Abt Associates Consultancy to Develop a Web Enabled Financial Information System

Abt Associates, a major American business and government research, technical assistance and consulting company, seeks qualified candidates for a USAID- funded project, Afyainfo. Afyainfo is 5 year project designed to integrate the multiple Kenya health information systems into an integrated data warehouse which will serve as the sole source of health information in Kenya.
Request for proposals for Development of a web enabled Financial Information System
AfyaInfo is supporting the Ministry of Health to develop a web based Finance Information System for the State and County departments of Health to manage the health facility generated funds and to integrate the system to the broader Health Information system.

Task: Development, deployment and integration of a fully functional web based Finance Information Management System based on industry standards and methodologies for software applications development.
 1. The Finance Information System developed on open source web and database platforms.
2. Incorporate Integration and interoperability standards for information sharing with other MOH applications
3. System and user documentation and training
Interested firm(s) to submit expressions of interest to procurement@afyainfo.org in order to
receive the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR).

Transition Authority Consultancy Job to Develop a Strategic Plan for the Transition Authority in Kenya

National Individual Consultant
Consultancy to Develop a Strategic Plan for the Transition Authority

1. Background

The Transition Authority (TA) is a statutory body with a constitutional mandate of facilitating and coordinating the transition to the devolved system of government in Kenya pursuant to the provisions of the Transition to Devolved Government Act 2012, and section 15 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of Kenya, 2012. Its mandate is to “facilitate the realization of a devolved system of government through effective and efficient coordination of the transition process.”
The Authority’s mandate will be implemented in two phases: phase one -July 2012 – 4th of March 2013 and phase two 5th March 2013 -2016. The phase one of the Authority has been guided by a TA roadmap for the period July 2012 to June 2013. The TA is expected to prepare a three year strategic plan 2013-2016 which sets the long term direction for the implementation of its mandate in phase 2.
The overall objective of this consultancy is to develop a three year Strategic Plan to ensure that The Transition Authority fulfills its mandate.
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications which should include the following:UNDP Personal History Form (P11)Detailed Curriculum VitaeProposal for implementing the assignmentPlease quote “Strategic Plan – Transition Authority” on the subject line.
Applications should be emailed to consultants.ken@undp.org to reach us not later than Thursday, 27 June 2013 at 4.00 P.M Kenya Time.

Consultancy to Develop Content for College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) Online CPD System

Consultancy to Develop Content for College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) Online CPD System

Short-Term Consultancy to Develop Content for COECSA Online CPD System

1. The Assignment

One of the key COECSA’s programme activities is to provide Continuous Medical Education to its members who are spread across the entire Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa region.This involves sharing new ideas and relevant information on emerging trends and innovations in the medical field in order to help the members remain keep in tune with the highly dynamic world of medical technology.
Traditionally, most of the Continuing Medical Education sessions (CMEs) have been delivered through face-to-face 2-hour lectures by facilitators selected from the members or by guest speakers. This, however, has its own challenges because of the distribution of the members across a wide geographical area. As the name suggests, the members are principally Ophthalmologists (eye doctors) from across Eastern Africa.
To overcome these challenges, COECSA has developed an online CPD delivery system to augment the current initiatives on Continuous Medical Education (CME) for the members. COECSA is now looking to engage a consultant(s) to work with the CPD facilitators to develop relevant CPD content, which will be published on the E-learning system and disseminated to all members across the region.
The main objective of this assignment is to develop relevant CPD e-content and disseminate it to all COECSA members. The e-content will be developed as part of the an on-going exercise in collaboration with the CPD facilitators, the COECSA Education and Scientific committee in charge of CPDs and other relevant staff rather than as a stand-alone component, to ensure both core and non-technical competencies are supported and reinforced throughout the program.

1.3. Indicative tasks/ methodology

Working closely with the COECSA Education and Scientific committee, the Secretariat and the selected CPD facilitators, the Consultant(s) will perform the following tasks: Capture information and knowledge shared during the face-to-face CMEs in various formats PowerPoint presentations, PDF/word documents, audio and video formats;Structure this knowledge into focused, directed E-learning/M-learning programs;Incorporate third party content from the CME facilitators to enrich the e-contentPublish the e-content for dissemination to all members and manage the utilization of that knowledge;Pre and post content delivery assessment.Relevant online CPD content developed and published on the COECSA E-Learning/ M-learning system, regularly, on a monthly basis.

