International Consultant for National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) systems

Hiring Office:

Population & Development Unit, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Purpose of consultancy:

The consultancy aims to provide high-level technical assistance to the development of the 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) systems. The NDHS is a nationwide survey designed to provide information on marriage, fertility levels, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding, child health, child mortality, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, and other health-related issues. The information collected through the NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in designing and evaluating programs and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population.

The technical assistance has been usually provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through ICF under the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program. However, due to a directive issued by USAID to temporarily pause foreign assistance funding—consistent with the United States Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-25-13 and the Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning Foreign Aid—ICF’s technical support for the 2025 NDHS has been suspended.

To ensure the continuity and quality of survey operations in the absence of this support, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will augment by engaging a technical consultant who has proven high technical capacity and experience in this field. The consultant will be tasked with assisting and strengthening the capacity of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) staff in the development of the core systems required for the successful implementation of the 2025 NDHS, specifically:

1. Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system for use by field interviewers and supervisors;
2. Monitoring Information System (MIS) equipped with a real-time monitoring dashboard for data collection;
3. Data Processing System (DPS) for the secondary editing of collected data; and
4. Tabulation System for the generation of complex statistical indicators.

This consultancy is critical to ensuring the technical soundness and operational readiness of the 2025 NDHS, thereby enabling the production of high-quality data to guide national health and development initiatives. 

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The scope of work of the technical consultant will include the following:

1.Development of CAPI system

1.1.Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the preparation and updating of CAPI system

2.Development of Management Information System (MIS) with Monitoring Dashboard

2.1.Assist the PSA staff and in-country consultant in the preparation of MIS

3.Systems Quality Assurance

3.1.Assist the PSA staff in the provision of CAPI and other system designs for quality assurance

4.Development of Data Processing System (DPS)

4.1.Assist the PSA staff and in-country consultant in the preparation of DPS using the new system

4.2.Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in updating the DPS, ensuring validation between the old and new systems

5.Development of Tabulation System

5.1.Assist the PSA staff and in-country consultant in the preparation of tabulation system using the new system

5.2.Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in updating the tabulation system, ensuring validation between the old and new systems

6.Briefing for Pretest using CAPI

6.1.Participate in the pretest briefing remotely

6.2.Assist the PSA staff in updating the CAPI system for the pretest

7.Training of Trainers

7.1.Participate and serve as IT resource person in the training of trainers

8.Task Force Training

8.1.Participate and serve as IT resource person in the task force training

8.2.Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in troubleshooting the CAPI system

8.3.Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in setting up the IT infrastructure at the Central Office

9.Updating of CAPI System after Task Force Training

9.1.Assist the PSA staff in updating the CAPI system remotely

10.Enumeration/Field Supervision (42 days)

11.Data Processing at the Central office (Secondary Editing)

11.1. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the secondary editing that includes the checking of the quality of data for completeness and consistency

12.Data Evaluation including Coding and Recoding

12.1. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the data evaluation including coding and recoding of data items

13.Workshop on Data Processing/Evaluation and Development of Tabulation Systems to Generate Tables and Weights

13.1. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in evaluating and finalizing data for the Key Indicators Report

13.2. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the generation of weights and preliminary tabulations on key indicators (e.g., fertility/mortality rates, early childhood development index, sampling errors, etc.)

14.Tabulation of Statistical Tables for the Key Indicators Report

14.1. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the preparation of the statistical tables for the key indicators report

15.Tabulation of Statistical Tables for the Final Report

15.1. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the preparation of the statistical tables for the final report

16.Workshop on Final Statistical Tables

16.1. Participate in the workshop remotely

16.2. Assist and capacitate the PSA staff in the generation of complex indicators for the final report

Duration and working schedule:

127 days spread in eleven (11) months - Deliverable Based (July 2025 to May 2026)

Place where services are to be delivered:

The consultancy is deliverable-/output-based and the submissions or presentations of output can be done online. The consultant is expected to attend 2 batches of in-person workshops in Manila, Philippines.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

• First Tranche (20%) - Submission of accomplishment report and technical documentation on the completion of Activities 1-3 and 6
• Second Tranche (40%) - Submission of accomplishment report and technical documentation on the completion of Activities 4 and 7-9
• Third Tranche (10%) - Submission of accomplishment report and technical documentation on the completion of Activities 5 and 11-12
• Fourth Tranche (15%) - Submission of accomplishment report and technical documentation on the completion of Activities 13-14 & 15-16
• Fifth Tranche (15%) - Submission of accomplishment report and technical documentation on the completion of Activities 15-16

Supervisory arrangements: 

The NDHS Consultant will be under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Country Representative and direct supervision of the Programme Analyst for Demographic Intelligence Analysis and Planning.

Expected travel:

Consultant will travel from base country to Manila, Philippines to conduct 2 batches of training/workshops. Air tickets and DSA will be provided accordingly. 

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Required Expertise, Qualifications, and Competencies:

• Educational Background: 
  • Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in demography, social sciences, gender studies, public health, or a related field.   
• Professional Experience: 
  • Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience and expertise in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program;
  • Demonstrated ability to develop, update, and troubleshoot CAPI system and DPS, preferably using CSPro;   
  • Advanced knowledge in the development of survey applications and systems;
  • Advanced knowledge in CSPro for the generation of tables with standardized weights;   
  • Advanced knowledge in generating and evaluating complex tables and indicators such as age-specific and total fertility rates, infant and child mortality rates, wealth index, early childhood development, and violence against women.
• Skills and Competencies: 
  • Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills.   
  • Fluency in English is required.