Short Term Consultant for Technical Work Stream as a member of the Campaign Technical Assistant Team (CTAT) Global Fund supported ITN Mass Campaign at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Reference Code: NG4560 (T)
Location: Nigeria (any of the campaign states)

Project Background

• CRS has a long and rich history of collaboration with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). In Nigeria, CRS has been a Co-Principal Recipient (PR) for the Global Fund Malaria grant since January 2017. As a Co-PR, CRS partnered with the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), various state governments and malaria partners and stakeholders to coordinate and implement the 2017 long lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) mass campaigns in 6 states. CRS also supervised and monitored an SR and supported a range of malaria treatment and prevention services at the state level.
• For the 2018-2020 Global Fund Malaria grant, CRS remained a Co-PR with NMEP, strengthening the synergy and collaboration with NMEP to improve efficiency and impact. CRS worked closely with NMEP, Society for Family Health (SFH), Malaria Consortium, various state governments and other stakeholders to coordinate and implement the 2018-2020 long lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) mass campaigns in 13 states. CRS provided oversight and ICT4D leadership for the LLIN campaigns and implemented directly in some of the states. In addition to SFH, CRS provided oversight to 2 other SRs (Management Sciences for Health and Malaria Consortium), in providing support to the 13 states supported by the Global Fund, for a range of malaria treatment and prevention services at the state level. These services included Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) implemented by Malaria Consortium with oversight from CRS.
• For the 2021-2023 Global Fund Malaria grant, CRS will remain a Co-PR with NMEP and provide robust oversight to the 3 SRs (Society for Family Health, Management Sciences for Health and Malaria Consortium). CRS will work closely with NMEP, 3 SRs and other partners, to scale up the implementation of life saving interventions and improve access to quality malaria services in the 13 GF supported states. These critical interventions include malaria treatment and prevention services such as Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, LLIN campaigns, Social and Behaviour Change campaign, and testing and treatment interventions.

Summary and Purpose of the Consultancy

• This Terms of Reference (TOR) provides the description and work to be done during the implementation of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) mass campaign in Nigeria.
• The Campaign Technical Assistants Team (CTAT) structure was established to support states with the planning and implementation of the ITN distribution activities. The CTAT play a critical function for the initial mass distribution campaigns, a role focused on planning, facilitation, capacity-building, monitoring, data management and reporting during the replacement campaigns. The CTAT will support a broadened state structure for the replacement campaigns. Each CTAT is composed of work streams - technical, logistics and demand creation.
• The purpose of this consultancy is to serve as a member of the Campaign Technical Assistants Team (CTAT) and provide state-level technical assistance and oversight on technical-related activities for the successful coordination of insecticide treated nets (ITN) mass campaigns. S/he will provide training, accompaniment and technical support to the State Ministries of Health in the mass campaign states.

Objective of the Consultancy

• The overall objective of this consultancy is to support in the implementation of ITN mass campaign by providing technical assistance and oversight on activities to State Malaria Elimination Programmes.

Main Tasks / Deliverables

• Develop state campaign training plans, facilitate trainings and collate training reports.
• Coordinate in-process monitoring during household mobilization and ITN distribution, and support state implementation teams to analyze data for presentation at daily review meetings.
• Support and coordinate the sharing and distribution of ITN campaign materials to LGAs.
• Coordinate daily review meetings and ensure timely resolution of bottlenecks.
• Support management and collation of data from household mobilization to feed into final pre-positioning plan.
• Collate data from ITN distribution to ensure timely reconciliation and reverse logistics planning.
• Work with data manager to input data from activities into the state summary.
• Support planning for end process evaluation.
• Train and oversee work of independent monitors.
• Participate in planning for post-campaign ITN coverage and use survey (as applicable).

Specific Deliverables:

• Develop training plans for all trainings
• Prepare weekly activity report and share with your workstream advisor for review and further actions
• Prepare detailed trip reports at the end of each trip to the campaign states which should include detailed follow-up steps to be submitted within 1 week of return from the State.
• Prepare and submit detailed microplanning and ITN campaign report 1 week after an activity.
• Submit detailed activity report clearly highlighting your specific tasks/role during the activity at least 7days after completion of the activity.

Schedule of Deliverables:

• The work will usually be completed over a period of 19 days for microplanning and 53 days for ITN campaign implementation per state campaign implementation schedule. However, the number of days may change in some situations.

Management Arrangements and Follow-up:

• The Global Fund Malaria project unit will provide overall supervision and management of the consultancy. Focal contact person on this consultancy shall be the Senior Manager, Vector Control or the designee.

Key Working Relationships / Organizations:

• Internal: Logistics, Technical and Demand Creation work stream Advisors, Project Officer-Mass Campaign, Global Fund Malaria Program Team, Deputy Country Representatives, Country Representative, Operations Manager, Finance, Procurement and Administration Staff, Regional and Senior Technical Advisors, Deputy Regional Directors for Program Quality and Management Quality.
• External: State Ministries of Health (SMOH), National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) within the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), technical and financial Partners, partner health facilities, Local Fund Agent (LFA), Global Fund Country Team, Chemonics, relevant Third party logistics agents.

Time and Level of Effort:

• This activity is usually expected to take place within a period of not more than 72 days per State Campaign microplanning and implementation schedule. However, the number of days may change in some situations.
• The deliverables are expected to be timely and reports should be submitted no later than 7 days after the completed state campaigns.

Location of the Consultancy:

• The consultancy will take place in any of the campaign states.

Required Qualifications
The consultant should possess the following combination of skills and expertise:

• Minimum of First Degree in Social Sciences or related fields.
• Excellent leadership qualities.
• Previous experience in ITN mass distribution campaigns.
• Knowledge of malaria and its prevention, diagnosis and treatment is required.
• Previous experience working in a National and/or State Ministry of Health preferred.
• Experience in budget development and implementation reporting is required.
• Experience with a flexible approach to managing and prioritizing significant workloads and multiple tasks, in a fast-paced environment, with tight deadlines is required.
• Training and supervision skills.
• Excellent technical writing and oral presentation skills are highly desired.
• A proven ability to work as part of a team and independently.
• Excellent experience in using Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work under stressful conditions and to remain flexible and calm under pressure.
• Experience of proactively identifying and addressing bottlenecks/issues desired.
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with team members and state personnel.
• Previous experience in electronic data monitoring systems desired.

Payment Schedule

• A daily rate of N15,000 will be paid as consultancy fees. This will be paid upon completion of specific deliverables listed above and submission of detailed activity report, consultant report and timesheet reviewed by your workstream advisor, then mass campaign officer and duly signed by the Senior Manager Vector Control.
• In addition, and if applicable, you will be entitled to DSA which comprises accommodation and meals (excluding any meal provided for). CRS/SR will be responsible for providing flight and/or road transportation as required for your work.
• Please note that CRS/SR will deduct and remit to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) a 5% withholding Tax from the total consultancy fees in accordance with the Nigerian Tax Law.