Consultants at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with Centres for Disease Control (CDC), is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates to provide consultancy service to the 4Children Project in Nigeria, in the capacity below:

Job Title: Consultant (Harmonize Existing Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools into a Unified National Tool for Assessing Government, Network and Civil Society Capacity in Nigeria)

Location: Abuja, including travelling within Nigeria
Period of Performance: April 3 - July 4, 2017.

Scope of Work
4Children Contct Persons:

• Primary-Dr. Tapfurna Murove - Chief of Party,
• Secondary - 4Children Technical Team - Sustainability Director, HES Director, Case Management Director, Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor, Technical Advisor - Organizational Capacity Strengthening, MEAL and Technical Advisor - Parenting, Adolescent and Gender

Purpose

• To provide consultancy service to the 4Children project in Nigeria to review existing Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools used by OVC Implementing Partners (IPs) for Government and CSOs to inform the development of a National Capacity Assessment Tool (NACAT).
• The consultant will be expected to identify and document best practices and facilitate meetings and interactions with relevant stakeholders towards reviews, development and adoption of the NACAT for national direction.
• The consultant will also in the course of the assignment facilitate a pilot test of the harmonized OCAT tool in four (4) states across the project zones and produce finalized tool for national dissemination.

Background

• In January 2016, 4Children began a two-year, USAID- funded technical assistance (TA) project in Nigeria. The overarching objective of the project is for 4Children supported by USAID and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to provide TA to IPs implementing Orphans and Vulnerable.
• Children (OVC) programming to facilitate the responsible graduation and transition of children, their households, communities, local government areas (LGA) and States; in response to the PEPFAR pivot and aligned with PEPFAR 3.0 priorities.
• Currently PEPFAR OVC IPs work in over 100 LGAs in Nigeria, out of which only 32 LGAs have been identified as scale-up LGAs; these 32 LGAs have the highest HIV prevalence and therefore will be prioritized for PEPFAR support. Support to OVC programs in the remaining sustained support LGAs will be reduced over the course of FY16 and FY17. During this time period, Ips will be responsible for the transition or graduation. The technical assistance provided by 4Children over this two-year period is expected to achieve the following:
  
  • Support the development and implementation of costed susta inability plans by States and IPs that supportthe transition tea Nigerian led OVC response.
  • Strengthen the capacity of government systems (LGA and State level> to advocate, plan for, and use funds for OVC.
  • Strengthen case management and linkages among, and referrals between, community and clinic based OVC services, including strategies for reaching more children living with HIV (CLHIV) within the OVC population.
  • Strengthen the technical capacity of IPs to support civil society organization (CSO) in the areas of household economic strengthening, positive parenting, psychosocial support, and early childhood development programming through training, guidance, strategies, and tool development.
  • Create strategies for delivering critical OVC services at clinical facilities.
  • Provide guidance and examples of interventions targeting adolescent girls and young women that address their increased vulnerability to both child protection concerns and HIV, and which can be easily integrated into existing programming.
• To successfully address many of the issues related to graduation and transition, OVC programming recognizes that strong organizational and technical capacity of relevant government bodies and Civil Society Organizations (CSO5) are critical factors that contribute to increasing the likelihood of successful transition and long-term sustainability. Part of the sustainability planning and HES approach for the 4Children project is to assess the organizational and technical capacity of Government, Networks and CSOs engaged in HIV sensitive social service system.
• 4Children expects that the initial review of existing Organizational Capacity Assessment tools used by OVC IPs and other relevant OVC stakeholders will be conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. The information obtained during the review and interactive session with stakeholders will be used to develop the four (4) modules of the National Capacity Assessment Tool (NACAT) - categorized as prototype for Government, Civil Society Organization and Social Service Providers (tailored around Household Economic Strengthening, Psychosocial Support, Parenting, Adolescent Programming and Case Management).
• 4Children will then conduct a pilot test of the four modules in the tool in four (4) states across the project zones. Findings from the pilot test will be used to inform the review and update of the three modules of the NACAT. One-day workshop with relevant OVC stakeholders to validate the NACAT as a national tool will be considered for national buy-in.

