Background

Albania has made important steps towards establishing a democratic state, functioning market economy, maintaining a stable economic growth, and achieving human development. Over the recent years the Government has adopted a range of significant strategies and national action plans in regard to delivering social protection reform and boosting social inclusion, and it has built the legal framework of the social protection and social inclusion system with the vision of providing integrated social services at local level capable to ensure the inclusion of all vulnerable groups and persons in Albania. However, poverty in Albania is still high hence there is significant needs for social protection services for specific segments of society, particularly for Roma and Egyptian communities and persons with disabilities, as well as vulnerable women, households with children, older persons, people with intermittent employment, and those living in rural areas and from excluded groups. In order to support improved social services, UN Agencies have engaged in implementing “Leave No-One Behind” Joint Programme, second phase /LNB2 (2021 – 2025). The improvement of social inclusion will be supported by interventions at macro level (central authorities), at meso level (municipalities and civil society organisations) and at micro level, actively involving the target groups into the programme’s implementation.

 The LNB second phase programme goal is: “Vulnerable persons and groups have improved access to gender responsive public services that support their social rights, social inclusion and well-being, and are empowered to have a voice in public policy decision-making affecting their lives, and to hold decision-makers accountable for policy implementation”. In order to achieve this, the programme pursues three objectives:

• to empower beneficiaries in need of measures for their social protection to access and to contribute themselves to their social inclusion;
• to capacitate municipalities/ regions and service providers to provide services and to promote social inclusion;
• to capacitate state authorities in the further development and implementation of policies relevant for social inclusion and to further operationalize/ develop social inclusion funding mechanisms, including scaling up of the Social Fund.

While the programme will cover all of Albania, by empowering vulnerable people and by promoting systemic reform of social service and inclusion provision countrywide, the programme adopts geographic foci to ensure that 30 (of a total of 61) municipalities are suitably capacitated to provide a system of integrated social services to cover the needs of the vulnerable population. The programme will primarily use instruments for capacity building and organizational development. Sustainability of the programme investments and effects and scaling up of successful practices will be a constant concern of the programme.

The Leave No One Behind Joint Programme (second phase) will be implemented through the Delivering as One (DaO) mechanism, within the Government of Albania-UN   Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026, with the joint participation of four UN agencies of UNDP, UNICEF, UNWOMEN and UNFPA and in close partnership with relevant governmental bodies at central and local level.

Duties and Responsibilities

The State Inspectorate of Social Services (part of the State Inspectorate of Labour and Social Service) is a public institution under the authority of the Ministry of Finance. It is in charge of conducting inspections/controls in all public and non-public entities that provide social care services to citizens at local, regional, or national level. The aim is to ensure that the service providers perform in compliance with the relevant adopted service legislation and standards. The responsibilities and tasks of the Inspectorate of Social Services are defined in the Law 121/2016 on the “Social Care Services in the Republic of Albania”.

Currently, this Institution envisages undertaking a reorganization intended to move it under the authority of the Ministry in charge of social protection, as well as to enlarge its structure/organigramme by appointing an inspector in each of the 12 regions (Qarks) across the country. 

Being a central institution, composed of five staff, the Inspectorate conducts inspections, based on pre-established procedures and tools (instruments), which consist of periodic or ad hoc visits to the services providers and examination of their paperwork. At the end of the inspection, they prepare reports with findings and recommendations for the ministry of Health and Social Protection. According to the Mapping of the Social Care Services in Albania (2021), there are 339 public and non-public institutions of different types offering 493 social services, which as per the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 512, dated 12.05.2006, should be inspected at least twice a year. This amount of inspection visits generates a multitude of information and data that once collected, should be stored, processed, reported, and systematically updated.

The State Inspectorate of Social Services is asking for LNB support to assist with expertise regarding the organization and management of their internal data system, considering this a key aspect for a better performance of the Inspectorate itself and, broadly, of the social care service providers.

To provide this technical assistance, the LNB programme is looking for national consultants/experts whose tasks, responsibilities and deliverables are described below.

Scope of work

Under the supervision of the UNDP Programme Coordinator for “Leave No One Behind” and the technical direction and support of the State Inspectorate of Social Services, the consultant/s will support the State Inspectorate of the Social Services in establishing a Data Recording & Storing System, with the purpose of duly processing and reporting data collected from the social care service providers, by carrying out the following tasks:

• Examine the instruments used by the State Social Services Inspection to collect data as part of their functional tasks.
• Examine the data stored so far at the State Social Services Inspectorate with the view to understand the difficulties they face in using and maintaining the dataset. 
• Develop a system of data recording, organization, collation and storing, for internal use and with the purpose to process, report and update the data collected for the services providers duly, quickly, and easily.
• Develop a authorisation access data system (recording and use) with different authorization’s limitations as per the tasks, responsibility and rank of the users at central and regional level.
• Equip the data system with security and safety features and, whenever necessary, suggest the security features that the IT equipment should fulfil.
• Ensure data migration from the existing to the newly developed recording and storing system. 
• Prepare guidelines on how the State Social Services Inspectorate can undertake systematic data collection and storing over time.
• Instruct the inspectors on the use of the newly developed data system, through guidelines and demonstration.
• Provide recommendations on how to upgrade the data system in the future, in order to insert data from the upcoming regional inspectors.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:                                                       Period & Working days

Competencies

Corporate:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values; 
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism

Functional Competencies:

• Strong methodological and management skills, especially on designing data system and managing large data collection systems;
• Good foundation on how data collection systems can be used to inform social policies and programs;
• Strong evaluation skills, both on formative and summative evaluation;
• A good understanding of the Social Protection area.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to pose questions, listen, evaluate and capture opinions, suggestions and comments;
• Strong ability to design and deliver training;
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to deliver training;
• Capacity to deliver as per the deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Postgraduate degree in Information Technology, Statistics or closely related fields of studies;

Relevant Experience:

• Minimum ten years work experience in developing data systems;
• Very good knowledge and understanding of policy issues related to social protection area;
• Experience in providing consultancy services to government institutions or CSOs or international organizations on developing data systems;

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken Albanian and English.

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would consider both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: Professional experience in developing data systems – max points: 30

Criteria B: Educational background – max points: 15

Criteria C: Evidence of very good knowledge and understanding of policy issues related to social protection area – max points: 15

Criteria D: Relevant experience in providing consultancy services – max points: 10

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure 

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. 

The application should contain: 

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability & Detailed Financial Proposal - please fill in the attached form. Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser)
• Example: (kindly refer to the example below when filling out the Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability

[INCORRECT] An all-inclusive daily fee of [state amount in words and in numbers indicating currency]

[CORRECT] (Select Here and elaborate) [X] A total lump sum of [state amount in words and in numbers, indicating exact currency], payable in the manner described in the Terms of Reference.

IMPORTANT: Applicants that possess a NIPT Please Clearly State if your Financial Offer is VAT INCLUDED or VAT EXCLUDED

• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser)

• Financial Proposal in ALL(Albanian Lek)*- Specify a Total Lump Sum in Albanian Lek for the tasks specified in this announcement. The attached template may be used - Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser) Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall consider various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). 

• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 

• Beneficiary contact details (next of kin)
  • Beneficiary's Contact Person's Name:
  • Title (Mr/Mrs/Ms):
  • Address:
  • Telephone:
  • Email:

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application. 

How to Submit the Application: 

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below: 

• Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs). 
• In the P11 Form make sure to include Email Addresses of the Persons who are willing to provide References on your experience in working with them.
• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded. 
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement). 
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;” 
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above). 

• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system. 

Due to large number of applications, we receive, we can inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process. 

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.