Project Management Support (Mobile Vital Registration System) UNICEF

PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TO THE MOBILE VITAL REGISTRATION SYSTEM (M-
VRS) FOR THE KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE SECTION

1. Justification

UNICEF Uganda is committed to the rapid scale up of birth registration
in the country. Towards this goal we are working in close
collaboration with the Ministry of Gender’s (MoGs) Social Protection
Secretariat and the SAGE (Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment)
Programme, the Uganda Registrars Services Bureau (URSB) and the Uganda
Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). As outlined in the Memorandum of
Understanding between this institutions UNICEF is leading on the
Mobile Vital Registration System. This system is being designed to
follow mass registration exercises to up date registers with births
and deaths has they happen. Not only will this allow continuous
registration of children being born, but is a vital input to the
targeting mechanism of the SAGE programme.

UNICEF has extensive existing expertise in the area of Birth and Death
Registration and Mobile Vital-Registration Systems. We also have
excellent and extensive relationship with the relevant institutions.
However, the scope of the programme and the need for rapid roll out to
fit the needs of the SAGE programme requires leadership on project
management to ensure the programme runs on time and on budget, and to
facilitate existing expertise to be used on technical support to the
programme.
2. Scope of Work

The consultant will provide overall project management leadership to
UNICEF on the Mobile Vital Registration System programme. This will
include taking the lead on the development and execution on the
workplan and budget. Overall, the project will include working
closely with MoG, URSB and UBOS on overall strategy; extensive
training of M-VRS notifiers in the field; technical development of the
software in coordination with UTL; cleaning, verification and
transmission of relevant registration data to the MoG for SAGE
targeting. As this is a new and innovative area of work, identifying
and resolving challenges and bottlenecks in the programme through on
the ground learning, bringing together experts to discuss challenges
and formal lesson learning from existing pilots and ongoing work will
be essential. While the consultant will be based in Kampala, frequent
trips to the field will be needed to assess progress and ensure the
effectiveness of the programme.

3. Areas to be Considered

Partnerships with government and UTL – Building strong partnerships
and collaborative working relationships both within UNICEF, but also
with Government partners and Uganda Telecom will be essential
Technical knowledge of VRS and M-VRS – Fully understanding the vital
registration systems in Uganda and the Mobile systems will be
essential.
Lesson learning – M-VRS is an innovative approach to updating birth
and death registers. As such addressing challenges and adjusting the
programme approach will be essential, including- assessing viability
and sustainability of different implementation strategies; -
identifying an appropriate institutional and administrative framework
for electronic registration and agreeing this with relevant GoU
stakeholders; - identifying necessary structures and capacities
required at local and national levels
- identifying potential synergies with other GoU MIS systems. E.g
health sector MIS. .

4.. Expected Deliverables and time frame

The consultant will work from the period February 1st 2011 to December
31st 2012, for a total of 231 days.

The deliverables will be as follows:

February 28thh: Monthly progress report. Updated workplan and budget
in coordination with MoG and other partners. Initial lessons learned
document and training programme.

March 31st: Monthly Progress Report on evolving workplan and
execution. Analysis of Software requirements and relationship with
UTL.

April 30th: Progress report, including training approach and
progress.

May 31st: Progress report including full assessment of sub-counties
reached and registration rates compared to expected births.
Presentation with UNICEF colleagues to partners on progress and next
steps.

June 30th: Progress report, including assessment of lessons learned in
roll out. Assessment of progress in institutional strengthening with
URSB.

July 31st: Progress report on additional sub-counties reached.
Maintenance of progress in initially reached sub counties.

August 31st: Progress report, including full analysis of software
development and changes needed. Analysis of budget against expected
amounts

September 30th: Progress report, including presentation with UNICEF to
partners on progress. Assessment of hardware distribution, problems
and solutions.

October 31st: Progress report. Assessment of expected Sub-counties to
be reached, and initial analysis of needs for 2013. Presentation with
UNICEF to Partners.

November 30th: Progress report. Update on institutional strengthening
with URSB

December 31st: End of assignment report, updating on all sub-counties
reached. Progress in registering new births with respect to expected
births. Lessons learned through the project, and an assessment of
lessons learned.


5. Tasks End Products/ Deliverables Time Frame

Provide Dedicated project management support to Mobile_VRS project
- To include development of work plan and budget.
- Overseeing execution of work plan.
- Updating colleagues and partners on progress frequently.

Oversee training of government officials in M-VRS system.
- Support design of training programme.
- Liaise with partners on training schedules and implementation

Procurement of necessary equipment at URSB, District Local Governments
and registration centres

Oversee Uganda Telecom in the development, updating and testing of the
M-VRS software
- Ensure its usability on multiple platforms
- Ensure strong relationship with Uganda Telecom high quality
deliverables by them on the software

Provide ongoing lessons learned and adjust programme design as
necessary
- Proactively address challenges in implementation design
- Undertake lessons learned exercises based on pilots and ongoing
work.

Coordinate support to URSB in their institutional development in the
areas of strategic planning, revision of institutional structures.

6. Desired background qualification and experience

The required candidate should:
• Extensive experience in project management.
• Experience in developing countries, preferably in East Africa.
• Experience working on project involving technology would be a
benefit, ideally including hardware and software elements
• Knowledge of Civil registration systems would be a benefit.
• Experience of working with local and central government authorities
and agencies in a developing country context.

Education
• Degree in social sciences, logistics, engineering or other related
field.

5. Conditions
1. The consultant:
• will report to the Chief, Keeping Children SAFE UNICEF Kampala,
Uganda, in close coordination with Chief Social Policy and Evaluation,
UNICEF Kampala.
• is expected to begin work on 1st February 2012

2. All expenses related to the assignment such as laptop, telephone,
stationery, photocopying/printing, office space and travel upcountry
related to work will be borne by UNICEF.


HOW TO APPLY?
Qualified consultants submit CV and letter of intent as soon as possible (before 25th of January. 2012) to Daniela Rojas at drojaschaves@unicef.org. Clearly state in subject "Project Manager M-VRS."