Terms of Reference
Summary
Title
Purpose
Location
Duration
Start Date
Reporting to
RMNCH SMS / Program Mwana Software Developer
Scaling-up of Program Mwana to include tracking of RMNCH
clients using SMS reminders
Lusaka
11 months, subject for renewal at the end of that time period.
As soon as possible
Maternal & Child Health Specialist
Background
In Zambia RapidSMS has been used to build the software that powers Program Mwana.
Program Mwana is a mobile Health initiative focused on finding appropriate, scalable and
impactful ways of using mobile technologies to strengthen health services for mothers and
infants in urban and rural health facilities and communities. The Program features two main
software tools, Results160 and RemindMi that use short messaging system (SMS) technology to
provide fast delivery of HIV PCR results for infants who are exposed to HIV [by virtue of being
born from HIV positive mothers] and remind caregivers for mother–baby follow up respectively.
Program Mwana is now being expanded to support RMNCH SMS to enhance antenatal care
(ANC), postnatal care and recently proposed use of SMS to improve coverage under the
expanded programme on immunization (EPI) in Zambia. The mVaccination project will address
challenges on the supply and demand side using SMS technology in two districts on Southern
Province. On the other hand, the RMNCH SMS tracking will contribute to increasing antenatal
and postnatal care follow up visits through reminder SMS, addressing perennial bottlenecks in
service use continuity, whereby, first ANC visits are highest and subsequent visit exponentially
decline. The observed decline in ANC visits after the initial visit is even more pronounced for
mothers and newborns’ of post-natal visits. Zambia’s immunization coverage rates are stagnating
and even declining for some specific antigens. The immunization platform proposed for
development under this consultancy is expected to contribute to increased or better community
immunization awareness, vaccination follow-up visits, and record keeping by health workers
thereby contribute to efforts targeted at increasing immunization coverage rates in the country.
Justification
To adapt the RapidSMS and RemindMi platforms for use under the mVaccination and RMNCH
programmes requires a very specific skill-set and experience. A skilled programmer with
knowledge of Python for work on RapidSMS-based programs is required. RapidSMS is
UNICEF's open-source platform for data collection, logistics coordination, and communication,
allowing any mobile phone to interact with the web. It allows people to SMS information to a
server capable of graphing, mapping and responding to entries. The Mwana SMS platform is
built on the Rapid SMS system. Once the platform is developed, it requires code and system
maintenance, and further development to incorporate features that users may request based on
their experiences using the system. All the foregoing broad tasks will require technical support
by a skilled software programmer.
UNICEF Zambia
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Objectives / Target
The main objective of the consultancy is to carry out software development and support the
technical infrastructure for the scale-up of Program Mwana including addition of the RMNCH
and mVaccination (EPI) SMS modules.
Specific Tasks
Support and Monitoring Tasks
1. Provide monitoring and support for the Mwana RapidSMS System, including the software
development, the server, the SMS hardware and the SMS gateway that enables sending of
bulk SMs; ensuring that all the components are running smoothly all the time.
2. Monitor and provide support for the DNA PCR Laboratories that send DBS results to the
Mwana server.
3. Provide support for users of the Programme Mwana system, both SMS users and Web users.
4. Providing support of IT components of the RapidSMS system in Zambia (may require
physical presence at the machine) and facilitating capacity building of Government
counterparts in system maintenance.
Feature Development Tasks
1. Coordinating and performing custom development as required by UNICEF Zambia country
office, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health
and partners.
2. Developing, testing and documenting additions to the RapidSMS codebase for use in
Zambia.
3. Addition of modules to support RMNCH SMS to enhance ANC and Postnatal care and EPI
Coordination and Team Tasks
1. Coordinating communication with other RapidSMS technical team members to establish
technical requirements and timelines of the core codebase.
2. Obtaining user feedback during training and /or sessions to improve the usability of
RapidSMS.
3. Identify potential uses of the RapidSMS system for UNICEF Zambia programs and provide
guidance
4. Attending meetings around potential uses of RapidSMS in Zambia with UNICEF and
partners.
5. Providing rapid prototyping to partners for testing applications and experimenting with
features.
6. Attend updates and planning meetings with UNICEF Mwana and RMNCH Teams
7. Identify challenges and/or bottlenecks in RapidSMS utilization and provide solutions or
guidance to the Mobile Health Technical Working Group.
8. Attend monthly Mobile Health Technical Working Group meetings
Expected outputs/deliverables:
General Outputs
1. Support maintenance of the Mwana SMS platform
UNICEF Zambia
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2. Code documentation (docstrings, comments, readmes, etc), project documentation (wiki
pages, tutorials, etc), and training materials (user guides, admin guides, etc) created and
updated.
3. Unit tests for all new features additions provided and included on the integration build
server.
4. User training sessions planned and coordinated with MOH/MCDMCH and other partners.
5. Regular feedback provided to UNICEF, MOH/MCDMCH and other partners on timelines
and capabilities of RapidSMS features (or features requests).
6. Monthly progress reports provided on all activity to the technical team leader and Program
coordinator at the UNICEF Zambia Country Office.
RMNCH outputs
7. Work with program officers to identify system requirements needed to deliver project
outcomes
a. Develop a requirements specification document – including the user interface, and all
other user interactions with the system
8. Design the process flow of user interactions with the system
a. Process flow diagrams developed
b. Use cases/ user stories [In software and systems engineering, a use case is a list of
steps, typically defining interactions between a role (known in Unified Modeling
Language (UML) as an "actor") and a system, to achieve a goal. The actor can be a
human, an external system, or time] designed
9. Develop, document, test and deploy a functional system satisfying user needs specified in
the requirements document.
