International consultant to develop a procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines for microdata dissemination (Belarus, Minsk) – req#574572

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Consultancy Title: International consultant to develop a procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines for microdata dissemination (Belarus, Minsk)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Monitoring & Evaluation section, UNICEF Belarus CO

Duration: September 2024 – March 2025 (about 7 months)

Home/ office Based: Remote, with two visits to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk) in line with agreed schedule

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The United Nations Children’s Fund in Belarus (UNICEF) partners with the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belstat) to develop a procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination in the framework of the joint project of international technical assistance “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of the Sustainable Development Goals” (Project).

Belstat is a republican governmental agency in the area of the state statistics which manages, regulates and coordinates activities of other governmental agencies and organizations in this area. The major goal of Belstat is to meet the needs of the society, the government and the international community in high quality official statistics.

Belstat is interested to develop a procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination as part of its activities to enhance the national statistics and extend access of the public and the state to quality statistical data. UNICEF supports Belstat’s efforts in the framework of the Project aimed to enhance monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals in Belarus.

Scope of Work:

UNICEF in partnership with Belstat is looking for an international consultant to develop a procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination in line with the priorities of the development of the national statistics, requirements of the national legislation, international recommendations, and best international practices. The documents to be developed should include the following:

1. Requirements to the microdata structure
2. Guidelines on microdata dissemination including definition of user categories, procedure of requesting data and providing access to it to users
3. Criteria of microdata sufficiency (set of data to be included in a microfile to have analytical value) for providing to external users
4. Procedure for structuring microfiles, including structure and format of a microfile, metadata, data format, etc.
5. Recommendations on protection and ensuring confidentiality of data
6. Recommendations on developing/enhancing software on structuring microfiles;
7. Other recommendations identified in consultations with Belstat and in line with best international practices.

The international consultant will also conduct two trainings for Belstat on approaches to work with microdata.

The first training will be conducted at the start of delivering services to ensure Belstat’s specialists are better aware of the modern approaches to structuring and disseminating microdata and to better identify Belstat’s needs to be addressed by the procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination to be developed under the contract. Content and scope of the training will be identified by the international consultant in cooperation with Belstat and UNICEF. The training is to be conducted along with consultations with Belstat during the visit (at least three days) of the international consultant to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk).

The second training will be conducted at the final stage of delivering the requested services to train Belstat’s specialists in applying the developed procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination along with discussing the remaining questions/challenges and providing recommendations. The training is to be conducted along with consultations with Belstat during the visit (at least three days) of the international consultant to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk).

The final dates of the visits to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk) are to be agreed by the international consultant, Belstat and UNICEF when signing the contract with the selected candidate.

UNICEF and Belstat can attract a national consultant on legal issues of protection and ensuring confidentiality of data to work jointly with the international consultant to complete respective sections of the documents to be developed if necessary.

Supervision of the consultancy and coordination of parties:

Requested services to develop the procedure for structuring microdata and guidelines on microdata dissemination will be delivered in close cooperation with Belstat and UNICEF including regular consultations and approval of completed and planned deliverables at each stage of the implementation. Belstat will provide the international consultant all necessary information to deliver requested services. Belstat will also participate in expert consultations and exchange of experience in line with the schedule to be agreed by the parties for tailoring tasks, discussing proposed approaches and ensuring appropriate consideration of specifics and requirements to managing state statistics in the Republic of Belarus. Belstat will assign a focal point for coordinating the service delivery with the Provider and UNICEF.

The UNICEF Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will be the contract manager and major focal point responsible for coordinating the performance of the tasks, providing necessary documents, arranging consultations and other steps necessary to complete planned deliverables.

Deliverables completed under the consultancy are to be approved by Belstat and UNICEF.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables / Delivery Deadline:

Work Assignment Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery deadline

Signing the contract and initial briefing with Belstat and UNICEF

• Contract is signed
• Initial briefing with Belstat and UNICEF to clarify any questions and plan of service delivery is conducted

16-24 September 2024

Conducting initial research and preparing draft detailed Plan of delivering services

• Initial research to assess the needs, opportunities and priorities of Belstat in the area of microdata structuring and dissemination is conducted, including consultations with Belstat and desk review of provided documents
• The draft detailed Plan of delivering services (Plan) is developed based on conducted research
• The draft Plan is submitted for Belstat and UNICEF review and approval

25 September -14 October 2024

The draft Plan is finalized in line with comments and approved by Belstat and UNICEF

