UNICEF OFFICE FOR THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN AREA

Terms of Reference

Long Term Agreement: Support Effective Planning and Management in ECA

  1. Background

The Caribbean generally and Eastern Caribbean in particular have made remarkable progress in-terms of access to basic education for all. However, the education systems are currently confronted with increasing expectations to improve quality at all levels; increase the relevance of education and training programmes for employment and sustainable livelihood in general.

In order to respond to these challenges in a consistent and sustainable manner, education systems need careful planning, programming and budgeting, as well as periodic reviews with the aim to keeping on track and achieving the set educational development goals. Countries have in recent years developed one or more medium-term strategic plans for the education sector, others have policies without plans, and yet in others, we have blueprints going by various names as White Paper, Green Paper, etc. Whereas these efforts reflect their conviction that effective planning contributes towards good governance and can build inclusive and responsible education systems, the extent to which these plans adhered to and reflect the core principles of child centredness, inclusiveness and gender sensitivity is unknown. It cannot also be taken for granted that these plans are well costed. The extent to which these plans inform micro, institutional level is also unknown. What is clear is the constrained planning and management capacities in virtually all units, central ministries as well as at the institutional level.

The UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area’s multi country programme (MCP) 2012 – 2016 has prioritized sustainable capacity for effective planning and management as one of the mechanisms for realizing results for children in line with the regional education strategies, specifically the OECS’s Education Sector Strategy (OESS). Towards this end, the current country programme has an output aimed at strengthening the planning, policy and management capacity of the member countries’ ministries’ of education. The UNICEF ECA Office has been providing this support directly,

While the objective of the regional strategy has been met, the challenge now lies in: translating that strategy to the micro, institutional level; crafting sector plans that are aligned with it; supporting plan monitoring including ensuring that there is a robust performance assessment framework; reviewing education systems to identify issues that impede effective system reforms; costing some of the concluded national sector plans but with weak costing frameworks; embedding sector planning with sound evidence, i.e. the crucial role of data in effective system reforms, monitoring and management; production of regular sector performance reports; among others.

  1. Purpose of Technical Assistance / Consultancies

The purpose of the proposed LTA is to support the OECS and member countries of the MCP to address the pertinent planning and management priorities and specificallyspeed up response to partner needs (countries and the OECS) in the following areas:

a)Analysis of the existing education sector documents, policies, plans, strategies, specific programmesas well as other macroeconomic plans such as the MTDPs, PRSPs, and national Vision statements and other blueprints

b)Review of education systems in compliance with local education acts and other policy blueprints, determining, through sound analysis, the coherence of national, sub-regional and regional, strategies, programmes and interventions taking into account the extent to which they address themselves to similar priorities

c)Estimating the financial cost of implementing the programme components to provide evidence of affordability to national Governments and ensure sustainability; as well as analysis of the costs of providing different education services, and alternatives to maximizing resources

d)Technical support on the education simulation model specifically with regard to populating the model with country data, analysis, projections and preparing policy briefs based on emerging scenarios

e)Micro-level planning and in particular determination of the status of SIPs/SDPs, their coherence with macro level sector plans and MTDPs, implementation, monitoring and reporting

f)Actual development of education sector plans, based on a sound review of the lapsing plans and crafting of implementation schedules including PAFs

g)Liaising with the OECS for cross-cutting imperatives relating to the implementation plan of the OESS as well as its management plan

  1. Scope

It should be noted that assignments, with the expected level of effort, will entail specific tasks per consultancy and is not predefined. As such, the duration, payment schedule and deliverables will generally depend on each specific task. All assignments must adopt a strong equity approach, bringing out the latent and subtle equity issues across regions, countries, systems, socio-economic groups, sex, etc. The following will variously apply in the implementation of any assignment:

  • Present a concept note/inception report on the approach to achieve the objectives. This should include a robust methodology for gathering the information and data required (including any potential travel, where applicable) for the delivery of assignment/outputs
  • Review all relevant UNICEF programme documents prior to commencement of the assignment
  • Review the OESS strategic imperatives and results framework to determine how to strengthen alignment with regional and sub-regional frameworks to facilitate coherence
  • Visit schools for interviews, FGDs (teachers, other staff, students, parents), inspection of records, and classroom observations), discussion with parents, community leaders, policy makers and other education managers including school and classroom observations, depending on the nature of the assignment.
  • Analysis of centre and school level data concerning enrolment, performance patterns, retention and attendance, etc.
  • Prepare relevant training materials, deliver training to wide cross section of target groups including but not limited to chief education officers, planners and statisticians
  • Physical, online and telephone administration of questionnaire for additional data
  • Reviewing secondary data e.g. census reports, education statistical digests, household surveys and MICs data, Country Poverty Assessments; Social Safety Net Assessments; Census Reports;
  • Provide any documentation gathered in the course of the review, including any data analysis template used or raw data as entered and treated in any computer software
  • Produce draft and final reports, power point presentations, case studies, matrices, etc. as per the assignment
  1. Deliverables

