CONSULTANCY POSITION
Evaluation of the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)
VACANCY#: UNICEF/MLW/2015/019
1.BACKGROUND
In Malawi, CMAM was first implemented in 2002 as a pilot project in Dowa and Nkhota-kota districts. In 2006, Ministry of Health standardized CMAM implementation for scale-up to all the 29 districts and the CMAM Advisory Service (CAS) was formed to coordinate and support the scale-up and integration of CMAM. The primary aim of the scale-up of CMAM was to allow the program to become sustainable by incorporating it as a routine health activity within the Primary Health Care (PHC) services. In this way, children with acute malnutrition, who are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality, would receive the care they need through the same pathways that they access treatment of other illnesses.
The United Nations (UNICEF, WFP, WHO) is committed to supporting CMAM in Malawi. For UNICEF, CMAM is a major part of the Nutrition Programme under the 2012-2016 Country Programme Action Plan and supports national efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG 4) within the framework of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS) and the 2012-2016 UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), outcome 2 which is ‘national institutions effectively deliver equitable and quality basic social and protection services’. This intervention addresses Outcome 2.2: Children under five years of age, pregnant women and lactating women in selected districts have access to and use quality nutrition services by 2016; Output 2.2.2Management of acute malnutrition scaled-up in 15 districts for quality services.
UNICEF is therefore seeking to hire a consultant to assess the performance of CMAM in Malawi in terms of its relevance and appropriateness, effectiveness and coverage, efficiency and quality, and sustainability. The criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability will be applied to programme objectives and strategic results areas (i.e capacity development, gender, equity, policy, coordination and governance). Specifically, the evaluation will seek to answer, but not limited to, the following questions.
2.SCOPE OF WORK
The consultants are expected to present, in detail, their approach, methodology and tools, with an action plan and time frame that addresses the expected outputs, with reference to the overall and specific objectives as well as budget. The following key steps must be included
- Carry out an in-depth literature review of documentation on CMAM in particular in Malawi. The literature review should include, but not be limited to, the following documents:
· CMAM national guidelines, training materials and job Aids (revised in 2012)
· The 2009-2012 CMAM operational plan through desk reviews, bilateral meetings and interviews/consultations with relevant stakeholders etc.
· The draft CMAM operational plan 2015-2020
· Supply chain management evaluation and recommendation
· Donor reports since 2012
· The bottleneck analysis 2014 reports
· The planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME) of CMAM at national level and as a part of District Implementation Plans formulation process
· The coordination and management aspects of CMAM implementation (institutional framework and other aspects of enabling environment)
· Final Evaluation of the Community-Based Therapeutic Care Institutionalization in Malawi (CTCIM) project (USAID-CIDA, September 2013).
2. Identify key information gaps at the various levels (national, district, facility, community) and develop aninception report detailing where the work will be carried out, who will collect the information, from whom the information will be collected (Sources of information: stakeholder consultations, existing records, in-patients, community leaders etc).
- Mixed methods is expected where both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be used as appropriate. Utilising a before and after analysis, the evaluation will rely on available baseline and routine monitoring data obtained from health system databases in addition primary data to be collected as appropriate
- Conduct field work with representation of all regions and districts
a. Key informant interviews (National partners and DHO, HSAs, community leaders)
b. Focus group discussion (representative community outreach sites)
c. In-depth interviews (representative CMAM sites)
d. Documentation of best practices.
- Ethical clearance - The consultants are expected to identify all relevant ethical issues from the proposed methodology and seek ethical clearance as appropriate from the National Committee on Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (NCRSH) in accordance with the rules and regulations of conducting research in Malawi.
3.EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE
· Advanced degree in Nutrition, Public Health Economics, Development Studies, and Public Health is preferred.
· Five (5) years of working experience in programme evaluation
· Good understanding of development issue and knowledge of the Malawi context, including policy and programming, including: National Nutrition Programme, and other associated policies.
· Extensive knowledge of CMAM, especially capacity building approaches.
· Understanding of health systems
· Ability to communicate clearly with a wide range of stakeholders.
· Previous experience working with the UN
· Excellent writing skills in English.
4.DURATION
45 Days
HOW TO APPLY:
5.METHOD OF APPLICATION
Qualified candidates are requested to submit:-
- A cover letter, no longer than 2 pages, and curriculum vitae of the proposed members of the team (national team), showing how the consultant meets the required qualifications, experience and expertise.
- A technical proposal, no longer than 3 pages, highlighting:
- How they have understood and interpreted the assignment and any suggestions to improve the outcomes of the assignment.
- The proposed methodology that the consultant will utilize, including sampling frame, data collection methods and tools, processing, analysis and interpretation and reporting framework.
- Logistics and resources requirements, e.g. transport, perishables etc.
- Any ethic concerns that could affect people involved in the study
- Financial proposal, no longer than one page, including all eligible fees, (salaries, transportations and Daily subsistence allowance for data collection and fieldwork, communication costs.
iv. Personal History Form (P-11 form) (which can be downloaded from our website athttp://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) and attach copies of their certificates.
Applications should be sent on or before 24 May 2015 to the following address:hrmalawi@unicef.org
NOTE:
· UNICEF is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff. Well qualified candidates, particularly females are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Only shortlisted applicants will be acknowledged.
- Applications sent through the post office or hand delivered is not accepted.
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