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DEADLINE EXTENSION: Request for expressions of interest: The FOUNDATIONS programme

Girls selling peanuts on the street © Nathalie Bertrams/GAGE

10th July 2023

Request for Expressions of Interest of Country Research Partnerships: 

DEADLINE EXTENSION: The deadline for proposal submission has now been extended to 19th July 2023.

The FOUNDATIONS Programme

Overview
Strengthening Adolescent Girls’ Sexual & Reproductive Health (FOUNDATIONS) is a 6-year multi-country, gender-transformative project, with a total value of CAD$ $47,114,662 funded by Global Affairs Canada. The project aims to enhance the empowerment of adolescent girls, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable, to exercise their adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and rights in Mali, Niger, and Sierra Leone.
The FOUNDATIONS programme is a Consortium programme delivered by Save the Children Canada in partnership with ODI/Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Equipop, and SickKids Centre for Global Child Health. FOUNDATIONS is the largest ASRH programme ever implemented by Save the Children globally.
The project will be grounded in a rights-based and multi-level gender-transformative approach, that draws from learning from other GAGE evaluated initiatives e.g. the Act with Her Ethiopia programme. The programme will focus on gender norms change related to sexual and reproductive health, child marriage, and gender-based violence in Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone.

The key issues the project will address include

  • High rates of sexual- and gender-based violence, inclusive of child, early and forced marriage
  • High rates of adolescent pregnancy (and related complications)
  • Restrictive policy and environment around adolescent sexual and reproductive health

Outcomes
The ultimate outcome of the project is to improve sexual and reproductive health related outcomes by the most marginalized and vulnerable young women and adolescent girls through:

  • Increased decision-making by in and out of school adolescent girls on their sexual and reproductive health and use of services
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health services
  • Improved effectiveness of key stakeholders to advocate for evidence-based, equitable sexual and reproductive health policies, legal frameworks and services

Purpose of the call
Overview
We are pleased to announce this request for expressions of interest for country research partners in Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone for the FOUNDATIONS programme. We are making this call to identify individuals and/or organisations who will partner with GAGE and the FOUNDATIONS consortium to co-design and implement a longitudinal qualitative study aimed at assessing the impacts of the FOUNDATIONS programme and improving the evidence based on social-norm change processes around ASRH, and the ways these interact with broader demographic, policy and legal (e.g. support for girls’ secondary education, investments in adolescent health centers, criminalization of Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) and FGM/C), and economic structural factors.
It will complement the quantitative research and analysis (led by SickKids) assessing the impact of the project on the lives of direct and indirect beneficiaries. Through longitudinal qualitative research and case studies, this research will contribute to the regional and global evidence base, and take the rare opportunity to evaluate the effects of long-term multi-level programming on adolescent trajectories over the course of key years of adolescence. Research findings will be published and disseminated with local, national, regional and international policy, practitioner, donor and research audiences with the aim of strengthening evidence-informed programmes, services and policies that adolescent- and gender-responsive.

Methodology and key information
The qualitative research component of the FOUNDATIONS consortium is led by GAGE. GAGE will conduct 3 rounds of longitudinal qualitative data collection in the three focal countries and a set of audio diaries with adolescents to complement the data collection findings, together with partners in the focal countries.
The research will consist of the following components as follows:

  • Consultations to design context-responsive research tools
  • Collection of primary data
  • Coding and analysis of the data
  • Preparation of country research reports and related knowledge products
  • Dissemination of findings in each of three countries.

Data collected will be used to track progress against output and outcome indicators at 18 month intervals – i.e., baseline, midterm, endline.

