Background

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges discussed above built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP). The RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

The RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict. It is based on findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery as well as to the two oblast development strategies up to 2020. It takes into account, the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions (the latest cease-fire having been agreed upon in March of 2018) and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is, therefore, fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF). It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance and Reform Programme, operating nationally and in all of Ukraine’s regions, and is consistent with the SDGs, in particular SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong institutions).

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure

Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform

Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.

The Programme, which operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multi-sectoral programme-based approach and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying interventions framework for 16 projects funded by 10 international partners and is worth about 52 million USD.

In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO and the UNFPA) have countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of the regions. It will contribute to peace building and prevent further escalation of conflict in Ukraine through effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning and equal access to services, as well as enhanced community security and social cohesion.

This endeavour will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives

1. To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralisation and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services.
2. To stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.
3. To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through the promotion of civic initiatives.
4. To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education and critical public infrastructure to mitigate direct impacts of the conflict.

One of the priority of the objective 4 is to enhance local capacity for gender responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services. Regarding health reform, on 19 of October, 2017, Ukraine’s Parliament approved the draft law No. 6327 “On state financial guarantees for the provision of medical services and medicines,” which gave a start to an important and long-awaited health reform in Ukraine. The law introduces changes to the entire financing model of the healthcare system, switching to payments for services provided by individual doctors or medical facilities and replacing the old, input-based financing system (for infrastructure, number of beds etc.). It also aims at the provision of higher quality care for patients, with a stronger emphasis on prevention and primary care, rather than specialized treatment

Duties and Responsibilities

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Considering the aforementioned, the UNDP’s RPP is looking for an Individual National Consultant to provide a situational analysis of existing resources in the health sector of both Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts. This analysis will serve as base-level data for the Health Task Force Group in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts. In Donetsk oblast the assessment shall be limited to two hospital districts selected by UNDP’s RPP as pilots for the project.

The report will focus on assessing the situation of:

1. existing international and national technical assistance;
2. ongoing donor funded projects and technical support programmes;
3. local and national initiatives that have been carried out or are still ongoing in healthcare sector;
4. available public and international resources for collaboration;
5. health services for Ukrainian citizens from the non-government-controlled area (NGCA),
6. the status of the health care system’s reform implementation;
7. shortages/limitations which local implementers are facing in their day-to-day work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Health Governance Specialists in Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts, the National Consultant will be responsible for the following key tasks:

• Develop a workplan for the analysis and an outline of the analysis report with a brief justification for method and tools to be applied;
• Develop questionnaires, survey forms, instructions for interviews, and other forms to be used during the assignment;
• During the analysis it is important to research and describe any already existing projects/programmes, as well as any effective platforms serving for coordination of activities among donors and advise which platforms should be used for the RPP’s health objective, keeping in mind that they shall be serving to enhance effectiveness;
• If any platforms are not identified the consultant should draft scope of works and operational standard/rules for the platform(s).
• Describe the role of oblasts state administrations vision on donors’ activities and their coordinating approach;
• Conduct a field part of the analysis with technical and expert support from Health Governance Specialists;
• Draft the analysis report in Ukrainian and submit to the Health Governance Specialists for review. The draft shall describe the process of analysis, its successes and challenges, bottle necks, lessons learned, etc.
• Update the draft of the report with any alterations provided by Health Governance Specialists and resubmit for approval.
• Submit the final report on the situational analysis to the Health Governance Specialist for approval.

Deliverables and payment for services schedule

In view of the above, the Consultant’s responsibilities will be to provide the following deliverables:

Monitoring/reporting requirements.

The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Programme Coordinator and direct supervision of the Health Governance Specialists in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The Consultant will directly report to the UNDP Specialists on weekly basis and will also report to the Programme Coordinator on a monthly basis through meetings.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

30% - upon submission and approval of the report according to Deliverable 1

50% - upon submission and approval of the report according to Deliverables 2 and 3

20% - upon submission and approval of the report according to Deliverable 4

The payments will be paid out upon the full completion and acceptance of deliverables in accordance with the certificate of payments provided by Health Governance Specialists.

Competencies

• Ability to conduct desk research and analytical work;
• Familiarity with national legislation and the health care structure;
• Delivers outputs in a timely manner;
• Good interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to handle politically sensitive issues and establish partnership with government authorities, local authorities, CSOs and the UNDP;
• Sound judgment and ability to foster a positive work environment;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• Demonstrated strong analytical, coordination and facilitation skills;
• Expertise in office software packages and computer programs

Required Skills and Experience

• At least Specialist/Masters’ degree or national equivalent in health management, medicine, public administration, social sciences or another relevant field;
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in the field of public health policy analysis, policy development and implementation, local or national governance, management of health care, social policy;
• Experience in carrying analytical work, research, drafting legislation, reporting and report writing is required;
• Work experience within government institutions;
• Fluency in Ukrainian, working level of English. Knowledge of Russian will be considered as an advantage.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

 Lump sum contract

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in instalments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based on 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.

The Expert will be responsible for all personal administrative expenses associated with undertaking this assignment, including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copying.

Travel costs

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, the UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel in a higher class, he/she should do so using their own resources. 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 Individual Consultant prior to travel, and will be reimbursed.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Evaluation of Applicants

• At least Specialist/Master’s degree in the fields relevant to health management, medicine, public administration, social sciences, etc. – Specialist/Masters’ degree -7 points, PhD – 10 points;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the field of public health policy analysis, policy development and implementation, local and national governance, management of health care, social policy – 5 years - 12 points, 6-7 years – 15 points, 8-9 years – 18 points, over 9 years –  20 points;
• Experience in carrying out analytical work, research, drafting legislation, reporting and report writing – 2 years – 14 points, 3-4 years – 16 points, 5 and more years - 18 points;
• Work experience within the government institutions – 1 year – 12 points, 2-3 years – 16 points, 4 and more years - 17 points;
• Fluency in Ukrainian and working level of English are crucial. – Ukrainian & English – 4 points, Ukrainian & English & Russian – 5 points.

EVALUATION METHOD

Cumulative analysis

Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score (49 points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

Maximum available technical score - 70 points