1. BACKGROUND
Jamaica is a small island developing state and is particularly vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. The relationship of the impact of disasters on sustainable development is well-established. In a country document for Disaster Risk Reduction in Jamaica a probabilistic risk assessment at parish and national levels indicated a conservative estimate for the total exposure for earthquakes and hurricanes at 18.65 billion US dollars (IDB 2010), not including the exposure to flooding, as a result of hurricanes or intense rainfall. Disaster Risk Reduction is therefore a priority for Jamaica.
The Government of Jamaica’s (GoJ) strategies for achieving the long-term goals for disaster risk reduction are articulated in overarching plans for sustainable development including:
- Vision 2030: National Development Plan
- Successive Medium-Term Socioeconomic Policy Frameworks
- Sector Plan including the National Health Plan
These are aligned through participation in National, Regional and International Plans in which health is identified as a priority sector:
- ODPEM – National Disaster Organization
- Hazard Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change Thematic Working Group (HRRACC-TWG)
- PAHO/ WHO 2017-2022 Cooperation Strategy
- UNFCCC
Hydrometrological events and other climate related hazards are among the most frequent causes of disaster situations and will likely be exacerbated by climate change (CC). A Climate Change Policy Framework was approved by Cabinet in 2015 and it includes steering by the Hazard Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change Thematic Working Group (HRRACC-TWG) chaired by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). There is a Climate Change Division established within the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and its role is to lead, provide strategic support, coordinate and monitor the transformational change towards a climate resilient society for Jamaica.
During disaster situations, it is critical that health facilities remain operational to treat sick and injured. The majority of health facilities are located in high risk areas and services may become interrupted following storm, hurricane or earthquake events. Climate-smart Healthcare is a term used to describe the critical and much needed work in the “strategic approach that links the various dimensions of emergency and disaster management for “smarting” the health system for resilience”. Climate-Smart Healthcare is equivalent to Climate Resilient Health System. This was defined by WHO as “one that is capable to anticipate, respond to, cope with, recover from, and adapt to climate-related shocks and stress, so as to bring sustained improvements in population health, despite an unstable climate.” The programme concept for delivering more resilient health facilities’ was included as a World Health Organization (WHO) global target in the recently tabled ‘Global plan of action (POA) on climate change and health in Small Island Developing States’, including Jamaica. This POA informs the development of MOHW Smart Programme that functions to build resiliency in the health sector. The Smart Programme guides the transition to sustainability, reduced carbon footprints and more resilient and safer health facilities in the face of natural and man-made hazards.
The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which is the regional office for the Caribbean and Americas of the World Health Organisation, is the implementing partner for the Smart Health Care Facilities (HCF) in the Caribbean project. The project period is May 2015 to May 2020 and it has three outputs. One of these outputs is infrastructure upgrade on selected facilities to reach a minimum standard for safety. The project will provide safer, greener health facilities in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Activities within each country are at different stages of implementation as the programme had started one year earlier in the four Eastern Caribbean countries (Dominica; Grenada; St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines) and subsequently followed by the three larger countries of Belize, Guyana and Jamaica, that were included when the project funding envelope was increased in 2016. The project is in its penultimate year and it is anticipated that there will be an extension of 6-12 months after the project period to complete all deliverables. Jamaica is now entering the construction phase and Infrastructure works are to be carried out on eleven facilities across Jamaica. Successful implementation of the project may leverage additional external resources for health facility resilience improvements interventions by providing a basis for the country to design and submit pipeline proposals to global climate funds to expand disaster resilience investments beyond the scope of the current project. An “Extraordinary 5 Year CapEx Plan for Health” that described a five-year investment programme in which there will be “significant capital investment that should result in an improvement in the infrastructure…” “over the next five years” was approved in 2019 and includes structural improvements to support primary care reform and enhancement of emergency care. These works must preserve or augment the smart interventions under the Smart HCF in the Caribbean project.
The objective of the assignment is therefore to effectively and efficiently execute this phase of the project taking into consideration the other infrastructure projects being implemented concurrently, ensuring that interventions are synergistic and preserve the smart standards that will be achieved by the project.