Outputs, deliverables
Expected outputs and deliverables include the following activities (and may be subject to change)

  1. Planning discussions with GAGE and FOUNDATIONS teams
  2. Reviewing and piloting research tools
  3. Co-leading qualitative research training
  4. Undertaking data collection
  5. Contributing to preliminary analysis debriefing sessions
  6. Transcription and translation of research interviews
  7. Contributing to analysis of the findings and co-authoring reports and knowledge products
  8. Co-leading dissemination activities on the research findings

Dates
The overall FOUNDATIONS programme runs from 2021-2027. The research activities for the qualitative component that GAGE/ODI will be leading are expected to commence around quarter 3 of 2023.
Please send your clarification queries to procurementggri@odi.org.uk by 21st June 2023 Questions and answers will then be circulated to all bidders.
The timeframe for the call will be as follows: call released on 7th June 2023 with the deadline for bidder queries by 21st June 2023. Proposals will be due on 10th July 2023. Short listed bidders will then be invited to interviews on 25th July 2023.

Capacity statements outline
We request the submission of an expression of interest statement with a maximum of 5 pages, plus appendices, to cover the components mentioned above. Please include the following sections in your capacity statement:

  1. Brief description of your organisation (if relevant) – size, mission statement, history, organisation of teams/departments, disciplinary background of researchers and methodological experience (or equivalent if you are applying as an individual).
  2. Content expertise on gender and adolescence – in general and over the last three years. Please include research and evaluation work you have done related to any of the following thematic areas: i) sexual and reproductive health, ii) voice and agency; and iii) gender-based violence. In addition, please list three key projects that you think best exemplify s your work relating to these thematic areas and gender and/or adolescence and where applicable attach relevant research reports and/or articles or provide appropriate links. Please include institutional experience on child protection.
  3. Motivation – please explain your interest in this project and why you would be well suited to carry it out.
  4. References – please list three referees that you would be happy for us to contact.All submissions will be equally assessed. Please also respond to sections 4-10 in your capacity statement.
  5. Data collection

a. Qualitative data collection

Please provide a summary of your /your institution’s experience, with specific examples, in qualitative data collection. Please include the following information:

i.   Experience with utilising different types of qualitative research instruments.
ii.   Identify key staff to be involved in the data collection process and key examples of projects in which they have been   involved. Please specify how the data collection in the field is managed, with what size and profile of teams. Please include CVs. Please also explain your process of quality assurance.
iii.   Experience of programme evaluation.
iv.   Experience of working in survey and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) contexts with young people and adolescent girls.
v.    Please provide three reports or articles that best represents your work drawing on qualitative research methods.

b. Qualitative data analysis component

Please provide a summary of your/your institution’s experience, with specific examples, in qualitative data analysis. Please include the following information:

i.    Approach to qualitative data analysis, including if relevant experience with different software packages.
ii.   Two to three examples of reports and articles produced by core personnel to be involved. Please explain role if these were co-produced with other researchers and if so what their role was in the analysis.

6. Dissemination / research uptake / learning

a. What types of approaches do you use to disseminate and communicate your research findings? Please provide examples of the following as relevant:

i.    Reports
ii.   Events
iii.  Website (and other forms of social media)
iv.  Journal publications
v.  Resource centres

7. Experience in securing ethics approvals: Please outline your usual ethics approval/ IRB processes.

8. Budget /cost structure: Please provide a budget which includes the components below ). Please provide a breakdown between fees and expenses. Fees should be broken down by staff member, cost and activity

Budget scenario: Please provide us with a detailed breakdown of what it would cost to undertake 10 focus group discussions, 20 in-depth interviews and 20 key informant interviews in three sites.

a. Please provide costs for:

vi.    Principle investigator costs – both daily rates and costs for 20% time.
vii.   Research assistant rate – both daily rates and costs for 20% time.
viii.   Administrative/ overhead costs / indirect costs – please specify what is and is not included in the daily rates/ percentage time rates.

b. Please provide costs for field work i.e. transportation and daily subsistence

c. Please provide costs for transcription and translation

For the call for expressions of interest , please send all documents to procurementggri@odi.org.uk DEADLINE EXTENSION: The deadline for proposal submission has now been extended to 19th July 2023. Please put ‘Foundations Programme Request for Expressions of Interest ’ followed by your institution’s name in the email title.

