic development and reaching cease-fire agreements in a number of conflict areas. Myanmar’s vision is to become a modern, developed and democratic nation by 2030.

However, the lack of reliable, up-to-date and sufficiently disaggregated data continues to be a major source of concern for government and development partners, as is the case in many other Least Developed Countries. In addition, there is little experience and few established processes for using the available data to feed into policy-making.  In order to address this, the Government of Myanmar has initiated efforts to strengthen the collection and use of statistics. Key initiatives include the elaboration of the new Statistics Law (draft) and the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS).

One of the key hindrances of statistical development in Myanmar has been identified as the lack of systematic and continuous professional training for government statisticians. To address this, the revised statistics law (draft) assigns the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) the responsibility to “conduct […] training activities to improve the conduct of censuses, surveys and other data collection activities” and to “upgrade statistical skills and competencies of staff engaged in statistical activities across the National Statistical System of Myanmar”. Likewise, the NSDS prescribes the following operational target: “training needs assessment conducted and training program for government statisticians developed”.

In delivering to this mandate, CSO is in the process of setting up a statistical training institute, which will provide formal training to statisticians across the National Statistical System (i.e. not only for CSO staff). The physical premises for this new institute have already been completed. Moreover, CSO and UNDP jointly conducted a training needs assessment and developed a training curriculum for the institute in the first half of 2017. According to this curriculum, a total of 27 course modules will be offered at the institute, structured into three levels (level 1 contains 12 modules, level 2 contains 9 modules, level 3 contains 7 modules). In addition, one extra-curricular course module will be offered for users of statistics (i.e. non-statisticians). The full tentative list of modules of the curriculum is presented in Annex B of this TOR, and the full curriculum report will be shared with the successful candidate upon contract signature.

The first phase of setting up the new institute will focus on developing the training material and training the institute’s trainers on the 12 modules of level 1 of the curriculum, as well as the one extra-curricular course for non-statisticians.

Against this background, UNDP Myanmar is seeking to engage international experts with extensive experience of designing statistical training modules and subsequently training trainers on their delivery. A key focus both in delivering this assignment and in selecting the consultant will be on applied training approaches that are relevant in the professional context of a National Statistical System (as opposed to theoretical or purely academic training).

This current TOR is for the development of the training module and training of trainers for two of the modules of level 1 of the curriculum, tentatively titled “L1M01 The National Statistical System, my organization and me” and “L1M11 Communicating with users of statistics”.[1]

Objectives of the Assignment
Key objectives of the assignment are to develop the above-mentioned training module for the new statistical training institute of Myanmar’s Central Statistical Organization, and to train the institute’s trainers on its delivery. This will contribute to the strengthening of the National Statistical System, which ultimately furthers democratic governance and strengthens democratic institutions.

[1] It should be noted that winning this assignment neither implies nor precludes any follow-up engagement for developing other modules of the curriculum.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and anticipated outputs

The international consultant will be required to carry out the tasks listed below:

1. Review the excerpt from the overall training curriculum presented in Annex A of this TOR which provides an indicative outline of the module(s) to be developed, and submit a brief concept note for the module(s) (approx. 2-3 pages) that builds and expands on this. This concept note should present overall approach, contents, methods of instruction, course schedule/agenda, logistical requirements (e.g. computers), etc. In addition, it should outline how the training-of-trainers will be conducted for this module, to ensure the institute’s trainers will eventually be able to deliver the module independently and competently.

(NB: The concept note may propose to deviate to some degree from the indicative outline in Annex A, provided there is a strong rationale. All training should take a modern approach to teaching, including: emphasizing practical work over formulaic calculations; focusing attention on interpretation of results rather than arithmetic computations; working with data sets and problems that are closer to real data; strong links with actual tasks so that the training leads to improved practices in the workplace; making use of computers for training.)

      2. Upon approval of the concept note, develop and submit all draft training materials for the module(s) itself, as well as additional 

           material required for the training-of-trainers.

         (NB: Special attention should be given to the fact that this training material needs to facilitate replicable trainings even in low-capacity  environments. Training material must be concise, clear, and visually attractive, and should employ interactive and engaging training methods. Focus must be on concrete and applicable techniques rather than generic/abstract concepts. Plentiful use of real-world examples is essential, encouraging as much as possible the participants to bring practical examples from their day-to-day work for discussion in the training. Material is to include at least the following (more material is strongly encouraged, as required e.g. for games,case studies, group work exercises, etc.):

     a. Trainer manual

     b.  Training presentation

     c.  Participant handout

     d.  Assessment[1]

    3.    Spend a few days in country discussing the course contents with the future trainers as well as a sample of potential participants, 

          understand their work modality and professional practices, and level of current skills. Adjust the draft training materials to the Myanmar

          context based on these.

    4.   Conduct the training-of-trainers (anticipated number of institute trainers participating in this is approx. 3-6). This should include sessions 

        where the future trainers can pilot and apply their newly acquired skills among themselves and to a sample of potential trainees.

(NB: The eventual course will be delivered by the institute’s trainers entirely in Myanmar language, and UNDP will arrange translation of all training materials. The training-of-trainers will be conducted by the consultant in English with a consecutive interpreter, also facilitated by UNDP)

     5.     Monitor, evaluate and support a full delivery of the module to end users by the institute’s trainers.

     6.     Make final adjustments to the training material based on the lessons learnt from the above activities, and submit final training materials.

      7.      Throughout the duration of the assignment, cooperate and liaise with CSO and maintain excellent working relations with this institution.

