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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, right. 

The Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DONIDCR), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for managing digital identity information, civil registration, and social protection schemes in Nepal. These services are accessed through various administrative offices and some diplomatic missions. The department uses the Vital Event Registration and Social Protection Management Information System (VERSP-MIS) to manage civil registration and social protection services, maintaining a central registry of civil registrations and 3.8 million social protection beneficiaries. Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems are crucial for ensuring every citizen's right to a name and birth registration, as guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal. They facilitate access to education, healthcare, financial systems, and mobility, addressing gender and social barriers, particularly for women and marginalized communities. CRVS systems also align with Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which aims for legal identity for all, including birth registration.

UNICEF has been providing essential support to DONIDCR at both central and local levels to ensure the sustainability of civil registration and social protection gains. Its support includes the implementation of social protection schemes, particularly the Child Grant, and the development of inclusive CRVS systems. This includes APIs for data transfer, performance monitoring tools, and a National Monitoring Framework. UNICEF also focuses on capacity development by training registrars and providing equipment support, as well as implementing digital CRVS procedures, GIS-enabled reporting modules, and assessing barriers to civil registration access.

With the end of the World Bank partnership in 2024, the government has requested UNICEF to manage the transition to ensure the continuous operation of the CRVS system. Given the urgency and the need to maintain uninterrupted civil registration processes, UNICEF's Social Policy, Governance and Evidence (SPGE), and Child Protection sections are stepping in to provide consultancy services. This support is crucial to bridge the gap and ensure the minimum operation of the CRVS system across the country. UNICEF's continued support will help ensure that the gains made in legal identity, access to services, and inclusion are not lost, and that the CRVS system operates smoothly during this transitional period.

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The consultant will assist department for smooth daily operation VERSP-MIS, Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) of social protection allowances to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, biometric device integration, and produce detail technical documents related to all the components of the system. This includes preparation and delivery of data dictionary, technical documents, user manual, installation, administration, configuration guides, training materials of the system etc. Also, the consultant shall engage to for enhancement, strengthening and integration of systems as defined in this document. The scope of work of the consultant includes enhancement, strengthening and integration of CRVS systems. The consultant will work on system development and improvement, optimization, integration, technical support, maintenance, documentation, and training. He/she will design and optimize scalable modules for VERSP-MIS, integrate third-party systems, and resolve discrepancies in EFT processing between VERSP-MIS and CGAS systems. He/she will also provide expert-level technical support, implement version control, and analyze root causes for system issues. The consultant will also create and maintain technical documentation, update the MIS user manual, and provide training to DoNIDCR IT staff.

Scope of Work:

The Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DoNIDCR) requires the consultancy service for supporting daily operation, preparing detail technical documentations of VERSP-MIS, integration of civil registration for identification purpose. The consultant will assist department for smooth daily operation VERSP-MIS, Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) of social protection allowances to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, biometric device integration, and produce detail technical documents related to all the components of the system. This includes preparation and delivery of data dictionary, technical documents, user manual, installation, administration, configuration guides, training materials of the system etc. Also, the consultant shall engage to for enhancement, strengthening and integration of systems as defined in this document.

Duties and responsibilities

• Support implementing scalable, normalized database structures to optimize performance, ensure maintainability, and comply with legal and business requirements.
• Provide daily support to operationalize VERSP-MIS system this include fixing both database and application-level issues reported by DoNIDCR support staff.
• Support smooth operation of the system and provide documentation of the issues and their possible solution addressing both system and business-related problems and implement permanent fixes to eliminate recurring issues.
• Monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot database performance through query optimization, indexing, and resource management, ensuring high efficiency and reliability.
• Support data integration, migration, and synchronization efforts from diverse data sources into a centralized database, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and integrity.
• Maintain PL/SQL code, including procedures, functions, and packages, to automate data extraction, transformation, and processing for critical business functions such as vital event registrations and Social Protection beneficiary fund distribution via EFT.
• Implement data warehousing solutions and utilize data mining techniques to support reporting, business, and decision-making processes.
• Help optimize database structures to support specific projects, such as census surveys and electronic data exchanges with external stakeholders, ensuring smooth integration and scalability.
• Maintain detailed technical documentation, including PL/SQL code documentation, system designs, database schemas, and data flow diagrams, ensuring they evolve as the project grows.
• Provide technical support to resolve data integrity issues, including redundancy, mismatches, and duplicates, ensuring accurate, consistent data across systems.
• Facilitate data encryption, security measures, and regular security patches to protect sensitive information and maintain secure connections between applications and databases.
• Conduct routine data quality checks and maintain accuracy and integrity, reporting discrepancies and implementing corrective actions to maintain high standards.
• Contribute to implementing database solutions for digitizing and storing legacy data, ensuring seamless migration and continued accessibility of historical records.
•  The consultant should develop internal capacity of DONIDCR to runs system independently