Annex 1: Evaluation Criteria

Call conditions
Communications
We will only communicate about this call by email.
Applications must be submitted electronically to procurementggri@odi.org.uk. We may reject any submissions sent to any other address.

Confidentiality
We will share the questions, and our responses, with other applicants, unless we agree to treat any exchange of information as confidential.
If you would like us to treat any exchange of information and/or information included in your submission as confidential, you must let us know and explain your reasons. We will confirm if we accept your request and if we do not, we will work together to decide whether the information in question can be omitted from your submission, or communicated to us outside the call process.

Closing date and submission requirements
We may reject any submission which is, in our reasonable opinion, incomplete or is submitted after the stated closing date.
Where a length of response is stipulated, that response length relates to the number of 15 A4 Pages excluding appendices (maximum 100 pages with appendices). Text based information must be answered in English or French.
We will only evaluate submissions which meet our stated length and appearance requirements. We will not evaluate any information which we have not requested in the tender documents.

Changes to ODI requirements
Where we change our requirements during the call, we will inform you as quickly as reasonably possible.
You will provide a single point of contact (including telephone and e-mail details) to receive this information, and you will ensure that you have appropriate cover arrangements in place if your contact is away from work, as we expect you to provide a prompt acknowledgement of our changes.

Consortium partners and subcontractors
You must name all proposed sub-contractors and/or consortium partners in your submission and explain their role. We cannot guarantee that we will approve any other third parties after we have accepted submissions.
We will require the right to approve subcontracts and must have the right to enforce some contractual terms directly against your subcontractors in order to meet our own contractual obligations to the contract funder and to the other consortium partners.

Consortium submissions
We will only contract with a lead single partner. We may require consortium partners that are not lead partners to enter into direct agreements with ODI to cover part or all of their project contributions, where this is necessary to meet our own contractual obligations to the contract funder and to the other consortium partners.

Submission principles
We expect your response to demonstrate openness, transparency, attention to detail and the ability to work in the spirit of collaborative working.

Additional or missing information or documentation
If we request additional or missing information or documentation, we will specify the time by which we expect it to be submitted to us. If you fail to supply this on time, we may reject your submission.

Conflict of interest
This will be an open, fair, non-discriminatory and competitive call. If you declare an actual or potential conflict of interest which may prevent you from participating in the GGRI project effectively, or we become aware of one ourselves, which we cannot resolve in good faith using reasonable efforts, we may reject your submission.

Financial standing and compliance screening
We may run reasonable checks on you before or after accepting your offer to make sure that you are a suitable project partner. These may include requiring you to complete questionnaires. If as a result of this screening we conclude that you are not a suitable project partner and/or that you will not meet our funder’s requirements, we will inform you as quickly as possible and work together to find a way forward. We will not be obliged to award a contract to you if we are unable to agree a mutually acceptable solution.

Please be aware that as our funder is a UK government department, if we become aware after awarding a contract to you of any circumstances which mean that continuing to work with you presents a compliance risk to us or our funder, we may withdraw / terminate the contract award at any time.

General
We are under no obligation to accept your submission, whether because it is the cheapest bid or for any other reason. ODI is not a public body, and we are not regulated by public procurement law. We will follow the stated call principles, as amended from time to time, but any decisions which we make in relation to this submission will be made in our absolute discretion.
This call will be interpreted in accordance with the law of England and Wales. By responding to our call invitation, you agree that the English courts have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute connected with this call.

Response to Questions

Below outlines questions and responses to submitted queries as part of the EOI process for GAGE Foundations Programme.

Research Methods and Sites

  • Knowing this qualitative research will ultimately be longitudinal, please confirm this proposal is for one round of research, not for multiple iterations.

Please provide an estimate for one round of research and indicate what the likely annual adjustments would be for two additional rounds at approximately 18-month intervals.

  • The RFP reads: “Please provide us with a detailed breakdown of what it would cost to undertake 10 focus group discussions, 20 in-depth interviews and 20 key informant interviews in three sites.” Does this mean 10 focus groups, 20-in-depth interviews, and 20 key informant interviews per site or across all three sites?

