REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES)
Name of Project:Improving Early Childhood Development in the West Bank and Gaza
Assignment Title: National ECD expert for stocktaking of available ECD resources and materials in West Bank & Gaza and the MENA region
Reference No.: MOH-WB/ECD-CS7
The Ministry of Health has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of Improving Early Childhood Development in the West Bank and Gaza Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services include the following tasks:
Task 1. Take stock of the following (through desk review and follow up with local and regional agencies working on ECD):
- Parenting resources and messages developed in and/or locally adapted to the Palestinian and MENA contexts. These include resources and messages developed/adapted by public entities, as well as local and international organizations in English and/or Arabic.
- Parenting programs, interventions, and initiatives previously implemented or currently being implemented in Palestine and/or the MENA region in English and/or Arabic.
- Websites, Facebook pages, Instagram pages, YouTube channels, and other online sites designed to share information on good parenting in Palestine and/or the MENA region in English and/or Arabic.
Task 2. Organize the identified resources, programs and online sites from Task 1 by:
· Thematic coverage: The domains of the nurturing care framework (good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and security, opportunities for early learning) that the specific resource covers
· Children’s age-group: The specific age-group that the resource/message covers.
· Target caregiver: The type of provider (mothers, fathers, grandparents, other family member, etc.) that the resource is specifically designed for.
· Delivery modality: Where and how the resource/message is designed to be delivered (for example, during prenatal visits at primary healthcare centers, as part of home visits conducted by social workers, during interactions between nursery staff and parents, etc.)
· Local adaptation: Has the resource been adapted to the context in which it was delivered, or was it taken from another context? If it is the latter, specify which country/context.
· Previous/ Current use:
o How and by whom was/is this resource being used?
o Specify the geographic and sample coverage (e.g., in 50 PHCs in Hebron, or in 20 nurseries in Jenin)
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) is attached below.
The consultancy assignment is expected to take place during February 2023 - March 2023 and will require 30 working days.
The Ministry of Health now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: Experience in health promotion education, Knowledge and experience in ECD in local and regional contexts, and Experience in working with international and/or national organizations working on ECD.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (by e-mail) by COB February 28th, 2023.
Ministry of Health
World Bank Projects Management Unit
E-mail: hr@hsrsp.ps
TERMS OF REFERENCE
National ECD expert for stocktaking of available ECD resources and materials in West Bank & Gaza and the MENA region
Improving Early Childhood Development in the West Bank and Gaza
Component 1: Promoting Early Healthy Development
I. Background
The Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH) is currently implementing the Improving Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the West Bank and Gaza project in Palestine in partnership with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD). The project financed by the World Bank, aims to improve the coverage and quality of targeted ECD services for children from gestation until age 5. Under subcomponent 1.2, the project aims to promote healthy nutrition and early stimulation during the critical first 1,000 days of life by enhancing caregiver’s parenting skills. Specifically, the subcomponent will support the following activities:
a. Development and piloting of a parenting intervention for families in selected localities in West Bank and Gaza: The parenting intervention will consist of interactive information sessions for pregnant women and caregivers of children aged 0-36 months to be delivered through existing service delivery networks, i.e., in MOH Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs), in nurseries, and during home visits.
b. Development and publishing of a public national ECD website: The national ECD website will be a public resource for caregivers containing rich and practical information on children’s nutrition and early stimulation needs during the first 1,000 days of life and will be structured around children’s age brackets and developmental milestones.
To inform the design and content development of the parenting intervention and national ECD website, a stocktaking of existing resources and materials on parenting practices and messaging will be conducted.
II. Objective of the consultancy
The local consultant will work under the supervision of the MOH for an estimated duration of 30 working days to collect and compile resources and materials on parenting practices and messages developed/used locally and in the MENA region, and map previous and ongoing parenting interventions in West Bank & Gaza.
III. Scope of work
Task 1. Take stock of the following (through desk review and follow up with local and regional agencies working on ECD):
a. Parenting resources and messages developed in and/or locally adapted to the Palestinian and MENA contexts. These include resources and messages developed/adapted by public entities, as well as local and international organizations in English and/or Arabic.
b. Parenting programs, interventions, and initiatives previously implemented or currently being implemented in Palestine and/or the MENA region in English and/or Arabic.
c. Websites, Facebook pages, Instagram pages, YouTube channels, and other online sites designed to share information on good parenting in Palestine and/or the MENA region in English and/or Arabic.
Deliverable #1: Digital shared folder containing all the resources and documents reviewed under Task 1.
Task 2. Organize the identified resources, programs and online sites from Task 1 by:
a. Thematic coverage: The domains of the nurturing care framework (good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and security, opportunities for early learning) that the specific resource covers
b. Children’s age-group: The specific age-group that the resource/message covers.
c. Target caregiver: The type of provider (mothers, fathers, grandparents, other family member, etc.) that the resource is specifically designed for.
d. Delivery modality: Where and how the resource/message is designed to be delivered (for example, during prenatal visits at primary healthcare centers, as part of home visits conducted by social workers, during interactions between nursery staff and parents, etc.)
e. Local adaptation: Has the resource been adapted to the context in which it was delivered, or was it taken from another context? If it is the latter, specify which country/context.
f. Previous/ Current use:
· How and by whom was/is this resource being used?
· Specify the geographic and sample coverage (e.g., in 50 PHCs in Hebron, or in 20 nurseries in Jenin)
Deliverable #2: Excel file that contains three sheets:
- Sheet 1 for identified resources,
- Sheet 2 for identified programs/interventions,
- Sheet 3 for identified online sites.
Each sheet should include (i) all materials identified under Task 1, (2) hyperlinks for each item to the corresponding file in the digital shared folder, and (3) concise answers to the questions specified under Task 2. The Excel file should be organized in a meaningful, user-friendly way that allows for easy filtering and visualization of data. The Excel file should be submitted in both English and Arabic.
IV. Qualifications
The selected expert will have the following qualifications:
· Master’s degree in public health, social sciences, or related field
· At least 5 years of experience in health promotion education
· Knowledge and experience in ECD in local and regional contexts
· Experience in working with international and/or national organizations working on ECD
· Experience in desk review and developing health education materials addressing different topics and targeting a variety of audience
· Strong fluency in (speaking and writing) English and Arabic
· Excellent command of Microsoft Excel and Shared Folders (Dropbox, OneDrive, or similar)
· Ability to conduct in-person meetings with local stakeholders
V. Reporting
The selected consultant will closely work with the PMU team, the national ECD Committee, and the Health Education and Promotion directorate at the Palestinian MOH.
VI. Period of performance
The consultancy is expected to take place during February 2023 - March 2023 and will require 30 working days.
VII. Contract type and payment method
The contract will be a lump-sum contract, where the payment method will be as follows:
- 50% upon submission of Deliverable #1 acceptable to the client.
- 50% upon submission of Deliverable #2 acceptable to the client.