Consultant to Update Budget Analysis Report (Terms of Reference for 10 Days) at Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN)

Reference No: CS-SUNN/2021-01/0002
Location: Nigeria

Background
The Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems (PINNS) is a project designed to strengthen the Nigeria nutrition systems to be more Result-driven, Effective, Serviceable, Efficient and Transparent (RESET). This is to facilitate the delivery of Nutrition interventions and to hold government accountable on commitments made to allocate, release and use transparently funds for implementation of high impact Nutrition interventions in Nigeria through evidence-based advocacy.

Malnutrition in Nigeria is caused by several factors including lack of food, improper feeding and caring practices, economic and political structures, low status and lack of education among women, etc. Therefore, a multi-sectoral approach is required for a reduction and eventual eradication of the scourge. The UNICEF conceptual framework (UNICEF 2013) brings to the fore the need for multi-actors, disciplines, sectors and systems in this effort as evidence increasingly suggests that solving malnutrition can benefit from a systems approach (WHO 2009; Hammond & Dube’ 2012).

PINNS project adopts a system approach to strengthening bodies burdened with the responsibility of reducing malnutrition in Nigeria. It pays attention to the unpredictable interaction among factors, sectors, disciplines and determinants of nutrition, bringing to the table key tools and technical support required for the effective coordination and implementation of programs. PINNS seeks to focus on strengthening governance, policy implementation, effective coordination, financing, building the capacity of state actors, generation and effective communication of evidence and promoting accountability. This collective effort will contribute to a reduction in malnutrition, thereby improving the nutritional status of Nigerians, particularly women and children.

Rationale

• Poor nutrition-specific intervention is often inadvertently affected by poor nutrition sensitive interventions which has its toll from the poor state of nutrition governance and functionality. The poor state of nutrition-specific intervention basically is dependent on inadequate funding, late or non-releases of budgeted and allocated funds and sometimes misappropriation of these funds. This consequently affects the nutritional status of women of reproductive age and children under-five in the country because most, if not all nutrition systems have difficulty establishing functional mechanisms that monitor and evaluate these funds to ensure accountability on the part of government functionaries in this sector.
• To effectively and efficiently track the nutrition funding in all the PINNS states, a Budget tracking tool was developed to collect data on budgeted funds, releases, cash backing, time of releases, spending and other useful indicators. Apparently, it is not enough to collect data but more importantly the analysis of these data with its interpretation to better engage the government for an improved funding, hence our act of evidence-based advocacy.
• The measures give a deeper insight into how the current nutrition systems’ governance and functionality affect the long-term goal and strategic management both at the national and the stated focal states. The evidence from the budget tracking result and analysis will enable the coalition to effectively engage the government on improved and adequate funding for nutrition which is expected to lead to a Scale Up in Nutrition in these focal states. Basically, the evidence-based generated result will enhance advocacy as well as sprout up healthy competition among the PINNS focal states as they share best practices to improve on the state-specific identified gaps.

Purpose of Assignment:

• The purpose of this assignment is to simply update the Budget Analysis Report that has been on ground over the years since the beginning of the PINNS project.
• The analyzed data is expected to be presented in an infographics format for easy user-comprehension. This, CS-SUNN would use to engage government functionaries across the project states on improved and adequate funding for nutrition. Basically, it will be an evidence-based advocacy tool across the PINNS states.
• The budget tracking data for years 2019 and 2020 have been collected across all Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in all the five project states (Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa states). Therefore, as a matter of emphasis, the consultant would be expected to update the earlier analyses report with the just-collected data of the aforementioned years. Furthermore, it is expected that the consultant gives an interpretation of the analyzed data hence a balance report.
• The overall result of the exercise is to enhance advocacy engagement for improved and adequate funding for nutrition in these states as well as sprout up healthy competition among the PINNS focal state actors and foster sharing of best practices.

Specific Tasks
The specific tasks for the consultants are to:

• Update the Budget Analysis Report with 2019 / 2020 data that CS-SUNN will use to engage government functionaries across the project states on improved and adequate funding for nutrition. The analyzed data will also be presented in an infographic format. Assess the governments’ commitment to nutrition funding through the MDAs data on budget, releases, spending and appropriation of funds.
• Present the draft updated budget analysis report for pair review with CS-SUNN National secretariat.
• Be available and / or accessible throughout the time the budget analysis report will be finalized.

Expected Outputs
By the end of the assignment the following outputs will be expected:

• Updated Budget Analysis Report to engage government functionaries across the project states on improved and adequate funding for nutrition inclusive of infographic representation.

Type of Consultants Required

• The consultant should have extensive knowledge of the Nigerian Health/Nutrition systems, multisectoral dimensions in nutrition programming, nutrition budgeting with experience in implementing public health programmes, especially MNCH and nutrition-related services.
• The consultant will be expected to have an advanced degree in Public Health, Health Planning, Policy and Management, Epidemiology, Health Economics and Financing, Public Policy, Nutrition, Sociology or related disciplines.
• S / He should have an indebt understanding of nutrition budgeting, analysis, infographics and data interpretation which will enhance the quality of the budget analysis report.

Timing of Consultancy:

• The assignment that will be carried out in Abuja will last for 10 working days. 7 working days for the update, 2 working days for the pair review, adoption and finalization and 1 day for the final draft presentation.

Duration

• Updated Budget Analysis Report using a primary data of the budget tracking report of MDAs across the project states (Kaduna, Nasarawa, Lagos, Niger and Kano)7 days
• Pair review with CS-SUNN National secretariat, adoption and finalization of the document 2 days
• Presentation of the final draft to CS-SUNN National Secretariat 1 days
• TOTAL for consultant: 10 days

Anti - Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

• CS-SUNN has a zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in all ramifications. This is considered gross misconduct. ‘Sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.