Duty station: Hargeisa-Somaliland

Reporting to: Chairman of NADFOR

Type of assignment: Secondment

Duration: Until 30^th June 2022

BACKGROUND

Climate change impacts manifested in extreme weather and climate events have increased in frequency, intensity and severity threatening human lives, properties and economies. Vulnerable communities with weaker disaster preparedness systems are facing the greatest risks and there is need to invest and focus in risk information and early warning systems (EWS) to reduce these impacts.

Early warning and preparedness play a critical role in preventing potentially hazardous events turning into disasters. Clear warnings, received in time, coupled with the knowledge of how to react, can mean the difference between life and death, or between economic survival and ruin, for individuals and communities.

National Disaster Preparedness and Food Reserve Authority (NADFOR) Five-Year Strategic Plan for 2019-2023 provides guidance in enhancing and expanding Early Warning System under the preparedness strategy in order to make the disaster risk reduction and disaster response effective in Somaliland. Somaliland MHEWS Roadmap has been developed to help implement the National Framework for Multi-hazard Early Warning System. This will enable people and communities usually affected by hazards to take actions to cope with likely effects of disasters. It will help reduce the loss and damage to the environment as well as to social and economic structures and provide guidance on how to cope with the effects of disasters.

Early warning system is considered as one of the most important tools which are used in the mitigation of disaster risks. These tools play a major role in reducing material and human losses. It allows vulnerable communities to act in sufficient time to save lives and reduce loss from severe hazards. A round- the-clock monitoring of natural phenomena is the first building block of the early warning systems. Likewise, analysis of data and information is considered the basic step through which the early warning systems can achieve their objectives. In Somaliland NADFOR has been putting more effort in improving the national early warning system by establishing early warning committees in various villages and districts, and community based early warning system is piloted in sanaag region despite having limitations to unfold and sustain the initiative. Hence, there is a need to enhance the National early warning system throughout the country.

OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of the consultancy is to assess set up national early warning system from the existing establishments, train relevant staffs on data collection, analysis & reporting processes, GIS and make recommendations on how to integrate the new system to be devised into the existing systems and implement the recommendations to come up with an acceptable and integrated Early Warning Early Implementation Action Plan.

THE CONSULTANT IS EXPECTED TO DELIVER THE FOLLOWING KEY OUTPUTS

· Study the already existing early warning system such as the dashboard/online systems by NADFOR and come up with recommendation on how to upgrade existing system which allows interoperability of data from Multi-Hazard Centre other credible sources.

· To establish and develop institutional mechanisms equipped with modern technology in order to exchange early warning at district, regional and national levels.

· To collaborate with national, regional and international level agencies for the establishment and development of early warning systems.

· Train relevant staff members on weather data analysis and interpretation and reporting.

· Train relevant staff members on the GIS and mentor its application across the early warning data collection, analysis and reporting process.

· Develop Systems and module graphical interfaces, web modules, database modules, application reports and statistics, and any software components needed to deliver a merged system from the existing system.

· Perform all necessary software maintenance, including coding, testing, debugging, upgrading and modifications of the currently existing early warning early system.

· Develop early warning assessment tool basing on the local context

· Ensure data integrity during and after M&E System implementation.

· Provide recommendation on high security and cost effective online portal platform/dashboard and necessary infrastructure.

· Design a complete user manual that documents installation, setup, and deployment of the platform.

· The consultant will build the capacities of a national staff which will continue delivering the tasks for NADFOR when the secondee contract ends.

EXPECTED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

· A minimum of 10 years of experience in the analysis and design of National early warning systems and reporting.

· Extensive experience in designing early warning systems in country in Sahel region of Africa.

· Strong understanding, knowledge and experience in conducting national early warning review, design and technical support.

· Ability to write and communicate complex messages and ideas clearly and effectively.

· Proven understanding and knowledge of the global early warning and climate change and climate related hazards including drought and cyclones.

· Experience in working with NGO’s/INGOs/Donors and Government Ministries and Departments

· The consultant must have experience in developing Early Warning Early Action systems.

· The consultant is required should have recognizable experience in the field of management of information/data, software development with experience in web enabled MIS development of comparable projects.

· Advanced knowledge and use of Application Programming Interface (API).

· Experience in developing a work-flow interface for updating and tracking records.

· Experience in administering and developing relational databases using .NET, MS SQL Server, PHP or mobile apps development (Android, iOS).

· Knowledge of Open Data Kit (ODK) is a plus.

TECHNICAL EVALUATION

Applications received will be evaluated against a combination of the following criteria:

· Understanding of the TOR (General understanding of the TOR requirements).

· Experience in developing Early Warning Early Action systems.

· Qualification, experience and proposed team composition which should have diverse skills to cover the assignment (programmer, system analyst).

· Work plan proposed.

· Track record of successful completion of past similar assignments.

· References for previous similar works done.