• The final Plan is approved by Belstat and UNICEF

15-24 October 2024

Preparing and conducting the first training for Belstat on the modern approaches to structuring and disseminating microdata and to better identify Belstat’s needs

• The agenda and dates of the training are developed and approved by Belstat and UNICEF
• The training and consultations with Belstat are conducted during the visit of the international consultant to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk)
• The results of the training and consultations are used to inform the development of the procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination

15-29 October 2024

Developing the procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination in close cooperation with Belstat

• Regular consultations with Belstat to receive necessary information and comments when developing the procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination are conducted
• The draft procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination are developed and submitted to Belstat and UNICEF for review

30 October 2024 – 15 January 2025

Preparing and conducting the second training for Belstat on applying the developed procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination and additional consultations with Belstat

• The agenda and dates of the training and consultations are developed and approved by Belstat and UNICEF
• The training and consultations with Belstat are conducted during the visit of the international consultant to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk)
• The results of the training and consultations are used to finalize the final procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination

15-31 January 2025

Finalizing and approving the draft procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination

• The draft procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination are finalized in line with recommendations and comments provided by Belstat and UNICEF and submitted for the final approval

3-7 February 2025

Updating the developed procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination to include the final changes and edits

• Final comments and edits provided by Belstat and UNICEF as part of the final approval process are included in the final procedure for structuring microdata and draft guidelines on microdata dissemination

7-21 February 2025

Submitting and approving the final report on delivered services including recommendations on further development of structuring and disseminating microdata, as well as other relevant recommendations

• The final report on delivered services including recommendations on further development of structuring and disseminating microdata, as well as other relevant recommendations is submitted and approved by Belstat and UNICEF

24 February – 7 March 2025

NOTE: The above timeline is tentative, with some flexibility for potential fluctuations preserved for negotiations with the selected consultant. The final timeframe is to be discussed and finalized in consultations between the international consultant, Belstat and UNICEF based on the needs and opportunities of the parties to ensure the most effective service delivery.

Travel (if required as per TOR):

Two visits to the Republic of Belarus (Minsk) in line with agreed schedule (within this TOR)

Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelors degree (university degree) in one of the following areas: statistics, social and economic statistics, social sciences, economy, other areas relevant to the requested services.

Work experience/Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Employment experience – a minimum of 5 (five) years of practical experience of work in the area of statistics, including development of methodologies and guidelines for disseminating statistics and research in the area of statistics
• Experience of work in governmental statistical agencies and institutes is an asset
• Experience of work with international organizations and regulating bodies in the area of developing international and national statistics is an asset
• Experience of developing procedures/methodologies of structuring and disseminating microdata is an asset
• Fluency in English
• Fair knowledge of Russian is an asset

Competencies:

• Strong communication skills
• Strong skills in coordinating group work and coordinating work with different agencies and specialist
• Strong skills in planning and independent research and methodological work
• Strong skills in conducting trainings for specialists in statistics

Evaluation Criteria:

A) Technical Evaluation (e.g., maximum 70 Points)

• Confirmed work experience of minimum of 5 (five) years in the area of statistics, including development of methodologies and guidelines for disseminating statistics and research in the area of statistics (35)
• Confirmed experience of work in governmental statistical agencies and institutes (10)
• Confirmed experience of work with international organizations and regulating bodies in the area of developing international and national statistics (10)
• Confirmed experience of developing procedures/methodologies of structuring and disseminating microdata (15)

B) Financial Proposal (e.g., maximum of 30 Points)

• The financial proposal will be evaluated based on the best value for money principle.
• Bidders are requested to provide an all-inclusive cost in the financial proposal. In all cost implications bidders should factor the cost of the required service/assignment and provide the breakdown of these costs. Estimated cost for travel should be included in the financial proposal. Travel costs shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Unexpected trips shall also be treated as above.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

• Interested applicants should provide a letter of interest (Cover Letter) describing how they can contribute to the interventions listed under roles and responsibilities and why they should be selected for this position. In addition, they should share their latest CV/Resume and financial proposal to undertake this job.
• Samples of the related job/tasks done/portfolio are welcomed.
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal should be submitted using the financial offer template
• Financial Offer template_Microdata_consultant.docx and must:
• Reflect the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment period (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
• Include travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. Consultants are responsible for arranging their own transportation arrangements. UNICEF can provide office vehicle for some duty travel missions with prior agreement as per monthly travel plan approved by the supervisor.
• Include any other costs: health insurance, payment of an incidental expenditure (such as bank charges, insurances, etc.) and living costs as applicable.
• Indicate your availability.
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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