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1.Background
The high level of maternal and under-five mortality in Chad is mainly due to the burden of disease that are concentrated in the most impoverished child populations. Providing these children with essential services through an equity-based approach that focuses on the poorest and most marginalized children and communities can greatly accelerate progress towards reducing child deaths. To deliver essential services to the most impoverished child populations UNICEF uses a variety of approaches to not only implement health programs but also to monitor and evaluate whether these populations are being served and to adjust programs based on these evaluations.
According to the last EPI coverage survey in 2017 only 22% of children 12-23 months were fully vaccinated and 37% had received their measles vaccine and 3rd dose of pentavalent vaccine. Focusing on reaching un-immunized and neglected children living in hard to reach and inaccessible areas address inequities in immunization coverage is a core business of UNICEF’s programme in line with the national, regional and global priorities.
In this context UNICEF is supporting integrated child survival and development interventions with different scopes namely:
•Improve routine immunization in 17 districts of the Lake Chad basin namely in the Lake, Kanem and Hadjet Lamis Provinces through a systematic and predicable system of immunization services and demand creation (ACPV/RED) by engaging traditional and community structures with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. •The Child friendly community with real time monitoring initiative (CFC/RTM) in 2 districts (Benoye and Krim Krim) of the Logone oriental province.•Provide integrated community case management of childhood illnesses with a component on promoting key family practices in 3 districts (Gore, Bessao and Baibokoum)•Strengthen routine immunization and birth registration in Mongo district (Guera province)•Strengthen Primary Health Care at community level to deliver Child, Maternal and Adolescent Health Services in three health districts in the Sahel belt, one in each province of Kanem, Bar El Gazel and Hadjer Lamis and one district in the southern province of Logone Occidental.
The expected results of these interventions include among others the improvement of immunization coverage amongst EPI targeted populations through effective vaccination services, reduction of vaccine stock-out during immunization and strengthened health services at facility and community levels. However due to the failure of the Health Management and information System (HMIS) to provide regular and reliable routine administrative data to track progress towards results, it was agreed to conduct a Lot Quality Assurance Sampling survey (LQAS) as interim measure to assess progress while strengthening HMIS.The LQAS Protocol for Parallel Sampling will be used to collect the required data for the tracking of the Immunization, Nutrition and HIV aids outcomes every six months. The LQAS will be conducted in 25 districts of 7 provinces. This LQAS survey has already been carried out twice in the framework of this project at the beginning and has been carried out. The same methodology will still be used for these districts and data collection will be done through smartphones or tablets.

2.Purpose of the consultation:
Under the supervision of the Chief health & Nutrition and in close collaboration with the Immunization specialist and the M&E specialist, the LQAS Survey Consultant (henceforth referred to as the ‘Consultant’) will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Chad Country Office, WHO and BMGF for the preparation, implementation, and completion of the household survey based on LQAS methodology planned as part of the decentralized monitoring (henceforth referred to as the ‘survey’). The consultant will advise UNICEF and other stakeholders, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis and dissemination, and set up a system for every six months LQAs.

In close collaboration with UNICEF, Ministries of Health and other partners, the consultant is expected to plan, implement an LQAS based household survey on key immunization indicators to be carried out in all targeted Health districts of the country. He/she will also coordinate the data cleaning and will be responsible for analysis and final report writing.

3.Major tasks related to the consultancy
•Provide survey protocol based on the LQAS methodology;•Review the existing LQAS tools for Immunization and develop an integrated tool which is simple to administer and use as part of the decentralized monitoring for routine immunization•Pre-test and train a team of national trainers on how to use the integrated tool•Support the presentation of the survey methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g. ministries, UN Agencies, etc.);•Finalize in collaboration with national partners and UNICEF, the survey plan, budget, detailed timetable, and tools – questionnaires, manuals, survey datasets and final report•Oversee each stage of the survey process and ensure that the survey protocols and standards are followed, more specifically during training and field supervision visits;•Set-up a system for repeating LQAS (every six months) and ensure that all survey related documents and deliverables (questionnaires, manuals, final report, datasets, etc.) are properly archived throughout the survey process; •Analyze the data, draft the report, present it to key stakeholders•Ensure that lessons learned, problems, and good practices are documented throughout the survey process.

4.Specific Activities and Outputs:
In consultation and collaboration with UNICEF, Ministry of Health and WHO, the consultant will be responsible for ensuring the following activities have been undertaken:
4.1Survey Planning:-The Survey protocol, Plan and Budget, including timetable is finalized and shared with UNICEF, WHO and MoH;-Sample design is finalized, sampling frame developed, and sample selection carried out-Existing LQAS tools for Immunization are reviewed and modalities found for integrating the tools-A list of indicators is agreed on in consultation with UNICEF, WHO, BMGF and the EPI -A team of national trainers are developed on how to use LQAS for collecting data using the integrated tool-Questionnaires developed, reviewed, pretested and finalized-Manuals developed, reviewed and finalized-Analysis and tabulation plan developed, reviewed and finalized.

