Recruitment of an Individual Consultant to conduct an assessment of the functioning of existing National Food Fortification Alliances (NAFF) in the 15 ECOWAS countries.

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Date : 10 Aug 2021 - 10 Sep 2021
Venue : WAHO/OOAS,
Town : Bobodioulasso
Country : Burkina Faso

WEST AFRICAN HEALTH ORGANISATION (WAHO)

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CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

 (Individual Consulting Service)

Reference No FM/TEND/AMI/2021/019/bk

 

 Recruitment of an Individual Consultant to conduct an assessment of the functioning of existing National Food Fortification Alliances (NAFF) in the 15 ECOWAS countries.

 

Introduction

 

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) as a Specialized Institution in charge of Health for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has one of its priority programme related to the strengthening of Nutrition Interventions in the region. Most of the fifteen countries of ECOWAS are still face very high burdens of malnutrition including deficiencies in key micronutrients of Public Health significance, such as iodine, iron, zinc, folate and vitamin A.  These deficiencies lead negatively impact the health and nutrition of women of reproductive age, pregnant, lactating women and children under the age of five.

 

Thus, within the framework of the Leadership Capacity Strengthening Project (CAPS Project) financed by USAID/WA, WAHO planned this year 2021, to strengthen the national and regional Food Fortification Alliances in order to efficiently combat micronutrient deficiencies in the ECOWAS region. This activity includes three major interventions, namely: (i) organizing an assessment of existing National Alliances for Food Fortification (NAFFs) and potential stakeholders in countries without NAFFs; (ii) convening NAFFs and stakeholders from other countries at the regional level to share best practices, leverage national platforms to establish a Regional Alliance for Food Fortification (iii) providing technical and financial support to some countries according to available funds.

 

To this end, WAHO wants to recruit an individual consultant who will assess the level of functionality and operational capacity of the National Food Fortification Alliances (NAFFs) and identifying potential gaps and challenges as well as opportunities with lessons on how to sustain effective alliances, establish new ones as well as a regional alliance for food fortification to efficiently combat micronutrients deficiencies in West Africa.

 

Overarching Objective of the Mission

The overall objective of the consultation is to assess the level of functionality of existing national food fortification alliances and for the countries without FFA, to identify potential stakeholders to set up alliances.

Specific Objectives

More specifically, the consultant shall:

1. Assess the level of functionality of existing national food fortification alliances and for the countries without FFA, to identify potential stakeholders to set up alliances.
2. Based on the findings (strengths, weaknesses, best practices, lessons learned), recommend areas of improvement such as:
   • Capacity building for the existing NAFF
   • Technical Assistance to countries with potential to set up their NAFF
   • Design and establish regional alliance for food fortification.

• Examine the level of compliance to harmonized mandatory legislation and other legal and regulatory instruments of the countries to food fortification.

1. Assess the status of branding and consumer awareness to micronutrient fortified foods.
2. Review and map the status of vegetable oil and flour milling industries in countries of West Africa.
3. Review the status of coverage of potential coverage of vegetable oil fortified with vitamin A, flour fortified with essential micronutrients and iodized salt across countries in West Africa.

• Provide lessons and best practices on large scale food fortification in West Africa.
• Elaborate recommendations to various public and private sector stakeholders to sustain effective food fortification to contribute to combatting micronutrient deficiencies in West Africa.

1. Present reports in English and at least one other language of the ECOWAS Community.

 

Mission Commencement Date and Duration 

Duration of Mission: 6 week.

Consultant’s Profile

 

Education:

• An advanced University Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology, Food sciences and any related Social Science disciplines or related fields.

 

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in managing nutrition programmes or related field in the context of Western or Sub-Saharan Africa.
• He/she must have a good understanding of micronutrient deficiency control and managing large scale fortification programmes.
• He/she must have a good understanding of development challenges in the ECOWAS region, the private sector engagement, the networking and establishment of Food Fortification Alliances.

 

Languages:

• He/she must be fluent in English. Knowledge in the other ECOWAS languages will be an added advantage.
• He/she must possess excellent written and oral communication skills.

 

Other Skills:

• Computer skills for compilation, analysis and dissemination of data are required.
• He/she must have good networking skills and ability to speak in public.
• He/she must have sound knowledge of the regional institutions in Wertern Africa.

 

 

Content of the EOI

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) invites qualified individual consultants to express their interest in providing the aforementioned services.

Interested individual consultants must provide:

• A letter of expression of interest;
• A detailed, dated and signed Curriculum Vitae highlighting qualifications and experience in carrying out similar assignments, as well as references for possible checks;
• Proof of experiences and credentials.

 

 

 

Selection Method

The consultant will be selected in accordance with the consultant selection procedures defined in the ECOWAS procurement code available at https://old22.ecowas.int.

 

The final selection will be made after an interview/negoctitation by the WAHO committee.

 

Criteria for the evaluation of expressions of interest

• Essential Criteria (90 points)
• An advanced University Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology, Food sciences and any related Social Science disciplines or related fields: 20 points;
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in managing nutrition programmes or related field in the context of Western or Sub-Saharan Africa: 30 points
• He/she must have a good understanding of micronutrient deficiency control and managing large scale fortification programmes: 20 points.
• He/she must have a good understanding of development challenges in the ECOWAS region, theprivate sector engagement, the networking and establishment of Food Fortification Alliances:20 points;
• Desirable Criteria (10 points)
• Knowledge in the other ECOWAS languages will be an added advantage : 5 points
• Have sound knowledge of the regional institutions in Wertern Africa : 5 points

 

Information, Date and Venue for Submission of Applications

Interested candidates may access the TORs on WAHO website at: https://data.wahooas.org/tenders/tenders/list

Further information can be obtained by contacting the following person, Madam Lalaissa AMOUKOU, Email: lamoukou@wahooas.org

Expression of interest should be submitted via the platform https://data.wahooas.org/tenders/tenders/list. Expressions of interest will be received no later than September 10, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. GMT.

Prof Stanley OKOLO

Director General