Consultancy Opportunity: Development of Minimum Package of Services for Vulnerable Children and Youth in Eastern Africa

The EAC with support from RIATT-ESA  is seeking the services of a consultant to develop a Minimum Package of Services (MPS) for Vulnerable Children and Youth in Eastern Africa and Psychosocial Support Framework - see attached Terms of Reference. If you are interested please submit your CV(s) and expression of interest indicating the capabilities, availability, estimated time and daily rate by Wednesday 23rd March 2016 to proposals@repssi.org

Terms of Reference amd Scope of Work for a Consultancy to Develop the EAC Regional Minimum Package of Services for Vulnerable Children and Youth

1.           INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The East African Community (EAC) is a strategic and geopolitically significant regional intergovernmental organization composed of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. The region has a population of about 145 million people, land area of 1.82 million km² and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of $814. Article 118 of the Treaty for the establishment of the EAC calls for stronger regional cooperation in health and provides for among others, joint actions towards the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and strengthening of sexual and reproductive health and rights and maternal child and adolescent health and HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). These areas are coordinated through five specialized units of the EAC Health Department namely Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition; Health Systems, Research and Policy; HIV & AIDS, Tuberculosis and STI; Medicines and Food Safety and Disease Prevention and Control.

There are several international, continental and regional conventions and policy guidelines on children and youth in general, and in particular those who are orphans and vulnerable, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the African Charter for the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the African Youth Charter, The EAC RHNACH strategy, the EAC HIV and AIDS TB and STI Multisectoral Strategic plan and Implementation framework 2015 -2020, among others.   At national level, most EAC Partner States have national policies on Orphans and Vulnerable Children, National Plans of Action and other supporting national policy instruments for the protection, care and support of orphans and other vulnerable children.  The EAC does not have an equivalent at regional level.

2.0 Justification

The EAC Regional HIV and AIDS, TB and STI multisectoral Strategic plan and implementation framework 2015 – 2020 provides for the development of policies and strategies that promote access to comprehensive services and information for children and youth in the region. The EAC does not have a regional minimum package of services for vulnerable children and youth and yet they make up the biggest percentage of the population. With the foregoing,  there is need to define a Minimum Package of Services which will provide policy and programmatic guidance to the EAC Partner States and other partners in the region on how best to provide such services in a coordinated and interdisciplinary manner.  Psychosocial Support (PSS) is increasingly becoming a priority for Partner States hence the need to develop a regional framework that provides guidance and better understanding of the concept and its relationship to a comprehensive service delivery package for Vulnerable Children and Youth in the EAC region.

To this end, the East African Community Secretariat in collaboration with Regional International Interagency Task Team on Children and AIDs in Eastern and Southern Africa (RIATT-ESA) is seeking the services of a consultant to develop a Minimum Package of Services for Vulnerable Children and Youth (VCY) in the EAC Region. The consultant will use existing documents including the SADC Minimum Package of Services for Orphans and Vulnerable children and to other national documents as reference documents.

3.0   PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a Minimum Package of Services for Vulnerable Children and Youth (VCY) and a PSS Framework in the EAC Region.

Specifically, the consultant will:

1. Review the SADC Minimum Package of Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Youth for better understanding and clarity of the expected deliverables.

1. Conduct a review of the existing national Minimum Package of Services for VCY including Psychosocial Support, which are being implemented by the EAC Partner States;

1. Develop an EAC Minimum Package of Services for vulnerable children and regional PSS Conceptual framework for use by EAC Member States and all stakeholders.

 4.0 Scope

With regards to the situation assessment and analysis, the consultancy will provide an overview of the context of VCY service delivery including psychosocial support interventions in the EAC region to inform both the

The regional Minimum Package of Services and the PSS conceptual framework through, among others;

• a literature review
• field assessments in the EAC Partner States, and
• rapid country consultations in the Partner States and/or review of existing national documents.
   

In defining the Minimum Package of Services and the PSS framework, the Consultancy will, among others:

a)    Provide the rationale for providing a minimum package of services to VCY;

b)   Identify key elements for inclusion in a minimumpackage of services for VCY;

c)    Outline the continuum of services within the minimum package of services for VCY, emphasizing interrelatedness of the services;

d)   Recommend structures, processes and responsibilities for integrated service delivery;

e)    Outline a monitoring and evaluation process;

f)     Identify capacities and systems required for providing the Minimum Package of Services such as but not limited to legal and normative framework, human and financial resources,  management coordination and referral mechanisms; and

g)    Recommend a knowledge management strategy for the minimum package as well as for the conceptual framework for psychosocial support.

