Somalia: CONSULTANCY: LABORATORY TRAINING ON SAFETY AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. Background/IRC Summary
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers help to people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and natural disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC is currently working in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities where it resettles refugees and helps them become self-sufficient.

The IRC is currently working in Benadir (Karaan, Hawlwadag, Deynille, Dharkeynle and Wadajir districts), Mudug (Gaalkacyo district), and Galgaduud (Dhusamareb and Guriel districts) regions in South Central Somalia, supporting and implementing primary and community health related activities. These activities are supported by laboratory services, especially within the static health centres. Through the proposed consultancy, IRC is planning on ensuring that its laboratory staff conduct proper testing of samples received from the patients and adhere to standard operating procedures.

2. Goal
The main goal of this consultancy is to train laboratory staff and develop standard operating procedures specific for IRC and in line with WHO and MOH guidelines.

3. Objective

• To conduct situation analysis on laboratory quality of services provided in the IRC health facilities
• To assess the laboratory tools and develop new ones according to standard WHO and MOH laboratory guidelines
• Assess the laboratory safety procedures and develop standard safety procedures in support of the same
• Develop standard operating procedures in line with WHO and MOH standards
• To develop a laboratory data management system which will aim at integrating laboratory data into disease surveillance systems and enable effective and efficient management of laboratory in the IRC supported facilities
• To develop tools that will be used to follow up and supervise laboratory staff
• Train staff on currently acceptable practical skills and theoretical knowledge on laboratory services.
• Train staff on the developed tools and laboratory safety.

4.Scope of work

• Analyze and identify main problems and or gaps in the laboratory services
• Develop tools and guidelines that will be used by laboratory staff for standard diagnostic test
• Develop standard operating procedures for laboratory services
• Develop tools/checklist for supportive supervision
• The consultancy involves traveling to all IRC sites to conduct laboratory assessment that will inform the above process.

5. Deliverables (two weeks):

• Prepare and present an inception report, work plan with all planned activities to the Senior Health and Nutrition Coordinator and the Senior Community Health Manager.
• Submit a complete training package to train laboratory staff.
• Submit a tool to be used to follow up and supervise trained laboratory staff.
• Submit a complete package of standard operating procedures for laboratory.

6. Education Required Skills and Experience

• Laboratory experts with Bachelor’s and Masters’ degree in Laboratory.
• The consultant should have at least 5 years of strong competence and proven experience in conducting laboratory trainings and developing standard operating procedures for laboratory
• The consultant should have experience working in Somalia
• Fluency in English and Somali language

7. Minimum criteria for submission of the proposal for the bid

• The training consultant /institution should submit a technical and a financial proposal and is expected to demonstrate that it has a track record of not less than five (5) years of experience executing similar assignments.
• The consultant/institution to prepare and present an inception report, complete with a work plan of planned activities, to the Senior Health and Nutrition Coordinator and the Senior Community Health Programme Manager for validation.
• The consultancy institution should have a Somali speaker

Contractual issues

IRC will not be responsible for any cost associated with preparing the application including proposal submission.

However:

IRC will provide the following at no cost to the consultant/institution

• Travel costs (to and from Nairobi and within Somalia) and accommodation while in Somalia
• The consultant/team must comply with the IRC rules and procedures related to security and relations with the media
• Security would be provided and organized by the IRC team at field level

Documents of reference (To be availed by IRC)

• Relevant project documents as deemed necessary.

If you feel you/your organization fit the required profile and are available for the assignment, please submit a short technical proposal providing detailed budget breakdown, along with brief technical bio data of the core team members and evidence of similar work undertaken recently. Submit via email to ircsomaliajobs@rescue.org .

Deadline for applications: 26th May 2017

Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.