The deliverables under each consultancy will generally be specific to each, depending on the output area, countries, time frame and thematic foci.

  1. Duration of contract, Outputs and Delivery dates and details:

The duration of consultancies typically range from a few days to a few months. The specific duration will depend on the nature of assignment.

  1. Qualification or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required:

Typically, the contractors submitting expressions of interest should have the following profile/ skill sets:

An advanced degree in education or social sciences, with practical experience in education planning, policy development and management

  • A good understanding of the education sector as well as policy, gender and children’s issues, including, critically, demonstrable understanding of the OECS Education Sector Strategy (OESS). Familiarity with the work of and prior engagement with the OECS, ministries of educationand schools in the Caribbean would be an asset
  • Minimum five years of relevant experience; experience and evidence of producing high quality reports on time
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships
  • Strong analytical skills and a demonstrable capacity to apply programme design, monitoring and evaluation standards
  • Fluency in English is required (both written and oral) with excellent writing skills and clear evidence of capacity and experience in writing policy documents.
  • High level proficiency in the use of relevant computer software including the MS Office Suite, Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and computer based qualitative analysis software, etc.
  • Statistical skills / ease in the use and interpretation of education and social sector data, including familiarity with and the use of education management information systems (EMIS), costing, preparation of statistical digests, education profiles, simulation models, etc. will be an added advantage
  • Familiarity with education and sector plans preparation, review, monitoring or related analytical work
  • Ability to articulate the application of and use planning and policy analysis tools and methodologies
  1. Official Travel

Not all assignments will entail travel from outside of the Consultant’s home country/station, but where such travel is involved, the Consultant should be able to undertake such directly or in the case of firms/institutions, be able to identify one lead specialist to undertake such travel. The same should apply in the event of group travel. Travel and accommodation costs shall be separate from professional fees.

  1. Payment Schedule

Payments will be phased, with initial mobilization fee on the signing of the contract and the rest of the payment pegged to specific deliverables. In some cases, a one-time lump sum payment option at the end of the contract is provided for.

  1. Conditions of Service

Prior to commencing any contract(s), the Individual Consultant will be required to submit a statement of good health, accompanied by a recent Medical Certificate that indicates that the Consultant is fit for work and travel. In addition, the Consultant is required to certify in the Health Statement that he/she is covered by medical/health insurance. The statement includes confirmation that he/she has been informed of any inoculation required for the country or countries to which travel is authorized. He/she takes full responsibility for the accuracy of the statement.

  1. Recourse

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. Performance indicators against which the satisfactory conclusion of this contract will be assessed include: timeliness/quality of submission and responsiveness to UNICEF and counterpart feedback.

  1. Note to Potential Bidders

Applications should identify the respective areas of experience, expertise or interest, e.g. early childhood development, effective/child friendly schools or education planning and management. Applicants who feel qualified in more than one area must submit equal number of separate applications. Each proposal should be clearly marked and have the respective area of experience, expertise or interest in the subject line.

  1. Property Rights

In all situations, UNICEF shall hold all property rights, such as copyright, patents and registered trademarks, on matter directly related to, or derived from, the work carried out through all contracts with UNICEF.

  1. How to apply

Applications should be submitted with the subject line “Support Effective Planning and Management in ECA, indicate area of interest here” sent by e-mail to with a copy to Carol Ann Wharton () nolater than Close of Business Wednesday,April 01 2015. The application package should include the following:

a)A cover letter

b)For Individual Contractors – a duly completed United Nations Personal History form (P11)

c)A detailed curriculum vitae or, for firms, background of the corporate entity in English

d)A statement of current fee levels. This may include a detail of previous assignments and the fees earned.

Address applications to:

Operations Manager

UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area

UN House

Marine Gardens

Christ Church

BARBADOS

ONLY SUITABLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES / PROPOSALS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED / SHORTLISTED