VACANCY : CONSULTANCY – BASELINE STUDY ON THE STATUS OF ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF ABUJA INCLUSION AND ACCESS TO BASIC HEALTH, WATER, ENVIRONMENT AND BASIC EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND SERVICES IN THE FCT.

Job Title:Consultancy – Baseline Study on FCT Original Inhabitants Access to Health, Education, Water And Environment Services
Category:Health, Education, Water, Environment
Duty Station:Abuja, Nigeria
Type of contract:Individual Contract
Expected starting date:14st December 2021
Duration of assignment:20 working days
Deadline for submission of Interest12th December 2021

1. BACKGROUND

Since the creation of Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory; the Original Inhabitants who occupy the geographic space have been subjected to social identity threat; wherein their political. economic, cultural and land rights have been denied them. As such, the Original Inhabitants of the FCT have suffered untold deprivations due to inadequate or absence of basic social services, including in such critical areas as health, education, water and the environment. Basic education is not of world class quality because most OI communities are either without schools or basic learning facilities. In the area of access to quality healthcare, for OIs there are no datasheet that support the inclusion and beneficiation of OIs in the basic healthcare provision fund. Available research around PHCs in Abuja suggest that most of these healthcare facilities are bedeviled with infrastructural decay, lack of access to energy (grid/off grid), access to WASH facilities, inadequate staffing and necessary medical equipment.

These realities, which have an effect on the access of OIs to these aforementioned basic services, necessitate a comprehensive baseline to be conducted to understand the extent to which OIs children and communities are benefitting from key health, education, water and environment-related services being offered by government in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Area Councils and the Federal government.

2. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE WORK

The main reason of the proposed baseline is to carry out a combined baseline study to

  1. Understand the situation of OIs in terms of access to basic services in the area of education, health, water and the environment.
  2. Evaluate the numbers of OIs benefitting from key services such as the basic healthcare provision fund (BHCPF), the overall level of healthcare and healthcare systems available to OIs in ensuring that their rights to health are not denied.
  3. Document access to and limitations to services such as potable water, and environment.

This baseline study is necessitated by the lack of available data/and or evidence to prove the neglect and marginalization experienced by the original inhabitants of Abuja; therefore, the specific objectives of this baseline assessment are

  1. To determine the level of access and inclusion of OIs and OI communities in education, healthcare, water and the environment and the extent of their exclusion, neglect and marginalization.
  2. To analyze budgetary provisions to education, health, water and sanitation and how these translates to growth/impact on OI communities.
  3. To assess the quality of services provided to OIs in the areas of education, health, water and environment, while identifying gaps in the areas of implementations, system set-up and/ or operations that slows down effective delivery of services or coordination
  4. Provide recommendations for the effective service delivery, which will engender improved access to education and health care services for OI and their inclusion in decision making and planning processes.

Rationale of the Review:

The rationale for this baseline study is to review available educational and health initiatives of the FG, FCTA, Area councils in the FCT and to understand clearly the extent of awareness and inclusion of original inhabitants in these programs. The level of interaction between the implementers of these initiatives and the original inhabitant groups to ensure effective and efficient delivery of these initiatives.

The outcome of this baseline study will support advocacy messaging targeted at increasing the inclusion of original inhabitants in decision making processes in the FCT and also reduce the level of exclusion, marginalization and neglect faced by the people.

Scope of the baseline:

  1. To review existing educational, health, water and the environment initiatives in the FCT and their efficiency, and the spatial spread of these initiatives disaggregated by location, number of beneficiaries.
  2. Collect data on number of schools, number of Primary Health Care centres, average teacher-pupil ratio in OI communities in Abuja.
  3. Review the structure of the initiatives, awareness creation, and/or application processes for potential beneficiaries
  4. Review the number of OIs who have benefitted from these initiatives disaggregated by location, gender and age
  5. Identify gaps and constraints experienced by the OIs in relation to access and participation as well as institutional gaps and constraints.
  6. Evaluate the financial commitments (budgetary allocations) made so far and the impact status and recorded changes in the areas of education and health for OI in Abuja,
  7. Make recommendations to address the identified challenges.

