TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE EMERGENCY CONSULTANT
Background
Globally, there has been an increase, in both frequency and severity of disasters around the
world. Several reasons have been put forward for this, amongst which are inclement weather,
man’s advancing technologies, unplanned urbanization, poor agricultural practices, conflict etc.
Among other things, these disasters may cause loss of lives, severe disruptions of social
structures and materials losses, causing a severe economic and psychological burden on any
nation.
Disasters in Sierra Leone have broadly been grouped into two broad categories; natural and manmade. Natural disasters are rare in Sierra Leone, but when they occur can be destructive. Some
parts of Sierra Leone are prone to seasonal natural disasters like flash floods and wild fires.
Man-made disasters are most common. While global climate change and weather conditions
could be blamed for many of the natural disasters, it is also strongly believed that many of these
natural disasters in Sierra Leone are man-induced. Manmade disasters caused by misuse and
mismanagement of the country’s resources and infrastructure include deforestation which in
recent years, has had grave consequences, such as floods, through the force impact of floodwater
on structures. This has also led to other hazards including landslides, mudslides & rock fall,
injuries requiring hospitalization and sometimes death due to drowning etc.. Other common
emergencies include disease and epidemics such as Malaria, typhoid fever, Lassa fever,
Diarrhoea, HIV and AIDS, Population Movement (involving refugees, returnees and excombatants) and on a much smaller scale, air accidents.
A National Hazard Profile Assessment conducted in 2004 informed the development of a
national preparedness and response plan. Since its establishment, a National Preparedness &
Response Contingency Plan has been developed, including a national policy of disaster
management, with both documents awaiting ratification by Parliament.
The Disaster Management Department was established in 2004 following the enactment of the
National Security and Intelligence Act in 2002, as part of the Government’s post war recovery
effort, and is mandated to be ‘the Government’s primary coordinator’ for the management of
national emergencies such as natural and man-made disasters. The Unit is currently seeking
powers of autonomy as it is still a department within the Office of national Security at State
House. Other challenges include the unavailability of a national emergency fund, which makes
response less effective and inefficient due to limited resources. Also there is a need for the
recruitment of more staff, and enhanced capacity for its staff and other partner institutions within
MDAs.
The overall objective of UNICEF’s emergency planning is that children and women’s survival
and well-being (fulfillment of their basic rights) are assured. UNICEF maintains a preparedness
and response capacity to support national efforts to help protect basic rights and to ensure that
essential needs of children and women are met, effectively, dependably and in a timely manner,
according to the UN/UNICEF mandate, to fulfill UNICEF’s Strategic Priorities and, specifically,
UNICEF’s Core Commitments to Children in emergencies.
The UNICEF SL EPRP document describes the planning for emergency undertaken by senior
staff members in September 2010. The essential elements of it aim to build capacity to deliver
emergency actions in the revised CCCs, and show the linkage between maintaining minimum
preparedness that is maintained, and contingency planning for a specific emergency. This plan
needs to be reviewed and updated periodically.
This plan is composed of 3 Parts. Part I provides the analysis of the threats and
overarching emergency related management systems. Part II is a collection of planning
frameworks by key functions. Part III is the summaries of key information drawn from
planning by function. This plan also reflects the integrated approach to emergency
planning expected of all UNICEF Offices. Preparedness and response is seen as an integral
part of the country programme, operational through a strategy of integration, meaning
that preparedness and response is a responsibility of every staff member and section (not
simply a specialized unit or programme).
The Business Continuity Management programme is an essential internal UNICEF initiative that
provides policy and guidance to ensure the capabilities to continue critical processes and
operational services when exposed to broad range of risks, including acts of nature, critical
infrastructure failure, loss of key suppliers and catastrophic loss. UNICEF Sierra Leone BCP
incorporates materials from, and supports emergency preparedness plans and procedures and
therefore facilitates the continuity of essential operations in the event of an emergency or threat.
The BCP does not cover evacuation of main office; the immediate emergency response activities
– for events such as fire, flood – are addressed in the EPRP.
An interagency contingency plan also exists, and it is essential that UNICEF participates in
interagency preparedness and response fora, and makes appropriate inputs and follows up on
issues and recommendations.
Rationale for the Consultancy
Children and women are most vulnerable in disasters. Without proper coordination of early
warning systems, planning of preparedness and response, children will continue to suffer and
have their right violated in times of emergency. Additionally, the civil conflict saw the collapse
of law and order and the ultimate environmental depletion, misuse and mismanagement of most
of the country’s resources and infrastructure. All of these factors increase the vulnerability of
communities to disasters, as communities fall back on natural resources in desperation to make a
living.
The Disaster Management Department which has the mandate to handle national disasters faces
several constraints which hamper their work. These include lack of technical assistance,
inadequate financial and human resources. In addition, responses to disasters are not always
coordinated, and there have been instances when direct requests are made to donors and NGOs
for support to an emergency without the knowledge of the Disaster Management Department.
UNICEF requires someone with experience to update the Emergency Preparedness and
Response Plan, finalize the development of emergency tools and facilitate the interagency
planning process and follow-up on strategic re-stocking process/ including trigger
mechanisms.