Description of Work
The consultant will be responsible for completing the activities and deliverables as follows:

• Review existing Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools (OCAT) used by OVC Implementing Partners (IPs) for Government and CSOs to identify and document best practices;
• Develop a framework for the harmonization of the OCA tool and share with 4Children team.
• Facilitate a one (1) day stakeholders’ meeting with relevant OVC stakeholders to share findings from the desk review and present the framework of the harmonized OCAT tool for buy-in.
• Develop four (3) modules (Government, CSO Networks, CSOs and Social Service Providers) for the harmonized OCAT tool based on the findings and key learning from the desk review and interactive session with stakeholder.
• Facilitate a two (2) workshop with key OVC stakeholders to present the initial draft of the OCA tools.
• Facilitate a pilot test of the harmonized OCAT tool in four (4) states across the project zones.
• Finalize the four (4) modules of the Harmonized National OCAT based on findings from the pilot test.
• Facilitate a one (1) day workshop with key OVC stakeholders to validate the harmonized National OCAT.
• Conduct a debriefing meeting the management of 4Children.
• Submit a comprehensive report of the consultancy period to the management of 4Children.

Review existing Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools (OCAT) used by OVC Implementing Partners (IPs) for Government and CSOs to identify and document best practices:

• Meet with the 4Children team and collate available OCA tools within the project
• Develop a schedule to visit OVC Implementing Partners with offices in Abuja to collect their OCA Tools for government and CSO and interact with their
• Organizational Focal Person to document key lessons drawn from the use of the tool.
• Conduct a desk review of existing organizational capacity assessment tools used by OVC Ps in Nigeria.
• Document key lessons and best practice from the use of the capacity assessment tools by OVC IPs.

Develop a framework for the harmonization of OCA tool and share with 4Children team:

• Develop a framework for the harmonization of the OCA tool.
• Share with 4Children team for feedback
• Finalize the framework based on the feedback received.

Facilitate a one (1) day stakeholders’ meeting with relevant OVC stakeholders to share’ findings from the desk review and present the framework of the harmonized OCAT tool for buy-in:

• Develop an agenda for the stakeholders meeting
• Work with 4Children staff to send out invitation for the meeting to relevant stakeholders.
• Facilitate a day meeting to share findings from the desk review and present the framework for the harmonization of the OCAT tool for buy-in.
• Develop and share a report of the meeting with 4Children management.

Develop three (3) modules (Government, CSO Networks and CSOs) for the harmonized OCAT tool based on the findings and key learning from the desk review and interactive session with stakeholder:

• Document the key learning from the desk review and interactive session with stakeholders.
• Use the key finding from the stakeholder interactive session to facilitate the development of the three 3 modules of the OCAT tool (Government, CSO Network and CSOs).

Facilitate a two (2) workshop with key OVC stakeholders to present the initial draft of the OCA tools.

Facilitate a pilot test of the harmonized OCAT tool in four (4) states across the project zones:

• Conduct a pilot test in four (4) project states for the 3 modules of the OCAT tool.
• Document key learning from the pilot test across the 4 project states

Finalize the three (3) modules of the Harmonized National OCAT based on findings from the pilot test:

• Use the findings from the pilot to finalize the three (3) modules of the OCAT
• Share the finalized OCA tools with 4 Children management for review.

Facilitate a one (I) workshop with key OVC stakeholders to validate the harmonized National OCAT:

• Facilitate a I day meeting with relevant stakeholders to validate the three modules of the OCAT.

Produce a guideline on the use of the national OCAT

Conduct a debriefing meeting the management of 4Children.

Submit a comprehensive report of the consultancy period to the management of 4Children.

