Background

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 a founding Cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and guided by the health-related SDGs, responding to HIV is one of the organizations’ priorities. Under the UNAIDS division of labour, UNDP is responsible for leading the UNAIDS response in addressing dimensions of AIDS-related to development, planning and mainstreaming; governance; and human rights, gender and sexual diversity. UNDP is also responsible for providing support to governments in their implementation of policies and programs that protect the human rights of people affected by HIV.

Ukraine has the second-highest HIV prevalence rate in Eastern Europe and accounts for 8 per cent of new infections, 25 per cent of AIDS deaths and 19 per cent of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Ukraine carries a high burden of tuberculosis (the second largest in Europe) and ranks fourth in the world for its multidrug resistant tuberculosis burden. Ukraine’s HIV epidemic remains geographically concentrated with a belt of regions in the south and east disproportionately affected; seven regions, six of which are located in the south and east, account for approximately 50 per cent of the estimated cases but only 31 per cent of the population. In 2016, the highest cumulative number of HIV cases was registered in the following regions and cities: Dnipropetrovsk region – 26,338 (19.8 per cent), Odesa region – 19,731 (14.8 per cent), Donetsk region – 13,305 (10 per cent), Kyiv city – 11,738 (8.8 per cent), Mykolaiv region – 8,381 (6.3 per cent), Kyiv region – 6,453 (4.9 per cent). Altogether they account for 64.6 per cent of all registered cases of HIV in Ukraine. The HIV situation significantly contributes to the TB epidemic in Ukraine.

To address this complicated epidemiological situation, UNDP Ukraine conducted an assessment of Ukraine’s national legal and regulatory framework regarding TB legislation in 2017-2018 years. The primary aim of a legal environment assessment (LEA) is to identify and review TB, HIV, health and any other related laws, regulations and policies and practices to identify which laws, policies and practices are relevant and have an impact in the national response to TB. As the outcome of the national TB LEA, UNDP and Stop TB Partnership developed actionable, evidence-informed and human-rights-based recommendations for an effective TB and HIV response. The set of recommendations was made to strengthen the legal environment, including through law review and reform, programmes to increase awareness of rights and access to legal services and improve law enforcement.

In 2019 UNDP supported the development of the Human Right and Healthy City Action Plan in 2 fast-track cities (Kyiv and Odesa) and Dnipro based on the possibility of Dnipro joining the Fast Track Cities initiative. In September 2020, Dnipro signed the Paris Declaration on the Fast Track Cities initiative (FTCI) and became the third city in Ukraine committing to end AIDS. It is envisaged that ending stigma and discrimination is the key to Ending AIDS, and one of the main requirements of the Fast Track Cities Initiative.

In line with it, UNDP seeks the services of the Local Consultant to support Fast Track City initiative implementation through training needs assessment as well as conducting the trainings for the M&E specialists and other staff involved in the initiative of Dnipro city council .

Duties and Responsibilities

2. MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The main objective of the assignment is to perform training needs assessment and further training of the M&E specialists of Dnipro city council and other staff involved in the initiative.

3. DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES / SCOPE OF WORK

• Review and identify training needs for the M&E specialists of Dnipro city council and other staff involved in the initiative.
• Based on the needs assessment prepare the learning plan, develop necessary training materials and tests to be held before and after trainings to assess the results of sessions.
• Conduct training sessions (up to 4) for personnel of Dnipro city council with special focus on Global Partnership on HIV-related stigma, its national architecture, requirements, and action plan. The expenses for on-line/off-line training sessions arrangements will be covered separately
• During the sessions the Roadmap of implementing Fast Track cities Action Plan and plan for 2021 shall be discussed.
• Coordinate the efforts on planning the human rights activities at the regional/local levels;
• Participate in meetings on FTCI between government, UNDP and UNADIS, etc
• Provide other consultations to the UNDP Ukraine upon request.

4. DELIVERABLES

5. MONITORING/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Work-progress reporting/monitoring meetings will be held with the Consultant on a regular basis. UNDP will be the final authority to control the quality and evaluate the work. No reports or documents should be published or distributed to the third parties without prior approval of the UNDP.  The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Programme Specialist. The consultant will interact with Project Associate and CO staff to receive any clarifications and guidance that may be needed. He/she will also receive all necessary informational and logistical support from UNDP Country Office and the Project. On a day-to-day basis, consultant’s work will be supervised by the Chief Technical Advisor.

The satisfactory completion of each of the deliverables shall be subject to endorsement of the chief Technical Advisor and Programme Specialist.

The Consultant will duly inform UNDP of any problems, issues or delays arising in the course of implementation of assignment and take necessary steps to address them.

All reports and results are to be submitted to the UNDP in electronic form (*.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, and *.pdf or other formats accepted by UNDP).

6. PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payments will be made in 3 tranches according to the following payment schedule:

First payment - upon satisfactory submission of deliverables #1- 20%

Second payment- upon satisfactory submission of deliverables #2- 30%

Third payment- upon satisfactory submission of deliverables #3- 50%

7. MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

The consultant shall be responsible for managing the process of the work implementation, its resources, logistics and expenditures related to the tasks in a timely and accurate manner.

Competencies

• Demonstrate/safeguard ethics and integrity;  
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Act as a team player;
• Encourage and participate in open communication in the team, communicate effectively;
• Create synergies through self-control;
• Manage conflict;
• Informed and transparent decision-making

Required Skills and Experience

8. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

Minimum qualifications and experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Sociology, Social Work, Public Health, Law, Governance or another relevant area.

Experience: 

• At least 2 years of experience working in the sphere of HIV and TB;
• Experience in preparation of training curriculums and materials, preferably in the sphere of public health.

Language skills:

• Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian, English.

9. DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

• Personal CV, including information about previous experience in similar projects/assignments and contact details for referees;
• Financial proposal;
• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;

10. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

 Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount and sums pertinent to specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. 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 one day travel to Kyiv for the participation in the final stakeholder platform).  

Travel

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. 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.

11. EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Advanced university degree in Sociology, Social Work, Public Health, Law or another relevant area - Bachelor`s degree -14pts; Master`s degree – 20pts.);
• At least 2 years of experience working in the sphere of HIV and TB (2 years - 15 pts, 3-4 years 20 pts, 5 and more - 25 pts);
• Experience in preparation of training curriculums and materials, preferably in the sphere of public health (at least 2 examples of training curriculums and materials provided - 10 pts, 3 and more examples - 15 pts);
• Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian, English -- 10 pts

12. EVALUATION METHOD

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract must be made to the incumbent operator whose proposal has been evaluated and defined as:

a) sensitive / appropriate / acceptable, and

b) scored the highest cumulative score from a predetermined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the request.

* Weight of technical criteria: 70%

* Weight of financial criteria: 30%

Only candidates who have scored at least 70% of the maximum available technical score (49 points) will be considered for financial evaluation.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial offer is assigned to the offer with the lowest price and is equal to 30. All other price offers will be evaluated, and points will be assigned to them according to the following formula:

30 points [maximum number of points available for the financial part] x [lowest of all estimated offered prices among the respective offers] / [estimated price].

The proposal that received the total cumulative highest score after adding the points of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered the most suitable proposal and will receive a contract.