1.5 Role of COECSA 

Prepare an agreement with the Consultant(s);Honor its financial obligations to the Consultant(s) in accordance with the agreement;Inform and prepare all stakeholders and staff that will be expected to participate in the exercise;Provide any relevant background documents or reference materials at its disposal to assist in the successful execution of the assignmentThe Consultant(s) will report directly to the COECSA Programme Manager.The Consultant(s) will be expected to respond in a timely manner, to all queries directed at him/her for purposes of ensuring effective communication and documentation within the provisions of the agreement. Conversely, the Programme Manager will respond in a timely manner to all queries directed at him in pursuit of the objectives under the agreement.

3. Time Frame

The total period for the assignment will be six (6) calendar months. Within this time, the Consultant(s) will be expected to develop and publish content on the e-learning systems, at least once a month, conduct an online assessment on the uptake of content for each month and draft a report with recommendations on how to improve the online CPD delivery.

4. Fee

The Consultant(s) will be paid a monthly consultancy fee to be agreed on for the six months that will be spent carrying out this task. This is exclusive of any direct logistical costs that may be incurred by the Consultant(s) when conducting this assignment.

5. Competencies

The Consultant(s) should posses the following characteristics:Ability to produce learning materials in portable media e.g. CD and DVD; Ability to use electronic learning management system; Has a deep understanding of e-Content Development;Proven ability to demonstrate innovative thinking and stimulate an environment that fosters innovation and openness to change; Ability and willingness to consult with the CPD facilitators either face-to-face of remotely via Skype/phone/emails; Ability to contribute to and comfortably provide consultancy expertise in a multidisciplinary setting; Ability to work and deliver independently under strict timelines; Excellent planning and facilitation skills; Ability to research, analyze and present complex information; Strong interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills; and, Excellent written and spoken English skills and sound report writing skills.The process will be led by an independent Consultant(s) with the following qualifications:Advanced educational background in e-content development  and/or any other related field; Experience in development, assessment and evaluation of an E-learning system;Experience with experiential learning, action learning, work integrated curricula; An understanding of the issues surrounding ophthalmic Continuing Medical Education in developing and transitional countries will be an added advantage.7. Application

Interested consultants should send a proposal including an indicative budget to information@coecsa.org. 

Deadline: Friday 22nd June, 2013

UNDP Consultant to Develop Business Models for Sustaining Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Interventions in Mwingi District

United Nations Development Programme

National Individual Consultant

Developing Business Models for Sustaining Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Interventions in Mwingi District

Background

Kenya’s geographic location makes it inherently prone to cyclical droughts and floods. Moreover, according to the Initial National Communication (INC), such types of cyclical climate-driven events will increase in intensity and frequency due to global climate change. Livelihoods and economic activities in Kenya are highly vulnerable to climatic fluctuations, with the districts of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) being among the most vulnerable to recurrent droughts, and to long-term climate change. The rural poor are the most vulnerable to the impacts of Kenya’s current climate variability.
In response to this, Kenya Government through the Ministry of State for Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands received funding from GEF in 2009 to support the Kenya Adaptation to Climate change in Arid Lands (KACCAL) project. The 3-year USD 1.0m fund is managed through UNDP and has from 2011 been supporting poor and vulnerable communities in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Mwingi district to enhance their adaptive capacity to drought and flood.
The thrust of the project has been on livelihood diversification and livelihood enhancement interventions.
 (i) Viable Sustainable Business Models Developed for initiatives in each community.
(ii) Organizational structures in each community that will enable successful implementation of the business models Proposed
 Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications which should include the following:
1. UNDP Personal History Form (P11)
3. Proposal for implementing the assignment
Please quote “BUSINESS MODELS FOR SUSTAINING CCA INTERVENTIONS - MWINGI DISTRICT” on the subject line.
Applications should be emailed to consultants.ken@undp.org to reach us not later than Wednesday, 19 June 2013 at 6.00 P.M Kenya Time.

TechnoServe Consultancy Services to Develop a Subscription Based Herd Management Plan (HMP) for Small Holder Farmers

TechnoServe

Provision of Consultancy Services to Develop a Subscription Based Herd Management Plan (HMP) for Small Holder Farmers

Terms of Reference

Request for Applications

Applications are invited from Technical Consultants to develop a subscription based Herd Management Plan (HMP) for smallholder farmers. 

