The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund is a powerful contributor to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including SDG 3 and UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021); through this partnership, UNDP plays a key role in supporting countries facing challenging circumstances to deliver the SDGs, to strengthen institutions to progressively deliver universal access to basic services (Outcome 3) and a return to sustainable development pathways in post conflict and post-disaster settings (Outcome 6). In strategic terms, since 2016 the partnership between UNDP and the Global Fund has been marked by increased convergence among implementation support, capacity development/systems strengthening and policy.

First, UNDP has continued to strengthen its status as a key implementer of Global Fund grants in crisis and early recovery environments. Second, UNDP responded to increasing demand for capacity development from national entities and the Global Fund to strengthen resilient systems for health through a new generation of capacity development plans.  And third, as UNDP’s policy and implementation roles increasingly converge and reinforce each other, UNDP is supporting the Global Fund to increase engagement on human rights, key populations, and gender aspects of disease responses at a strategic, policy and program level (as priority objectives in the Global Fund Strategy, “Investing to End Epidemics” (2017-2022). As of January 2017, UNDP served as the interim Principal Recipient (PR) for 34 Global Fund grants covering 19 countries and 3 regional grants.  Given the importance of the partnership with the Global Fund, UNDP continues to provide high value-added services both in its PR role, increasingly as a significant technical partner to governments, and to civil society organizations (CSOs) who implement Global Fund grants. This is overseen by the BBPS/HHD Global Fund/Health Implementation Support Team (GF/HIST) in close coordination with Country Offices, Regional Bureaus, the Legal Office and the Bureau of Management.

UNDP’s Support to COVID-19 response
COVID-19 is the worst global pandemic in one hundred years, affecting all countries. It is having a disastrous socio-economic impact, especially on poor and vulnerable populations, as well as causing major disruptions to health systems, and essential services more broadly. The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 is now severely threatened.
The world is waiting for the development, regulatory approval, and production of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19, anticipated to be potentially available in 2021. The WHO’s Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is leading global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX, the vaccines pillar of ACT, co-chaired by GAVI, will play a pivotal role as a risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries.  It will require strong regulatory frameworks and reliable supply chains, but also intelligent track-and-trace systems which eLMIS can provide.

The financing of the COVID-19 immunization campaign will be massive. Thus, cost-saving and efficient vaccine distribution systems and strong logistics management information systems have become more important than ever.

Objective:
The objective of this assignment is to support national stakeholders in the planning and the deployment of logistics/ supply chain management strategies, processes and tools for immunization campaigns for covid 19 vaccine delivery. This includes assuring adequate storage capacity and conditions with a reliable cold chain adapted to the vaccines requirements, ensuring stock security, and deploying digital solutions to strengthen in-country supply chains and enable product track and trace capabilities, thereby ensuring visibility of chain of custody, assuring quality and equity, and preventing wastage and diversion.

Under the overall supervision of the GF HIST Senior Health PSM Advisor, the Consultant will provide technical assistance and advice to UNDP Country Offices on the planning of the logistics and supply chain management for the delivery of Covid 19 vaccines and the strengthening of the national Supply Chain (ISC) systems.

The selected consultants are expected to provide consultancy services in a range of levels of responsibilities and functions relevant to the requested tasks. The following is a generic and non-exhaustive list of tasks and functions, however a context-specific Terms of Reference (TORs) will be issued for each assignment.

Upon request and needs, the Consultant will support UNDP Country Offices in contributing to the delivery of Covid 19 vaccines by ensuring adequate supply chain capacity, including implementation of logistics/supply chain planning activities in coordination with Ministries of Health and key stakeholders, including the following activities:

1. Support/manage assessments of country needs and existing SC systems

• Assess and define the needs and readiness of environmentally and socially sustainable national supply chain systems for the COVID-19 vaccination (including technical, operational processes, legal, regulatory and policy environment). The assessment will also include analysis of the existing bottlenecks.
• Map out planned support from UNICEF, other UN agencies, donors, and other partners, in addition to mapping out the relevant stakeholders involved in the vaccine and supply chain delivery and develop required multi-sectoral frameworks.
• Determine potential scope and nature of UNDP support.
• Test and deploy potential new solutions, ensuring national ownership, knowledge transferability, costs, and feasibility.

2. Support to the establishment/functioning of multi-sectoral national COVID vaccine coordination mechanisms.

• Support the coordination of multiple ministries, UN agencies and partners involved in the COVID vaccination campaign beyond the health sector, in particular on the supply chain management operations.
• Support inter-sectoral working groups on specific aspects of the COVID vaccination campaign
• Support the development of new regulations or amendments of existing ones ensuring policy and regulatory coherence, environmental and social sustainability.

