Jordan: CfP for Senior Individual Consultant - Information Management Consultant (GIS)

UNESCO Amman Office is inviting written proposals from Individual Consultants for the work assignment described in (Annex A).

Your proposal and any supporting documents must be in English.

Please read thoroughly the following submission procedures. Your written proposal should include the following parts:

1) A Technical Proposal (maximum of 5 pages excluding the CV – P.11) should consist of:

a) A description of your proposed approach and methodology for undertaking the assignment;

b) Description of the main deliverables and milestones related to the assignment;

c) A work plan with a detailed time frame, including information on expected number of missions estimated and duration of each mission to Amman;

d) Comments on the Terms of Reference, if any (in brief);

e) An up-to-date curriculum vitae based on P11 form (Annex B).

2) A completed vendor’s form (Annex C).

3) A lump sum amount to be charged for the assignment (excluding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs), which should be quoted in United States Dollars or in Euros. Please fill in the price schedule (Annex D).

Applicants must indicate clearly number of working days (home-based) and number of working days (field-based).

4) UNESCO's Contract template for individual consultants (Annex E).

5) A signed Declaration of Compatibility of the Professional Status (Annex F).**

6) Confirmation that applicant consultant has registered himself/ herself in the UNESCO’s consultants’ roster (link: https://careers.unesco.org/careersection/roster/joblist.ftl ). Please indicate your registration number/ ID.

Note on Travel Costs:

UNESCO Amman Office will cover all the travel cost including airline tickets (at economy class), and daily substance allowance covering costs of accommodation, meals and internal transportation according to UNESCO’s established rules and regulations.

Applicant must indicate the estimated cost of airway ticket from home country to Jordan, Amman (round ticket/ economy class).

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation best value for money.

NB. UNESCO will evaluate the proposed fee against its standard international consultant rates for similar assignments.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Information Management Consultant (GIS)1. Background**

The Ministry of Education has been strengthening and making more sustainable the methods and procedures it uses for making better informed, strategic and cost-efficient choices in its goal to rationalize its school network system. This has been achieved through technical assistance and oversight by UNESCO – Amman office. To this end a web-based GIS (WebGIS) decision support system has been developed for use by MoE for school mapping/planning and for dialogue with its donors, stakeholders and other social partners about school construction or renovation priorities.

The WebGIS tool strengthens MoE’s capacity for proper micro-planning services at central and field directorates levels in order to achieve equity in the delivery of similar quality level of educational services across all Jordan. The implementation of such a tool is expected to affect not only a fairer and better prioritized spatial distribution of physical infrastructure and key school equipment but also to provide adequate information for decision-makers to achieve a more balanced allocation of teachers and other learning inputs across the Kingdom.**2.** Scope of Work

In close technical and operational coordination with the UNESCO Amman Office’s EMIS Team, the WebGIS tool has been designed, pilot-tested, and core staff trained to assist the Ministry to:

· Undertake rationalization of low enrollment schools

· Undertake rationalization of overcrowded schools

· Map various inequalities and indicators

· Rationalize multi-class schools

· Rationalize multi-grade schools

· Locate new schools

· Undertake catchment area analysis for schools, and

· Map outputs at a field directorate level for grade by grade projections of schools, students and teachers

The Ministry of Education, through further technical assistance from UNESCO, has also embarked on development and implementation of a comprehensive Education Strategic Plan (ESP) in response to the National Strategy for Human Resource Development (HRD). The ESP will operate within a results based framework with focus on 6 key domain areas and a greater emphasis on key targeted priorities and specific activities within each area – each linked to a set of target indicators.

Those parts of ESP that relate to school mapping and planning consist of:

· Construction of new schools (based on population growth)

· New schools to replace double-shift schools for the Syrian refugee children

· Replacement of rented schools and buildings

· Construction of new KG2 classrooms

· Rehabilitation and maintenance of schools

· Construction of classroom extensions (due to overcrowding)

· Construction of new vocational schools

Other aspects of ESP would require the data from OpenEMIS and WebGIS tool for reporting against indicators and monitoring and evaluation purposes. Implementation of ESP over the next 5 years will require MoE to make informed, strategic and cost-efficient choices in its goal to both rationalize and expand its school network system. This will be achieved though full utilization of the OpenEMIS and WebGIS decision making support system and capacity development support to MoE, especially to the newly established School Mapping Department in the General Directorate of Planning and Educational Research, MoE.