2. Scope of work:
In carrying out the assignment, the project manager is required to work closely with the Regional Health Authorities, the PAHO and its Building Contractors and Check Consultants. The project manager is also expected, in the exercise of his/her duties, to use appropriate project management tools, good practices, draw on lessons learned from similar experiences where and when available, and employ a collaborative approach in ensuring that the project objectives are attained.
Specifically, scope of services of the manager includes that he/she:
- Familiarise him/herself with the MOH&W Disaster Risk Reduction Programme, the project agreement, documents and agreements of other climate change-related programmes, reporting templates and guidelines of the Smart HCF in the Caribbean Project and UK-DFID and other reporting requirements relevant to the successful implementation of the project
- Liaise with each implementing agency and coordinate project activities to ensure that the activities in each output are implemented in accordance with the project agreement, the PAHO Smart Hospital Tool-Kit, and any other relevant project documents; troubleshoot with the relevant agencies to remove any bottlenecks that might arise during project implementation
- Integrate the Annual Work Plans prepared by the EDMSS Branch of the MOH&W and, with the assistance of the PAHO Country Office Smart Focal Point, the Procurement Plans as described in the Project Operational Manual for submission and approval by the Project Steering Committee and the UK-DFID
- Coordinate implementation of the required actions established by the Technical Implementing Team (TIT) work-plan for Jamaica, and updating and improving them as pertinent
- Collaborate with the MOH&W Smart Focal Point and Snr. Director, Project Planning and Monitoring Unit to enable on-going alignment between this and the other investment projects within the MOH&W
- Oversee the procurement of goods and services for the project in accordance with the procurement rules and guidelines established by the Government of Jamaica and consistent with the requirements of the PAHO and UK-DFID
- Plan and coordinate project activities (meetings, workshop, site visits etc.) to enhance stakeholder inclusion and programme accountability
- Provide timely information required for project implementation from the respective Regional Director of the Regional Health Authority to the MOH&W Smart Focal Point and the PAHO Smart Focal Point;
- Supervise the implementation of electric upgrade (wiring and fixtures) by the contractor and certify invoices for payment by the Ministry of Health & Wellness;
- Manage the process of receiving the various endorsements and approvals for the project, from the Beneficiary within the scheduled timeline with the guidance of the Programme Manager and Project Engineer;
- Liaise and communicate with the Beneficiary/key stakeholders of the project with the guidance of the Programme Manager and Project Engineer to ensure smooth implementation of the various measures of the project;
- Assist the MOH&W Smart Focal Point and respective RHA teams with the day-to-day project correspondences, information sharing and filing under the project, ensuring that appropriate follow-up actions are taken;
- Assist the MOH&W Smart Focal Point and respective RHA with monitoring and management of the retrofit project implementation against their key performance indicators;
- Coordinate with the MOH&W and PAHO and Contractor Environmental Specialist to ensure that all wastes are handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with the Contractor site specific environmental management plan; as well as the project is executed in accordance with the approved health and safety plan;
- Perform other duties as determined by the MOH&W Smart Focal Point.
3. Deliverables:
The Project Manager’s activities will be supervised by the MOH&W Smart Focal Point. The Project Manager will provide the progress reports outlined below. These reports should provide progress of the works and include pictures, data, videos and any other content related to the progress of the project.
- Annual Work Plan and Procurement Plan
- Monthly/ Quarterly/ Annual Reports (progress, financial)
- Applicable plans based on the Environmental Management Framework
- Stakeholder Consultations and workshops
- Job descriptions for consultants; technical specifications for goods; Inventory of goods procured
- Visibility and Knowledge products
- Audited Financial Statements
- Evaluation Report
4. Payment timeline:
The Consultant will be paid as follows, subject to the approval of the respective deliverables by the MOH&W and PAHO:
- 10 % – upon signing of contract and production of Workplan
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 1
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 2 to include recommendations for improvement for next supervision session
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 3
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 4 to include recommendations for improvement for next supervision session
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 5
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 6
- 10 % – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 7
- 5% – upon submission and approval of Bi-monthly progress Report 8
- 15 % – upon submission and approval of Final Report on the Consultancy inclusive of lessons learnt, best practices and recommendations
5. Experience and Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management or Public Management.
- Experience: Minimum 5 years professional and management working experience preferably in an area related to natural resources management, spatial planning and climate resilience
- Languages: English
- Core and Technical Competencies: an area related to natural resources management, spatial planning and climate resilience, Project Management experience; Government procurement and knowledge of PAHO and UK-DFID procurement rules and regulations; working familiarity with the local health sector.