3. Support the establishment/functioning of a reliable cold chain for storage and distribution

• Support COVAX demand forecasting to inform cold chain equipment (CCE) capacity requirements, and CCE selection, procurement, installation, and asset management, according to the country’s COVID vaccine delivery strategy, to be in place to ensure the availability, reliability and cost-effective functioning of cold chain equipment, both for vaccine storage and transportation.
• Greening the cold chain including energy efficiency and low-carbon footprint of COVID vaccine distribution systems and cold-chains, by operationalizing greening cold chain principles, Introduction of solar technology for warehousing and cold chains, and efficient procurement planning to maximize use of sea/surface instead of air freight shipments.

4. Support/ manage Integration and upgrading of existing supply chain systems and introduction of digital solutions

• If required, support selection, acwuisition and deployment of digital solutions to prepare and upgrade existing national supply chain systems that will be used for COVID vaccine distribution
• In countries with multiple digital information systems, support for their integration/interoperability to ensure efficient distribution of the COVID vaccines.
• To ensure the buy-in and adoption of the new digital solutions by multiple stakeholders, ensure that the new digital solutions comply with the principles of digital development (https://digitalprinciples.org/) and have technical (inter-operability) capabilities to avoid massive disruption while allow data transferability.
• Support installation and roll-out of new digital supply chain systems, adapted to country-contexts, to ensure that the vaccines are distributed rapidly, efficiently, equitably, and safely to nearly entire populations.
• In countries without adequate supply chain digital information systems in place, support the selection, testing, installation and/or implementation of digital end-to-end distribution systems/platforms.
• Facilitate global Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to secure open-source digital platforms for vaccine track-and-trace systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), ensuring affordable maintenance and technical support annual fees.
• Ensure integration of other required features such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices for remote monitoring and control of the vaccine temperature, humidity, power, and other environmental influences to ensure integrity and safety of the vaccine throughout the supply chain.

5. Institutional and individual Capacity development and technical support to install and manage strengthened, integrated or new digital systems at all levels

• Onboarding of suppliers, shippers, and logistic handlers and other government stakeholders into the digital supply chain systems.
• Procurement and distribution of digital supply chain systems hardware (e.g. mobile and/or remote monitoring devices) at the main data stations to secure the system minimum requirements availability.
• Develop supply chain SOPs, training material, manuals, guidelines, etc.
• Conducting training of trainers and on the job training for frontline vaccination workers, health facility staff and warehouse and other supply chain managers and workers on operational use of the digital supply chain system functionality.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange to help introduce successful solutions and innovations in other countries, and develop capacity of Government officials and health care workers in supply chain management.

6. Digital supply chain solutions project manage and implementation.

• Establishment of a national technical team to provide implementation and project management support.
• Procurement of equipment and services, and vendor management and contracting.
• Support to Monitoring and Evaluation.
• If required, help ensure that data entry is being done regularly from the first to the last mile.
• Help ensure that vaccine stocks are available across all health facilities
• Help ensure that routine immunization vaccines are also being tracked through the system on a regular basis (especially in the cases where COVID may not be part of a regular EPI of health ministries)

Reporting:

The consultant will report to the GF/HIST Senior Health PSM Advisor (Geneva), or to the UNDP Country Office lead for health programs.

Technical Competencies:
• Assessing supply chain systems, including mapping and optimizing business processes that can or will be supported through digital applications. Experience in EVM assessments.
• Ensuring the availability, reliability and cost-effective functioning of cold chain equipment, both for vaccine storage and transportation.
• Advancement in system design optimization tools with the potential to improve vaccine availability, potency and deliver important cost efficiencies that can be channeled back into other supply chain priorities.
• Developing information system requirements and user profiles
• Identifying, selecting, and helping UNDP to acquire appropriate digital technology including software and hardware.
• Supporting project management for digital supply chain system set-up, testing, deployment, and handover, including helping to recruit the project team.
Functional Competencies:
• Strong communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products,

Project and Resource Management:
• Ability to work independently, produce high quality outputs. 

Partnership building and team work:
• Demonstrated flexibility to excel in a multi-cultural environment.
• Provides constructive coaching and feedback.

Communications and Advocacy:
• Strong ability to write clearly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speak clearly and convincingly.
• Strong presentation skills in meetings with the ability to adapt for different audiences.
• Strong capacity to communicate clearly and quickly.
• Strong inter-personal, negotiation and liaison skills

Education, professional qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree in supply chain management, computer science, international development or related field with at least 5 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of relevant experience in health products logistics/supply chain management for immunization programs in developing countries;
• Demonstrated experience in assessing supply chain systems and leading supply chain system strengthening projects
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and reviewing funding proposals for digital supply chain, an advantage.
• three years of supervisory experience or equivalent leadership/management experience;
• Ability to guide strategy development, manage implementation of projects and lead a team;
• Experience work in immunization supply chain management in LMIC settings
• Experience with UN, Other International Agencies and other donor agencies is an asset such as Global Fund as well as National Health Authorities ;
• Experience working with GAVI is an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Knowledge of language (oral and written) in English is required. Knowledge (speak and understand) of other languages such as Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, and Portuguese will be positively assessed.