4.2 Training, Fieldwork, and Data Entry: -Training schedules for TOT as well as district training are developed;-Appropriate resource persons are identified to facilitate training;-Contribute to the fieldwork training;-Fieldwork and monitoring visits are planned and performed according to agreed guidelines;-Field Check Tables are produced, immediately analyzed by survey managers, and main findings reported to field supervisors for action. Field check tables are immediately shared with coordination team;-Supervise first training of data collectors (as the training will be delivered by the trainers trained during the ToT workshop Analysis of raw data, including annotated code in SPSS (to be handed over to UNICEF for use in subsequent rounds);-Lead the training process of data collectors, supervisors/team of national trainers -Participation of UNICEF staff is organized to assist in monitoring data collection;

4.3 Data Analysis and Report Writing:-Dataset/Tables substantively reviewed by technical and subject matter expert, as well as by UNICEF before the report writing commences; -Data processing and analysis will be done on a regular basis as soon as they are collected.-Coordinate with coordination team and other experts for their inputs and write the Summary Findings Report and Final Report, using agreed templates and according UNICEF standards to ensure a timely release; -Provide guidance and inputs for the presentation of the Final Report at central level;
5.Major Deliverables for the consultant:
-Inception report produced within the first week of start of assignment detailing the protocol, Implementation plan, timeline, budget, survey management structure;-Sampling strategy and sampling frame in consultation with UNICEF section (define Supervision areas, decide on single or parallel sample) is developed;-Questionnaires in consultation with UNICEF EPI team and their Pretest are developed;-Human resources and training plan developed; -Training of data collectors done; -Tables and graphics for the report produced;-Final report (with a focus on DISTRICT level results) written in French and in English and other knowledge products like PowerPoint Presentations and Fact Sheets as agreed with the coordination team produced; -Data collected and managed;-25 sets of PowerPoint slides produced – one for each district – detailing the SUPERVISION AREA level results and a summary presentation of the national report.
UNICEF will be responsible of the following: -Logistics, including venues, travel arrangements, transport whilst in country-Financial arrangements including all payments of staff and venues-Assistance for the recruitment of additional HR: data collectors, supervisors…Data collectors and supervisors training will be cascaded with team supervisors and Ministry of Health supervisors in N’Djamena. Then the data collectors will be recruited in the field at district level. Trainings will be synchronized and implemented at district level to save time. One of the lessons learned from previous surveys was to involve District Medical Officers in training at the central level to facilitate training and implementation of activities in the field. Training was facilitated by central supervisors, team supervisors, UNICEF and WHO staff and consultants, and the consultant in charge of the survey.-Making available and managing the phones and loading questionnaires -Final dataset in a format suitable for analysis using SPSS or Excel -Training of district teams by the national trainers-Wide dissemination of the Final Report and main results at national and district levels;
6.Performance indicators for evaluation of results: The performance of work will be appreciated based on the following:-Completion of tasks specified in ToR.-Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables.-Demonstration of high standards of work with UNICEF and with counterparts.
7.Required expertise and qualifications:
-Advanced University degree in Public Health, Demography, Statistics, Epidemiology or any other related technical field is required. -At least five years’ experience in the coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys (Prior experience of large scale surveys like Immunization coverage Survey, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) or Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) coordination experience);-Experience of using the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) or similar survey methodology required;-Strong computer skills and strong expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software like EPI-Info, SPSS, SAS, STATA or others);-Training experience and ability to organize and facilitate training and presentations;-Experience in data analysis and survey report writing;-Excellent oral and written communications in French and English required;-Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;-Familiarity and previous experience of working in Chad and/or in the region will be considered as an advantage;-Ability and willingness to travel extensively in-country to remote areas and in difficult and challenging terrain.-Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and to establish harmonious and effective relationships both within and outside the organization;-Demonstrated leadership, coordination and supervisory ability.

8.Official Arrangements and Travel Requirements:

UNICEF Chad Country Office will arrange the office space and access to internet, printer and other relevant material as required. During the contract period, the consultant is expected to travel within the country. The travel costs will be covered by UNICEF Chad Country Office.Management of consultancy and global timeline: -Travel: 2 x 2 days and 2 days Fro-Length of technical support: 10 weeks including 50 working days (4 weeks in and 5weeks out of the country) Supervision and performance review frequency -The detailed consultancy work plan will be reviewed and approved by supervisor 2 days after the arrival of the consultant. -The consultant is expected to submit weekly progress report by email to the supervisor

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Remarks:

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