      8.      Deliver a brief “lessons learned” report (max. 3 pages, following the UNDP template).

NB: While development of module L1M11 requires only limited knowledge of Myanmar’s National Statistical System, development of module L1M01 will require some in-depth understanding. Hence, for the development of the latter, relevant inputs and briefings will be provided by UNDP’s Statistics Specialist, Statistics Advisor and Statistics Officer.

Also, beyond the regular reporting and review arrangements described in section E below, the draft course material may also be reviewed by other stakeholders and/or partners cooperating in the overall setting-up of the training institute.

[1] It is envisaged that the module will be assessed and that successful trainees will be awarded a certificate, hence development of training materials must include development of the final (or multiple) assessments. It is recommended that the assessment is a mix of course work and examination, with a requirement for successful performance in both components of the assessment.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following output:

*A total of one trip to Myanmar is anticipated for this assignment, as outlined in the table above.

* All travel costs related to this assignment should be included and clearly described in the applicant’s financial proposal: international economy-class airfares to and from NPT, not to exceed UNDP reference airfare for most economical option on travelled route; living allowance per night spent in Myanmar, not to exceed UNDP’s Daily Subsistence Allowance rate for this location (NB: as per the above table, 29 working days and thereby approx. 41 nights in-country are anticipated for this assignment); terminal expenses, not to exceed USD 150 in total.

*For trips shorter than 4 weeks, UNDP will facilitate a free on-arrival visa for the consultant. For trips longer than 4 weeks, UNDP will facilitate visas for the consultant, which are free of charge but need to be picked up at the nearest Myanmar embassy. If any costs are expected for this, they should be included in the financial proposal.

*UNDP will provide administrative and logistical support, including translators and interpreters as required.

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report to the UNDP Statistics Specialist directly.

Duration of the Assignment

November 29 – February 14 (47 days)

Duty Station

Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar) and home-based

Selection Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis of the technical evaluation (weight: 70%) and financial criteria (weight: 30%). Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points from the technical evaluation would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Annex A: Indicative outline of relevant module in training curriculum

The below excerpt from the training curriculum provides an indication of the contents of the course module that is to be developed under this assignment. However, the eventual course contents may deviate to some degree from the below, based on discussions between the consultant and UNDP in conducting this assignment.

L1.M1 The National Statistical System, my organisation and me (approximate duration: 3 days)

This module provides an overview of the National Statistical System (NSS) in Myanmar, its components and objectives.

At the end of the module, trainees will be able to:

• Explain the statistical law(s), the NSDS and the principles of official statistics
• Explain the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the ASEAN Community Statistical System Code of Practice
• Explain how statistics are used in the process of decision making
• Explain the setup of Myanmar’s NSS, the difference between a centralized and decentralized NSS (and the implications of both systems), and coordination/harmonization mechanisms
• Explain the concept and importance of statistical standards, and name the major statistical classifications
• Explain the role of their institution within the NSS, what statistics it generates and where they are published
• Explain how their own work contributes to the process of generation of statistics in the country
• Explain the differences between methods used for collecting data in official statistics including: surveys, census and administrative data
• Explain the main dimensions of quality in the publication of statistics.
• Explain basic ethical considerations relevant to official statistics

L1.M11 Communicating with users of statistics (approximate duration: 3 days)

This module is aimed at informing trainees about how the NSS communicates with the users of the statistics it produces. It will make them aware of where statistics are available and how they can be accessed. It also provides general guidance about good publication and dissemination of statistics and how to communicate uncertainty.

At the end of the module, trainees will be able to:

• Explain the process for publishing statistical results in Myanmar and in their own department or unit.
• Be aware of international standards and follow institutional policies with respect to responsibility, presentation and commentary, accessibility, pre-release access and publication of statistical products
• Explain the process of revision and correction of errors of published statistics and apply them according to their department policies.
• Explain where those statistics are published and how they can be accessed
• Describe international good practice for the publication and dissemination of statistics
• Use appropriate language when describing statistics to users of statistics, in particular in relation to explaining variability and uncertainty: variability in data, precision of an estimate, data distributions and their summaries.
• Produce tables, graphs, maps and infographics that follow good practice guidelines
• Choose appropriate data visualisation products depending on the audience, the topic, the media used and the technology available.
• Understand the importance of good practice and institutional policies to maintain professional standards and the reputation of the NSS.

Annex B: Indicative modules of full training curriculum

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards and acts in accordance with the Standards of
• Conduct for international civil servants;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

• Good knowledge of the natural resource management particularly lake and watershed management, the concept of sustainability and sustainable development in the region and developing countries;
• Ability to quickly grasp and synthesize inputs from a range of disciplines related to sustainable financial mechanism for environmental conservation;
• Ability to advocate and provide technical advice on the relevant sector/theme;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision;
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office;
• Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, respectful and helpful relations with all UN/UNDP staff;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in the field of statistics, economics, mathematics, education, or other relevant field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience in the field of capacity building in official statistics (essential).
• At least 3 years’ experience of developing statistical training modules and training materials, and training of trainers (essential).
• Record of state-of-the-art and applied training approaches that are relevant in the professional context of a National Statistical System (essential) – applicants are requested to submit a sample of a relevant past course they developed
• Prior experience of working in Myanmar, South-East Asia or another Least Developed Country (desirable).
• Fluency in English language.

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

Annexes – Please visit  http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=42538
Template for Letter of Interest and Availability

Financial Proposal Template
Terms of Reference

P-11