Historique

KRG launched the Social Protection Strategic Framework (SPSF), on September 21, 2016, and developed it with support from the World Bank. The KRG SPSF covers three main pillars of social protection: Social Safety Nets, Pensions and Social Insurance, and Labor Market Policies and Programs. It was formally endorsed by the KRG Council of Ministers in October 2016. The KRG SPSF is integral to the Economic Reform Roadmap developed by KRG with support from the World Bank as well as the KRG Vision 2020 plan. KRG’s stated intention for the SPSF is “to improve living conditions of the poor, address the causes of poverty and foster upward mobility… [and] redesigning our programs so that by 2020, assistance is targeted to those in need and creates economic opportunities for all.”

However, the ambitions laid out in the SPSF require detailed technical assistance to move forward, as the current state of social programs in KRG requires improvements in efficiency and targeting the most needy. A primary concern is that currently, KRG Social Safety Nets (SSNs) provide cash transfers on the basis of broad social categories instead of more effective targeting mechanisms to determine eligibility. For example, these categories included Orphans, Widowed Women, and Married Students. Monthly transfers are made to those individuals beneficiaries registered with the KRG Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) in these and other categories. However, this may sometimes allow certain beneficiaries to receive financial support from the government even if not in financial need. A recent study determined that only 25 percent of beneficiaries are actually in the lowest, poorest quintile of the KRG population, while 75 percent of beneficiaries are distributed in the four richer quintiles.

To better enable the poor to benefit from this program, a new targeting mechanism is required. The KRG economy is largely a cash-based system, which makes it difficult to effectively measure the income of households or to understand their means. Without an effective way to measure household means, it is difficult to verify the eligibility of households applying for SSN funds. A more effective targeting mechanism for the KRG region is Proxy-Means Testing (PMT), which focuses on expenditure rather than income by focusing on certain indicators that measure how much households are spending. Following a 2017 “Poverty Targeting” Pilot Program conducted by KRG, World Bank (WB) and UNDP FFER-KRG, the value of this approach was made clear. KRG has chosen to adopt WB recommendations to reform the Social Safety Net through the implementation of a Poverty Targeting mechanism, and verification of beneficiaries through PMT.

The next phase of work required is intended to follow through on the achievements and findings of the pilot program:

• MOLSA SSN Regulations must be revised – MOLSA has a committee in place tasked with revising regulations pertinent to this issue. This committee will need technical support to accomplish this. Two key steps must be taken:
  • The KRG SSN Regulation issued by the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy (Regulation 24 of 2011) must be revised to stipulate poverty as the criteria for eligibility for cash transfers, thus establishing Poverty Targeting as the mechanism to establish eligibility.
  • Adopt PMT mechanism to as the verification process for establishing applicant eligibility for SSN.
• PMT indicators and approach needs to be refined for KRG – the indicators used for the PMT approach in the pilot program will need to be thoroughly reviewed and if necessary, other possible proxies for expenditures and means will be added. It is critical to have a reliable mechanism to better verify the means of household applicants, to ensure that only needy applicants (i.e. poor households) receive social support. A thorough PMT process and a relevant set of indicators must be created.
• SSN and related database and application materials/procedures needs overhaul – The pilot program revealed inefficiencies in the SSN overall. It first recommended the creation of an all-new database to store information on SSN beneficiaries, screening processes, PMT instruments and data analysis. It also recommended that KRG resets the SSN and asks all households to apply for the new Poverty Targeting program, including existing beneficiaries (those previously identified based on categorical targeting). This will help better ensure that only the poor receive SSN benefits.
• MOLSA Social Workers will require training – Most current MOLSA Social Workers (SWs) will require training on numerous areas. A program must be developed that can train them on poverty targeting, the PMT mechanism, and on the principles of targeting to ensure uniformity in the PMT testing approach; on use of the new questionnaires that will be developed and the new screening procedures for applications; on SW roles given the reformed SSN approach; and on the interpretation of knowledge and data.
• Administrative and Communications follow-through – KRG will need to allocate budget to launch the new Social Safety Net, and it must also communicate throughout the KRG region the new SSN program, and its eligibility criteria (based on poverty targeting and PMT) and request households meeting those eligibility criteria to apply through submitting the new application and supporting documents.