TASK:

Support System Operation

• Support DoNIDCR administrator in daily operations of VERSP-MIS.
• Document support activities, issues, resolutions, and actions taken.
• Facilitate training DoNIDCR IT staff to resolve issues independently.
• Provide weekly/monthly reports of activities performed

Support documentation of Vital Event Registration System

• Prepare documentation of functions and procedures for the Vital Event Registration System, including their purposes

Support documentation of Vital Event Registry Housekeeping Processes

• Prepare documentation of housekeeping processes for the vital event registry, including:
• Birth, Marriage, Migration, Death, and Divorce Registration.
• Cancellation of Vital Events.
• Copies of Vital Event Registration certificates.

Support API-Based Script Development for Vital Event Registration System

• Contribute develop a new scripts/procedures/function to support API-based architecture for the Vital Event Registration System.

Support implementation of Audit Trail and Version Control

• Prepare scripts/functions/procedures for audit trail functionality in VERSP-MIS.
• Implement a version control system for source code
• management, maintaining separate branches for development and production.

Support EFT Distribution and Discrepancy Resolution for Social Protection Scheme

• Prepare, and provide scripts/procedures/functions for EFT distribution to beneficiaries, including business process workflows and flow diagrams.
• Contribute to develop scripts/functions to resolve discrepancies during EFT processes between Social Protection and CGAS systems, enabling end-users to validate and retry without manual intervention.
• Develop scripts/functions to track EFT process status

Contribute to maintaining dynamic configuration for Social Protection Allowance Calculation

• Maintain Social Protection Allowance Calculations dynamically configurable based on age, allowance rate, region, category, etc.

Support integration and Permanent Fix

• Implement procedures/functions for:
• Business logic for integration with internal and external subsystems.
• Permanent fixes for reported issues.
• Biometric device integration (fingerprint scanner, iris scanner).
• Smart Card integration.

Help identify root causes and provide solutions

• Identify issues of daily system operation and provide solutions

Compliance with DoNIDCR Rules and Regulations

• Implement activities, improvements, and fixes to ensure compliance with DoNIDCR rules and regulations for vital event registrations and social protection schemes

Support DoNIDCR IT Administrator

• Collaborate with DoNIDCR IT administrator to address technical issues and prioritize resolutions

Support statistics report generation for vital events and social protection schemes

• Develop procedures/functions to generate statistics reports for Vital Events and Social Protection Schemes.

First Deliverable:

• Monthly reports and documentation of support activities, issue resolutions, and training provided.

Second Deliverable:

• Documentation of Vital Event Registration System functions, procedures, modules, and their purposes

Third Deliverable:

• Documentation of housekeeping processes for the vital event registry produced

Fourth Deliverable:

• Documentation of developed scripts/procedures/functions supporting API-based architecture.

Fifth Deliverable

• Source code and documentation of the audit trail script/function/procedure.
• Documentation of the implemented version control system.

Sixth Deliverable

• Documentation of scripts/procedures/functions for EFT distribution, discrepancy resolution, and tracking.

Seventh Deliverable

• Maintain record of the configuration for Social Protection Allowance Calculation

Eight Deliverable

• Documentation of developed procedures/functions for integration and fixes.

Nineth Deliverable

• Report identified problems and applied solutions

Tenth Deliverable

• Documentation of performed activities, improvements, and fixes

Final Deliverable

• Documentation of raised issues, applied solutions, and changes made

Twelfth Deliverable

• Documentation of procedures/functions for generating statistics reports

Duration:

The duration of the consultancy is for one year, tentatively starting from last week of April 2025

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in information technology or a relevant field from recognized university/College.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Should have at least 5 years of professional working experience and 5 years of specific working experience as a software developer in enterprise web-based projects.
• Should have developed at least one enterprise web-based project in Dot Net Framework.
• Mandatory working experience and expertise in Relational Database, Dot Net Framework and Linux.

Skills:

• Should have a sound knowledge of system analysis, RDBMS and project development life cycle, Knowledge of ASP.NET, Windows applications, CSS, HTML, C#.net, MVC framework, Database (Oracle/MS SQL), ASP.NET Core
• WCF, SOA, Restful web service for developing service layer.
• Knowledge of system analysis, system design, security assessment tools
• Strong inter-personal and communication skills
• Experience in working with team and team building spirit
• Ability to analyze business processes quickly and provides technical solutions
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Participate in project discussion/analysis
• Learning and using new technologies research and development

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

female candidates and candidates from the under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.