MINISTRY OF GENDER, YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS PROJECT (PSLP)
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS SELECTION METHOD)
LOAN NO: P177814
CREDIT NO: IDA -71480 -LS
ASSIGNMENT TITLE: LESOTHO NISSA SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENTS & ENHANCEMENT CONSULTANCY
REFERENCE NO: LS – MOSD – 417887 – CS – INDV
DURATION: 85 DAYS
BACKGROUND
In 2010, to address programme fragmentation and to increase the overall efficiency of Social Protection (SP) programmes, the Government of Lesotho (GoL) initiated the process to develop a National Information System for Social Assistance (NISSA). The system is set up as a national database that uses consumption indicators to categorize households (HHs) into poverty levels. It uses a common entry point and is an essential mechanism for integrated systems, providing information which can be used to plan for, target, coordinate, monitor and evaluate HHs and individuals for various programmes. The NISSA involves a several Steps Process that includes both data collection, proxy mean testing and community validation as well as grievance and redressing. NISSA is managed by the Director of Social Assistance at the Ministry of Gender, Youth, and Social Development (MoGYSD).
Currently, NISSA includes 90% (488,000) of Basotho Households from both rural and urban areas of the country, across all 10 districts. However, over time the data becomes obsolete, which can result in misinformed decision-making during the social assistance delivery; therefore, it is important to ensure that stakeholders have relevant and up-to-date data as the basis for determining programs’ eligibility. To achieve this, the data need to be updated. As a result, NISSA is currently being updated through the World Bank financed Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project (PSLP), and support to a pilot initiative to improve cost effectiveness from UNICEF. To guide the main update, MoGYSD, with the support of UNICEF and World Bank, has embarked on an assignment to pilot the methodologies for updating the NISSA database in rural areas, and this exercise is used as a learning platform for the rollout of a decentralized and more cost-effective NISSA updating approach. The exercise began with households in community councils that were enumerated in 2017 by a third-party company.
The NISSA Updating Pilot has identified challenges that need to be addressed to ensure that NISSA Updating roll out achieves it objective of efficiency, effectiveness and good quality data collected and stored. The NISSA/MISSA system enhancement the capacity of the NISSA Unit to collect data have been identified as critical areas that will need to be addressed to ensure that field deployment can be done. Moreover, the NISSA Urban data has been collected but due to challenges of system configuration, this dataset is still not accessible for extraction and use through the NISSA/MISSA system. The system enhancement should also include the API development to ensure that National Identity Numbers collected through NISSA can be authenticated before being stored in NISSA.
This will ensure that NISSA/MISSA Is able to reduce duplication of household members and reduce double dipping in social assistance programs. The Ministry is already collaborating with National Identity and Civil Registry of the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that an interoperability link is established between NISSA/MISSA and NICR.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical assistance to NISSA team to enhance the NISSA social registry for pro-poor targeting. Specifically, the consultancy has the following objectives:
- Enhance the NISSA system to support the data update roll out plan.
- Update forms, manuals, and documentation requirements for NISSA
- Train NISSA and IT teams on the use and maintenance of NISSA.
SCOPE
- NISSA Form Review: To ensure NISSA is inclusiveness and shock responsive, new information needs to be added to NISSA forms, including: 1) household demographics including on disabilities to make NISSA useful for more programs (such as support to people with disabilities), and 2) vulnerability to shocks, particularly climatic shocks (drought) to help to further refine the targeting of shock responsive cash transfers. NISSA system needs to be configured with the new revised form.
- Undertake a review of the Revised NISSA Form through inclusion of disability questions and ensuring that the Proxy Means Test is properly configured and tested for calculation of PMT scores of all households in NISSA
- Ensure that the system is enhanced in line with the newly revised NISSA Form to ensure that data collected is stored and used for targeting, coordination and integration.
- Identify suitable Data Collection Application. The pilot experience has identified challenges in the current mobile app used for data collections including enumerators being kicked out of the mobile app during data collection which led them to resort to paper-based forms. Therefore, a new data collection mobile app needs to be developed – Open-Source Data Collection Application (e.g. Kobo Toolbox, Magpi etc). This includes configuration of revised/refocused NISSA Forms, API Development and Field Testing.