10. Provide RMNCH platform maintenance
11. Provide technical support to RMNCH system users
Specific Tasks/Timelines
The table below details the tasks and timelines for the delivery of the required outputs under this
consultancy.
Tasks
1 Requirements
Gathering, Analysis
and Specification for
mVaccination
2 Design for
mVaccination
3 Development, Initial
Testing and
Refinement,
Acceptance Testing
and Piloting for
mVaccination
4 Development of SOPs
for mVaccination
UNICEF Zambia
Expected Output/
Deliverable
Requirements Specification
document
Estimated
No of Days
14
Design Document
15
Test Report, Working
Program
15
Instructions Manual, Training
Documents, Code
documentation
3
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Tasks
Expected Output/
Deliverable
5 Training on SMS based District users training report
RMNCH programs
on SMS based RMNCH
programs
6 mVaccination final
Final working product
Installation, and Initial accessible by all users
Maintenance
Technical support to
Mentorship report on SMS
RMNCH RemindMi
based RMNCH programs for
system users
11 MDGi districts and 55
Health Facilities
7 Ongoing Support for
Platform maintenance reports
mVaccination and
SMS based RMNCH
programs
Estimated
No of Days
10
2
3 months
8 (2 days
weekly for 4
months)
Reporting Requirements
The consultant is expected to submit the following reports:
Report
1 Inception report detailing what the consultant will do in order to deliver
the required outputs according to the timelines provided in this TOR.
2
3
4
5
6
7
Programme specifications and design for m-vaccination
Test and Working Program Report
SOPs – Instruction manual and other training materials
Training/Workshop/ Field monitoring reports
Monthly Progress and Platform Maintenance Reports
Mentorship report on SMAS based RMNCH programmes for 11 MDGi
districts
8 End of contract report – The report should provide information about
the programme in details including background information,
methodology, achievements and challenges, lessons learned and
recommendations.
9 Documentation on the m-vaccination component of the programme
Two copies in electronic (word and pdf format) and bound hard copies of the final report and
mVaccination project documentation should be submitted to UNICEF and MCDMCH at the end
of the consultancy. SOPs and other training materials developed should be submitted to UNICEF
for review and approval by MOH and MCDMCH before use. Other reports and materials should
be submitted as per agreed timelines.
Budget: Payment Schedule
The total estimated budget for the consultant is US$ 24,800 including travels. The consultant
will be hired at NOB level.
UNICEF Zambia
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Payment
1 payment (20%)
st
2nd Payment (30%)
3rd Payment (25%)
4th Payment (25%)
Conditions
Submission of inception report, specifications and
design for m-vaccination
mVaccination software developed and tested; Piloting
mVaccination initiated; Training materials developed;
Health care providers at district and national level
trained on SMS based RMNCH programs; Monthly
progress reports
mVaccination programme functional – installed,
maintained and accessible by all users; Users of the
system in 11 MDGi districts and 2 mVaccination
districts mentored;
Ongoing maintenance and support to the programme;
Progress reports; Final project report; mVaccination
documentation
Grand Total
Qualification/Specialized knowledge and Experience
 Degree in Computer Science/Software Engineering or related field with the following
experience necessary:
 Minimum of four years’ experience in software development using web technologies
 Knowledge of object oriented back-end programming languages- particularly Python,
PostgreSQL/MySQL database, HTML, CSS, XML and JSON
 Knowledge of SMS gateways
 Work experience on Mobile Health systems [eHealth, mHealth, etc]
The following skills will be added advantage:
 Django or extensive experience with a framework such as (Cheetah, Camping, Rails)
 Lightweight apps for interacting with photos, video and audio.
 Mapping (Google Maps API/ Openlayers)
 Source code management / Version control systems (Git)
 Software development methods including Agile methods
Administrative Issues, Workplace and Official Travel
The following general conditions shall apply in line with UNICEF rules and regulations:
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Work station: UNICEF and MOH with travel to Program Mwana sites, MDGI districts, EPI
sites and PCR laboratories
UNICEF will provide transport and pay applicable DSA for official travel
UNICEF will not provide laptop, computer or office supplies to the consultant
Consultancy fees will be paid according to deliverables. Consultant is not entitled to any
payments during days off and sick leave
Contractual policy both parties should be aware of
 Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 22 working days, and fees are
prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays.
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Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the
contract agreement.
No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant
or Contractor.
For international consultants outside the duty station, signed contracts must be sent by fax or
email. Signed contract copy or written agreement must be received by the office before
Travel Authorization is issued.
No consultant may travel without a signed travel authorization prior to the commencement of
the journey to the duty station.
Unless authorized, UNICEF will buy the tickets of the consultant. In some cases, the
consultant may be authorized to buy their travel tickets and shall be reimbursed at the “most
economical and direct route” but this must be agreed beforehand.
Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor
prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health
insurance, including Medical Evacuation.
The Form 'Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary' must be completed by the
consultant.
HOW TO APPLY
Application along with P-11 Form should be sent to lusaka@unicef.org with a copy to
tbanda@unicef.org by 27 September 2015: A detailed edited TOR, The Expression of Interest
Form and P-11 Form can be accessed from www.unicef.org/zambia. National consultants could
also send the applications to the Human Resource Specialist, United Nations Children's Fund,
3rd Floor, United Nations House, Alick Nkhata Rd, Longacres, P O Box 33610, Lusaka.
‘’UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages
qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds,
including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization’’
UNICEF Zambia
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