5.0 METHODOLOGY AND TIMEFRAME

1. The Consultant is expected to conduct a literature and desk review (leading into an inception report), and thereafter undertake fieldwork through focus group discussions and individual key informant interviews.
2. Draft documents on the situation analysis, the conceptual framework for psychosocial support, and the Minimum Package of Services for VCY will be reviewed and finalized by Member States and stakeholders during a regional forum consultative forum.
3. The consultants should take into account that Psychosocial Support priorities of the Minimum Package will be informed by the PSS conceptual framework.

1. Logistical Arrangements and Indicative Time Frame
2. Travel is expected to EAC Member States during the period of this consultancy and interviews are expected to be conducted with key informants from regional organizations and other stakeholders.

 6.0       Expected Deliverables ­­­­­­­­

 i)     Inception report to the EAC Secretariat clearly outlining the methodology to be used

ii)   A detailed report on the existing Minimum Package of Services for VCY including Psychosocial Support in the EAC region, which are being implemented by the Partner States;

iii)  A Minimum Package of Services for VCY and PSS conceptual framework for use by EAC Partner States and all stakeholders in the region.

iv)  Submission of an electronic PDF, word, and power point presentation of a regional Minimum Package of Services for VCY for EAC Partner States.

7.0       Duration of the assignment

The maximum number of days allowable for this consultancy shall not exceed ty twenty five (25) consultancy days that will be spread over two months.  The Assignment must be finalized on or before 31 May 2016. The consultant must be ready to start work immediately upon appointment.

Specifically the following mile stones are important and will be followed:

i)     Inception report: one week from signing of the contract

ii)   Draft report: three weeks from submitting the inception report

iii)  Validation work shop: one week after submitting the draft report

iv)  Final report : one week after the validation workshop

8.0       Indicative Timeframe:

a.    Submission of Inception report to Technical Working Group one week from signing of or issue ofthe contract;

b.   First draft of the situation analysis on interventions on the provision of minimum package of services including psychosocial support for OVCY submitted by mid-April 2016

c.    First draft of the conceptual framework for psychosocial support and the minimum package of services document by early May 2016

d.   Facilitate at the regional stakeholder consultative forum  by End May 2016

i.      Share and validate situation analysis  report;

ii.   Facilitate review of the draft conceptual framework for psychosocial support.

iii.  Facilitate review of draft minimum package document.

e.    Incorporating stakeholder input and comments and finalizing the situation analysis report, the conceptual framework for psychosocial support and the minimum package documents by end May 2016.

9.0       MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND CONDUCT OF WORK

             i.        Consultants will report to the Secretary general of the East African Communitythrough the Principal HIV and AIDS Officer,  

           ii.        The EAC Technical Working Group on HIV and AIDS, TB and STIs, will meet with consultants to review and approve quality of work at intervals as it will deem necessary.

          iii.        The consultant will be expected to work from own offices using own facilities.

 10.0    COMPETENCIES OF CONSULTANTS

 The consultant should have proven and demonstrated consultancy experience of not less than six (6) years.

             i.        Master’s degree in a relevant field with proven and demonstrated consultancy experience of not less than five years,

           ii.        Previous experience in conducting similar assignments in developing packages and frameworks for projects and programmes, and developing health sector Strategic plans;

          iii.        Understanding of HIV and AIDS landscape in the Region

          iv.        A good understanding on current issues related to vulnerable children and youths;

            v.        Demonstrate excellent research and practical experience particularly in the area of psychosocial support, HIV and AIDS, orphans, vulnerable children and youth and social welfare systems;

          vi.        Excellent analytical and writing skills; and

         vii.        Previous experience working with   EAC, UN Agencies, donors, Civil Society Organizations, Private sectorand other stakeholders will be an added advantage

       viii.        Sound understanding of development challenges and priorities in the EAC region; and

          ix.        Fluency and proficiency in written and spoken English. Competencies in French will be an added advantage

11.0    Response to call for Proposal

Interested consultants should submit a technical and financial proposal not exceeding 15 pages outlining the following:

i)     An understanding and interpretation of the Terms of Reference

ii)   Methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment

iii)  Time and activity schedule

iv)  Budget including consultant’s daily rate in US$ and indicating travel costs

v)    Application and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CVs)

12.0    How to apply

 Qualified and interested persons should submit their applications to the following address: Deadline is 23 March 2016.

  The Programme Manager

Regional Interagency Task Team on Children and AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa (RIATT-ESA)

Email: proposals@repssi.org