REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(Consulting Services– Individual Consultant)

Republic of Iraq/ Ministry of Health

Iraq COVID-19 Vaccination Project (ICVP)

Loan No: IBRD 92970

Assignment Title: Procurement of Services of Health Communication Officer

Reference No. ICVP-MOH-CS-05

The Government of Iraq (GoI) has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Iraq COVID-19 Vaccination Project (ICVP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include working closely with the MOH Communications team to provide technical support for the implementation of the national Demand Generation and Community Engagement plan for COVID-19 vaccines. 

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The Project Management Unit (PMU)/ Ministry of Health (MoH) now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services.

Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that he/ she has the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

• Health communications officer to have a relevant Bachelor degree and preferably post-graduate degree (Master’s or higher) in media or social science, communications, public relations, risk communication or community engagement or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in communications in public health related fields.

• Experience of having worked in the Middle East (preferably in Iraq).

• Work experience related to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
• Experience in planning, implementation and monitoring of communication plans
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Arabic (essential) and English (essential).
• Ability to work within tight timeline. 

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 November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.  In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment:

Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interests of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, Consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below:

1. a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services for a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm), shall be disqualified from providing Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to, those Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract;
2. a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Consulting Services for the preparation or implementation of a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consulting firm), shall be disqualified from subsequently providing Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to those Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract;
3.  neither a Consultant (including personnel and sub-consultants), nor an affiliate (that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consultant), shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, creates a conflict of interest with another assignment of the Consultant;

Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants), that have a

close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower, or of the

project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the Bank’s financing, or any other party representing or acting on behalf of the Borrower, that is directly or indirectly involved in any part of:

1. the preparation of the TOR for the assignment;
2. the selection process for the contract; or
3. the supervision of the contract, may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours

Sunday-Thursday 9:00 -14:30 Baghdad local time

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by e-mail) by 2nd, March,2022. 12:00 pm Baghdad local time

Project Management Unit/ Minister Office/ Ministry of Health of Iraq

Bab Al Muadham/ Baghdad/ Iraq

Attn: Yasmine Jamal Ameen, Procurement Officer and Technical Coordinator

Tel: 009647901287430

E-mail: [email protected]

             [email protected]

IRAQ COVID-19 Vaccination Project

Public Health Communication Consultant

Terms of Reference

Background

In September 2021, the World Bank approved the Iraq COVID-19 Vaccination Project in the amount of US$100 million to support the Government of Iraq in scaling up the health sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Project will support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations to priority population groups and strengthen the institutional systems needed to enable the safe and effective distribution and use of COVID-19 vaccine at scale. It aims to help the country procure COVID-19 vaccines meeting the World Bank’s Vaccine Approval Criteria (VAC), improve its capacity to manage health care waste, and raise public awareness on the importance of vaccination against the virus. The financing will enable affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for approximately 7 percent of the country’s population and help ensure effective vaccine deployment in Iraq through vaccination system strengthening.

A key part of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign is the community engagement and outreach element of the overall framework and implementation plan put in place by the MOH to tackle the pandemic during its various stages. The engagement of communities is critical to build community knowledge and confidence, establish trust, ensure governments respond to community needs (including vulnerable groups), and is thus a critical component of the COVID-19 response. The MOH recognizes the importance of citizen engagement in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. This is clearly demonstrated in the Demand Generation and Community Engagement Plan for COVID-19 Vaccines in Iraq (DGCE), which seeks to: (i) effectively communicate with the Iraqi population about COVID-19 vaccination to ensure vaccine acceptance and encourage uptake; and (ii) empower communities in feedback and accountability measures to improve decision making and service delivery related to vaccination.

The scope of this Terms of Reference is to hire individual health communication consultant to review and assess the Demand Generation and Community Engagement plan for COVID-19 vaccine in Iraq, and to support MOH to update and implement it.

Objectives & Tasks

The objective of this assignment is to support the updating and implementing of the national Demand Generation and Community Engagement plan for COVID-19 vaccination in Iraq. 

3    Duties and Responsibilities

The Health Communication Consultant will work closely with the MOH Communications team to provide technical support for the implementation of the national Demand Generation and Community Engagement plan for COVID-19 vaccines.  The consultant will:

• Assess and update the National Demand Generation and Community Plan for COVID-19 vaccination in Iraq.
• Identify and map national and international partners to support COVID19 RCCE strategy and plan implementation and support MOH to mobilize support from partners to address gaps,
• Provide technical day-to-day support in the development of DGCE activities as well as their contents and implementation.
• Provide technical support for MoH staff monitoring social media and training them on writing the reports and share periodic reports on trending issues or issues of concern along with analysis of reactions on social media platforms to messages, policy issues directly or indirectly related to or having an impact on COVID-19 vaccination
• Work with MOH designated team to build their capacity and to develop and support the development and implementation of special initiatives to address vaccine hesitancy and build vaccine confidence.
• Coordination with the media production company to be contracted under this project, during the production of the needed materials.
• Work with partners to establish a formal misinformation and rumor management system within the MOHE.
• Provide operational support to organize regular meetings with key partners and stakeholders as designated by the MOH to ensure efforts are harmonized, link and/or coordinate messaging to enhance outreach and contribution to results.
• Prepare progress reports for the MOH on the overall implementation of DGCE.
• Ensure DGCE activities’ compliance with the Project’s social safeguards
• Participate in coordination meetings as a member of the PMU as needed.
• Contribute to any other activities or deliverables as necessary and in consultation with the PMU and the Department of Health Communication in MOH

4       Skills and Experience

• Health communications specialist to have a relevant Bachelor degree and preferably post-graduate degree (Master’s or higher) in media or social science, communications, public relations, risk communication or community engagement or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in communications in public health related fields.

• Experience of having worked in the Middle East (preferably in Iraq).

• Work experience related to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
• Experience in planning, implementation and monitoring of communication plans
• Experience of working in the public sector in Iraq will be preferred.
• Ability to draft content for various audiences and communication channels.
• Excellent command of Microsoft Office.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Arabic (essential) and English (essential).
• Ability to work within tight timeline. 
• Demonstrates tact and high sense of responsibility and discretion.
• Demonstrates integrity and high ethical standards.

5    Deliverables

• Work Plan.
• Periodic updates of National Demand Generation and Community Plan for COVID-19

vaccination

• Five Monthly progress reports.
• Final Report.
• Training and mentoring materials for the communication team.
• Templates of various typical communication products (press release, brochures, fact sheet, FAQs, talking points, etc.)

6     Reporting Requirements

The consultant will report to the PMU Director.

7     Duration of Assignment

The contract duration will be for six months (130 days) and at least half of the duration will be field based, as to be agreed on during contract negotiation.

The services may be extended based on the needs and mutual agreement.

   8 Type of Contract

 The Contract shall be time based.

9 MoH Commitment

1. Support the issuance of Visa.
2. Provide the consultant with the needed information and documents that supporting him/her in his/her assignment.
3. Provide all the needed logistics inside Iraq that facilitate the Consultant Mission.