Background Information
Available literature on the Kenyan dairy sector mentions that 30% of milk produced is attributed to breed potential while the balance of 70% is attributed to animal husbandry which includes feeding, animal health and calf rearing among others. 

The current production status of the Kenyan dairy herd is low with an average of 4-5 liters a day or a lactation of 1,200 - 1,400 liters per year compared to over 5,000 liters per year in South Africa and 8,000L per year in Denmark.

The low figures in Kenya are attributed to poor animal health, breeds and feeding regimens, resulting from a myriad of constraints including poor access to information, low and inconsistent quality of feeds and extension services due to lack of adherence of standards and high cost of inputs. 

The high cost of inputs often limits the use of quality inputs which then have a negative impact on productivity.

Therefore, there is an opportunity to significantly improve productivity and profitability of dairy herds among smallholder farmers by developing and promoting a plan for organized routine and management practices, accomplished through disease and parasite control, reproduction and nutrition management. 

TechnoServe, a non-profit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets, is one of the implementing partners of the Kenya Market Assistance Program (MAP). 

This initiative is being implemented by a consortium of five organizations that include Kenya Market Trust (KMT) as the lead.   The Program aims to improve the performance of key market systems important to poor people in Kenya by addressing systemic constraints found in those market systems.  MAP is using the making markets work for the poor approach, which DFID has used to produce results in most of its private sector development work.  Overall, the objective of MAP will be measured against three key outcomes:Major systemic change achieved in 3 to 5 market systems, resulting in aggregate average growth of 10% per annum above overall growth of the economy, with the position of poor people (both men and women) improving at a rate significantly greater than this.At least 400,000 poor people (as producers, employees, etc) positively affected at the end of MAP in terms of new jobs created, and incomes for 100,000 people increase by 10%.A 30% increase in peer perceptions of partners’ effectiveness and in stakeholders’ awareness and understanding of the approach.TechnoServe is facilitating MAP Dairy Sector Strategy, to address systemic constraints related to service markets feeding into dairy and the processes of formalizing supply chains.  We are supporting interventions to address market failures towards increased adoption of breeding services (focus artificial insemination (AI)) and penetration of quality assured breed and animal health care services in the rural areas; stimulating a commercial fodder and concentrate feeds market to help farmers optimize the returns from their herds’ genetic potential; and supporting growth of cold supply chain through alternative investment models and strategies.
To achieve this Dairy Sector Strategy goal of increasing small holder productivity, MAP is facilitating a management program related to breeding, fodder and veterinary care for small holder farmers.
MAP is interested in piloting a comprehensive herd management program, integrating preventative medicine, quality assured breeding services (focus on AI), nutrition and scheduled herd visits to review and advice on herd performance. 

Statement of Purpose

MAP proposes to develop an integrative program of health, reproduction and nutrition management to address inputs and service delivery constraints in dairy farming.  

This will entail research into:Common diseases and health concerns in dairy, Minimum nutritional requirements,Standard breeding (AI) and veterinary services, and Identification of reputable input suppliers of breeding, vet-care and feeds.This information will guide the development of a subscription based Herd Management Plan for roll out by dairy hubs, agro-vets and other dairy service providers (including Breeding and Veterinary Service Providers and industry level organizations). The plan should ensure that farmers have access to vital inputs and services, to influence productivity and running of progressive and profitable farms.
The Herd Management Plan will include:  Individual farmers registering their animals into the program.Cost effective subscription based services for three levels of subscribers (Gold, Silver and Bronze).Total service delivery fees including treatment, supplies and transport costs factored in the subscription fees.The overall goal of the HMP is to: Improve sales and effectiveness of service delivery to small holder dairy farmers through an integrative program of health, reproduction and quality management.Improve sales of supplies and services to small holder farmers through a cost effective subscription plan.Improve operational efficiency among service providers including dairy hubs, AI and vet service providers. Click here to read a detailed terms of reference

Tentative budget

We invite the prospective Consultant to provide a quotation for this piece of work together with an estimate of expenses.

Submission and receipt of proposals

The completed technical and budget proposals must be delivered via email address below:

ke-procurement@tns.org

So as to be received on or before 4.00 pm, 20th June, 2013

Any proposal received after the time for submission will not be evaluated.