The outcome of the baseline study will be used for the following purposes:

  • Advocacy for the inclusion and expansion of access to education and health initiatives for OIs and OI communities
  • Advocacy for the strengthening of organizational systems of government to better coordinate and effectively deliver on their mandate.
  • Define roles and responsibilities of all actors in ensuring OIs are included in decision making processes in education, water, environment and health issues within the FCT.
  • Propose new thinking and ideas from the perspective of the people in the implementation of education and health initiative within the FCT to guarantee ownership and inclusion of OIs
  • Evaluate and define budgetary implications that will effectively drive the process that will enhance the awareness, inclusion and participation of OIs in education and health initiatives;

3. OUTPUTS/EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

  • Deliverable 1: Inception report detailing the consultant understanding of the task and the methodology to be employed to complete the task;
  • Deliverable 2: Detailed reports describing thenumbers of available initiatives in the educational and health care sector in the FCT including the number of OIs who have benefitted from such initiatives, the direct impacts of these initiatives in the lives of OIs.
  • Deliverable 3: Final Consultancy report
  • DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

The consultancy is expected to take 20 working days

  • DUTY STATION

The assignment will require field visits, meetings with relevant MDAs to collect data and desktop reviews. All field visits will be within Abuja. HipCity Innovation Centre will provide office space and internet for the consultant(s) should they desire to work from our office.

  • REQUIRED EXPERTISE AND QUALIFICATION

Education qualification of the Lead consultant (Where two consultants are applying): 

  • Postgraduate or other advanced university degree (at least M. Sc. or equivalent) in the area of education, health, economics, statistics, social sciences and or any other relevant area of discipline.

Education qualification of the Junior consultant: 

  • Postgraduate or other advanced university degree in the area of education, health, economics, statistics, social sciences and or any other relevant area of discipline.
  • Experience of the Lead Consultant:
  • At least 5 years of professional experience in undertaking independent published research works.
  • Demonstrated experience in capacity development initiatives, notably at the systemic and institutional levels; 
  • Extensive conceptual and practical knowledge of basic education initiatives, UBEC operational process at both state and local government level, operationalization of the Basic healthcare provision fund, universal health coverage, budget implementation tracking, community engagement, systems and operations of the FCTA and Area Councils in Abuja.
  • Experience of working and collaborating with stakeholders including governments; civil society and communities in Abuja;
  • Demonstrated ability of analytical and report drafting work;

Experience of the Junior Consultant:

  • At least 2 years of professional experience in undertaking independent research
  • Demonstrated experience in capacity development initiatives, notably at the systemic and institutional levels; 
  • Extensive conceptual and practical knowledge of basic education initiatives, UBEC operational process at both state and local government level, operationalization of the Basic healthcare provision fund, universal health coverage, budget implementation tracking, community engagement, systems and operations of the FCTA and Area Councils in Abuja.
  • Experience of working and collaborating with stakeholders including governments; civil society and communities in Abuja;
  • Demonstrated ability of analytical and report drafting work;

Language requirement:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
  • Working knowledge of Hausa, Gbagyi, Bassa or any indigenous language of the OIs of Abuja will be an advantage

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by adhering to global best practice; 
  • Ability to establish and maintain good working relations with colleagues in multicultural environment;
  • Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment and child safeguards.

8. PAYMENT MODALITIES  

The consultants shall be paid the consultancy fee upon completion of the following milestones. • 60% after being selected and service contract signed.

      40% after completion, submission and acceptance of a detailed researched baseline reports describing the level of access to educational initiatives for OI children, disaggregated by location, gender and age, assess the implementation level of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in Abuja, OI access to BHCPF, coverage and number of direct OI beneficiaries disaggregated by location, gender and age, the quality of healthcare provided in PHC in OI communities, infrastructure, equipment and staffing in PHC;  land use in relations to extractive activities within OI environments and its impact on the people, access to water services to OI and propose recommendations to identified gaps and way forward;

9. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Qualified and interested candidates are hereby requested to apply (either as a team or individually). The application should contain the following: 

  • A technical proposal with brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a detailed clear methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
  • The technical proposal should also contain personal CV, indicating education background/professional qualifications, all past experience, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least a professional reference;
  • Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, 

NB: Please clearly indicate if you are applying as a lead or a junior consultant.

Applications should be sent to careers@hipcityinnovationcentre.org  Cc. info.hipcityhub@gmail.com

10. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The expert will be evaluated against a combination of technical and financial criteria (combined scoring method). Maximum score is 100% out of which technical criteria equals 70% and financial criteria equals 30%. The technical evaluation will include the following: 

  • Educational Background as requested: 15%;
  • Extensive expertise, knowledge, and experience in the field of institutional review, capacity development initiatives, notably at the systemic and institutional levels; 15%
  • Extensive conceptual and practical knowledge of Area Councils and Federal Capital Territory Administration operating and strategic principles especially in the areas of basic education and health: 15%
  • Demonstrated experience and practical knowledge in working and collaborating with stakeholders including governments; civil society and communities in Abuja: 10%;
  • Overall Methodology: 40%;
  • Fluency in English

HipCity Innovation Centre is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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