Please provide a budget estimate per site.

  • Can you confirm that you are looking for one research partner per country, and that the 3 sites referred to in the TOR are within the countries you list?

There is some flexibility in the make-up of research partners so if the applicant can deliver research in more than one of the three country contexts, please do include this in your proposal. However, it is more important to note that GAGE puts a premium on context-specificity and local ownership when weighing the proposals.

  • Has the program intervention in Sierra Leone already been identified? Is it possible to share any details on the specific intervention in Sierra Leone?

The programme is a large, multi-layered, multi-sectoral programme aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes, broadly defined for adolescent girls and young women.

  • Is GAGE open to alternative qualitative methodologies or should only this construction be presented?

As GAGE will be producing both country specific and cross-country comparative knowledge products, it is important to have a core set of qualitative tools, but also open to suggestions on research methods.

  • Can you confirm whether the longitudinal qualitative data collection is expected to consist of individual interviews and focus group discussions and is distinct from the audio diaries?

The individual interviews and audio diaries would be longitudinal, for example, we would go back to the same individuals over time, FGDs would not be longitudinal.

  • Will the country research partners be responsible for supporting any aspect (design, data collection, analysis) of the audio diaries or will these activities be conducted entirely by GAGE?

GAGE envisages that the tools will be jointly designed, and data collections and analysis jointly executed.

  • Does the funder prefer for the interview subjects to be recruited from a specific location? If so, please provide. If national representation is preferred, please note.

Yes, GAGE will be working in specific localities where the programme intervention is being carried out, and in analogous comparative communities without the intervention. These details will be shared and discussed in an inception workshop.

  • Is the funder open to virtual data collection methodologies, like chat focus groups or on-line focus groups?

This is unlikely to be appropriate given the localities and limited connectivity of adolescent girls and young women.

  • Are there any assumptions on the likely specific locations/regions that we would be targeting within the three countries?

No this is not yet decided

Proposal and Budget

  • Is there a budget in mind for this project?

GAGE would prefer the applicant to provide an estimate as we are not specifying a budget ceiling at this point.

  • The Capacity Statements Outline section details that we should provide the budget for 10 focus group discussions, 20 in-depth interviews and 20 key informant interviews in the three sites. However, the Methodology and key information section specifies that GAGE will conduct 3 rounds of longitudinal qualitative data collection in the three focal countries and a set of audio diaries with adolescents to complement the data collection findings, together with partners in the focal countries. Should we then also include audio diaries in the budget? Secondly, would we be providing the cost per round, or the cost for the 3 rounds (assuming this refers to the baseline, midterm and endline at 18-month intervals)?

It would be helpful for your proposal to include possible audio diary cost. Ideally, please provide cost per round.

  • Could you clarify the difference between “daily rates and costs for 20% time” (we assume the latter to mean something else that one fifth of the former)

Depending on the institution or provider, a daily fee rate may be used, or a salary percentage.

  • You state a maximum of 5 pages plus appendices for the EOI statement. Would this cover sections 1-4 of your suggested outline? Or the entire 1-8 set (including budget)?

The five pages is for the narrative description of the approach, the budget information would be separate.

Project Team

  • We are a US/EU/UK-based organization with in-country support teams whom we will identify in the proposal. I just want to confirm this structure is acceptable and will be considered for this exciting opportunity.

Yes, this is acceptable, however please bear in mind the response to context-specificity requirements.

  • Can you clarify the roles you envision for the research assistant?

GAGE would anticipate the research assistant to help with preparing the fieldwork logistics, organization of recorded interview, basic literature reviews, etc.

  • Can you describe the credentials and affiliation you expect for both the PI and the research assistant role?

The PI should have extensive experience of carrying out and managing qualitative data collection on related thematic areas, quality assuring the work of more junior colleagues, and working collaboratively with other researcher partners from other institutions. Ideally, they would also have experience of data analysis and report writing. For the research assistant, please see the answer above.