Given the need for such decisions to be undertaken using the analytical tools now available (and high quality data of OpenEMIS), UNESCO wishes to engage the services of an Information Management Consultant to assist MoE to conduct the analytical work for the planning areas identified above. The outputs of the school mapping /planning work will inform and guide the planning and monitoring process for ESP. 3.Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be required to work a normal working week of 5 days (Sunday-Thursday) in UNESCO Amman Office and have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Provide technical support to School Mapping Department of MoE for them to follow smoothly and efficiently the workflows of WebGIS tool and support them in providing reports on how the tool could better serve MoE in the following areas;

Ø Construction of new schools (based on population growth)

Ø New schools to replace double-shift schools for the Syrian refugee children

Ø Replacement of rented schools and buildings

Ø Construction of new KG2 classrooms

Ø Rehabilitation and maintenance of schools

Ø Construction of classroom extensions (due to overcrowding)

Ø Construction of new vocational schools

Ø Mapping of indicators

1. As a part of EMIS team, look into OpenEMIS data collection mechanism in relation with WebGIS tool, that will be able to meet the monitoring, evaluation and reporting needs of ESP on school construction and other activities;

2. Undertake basic WebGIS operations and utilization of OpenEMIS data as directed by the MoE and carry out the following;

Ø Assembly of WebGIS outputs in the form of maps and tables of recommendations,

Ø Work with Excel for additional analysis if required

Ø Work with ArcGIS and/or QGIS as directed

1. Represent UNESCO Amman Office in the technical and donor coordination meeting on school construction and maintenance.

2. Provide support to Chief of Education in resource mobilization efforts and donor relations, including the project proposal formulation, evaluation of the project, and preparation of donor reports**4.** Qualifications/Requirements:

1) Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) related to the field of ICT, Engineering, geography or education, with a particular focus on GIS, information management, policy planning in education and EMIS;

2) Hands-on on web development tools; preferably open source coding;

3) Proof of undertaking at least one similar assignment during the past 2 years at international level and to furnish necessary references;

4) At least 5 years of progressively relevant experience in the context of developing countries;

5) Excellent command in writing and reporting in English, able to write concise and clear reports;

6) Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to allow full participation of various stakeholders;**5.** Reporting

The consultant will conduct the above work in close collaboration with the School Mapping Department, Director of Policy and Strategic Planning, General Director of Planning and Education Research and other senior staff in MoE.

The consultant will report directly to Chief, Education Unit UNESCO – Amman office.

The consultant will be representing UNESCO and the highest professional standards are expected at all times while working in MoE.

The consultant will also be provided with technical or planning assistance from an International and Senior School Mapping/GIS expert on a monthly basis. This person will also monitor progress with school mapping tasks.**6.** Other Information

Document Title: Information Management Consultant (GIS) Duty station: UNESCO Amman Office
Duration: January 2018 – April 2018

For annexes please visit: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/amman/about-this-office/vacancies/

Your proposal should be submitted by e-mail no later than close of business on or before 03 January 2018 (18:00 Amman local time) at the following email addresses ONLY:

y.matsuyoshi@unesco.org and copying amman.proc@unesco.org

Email proposals should not exceed 10MB.

To ease the email tracing and facilitate quick processing, kindly use the following script:

“Consultancy for Information Management (GIS)”(ref: JOR/CONS/17/10)” in the email subject.

It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that his/her proposal is received by the deadline.

Potential experts contacted should not treat this letter in any way as an offer. However, their proposal may form the basis for an eventual contract with UNESCO.

Any expert receiving this letter is requested to acknowledge its receipt and to indicate whether or not s/he will be submitting a proposal. For this purpose, and for any requests for clarification, please contact: Ms. Yukiko Matsuyoshi at y.matsuyoshi@unesco.org no later than 24 December 2017.

Submissions will be acknowledged by email upon receipt but ONLY selected expert will receive further notification and correspondences.

Thank you for your eventual interest in this UNESCO assignment. We look forward to receiving your proposal.