Level of Effort and Deliverables
Critical Milestones and Deliverables:

1.) Meet with 4children Nigeria to understand the scope of the consultancy
Due Date: 3rd April, 2017.
Number of Day: 1 day

2.) Develop and share an implementation plan based on scope of work and discussion outline
Due Date: 3rd April, 2017.
Number of Days: Nil

3.) Review existing Organization Capacity Assessment Tools (OCAT) used by OVC Implementing Partners (IPs) for Government and CSOs to identify and document best practices;
Due Date: 4th - 13th April, 2017.
Number of Days: 8 days

4.) Develop a framework for the harmonization of the OCA tool and share with 4Children team
Due Date: 14th - 18th April, 2017.
Number of Days: 3 days

5.) Facilitate a one (1) day stakeholders’ meeting with relevant OVC stakeholders to share finding from the desk review and present the framework of the harmonized OCAT tool for buy-in
Due Date: 20th April, 2017.
Number of Day: 1 day

6.) Develop three (3) modules (Government, C5O Networks and CSO5) for the harmonized OAT tool based on the findings and key learning from the desk review and interactive session with stakeholder
Due Date: 24th April - 24 May, 2017.
Number of Days: 23 days

7.) Facilitate a two (2) workshop with key OVC stakeholders to present the initial draft of the OCA tools
Due Date: 30th - 31st May, 2017.
Number of Days: 2 days

8.) Facilitate a pilot test of the harmonized OCAT tool in four (4) states across the project zones
Due Date: 5th - 8th June, 2017.
Number of Days: 4 days

9.) Finalize the three (3) modules of the Harmonized National OCAT based on findings from the pilot test
Due Date: 19th - 23rd June, 2017.
Number of Days: 5 days

10.) Facilitate a one (1) workshop with key OVC stakeholders to validate the harmonized National OCAT
Due Date: 27th June, 2017.
Number of Day: 1 day

11.) Produce a guideline on the use of the national OCAT
Due Date: 5th - 29th June, 2017.
Number of Day: Nil

12.) Conduct a debriefing meeting the management of 4Children
Due Date: 29th June, 2017.
Number of Day: 1 day

13.) Submit a comprehensive report of the consultancy period to the management of 4Children
Due Date: 4th July, 2017.
Number of Days: 3 days
Total: 51 days

Skills and Expertise

• The consultant should be a nationally recognized management expert with professional experience in HIV/health systems strengthening and is familiar with Nigeria’s national HIV and social service response.
• Consultant should also have proven facilitation, communication and report writing skills and is ready to work in a resource-constrained environment (experience working on similar assignment is a strong and desired advantage).
• A consultant with an advanced skill in database development using Ms Excel is strongly desired. It will be expected that the consultant demonstrates expertise in developing flexible, user friendly and automated assessment tool with instructions to ease inputs and navigation.

Daily Rate and Payment

• Daily rate will be in based on negotiated rates while hotel, airfare and per diem will be provided by 4Children based on CRS policy.

Supervision, Reporting and Oversight

• The consultant reports to the 4Children Sustainability Director. The consultant must be able to take initiative and is proactive in the delivery of this assignment.

Working Relationships:

• The Consultant will be expected to work with the following 4Children staff - Sustainability Director, Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor, Organizational Capacity Strengthening Advisor, MEAL Advisor, Sustainability and Capacity Strengthening Specialists, and Zonal Coordinators.

Application Closing Date
6th April, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their expression of interest (EOl) along with a detailed resume as attached MS word documents to: [email protected]
Or
Submit hard copies between 8:00am - 5:00pm application to the office address as indicated below:
Plot 477, 41 Crescent,
Sa’ad Zungur/4th Avenue,
Gwarinpa,
Abuja.

Note

• The resume should include but not limited to the following: Personal profile, skills, competencies and suitability for the assignment as well as readiness for immediate short-term consultancy plus a copy of such previous work.
• Applications received after the deadline will be disqualified.