MICS Sampling Consultancy,Needed,Job from UN Children's Fund,USA

post:MICS Sampling Consultancy
Job
from UN Children's Fund
Country:    United States of America

City:    Home based with travel

Organisation:    UN Children's Fund


Job years of experience:    10+ years

Job type     Consultancy
  

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MICS Sampling Consultancy Terms of Reference

    Background:

UNICEF places a high priority on the availability of recent and reliable information with which to monitor the situation of children and women. Statistically sound and internationally comparable data are essential for developing evidence-based policies and programmes, as well as for monitoring countries’ progress toward national goals and global commitments, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

UNICEF assists countries in collecting and analysing data in order to fill data gaps for monitoring the situation of children and women through its international household survey initiative the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS).

As part of the global effort to increase the availability of high quality data, UNICEF is committed to provide technical assistance to countries to carry out MICS surveys. Currently, the fourth round of MICS surveys (MICS4) is about to be completed and the fifth round of MICS surveys (MICS5) has already begun.

The large majority of ongoing MICS4 surveys/countries have completed their fieldwork and are working on the analysis and reporting. The MICS5 survey tools have been finalized and the first major activities of MICS5 are already in progress, including the roll-out of Survey Design and Data Processing Workshops, which will be completed by September 2013.

As one of the largest data collection efforts with the explicit aim to generate data on the MDGs, MICS5 is expected to contribute significantly to the generation of data for the final reporting of MDGs in 2015 and generate baseline data for the post-2015 agenda. In addition to the above, the role that MICS will be playing in tracking progress made through equity focused interventions, and/or in producing data that will be used for situation analyses makes the 5th round of MICS surveys a potentially very critical undertaking.

    Purpose:

(a) As indicated by the independent MICS3 Evaluation and the vast experience gained during the implementation of MICS4 since 2009, a special attention needs to be paid to survey sampling related issues, as this is a highly technical field on which countries require a significant amount of assistance. It is essential that sampling guidance to countries is given in a standard manner and of highest quality and that countries receive the training and assistance that they need in order to develop and implement appropriate sampling strategies for their surveys. Specifically, support will be needed in the following sampling-related areas of work: • Calculation of the sample size and overall sample design • Sample selection • Assessment of suitable sample frames • Updating of sample frames (Listing) • Calculation of sample weights • Calculation of sampling errors

(b) For the provision of good quality support to countries implementing MICS, sampling tools and documents need to be disseminated to implementing agencies during Survey Design Workshops as well as during the planning of the surveys.

(c) Sampling support needs to be provided both from a distance and by means of visits to the countries at the critical stages of survey implementation.

To these ends, UNICEF HQ needs to work with a sampling expert who can provide such support at the global level as well as at regional and country level, whenever needed. Due to the highly technical nature of the work involved, it is essential that an experienced international expert who will follow specific recommendations of the MICS programme is mobilized.

In order to meet these objectives, UNICEF requires the support of external sampling expertise. The assignments under this contract will be to: 1) Review, revise, and send feedback about the sampling plans developed by the statistical agencies designing MICS surveys during the contract period, 2) Review, advise or, if necessary, calculate the sample weights for countries after the data collection is completed before they proceed with the data analyses, 3) Visit MICS implementing countries to discuss the sampling plans and sampling weights 4) Review the relevant chapters of the MICS country reports. 5) Facilitate sampling related sessions of the MICS Survey Design Workshops, support the participating survey teams regarding their sampling plans via bilateral meetings, and support the Household Survey Experts Meetings that will be held at the end of each regional Survey Design Workshop by facilitating the sampling session.

With the exception of participation to the Survey Design Workshops, visits to MICS implementing countries and UNICEF HQ, work can be done from a remote location. Duty station does not need to be New York Headquarters.

    Expected results: (measurable results)
• Reports on reviews of sampling plans, sample weight calculations and sampling chapters in MICS country reports • Trip reports from the Survey Design Workshops attended • Trip reports from country visits

    Duration:

Start date: 12 June 2013 End date: 30 March 2014

Total number of working days: 100 days

    Travel:

Three trips to MICS5 Survey Design Workshops are envisaged. Tentatively, the workshop venues will be Dubai (UAE), Bangkok (Thailand) and Istanbul (Turkey).

Two trips to visit MICS implementing countries to discuss sampling plans and sample weights are envisaged. The specific countries that will need in-country support in these areas will be determined during the course of the contract. Tentatively these countries are Mongolia and Vietnam.

    Activities, resources, deadlines

• Review, revise, and send feedback about the sampling plans developed by the statistical agencies designing MICS surveys during the contract period Deliverables: Report with feedback and suggestions for each country Number of working days: 20 days for 10 country sampling plan reviews Deadline: All the reviews will be submitted before or by 30 March 2014

• Review, advise or, if necessary, calculate the sample weights for countries after the data collection is completed before they proceed with the data analyses, Deliverables: Review Reports Number of working days: 20 days for 10 countries/surveys Deadline: All the reviews will be submitted before or by 30 March 2014

• Visit MICS implementing countries to discuss the sampling plans and sampling weights Deliverables: Review Reports Number of working days: 10 days for 2 countries Deadline: The visits will be done upon request, as need arises (but no later than 30 March 2014)

• Review the relevant chapters of the MICS country reports. Deliverables: Review sampling related chapters of the MICS Country Reports Number of working days: 20 days for 10 country/survey reports Deadline: All the reviews will be submitted before or by 30 March 2014

• Participate to three MICS5 Survey Design Workshops Deliverables: Workshop presentations and trip reports following each workshop. Number of working days: 30 days (Two days for preparation and follow up and eight days for the workshop days) Deadlines: 10 July 2013 (after completion of the Survey Design workshop – location: Dubai or Bangkok workshop) 30 November 2013 (after completion of the Survey Design workshop – location: Dubai or Bangkok workshop) 15 February 2014 (after completion of the Global workshop; date subject to change)

    Key skills, technical background, and experience required:
• At least a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Survey Sampling or Statistics with special expertise in survey sampling
• At least 10 years’ experience in designing samples for household surveys • Must have expertise with the sampling methodology of household surveys like MICS or DHS (Demographic and Health Surveys) • Demonstrated training experience
 • Experience of working in developing countries • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Fluency in English and at least one of the following languages: Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian
 • Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment

For additional information regarding MICS, please visit http://www.childinfo.org/index.html

General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

    Legal Status The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Experts on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

    Obligations The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

    Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

    Travel
If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis: (a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

    Statement of good health Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.

    Insurance The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.

    Service incurred death, injury or illness If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).

    Arbitration (a) Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.
    (b) If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.

    Penalties for Underperformance

Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.

    Termination of Contract This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph 10, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF’s satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph 10.

    Taxation UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants@unicef.org by 30 May 2013 with subject line: MICS Sampling Consultancy.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.
Closing date: 30 May 2013

http://reliefweb.int/job/576033/mics-sampling-consultancy