UNICEF plans its emergency preparedness and response in three ways:
a. For on-going emergencies, UNICEF’s usual programme planning approach is
adopted. For example, in response to the political turmoil and economic crisis,
UNICEF may reorient the country programme to incorporate crisis efforts.
b. For moderate sized/severity emergency situations (a size/severity that the office can
respond to without special regional/global support) that could develop suddenly,
UNICEF plans its initial response through contingency planning (represented by this
document).
c. For catastrophic sized/severity emergency situations (a size/severity necessitating
regional or global support), special contingency plans are required which
incorporate the collaborative actions required with neighbouring country offices, the
regional office and UNICEF NY.
Preparedness for emergencies is a strategy for maintaining the necessary capacity to be able to
respond to emergencies in a timely and effective way. Preparedness for emergencies is
recognized as an integrated element of UNICEF programming. The EPRP document is part of
the overall security management functions of the country office including adherence to the
Business Continuity Plan of the country Office, The UN Security Plan for the Country and
specific emergency plans like the Avian Flu preparedness plan.
UNICEF SL BCP plans are based on elements specific to each business unit. The plan addresses,
defines and establishes phases of actions deemed necessary by designated managerial staff to
accomplish workgroup recovery. The BCP plan also identifies and authorizes a centralized
management team, referred to as the Emergency Management Team, to plan, organize, control,
and manage all response and recovery events. The UNICEF SL BCP plan focuses specifically on
standing capacities the office need to maintain to respond to sudden development of an
emergency situation especially internal conflict, Regional (Guinea and Liberia) conflict, Cholera
outbreak, Epidemics like the Avian and Swine Flu, and Floods and Fires.
Contingency Planning in UNICEF SL EPRP refers to planning for a specific emergency. This
contingency planning is to be initiated so as to put in place all essential measures to ensure
timely and effective emergency response. It is therefore necessary to merge Business Continuity
Planning with EPRP and to develop minimum standard protocols necessary to effectively
respond to CCCs in the event of an emergency. This will assist the country office in defining
level of readiness.
Tasks
This Terms of Reference is for technical support to the UNICEF Sierra Leone Country Office
with close coordination with both the Department of Disaster Management in the Office of
National Security, State House, and UN and NGOs
Activity 1.
1. Assessment of in house (UNICEF) manpower on EPR knowledge and skills and review
EPR training needs for UNICEF staff.
Deliverable
 Report on the Assessment of the current organizational capacity and specific training
needs of UNICEF staff.
Activity 2.
2. Complete hazard mapping, risk assessment & monitoring at all levels, starting with
Districts
Deliverable
 Mapping completed.
Activity 3.
3. Identify partners at all levels and sign MOUs with stakeholder institutions
Deliverable
 Report on the mechanism developed for co-ordination of response
Activity 4.
1. Review, identify and consolidate all critical systems.
Deliverable
 Consolidated HR requirements (including regional pool of staffing)
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Consolidated supply requirements and logistics plan including warehousing and
decentralization with partners (Locally available and Regional Stocks)
Consolidated financial resource requirements (Proposals etc)
Consolidated partnership arrangements
Consolidated immediate preparedness actions
Consolidated information on W: drive.
Update of the EPRP online.
Activity 5.
Complete the Response Analysis Gap and establish performance indicators
Deliverables
 Review of rapid assessment check list for each sector and assessment tools
developed.
 Identified emergency-related capacity development needs within sections and
contribute to the development of emergency components for Learning and office
Training Plan.
Skills and Competencies
Ability to work independently with a variety of stakeholders
Technically sound in drafting and editing reports. Excellent communication and writing
skills in English.
Adaptability and flexibility, client orientation, confidentiality, initiative, concern for
accuracy and quality
Knowledge of Sierra Leone is highly desirable
Qualification and Experience
Post graduate degree in development planning
Highly experienced in Emergency work especially Contingency planning and Disaster
Management
Highly experienced in training design and workshop facilitation
Good writing, communication and analytical skills
Computer literate
Practicalities
>This consultancy should be for an initial 108 weeks (August 2011 to May 2012) and six
Months every other year (November to June). The period during the break in service should
not include salary payment.
>It is understood that dates are flexible, and can be mutually agreed for adjustment, based on
needs identified by interested parties, throughout this assignment, and in consideration of any
situation beyond the control of UNICEF, the Govt. and/or the consultant.
Location:
UNICEF Sierra Leone Office
Duration:
15th August 2011 to 15th June 2012
Payment:
Monthly Fee of $8,000 x 9 months
Monthly DSA of $204 (1st 60 days only) x 60 days
Cost of air ticket – Approx. (Return Ticket)
Total
Budget:
To be covered by Planning, M&E (PBA: GC/2007/0546-1)
=$ 72,000
=$ 12,240
=$ 3,000
=$ 87,240
Responsibility of UNICEF Country Office
 Daily subsistence Allowance for the period of stay in Sierra Leone (First 60 days in
Freetown, local travel DSA will be applicable for any other location)
 Transportation costs including (cost of international flights from New York to Sierra
Leone and back to New York, cost of visa and terminal expenses) to Sierra Leone. The
office will arrange transportation to work on the first day of the mission while the staff
finds his own means of transportation through taxi or otherwise thereafter.
 In case of emergency SL office will arrange and pay for necessary travel of staff back.
 The office will support the consultant in finding/identifying appropriate accommodation
for which he is required to pay.
 Office hours are from Monday to Friday 08.00 to 17.00 each day.
 The Emergency Focal Point/Representative will be the direct supervisor of the staff
Responsibility of Disaster Management Unit
 Provision of office space and connectivity while working with the Unit
Prepared by: Victor Kinyanjui
ECMT Member
Approved by: Vidhya Ganesh
Deputy Representative