- The incumbent will possess the following competencies:
- Management, critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Results orientation
- Facilitation skills
- Strong inter-personal skills
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Negotiation and team building skills
6. Opportunity Summary:
- Type of contract and modality: Lump Sum for Products and Services (PEC)
- Length of contract: 18 months
- Level of Effort: 312 days
- Location: Kingston, Jamaica
- Responsible Person: Nicole Dawkins-Wright –MOH&W Smart Focal Point; Dr. Marion Bullock-DuCasse – Smart Focal Point, PAHO
- Requirements: Consultant must be a citizen of Jamaica.
6. Our culture:
Working with us you will be surrounded by a diverse group of people who have years of experience in all types of development fields, including health, transportation, gender and diversity, communications and much more.
7. About us (MOH&W and the PAHO):
The Ministry of Health & Wellness (MOHW) is the authority on Health Services within Jamaica and is directly responsible for the public health care systems (PHC System) in the island. Health Services are structured into three main levels, Central, Regional and Parish. The Central Level is directly responsible for governance, policy, monitoring and evaluation. The Regional Health Authorities, born out of the National Health Service Act in 1997 and the Government of Jamaica’s Health Reform Programme which saw the decentralizing of health service delivery, is directly responsible for activities at the Regional and Parish Levels. Under decentralization, the management of delivery of health services shifted from central government (MOHW) to four semi-autonomous bodies – the Regional Health Authorities (RHA). Jamaica’s health system comprises a central body MOHW, four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs), related Agencies/organizations, and private health facilities and diagnostic centres. The MOHW governance structure comprises two broad areas- administrative and technical services. The Permanent Secretary is responsible for the administrative services and the Chief Medical Officer the technical services. The health system offers primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Primary care is delivered through a network of 316 health centres. Simultaneously, secondary and tertiary care is offered through 24 hospitals (including the quasi- government, teaching hospital of the University of the West Indies) and has a combined capacity of 4,802 beds. Hospital inpatient services within the public system is offered to the population through 18 general and 6 specialist hospitals. There are also four community hospitals that offers mainly maternity, child health and/or curative services. Public sector hospitals accounts for over 95% of hospital based care.
The MOHW is mandated to carry out all functions for health outlined in the National Disaster Plan, and as directed by the National Disaster Committee (NDC) and Executive (NDE), and must ensure that all activities for health are implemented with efficiency for emergency and routine medical and health care service, including public and international health.
Founded in 1902, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is the world’s oldest international public health agency. Its essential mission is to strengthen national and local health systems and improve health outcomes for all people in the Americas. PAHO has scientific and technical experts in its Washington, D.C., headquarters, 28 country offices, and four scientific centers. It also partners with nearly 200 PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers in 15 countries of the Americas. PAHO’s priorities and policies are set by its Member States through its Governing Bodies, including the PAHO Directing Council, which meets yearly, and the Pan American Sanitary Conference, which meets every fifth year. PAHO receives funding through quota contributions from its Member States, allocations from WHO, and voluntary contributions from governments, international organizations, and private and public sector organizations. As Regional Office for the Americas of WHO, PAHO is a member of the United Nations System. It also serves as the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System, whose other members are the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
8. Payment and Conditions:
Compensation will be determined in accordance with GOJ’s policies and procedures.
9. Diversity:
The MOHW is committed to diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities to all candidates. We embrace diversity based on gender, age, education, national origin, ethnic origin, race, disability, sexual orientation, and religion. We encourage women, Afro-descendants and persons of indigenous origins to apply.
10. Reporting
The Project Manager will report directly to the MOHW Smart Focal Point who will be responsible for the review and official approval of the project deliverables. The MOHW Smart Focal Point will report to the Permanent Secretary and the Chief Medical Officer regarding project matters.
11. Evaluation Criteria
Applicants will be scored out of a 100 upon the presentation of CV and detailed proposal. The score will be awarded on the following basis:
| AREA | SCORE |
| Qualification and experience | 30% |
| Technical approach and methodology | 40% |
| Proposal/work plan | 30% |
| Total | 100 |
A minimum score of 70% must be achieve by the candidate (s) to be considered.