- In line with the newly revised NISSA Form and the enhanced NISSA/MISSA system, identify a suitable data collection application that will be used to collect data for population of the NISSA Database. The application should allow for data quality checks and data cleaning to be done before transfer into the NISSA Database. This include ensuring that National Identity Numbers are authenticated through a link with National Information and Civil Registry
- Ensure smooth data upload/transfer from the application to the NISSA for storage of data
- NISSA Urban Data Access. NISSA system is not yet used to select and verify beneficiaries in urban areas where NISSA data was recently collected in 2020/21, and the system is not able to extract data to respond to requests by other programs that would like to use the NISSA urban data.
- Configure the NISSA Database to allow for proper storage of Urban Data in line with correct hierarchy for urban organizational units. This will data to be extracted based on district councils and ensure that overlaps of councils and districts are taken into consideration.
- Ensure that the NISSA/MISSA system only stores data collected from 2017 to date by identifying and archiving of legacy data (without exiting CGP beneficiary households)
- NISSA/NICR interoperability. Without the link to the national ID system ((National Identity and Civil Registry – NCR), it is difficult to coordinate service delivery for the poorest across other ministries; to monitor how many social grant beneficiary children are enrolled in school, and if they attend their routine childhood health visits. This will create challenges in the transition to digital payments and associated Know-Your-Customer regulations. This task will focus on making NISSA interoperable with NICR to enhance program coordination, monitoring, and digital payments. This will include the following:
- Business process development which includes determining and identifying the requirements for testing the link between NISSA and NICR with help from Social Assistance (NISSA, Programs, IT) and Department of Home Affairs (host of NICR) IT departments.
- API Development, testing and finalization between NISSA and NICR c. Monitor and evaluation of the API connection between NISSA and NICR through authentication of Selected Council Data.
- NISSA documentation update. Updating of operational manuals, and operational materials (e.g., communications, etc.) to improve the administration of NISSA.
The consultant will study all documentation on NISSA and NISSA System architecture to familiarize themselves with system issues for this assignment
- Development of IT/System training plan. Create and deliver a training for NISSA team on the new enhancements.
- Development of data sharing protocol template for connecting with different programs.
REPORTING
The consultant will report to Manager – NISSA, MoGYSD. For quality assurance purposes, the consultant will also work closely with Sr Social Protection Specialist, World Bank and Sr Economist, World Bank.
DELIVERABLES AND ACTIVITIES
- Inception report that states the methodology, duration of the assignment
- A prototype of the system
- A revised NISSA Form (with disability questions) tested on a suitable Mobile Data Collection Application that is able to upload data into the NISSA Database
- A configured Proxy Means Test formula that is able to calculate poverty scores for all households (for both urban and rural PMT formulars)
- A working NISSA System with data stored in line with correct hierarchy for both rural and urban (in line with 10 District, 76 Councils, Enumeration Areas and villages; taking into consideration especially urban councils that straddle across districts)
- Working API for authentication of NIDs in line with approved business processes for NISSA Updating field process (real-time) and bulk authentication of NIDs extracted from the system
- A training plan and report of training of system support staff and users
- A technical and user manual.
- Source Code for the system enhancement assignment after approval
DURATION
The expected duration of the assignment will be for 85 days,
QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
The successful candidate will be expected to have:
- Degree in IT Engineering and Computer Science preferable, or other relevant subjects combined with substantial experience in IT-centered projects;
- At least 5 years relevant experience in designing and operating management information systems;
- At least 3 years relevant experience in managing teams and complex issues;
- Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa, preferably supporting governments;
- Good ability to listen to and communicate with clients;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are essential.
- Should have successfully delivered and completed at least, two similar assignments within the last five (5) years.
SUBMISSION
A consultant will be selected in accordance with selection of Individual Consultants Method set out in Procurement Regulations.
Expressions of interest accompanied by detailed CV must be delivered to the address below in person or by email by 16:00hrs local time on 10th May 2024 clearly marked “Expression of Interest for Consulting Services – LS – MOSD – 417887 – CS – INDV.”
To: The Project Coordinator
Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project (PSLP)
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development
P/Bag A222
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Tel: 22312395
Email: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]