International Road Safety Specialist (IRSS)

Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project Design of a Road Safety Awareness Campaign

Recruitment of an International Road Safety Specialist (IRSS)

Terms of Reference

Job Title: International Road Safety Specialist (international individual specialist)

Reporting to: Team Leader, Aus4Transport

Location: Hanoi

A. Background

1. Aus4Transport is an Australian Government initiative to support the Government of Vietnam (GOV) in developing high-quality transport infrastructure to promote economic growth and poverty reduction.

Aus4Transport is managed by a Program Managing Contractor (PMC), DT Global, Australia, on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government.

2. The program’s goal is to increase investment in Vietnam’s road, rail, and inland waterway infrastructures by bringing higher quality projects to market faster. The end-of-program outcome is faster project development and improved quality of transport infrastructures making use of funding from all financial sources. Two intermediate Program outcomes are anticipated: (i) the Ministry of Transport (MOT) giving enhanced consideration of engineering, financial, economic, safety, gender, social and environmental matters in all pre-feasibility studies, feasibility studies and detailed engineering design leading to MOT bringing better prepared proposals and concepts more rapidly to implementation, drawing on innovative and comprehensive approaches; and (ii) MOT identifying bottlenecks to improved project development, identifying and assessing remedial measures, and recommending improved practices, leading to MOT adopting innovations in policies and procedures toward improved project development.

3. Working in close partnership with the MOT, the Aus4transport line agency, and the wider transport sector, the Program will provide support through two streams of activities:

Stream A: Facilitating project preparation for major projects that are listed, or soon to be listed, in the GOV’s Mid-term Investment Plan; and
Stream B: Supporting the sector through research, innovation, policy reform, and training that responds to the specific needs of various transport users (including women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities) as well as dealing with issues related to the development of the sector, including road safety and climate change.

B. Stream B – Road Safety Awareness Campaign (RSAC) Design Activity

4. The GOV has received a Loan from the Asian Development Bank to undertake the Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project (NMPTCP), in which MOT acting as the Project line agency. Additionally, MOT acting as Program line agency of the Aus4Transport. Part of the Aus4Transport grant is used for financing the consulting services for the detailed design and documentation (DDD) of the NMPTCP as a Stream A Activity. Aus4Transport grant will also be used for financing a Stream B Activity, namely Design of a Road Safety Awareness Campaign for the NMPTCP (RSACD). MOT acting as the Activity line agency will have the overall responsibility for designing the RSACD. MOT has assigned (i) its Project Management Unit No.2 (PMU2) acting as the Activity Executing and Implementing agency, to oversee on behalf of MOT the Activity implementation progress and quality; ensure overall coordination of the Activity with regard to MOT requirements, monitor Activity progress and quality and ensure application of the Activity outputs. The RSACD will be designed in close consultation with the National Committee for Traffic Safety (NCTS).

5. Aus4Transport has assigned the PMC to act as the client of the required consulting services. The PMC will manage in collaboration with PMU2 the Activity implementation including recruitment and signing of contracts with the individual consultants.

6. The Activity scope is to design a Road Safety Awareness Campaign to be implemented prior to and during the construction period of the NMPTC Project. The campaign will target the civil works contractors and their workers, the road users, the local communities and businesses, with a special attention to the ethnic minorities, living along the project roads. At the time of writing the implementation of the campaign is expected to be procured and managed by Aus4Transport as a separate activity once the design is approved by MOT and DFAT.

7. The Activity outputs encompass: (i) a Safety Risk Mitigation Plan to be implemented by the civil works contactors, and (ii) a comprehensive Road Safety Awareness Campaign including detailed scope, implementation arrangements and estimated cost. The following outlines the task to be carried out by the Consulting team:

The Safety Risk Mitigation Plan is to address safety issues during the construction phase. A set of road safety measures to be implemented by the civil works contractors have been identified as part of the ADB-funded Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA). The Consulting team will review and improve as required the PPTA recommended measures whose objectives are to ensure road safety among construction workers, road users and local population along the worksites. The consultants will deliver a comprehensive risk mitigation plan inclusive of implementation arrangements.
Road Safety Awareness Campaign:
- The Consulting team will prepare a comprehensive and integrated road safety awareness campaign, that is consistent with Vietnam's overall road safety program, which is to be implemented two to three months prior to and during the construction period along the Project roads. The main beneficiaries include road users, roadside communities and businesses. The Program will be developed in close consultation with NCTS, PMU2 and the Traffic Police and Provincial People’s Committees of the Project provinces: Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Yen Bai. Also, the Consultants will liaise with the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) involved in Vietnam road safety programs. The road safety awareness campaign will include specific modules dealing with gender and disability issues.
- The development of the campaign modules may involve non-government organisations or drama troupes, or other suggested organizations especially recommended by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU). The Social Development cum GESI Specialist will interview and survey a sampling of VWU officials and meet with relevant people with disabilities (PWD) and officials working with PWDs in the Project districts to formalize the awareness campaign. The campaign may involve tapping into female teachers at schools, local hospital officials who work daily on motorbike accident victims and the police who are in charge of recording accidents. A summary report compiling the outcomes of the social survey on road safety will be prepared by the Social Development Specialist. The campaign will be designed in close consultation with MOT and NCTS to ensure effective and cost-effective publicity and campaign and develop awareness on road safety issues among the local communities and influence road user behaviour.
- The Consulting team will develop a road safety education pilot project in high-risk areas to be identified in consultation with NCTS and PMU2.
- The Consulting team will estimate the awareness campaign cost (detailed cost estimate) and recommend arrangements for its implementation along with the Terms of Reference for the recommended services providers.
- The Consulting team will present the RSAC, its scope and objectives, as well as the draft and final Risk Mitigation Plan and Road Safety Awareness Campaign through workshops targeting PMU officers, national and provincial authorities concerned and local communities.

8. The Activity will require the input of (i) a national Team Leader cum Road Safety Specialist (4 person-months), (ii) a national Social Development cum Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Specialist (3 person-months) and (iii) an international Road Safety Specialist (2 person-months).

C. International Road Safety Specialist – Scope of Services

9. The implementation of the Activity will require the services of an International Road Safety Specialist (IRSS) who will (i) bring international expertise and innovativeness in the development of both the risk mitigation plan associated with construction activities and RSAC; (ii) the review and improve as required the PPTA recommended measures based on data and information provided by the national team; (iii) prepare of a comprehensive plan inclusive of implementation arrangements for ensuing Project road safety during the construction phase; and (iv) prepare with the assistance of the national team a comprehensive and integrated RSAC to be implemented two to three months prior and during the construction period along the Project roads.

10. The tasks of the IRSS will include, but not be limited to the following:

Consolidating additional data/information provided by the national team members through field surveys and with the assistance of the national team: (i) reviewing and improving as required the PPTA recommended measures whose objectives are to ensure road safety among construction workers, road users and local population along the worksites; and (ii) preparing a comprehensive risk mitigation plan inclusive of implementation arrangements for ensuring road safety during the Project construction phase.
Preparing a comprehensive and integrated RSAC to be implemented two to three months prior and during the construction period along the Project roads with the assistance of the Activity team to ensure effective and cost-effective publicity and campaign and develop awareness on road safety issues among the local communities and influence road user behaviour.
Assisting the national team members in presenting the draft and final Risk Mitigation Plan and the RSAC, its scope and objectives, through workshops targeting PMU officers, national and provincial authorities concerned and local communities.

D. Key Expertise Requirements

11. The IRSS will have a master’s degree in transport engineering or equivalent and more than 15 years of professional experience with at least 5 years of relevant experience in road safety or three road safety awareness campaign designs. He/she should have substantive knowledge of project management and fluency in English.

12. The IRSS should have a proven experience in road safety related projects, preferably with MOT in Vietnam and experience in dealing with government and local agencies.

E. Implementation Arrangements

13. The IRSS will be engaged by the PMC on an intermittent basis for a total duration of 2 months over the anticipated 4-month duration of the Activity and will be based at the Aus4Transport office in Hanoi or working home-based in case of travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

14. The IRSS will be administratively accountable to the national Activity Team Leader and the Aus4Transport Team Leader. He/she will work closely and collaboratively with the national team members. The international Road Safety specialist’s principal counterpart is PMU2. The IRSS will maintain regular contact with PMU2 and the national team members to discuss progress, issues, any assignment needs, and any guidance needed.

15. The Aus4Transport Program will cover the cost of the IRSS’s remuneration in Australian dollar, any domestic travel costs that may be required in support of his/her outputs. The international Road Safety specialist is expected to provide his/her own computer and peripherals needed for the assignment.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, detailing applicable experience and skills, and a CV referencing “Application to the position of International Road Safety Specialist (IRSS)” in the subject title to aus4transport@dt-global.com

Application Deadline: 10 May 2021.

No phone calls. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.