UNDP FFER-KRG has already signed contract with Senior Social Protection Specialist to support KRG MOLSA with the development of Social Safety Net regulation, Processes and Procedure. Concerning third recommendation to develop a new Social Protection Management Information System (SP-MIS), UNDP FFER-KRG is recruiting a Management Information System Consultant to provide expertise on Management Information System MIS and develop an initial set of technical specifications and TOR for the reformed KRG Social Safety Net program. The Management Information System Consultant need to coordinate with UNDP FFER-KRG Senior Social Protection Specialist to ensure that the system meets all the requirement. 

Devoirs et responsabilités

The Management Information System Consultant will work under the direction of the UNDP FFER-KRG Project manager to identify best in class approaches for developing a SP-MIS, work with local officials to determine optimal technical specifications for the MIS, and finally develop a comprehensive TOR for the system. A detailed breakdown follows:

1. Desk Review
   1. Conduct desk review of KRG SP issues and challenges to date – To understand the needs of the forthcoming SP-MIS, the Consultant shall thoroughly review relevant documentation to gain a clear understanding of what challenges face SP systems in KRG.
   2. Conduct Desk Review of all available reports – To understand KRG’s Social Safety Net, the consultant shall thoroughly review UNDP FFER-KRG Social Protection Specialist’s Desk Review Report, draft Social Safety Net regulation, Process and Procedures as well as KRG Social Protection strategic Framework.
   3. Conduct desk review of other SP-MIS Systems – the incumbent shall review existing SP-MIS systems to ensure that the one developed for KRG includes the most relevant and effective tools for the KRG’s objectives for its social protection system. If the consultant already is knowledgeable about existing such systems and can present this information, this will be of value in the recruiting process.
   4. Outline ideal features to include in KRG SP-MIS – the incumbent shall prepare a report outlining the key features in other SP-MIS systems globally that will be of value to the KRG SP-MIS, and why these features are relevant in the KRG context. For this, the incumbent must become familiar with the KRG SPSF, and efforts to date to modernize the SP system.
2. Consultation meetings with relevant KRG officials – The incumbent will share findings from the desk review with relevant KRG officials if clarity is still required (following the desk review) on what features and details the KRG desires in its SP-MIS. This consultative exercise shall include but is not limited to the following results:
   1. Understanding the key objectives of the KRG SPSF
   2. Understanding on challenges thus far with KRG’s current system for managing SP information (if in-person consultations yield clearer information on challenges than the written documentation reviewed in the desk review, or if any further clarity is needed).
   3. Understanding what features KRG wants and needs in its SP MIS, based on these challenges.
3. Develop TOR with Comprehensive SP-MIS Specifications – the incumbent shall prepare a comprehensive set of technical specifications for the SP-MIS.  This shall include support to developing an RFQ for UNDP to then advertise this project.

Compétences

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to engage in substantive technical discussion with stakeholders
• High analytical skills oriented towards problem-solving
• Leadership and self-management
• A focus on results and a willingness to accept critique/feedback from supervisors
• An energetic approach to work with a positive attitude
• An openness to new approaches for managing work complexity and unexpected issues
• Team spirit and excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to model the UN's values and ethical standards, and to promote UNDP’s and the UN’s vision, mission, and strategic goals
• Sensitivity and adaptability to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age.

Qualifications et expériences requises

The Management Information System Consultant will require the following qualifications, experience, competencies and language skills. Only applicants who meet these criteria will be short-listed and will be contacted:

Education and Professional Qualifications Required:

• Master’s Degree in Information Technology, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a relevant computers-related field.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Minimum of 7 years extensive experience in Information System Management and Software development
• Experience with conducting assessment studies related to software development
• Strong knowledge of networking, cybersecurity and artistic database skills
• Strong skills in analysis, critical thinking, problem solving and reporting

Languages Required:

• Fluent in English, written and spoken
• Fluent in Kurdish, written and spoken

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The application should contain below mandatory documents:

• The technical proposal should also contain personal CV (Mandatory) , indicating education background/professional qualifications, all experience, furthermore, providing duly filled the form of  Letter of Confirming Interest and Availability (Mandatory) whereby includes financial Proposal (Mandatory) that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per deliverables mentioned in this TOR, in addition to  the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

The detailed terms of reference and the Letter of Confirming Interest and Availability form are available in the following link with mentioned Job Title above  : https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=72450

Please note you can upload only one document in the online application, therefore combine the CV, and the Letter of Confirmation and Availability as one pdf and upload it accordingly.moreover, please note that failure to submit required mandatory documents by UNDP will lead to rejection of your offer.