Procedures for Submission of Applications:

Interested individuals must submit the following documents to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Brief statement explaining the merits of the candidacy (1000 characters or less, to be uploaded directly to the system).
• Filled in Form A “the Application Form together with the P11 ”details of CV” which can be DOWNLOADED from the following link:

 https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=73986

Please fill in the whole Application Form and P11 Form and mention the daily profession fees as applicable. Note that the daily rate specified in the submission will be considered as a ceiling amount / maximum daily rate.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that ONLY ONE FILE CAN BE UPLOADED to the UNDP JOBS SYSTEM. Therefore, please upload THE requested documents as "One File Document" into the system.
The application shall contain and include all information & documentation detailed above and will be evaluated as indicated below.

Step One: Screening:
The received applications shall be screened against the following criteria:

• Master’s degree in supply chain management, computer science, international development or related field with at least 5 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of relevant experience in health products logistics/supply chain management for immunization programs in developing countries; Relevancy of the experience.
• Submission of filled in and signed application Form including the P11 Form.
• Fluency in English.

Only applicants passing the screening stage shall be considered for further evaluation.

Step Two: Evaluation:
The evaluation of each application will be based on a set of selection criteria as listed in the below table and on the basis of the information submitted by each candidate. Only candidates fulfilling the minimum expertise, experience and qualifications required will be considered. Applicants who score 65 or more points will be considered as technically qualified and eligible to be included in the roster. Applicants scoring 75 points or more will be eligible to be considered as “senior experts”.

Applicable Evaluation Criteria:
Education & Professional Qualification : Up to 14 points.
Relevant Experience: Up to 80 points.
Language Requirements: Up to 6 points.

UNDP may conduct an interview round with applicants, prior to issuance of a final recommendation to include the applicant in the roster, for purpose of determining fulfilment of language and competencies related requirements.
A review of the daily fees proposed by technically qualified experts will follow, to determine adherence to maximum allowed UNDP daily fees for experts and senior experts. In cases where daily fees submitted by consultants exceed maximum allowed UNDP daily fees for each band, the consultant will be invited to review his/her quoted daily fee downwards accordingly.
Qualified pre-selected consultants will be notified by UNDP of their inclusion in the resulting roster. Requests for engagement and deployment of experts will be channeled through the roster in the following manner;
1. UNDP Requesting Business Units will develop a set of TORs.
2. Country Office will screen the roster to identify at least 3 consultants that match the ToRs for the corresponding assignment in close collaboration with the Procurement and Supply Management (PSM) Specialist.
3. Matching consultants will be contacted by the Roster Manager and will be asked to confirm interest and availability in the assignment. Matching consultants will also be asked to submit a financial proposal for the specific assignment, including proposed daily fee, travel costs, subsistence allowances, etc.
4. The daily fees proposed by each consultant shall at all times be lower than or equal to the agreed ceiling daily fee.
5. The Requesting Business Unit will give the final confirmation and contact the selected consultant for purpose of establishing an IC contract.

Monitoring and reporting arrangements upon assignment:
• The consultant will be supervised by the GF/HIST Senior Health PSM Advisor (Geneva), or the UNDP Country Office lead for health programs and s/he will report progress on a periodical basis for inputs and guidance.
• The review and approval of payments will be made by the assigned supervisor(s) where the last tranche of payment can be only processed upon issuance of a performance evaluation.

Travel:
When travel is required to be undertaken to a UNDP location for a specific assignment, payment of travel costs including tickets (lowest economy class only), lodging and terminal expenses shall be reimbursed by UNDP. The consultant may work from home and may be requested to travel to Geneva, Copenhagen and Country Offices, whenever required. The latter will be determined based upon a common agreement between UNDP and the Individual consultant. All travel costs will be covered by UNDP according to its rules and regulations.
The fare will always be “most direct, most economical” and any difference in price with the preferred route will be paid for by the expert.

Payment Methods:
Payment will be processed as agreed either as a lumps sum amount based on deliverables or based on the number of days worked.

Other Information:

Security: Individual Consultants must obtain a security clearance to travel to locations in Security Level I or above. Business unit must ensure that this requirement is being adhered to before signature of contract. When travel is required to a country with a designated Security Level 1 or above, the Individual Consultant should also undertake the Basic Security in the Field training and the Advanced Security in the Field training, following the procedure for access by non-staff. When travel to a country with no designated security level is required, only the basic training must be completed. CD-ROMs of the trainings must be made available where access to other forms of technology poses a challenge.
Inoculation/Vaccinations: Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring that they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://trip.dss.un.org
Statement of medical fitness for work: Individual contractors whose assignments require travel and who are over 65 years of age are required, at their own expense, to undergo a full medical examination, including x-rays, and obtain medical clearance from a UN-approved doctor prior to taking up their assignment. This does not apply to individuals engaged through a reimbursable loan agreement. The medial clearance is valid only for 12 months from date of issuance.

ANNEX 1- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS is provided here: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf