TENDER NOTICE FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Title of the Tender: Hiring an Individual Consultant /Consultancy firm to lead the Baseline survey for STRONG Project. 

Tender Reference Number: CRS-Rwanda 009-FY24-TN/2024 

Procurement Method: National Open Competitive Tender

Date of Issue: January 9^th, 2023 

Deadline for submission: January 23^rd, 2023                           

Terms of Reference for Individual Consultant /Consultancy firm to lead the Baseline survey for STRONG Project.

1. About Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development works are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. The Country Program has over 80 staff and implements its projects through local and international partners, with strong coordination/collaboration with Government of Rwanda structures. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been working in Rwanda since 1961. CRS Rwanda’s key programming areas include youth empowerment, agriculture, early childhood development, economic strengthening, justice, and peace building. To achieve this, CRS collaborates with the government of Rwanda, donors, the Catholic church, private sector, and civil society organizations. 

2. About STRONG Project

Globally, adolescent girls and young women are considered high risk groups for being underweight, overweight, obese, and having anemia, and must be a priority group for interventions that aim to improve nutrition at scale. The overall project objectives are ‘Adolescent girls and young women live healthy, productive lives and break the cycle of intergenerational malnutrition.’

STRONG Project is a 5-year, $10 million/year project that will work to improve nutrition outcomes for the target group in seven countries: Guatemala, India, Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Timor-Leste and Zambia. The project overall goal is Project will target three avenues of change; namely Improving service delivery in health care, education, agricultural extension, and community-based services to meet the needs of AGYW, in furnishing products and supplements to fill critical nutritional and micronutrient gaps for them, and in supporting positive health and nutrition behaviours among AGYW and those in their spheres of influence. 

In Rwanda STRONG project will be implemented in 5 districts in Rwanda namely Kayonza, Rwamagana, Nyarugenge, Rulindo and Nyamasheke and will work closely with other partners including Government institutions (MINEDUC, MoH, MIGEPROF, MINALOC, MINAGRI), nutrition implementing partners including USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose (GKB) and local civil society organizations     .

3. Purpose of the Consultancy

CRS seeks to hire a skilled and experienced individual consultant or Consultancy firm to support STRONG project baseline survey. The need for this baseline survey is to inform about the current nutritional situation of project participants (Adolescent Girls aged 10-19 years). The data collected during this survey will play a pivotal role in shaping and guiding the planning and implementation strategies for project interventions.

4. Baseline Summary

5. Expected deliverables. 

Quantitative Research Approach: Utilizing quantitative research methods to statistically assess core project indicators' status, providing a descriptive analysis of success markers. 

The results of baseline study will help the project to tailor interventions to the specific needs of adolescent girls in the prioritized communities.

The baseline study will compute baseline values of the following indicators:

6. Scope of Work

• Reflection session with STRONG MEAL Team on project background and context
• Lead the development and seeking approvals from NISR for Research VISA and RNEC for Research Protocols.
• Presentation of developed documents for Project review before submission to the respective institutions (NISR, RNEC)
• Adapt and refine the project’s sampling methodology.
• Revise/adapt and test the existing data collection tool.
• Translation of data collection tools into Kinyarwanda (Questionnaire, consent form, and other relevant materials)
• Train enumerators on data collection tool (Questionnaire, CommCare).
• Provide thorough guidance on executing accurate anthropometric measurements.
• Ensure the availability and proper functioning of Adult Height boards and weight scales for the anthropometric measurements.
• Submit data collection forms (Hard copies) after conducting data collection.
• Lead and manage the data collection process, ensuring accuracy of collected data.
• Conduct cleaning, and data analysis
• Draft baseline report
• Present the report during participatory reflection event with key project stakeholders, STRONG team and STRONG SMT Team.
• Ensure revised final report reflects received feedback.

Adhere to the agreed-upon timeline for each phase of the baseline survey, including training, data collection, analysis, and reporting. 

7. Expected deliverables.

Documentation and Approvals:

• Submitted and review documents for project overview (before submission to NISR and RNEC)
• Research VISA and Research protocol approvals from NISR and RNEC

Tool Development and Adaptation:

• Adapted and improved sampling methodology.
• Revised, tested, and translated data collection tools into Kinyarwanda.
• Enhanced data collection tool (Questionnaire) based on technical inputs.

Training and Preparation:

• Conducted enumerator training sessions.
• Ensured availability and functionality of measurement tools (Adult Height boards, weight scales).

Data Collection and Management:

• Collected, organized, and submitted hard copy data collection forms.
• Managed the data collection process for accuracy and reliability.
• Oversaw data cleaning, analysis, and synthesis.

Reporting and Presentation:

• Drafted a comprehensive baseline report based on data collected and analyzed.
• Presented the report during a participatory reflection event.
• Integrated feedback from the reflection event into the final report.

8. Qualifications for the Consultancy and Required Experience

• Holder of a PhD degree in relevant field such as public health, Nutrition, Bio-statistic with strong background in working with local / international NGOs in the research domain.
• Demonstrate experience of at least 5 years of working experience in conducting research, baseline surveys, project evaluation, impact assessment preferably in the field of health and Nutrition or community development projects
• Capability to effectively present survey findings to stakeholders through reports and presentations.
• Demonstrate experience in research publication in the health and Nutrition domains.
• The consultant should have demonstrated research and analytical skills, including the ability to collect, analyze, and interpretation, leading to the production of comprehensive studies reports.
• Familiarity with Rwanda regulations related to research protocols, including experience in obtaining necessary approvals from relevant authorities.
• Demonstrated proof of previous experience in similar assignments with adolescent girls, will be an asset.
• Must be available within the period of the assessment.
• A consultant must be a Rwanda citizen.
• Consultancy Firm should be registered in Rwanda. 

9. Timeframe

This assignment is expected to be conducted from January 2024 and completed in March 2024. 

10. Reporting and Working language.

The consultant will report directly to STRONG Program manager and work closely with the project MEAL team.  

11. Evaluation criteria and methodology

The consultant will be selected using the quality and cost-based selection and the evaluation will be conducted against the following criteria:

• Administrative Evaluation

1. The consultant should be legally operating as consultant
2. VAT and/or Tax clearance certificates if applicable
3. Bid validity period 

• Technical Evaluation 

N.B : The minimum technical score for the consultant to pass the technical stage is 70%.

• Tw = % Weight of technical score (80%)
• Fw = % Weight of financial score (20%)

The financial score for each consultant/firm will be calculated using the following formula:

• Financial score (FS) = (LF x 100)/ Fi
• LF = The lowest financial proposal.
• Fi = The proposal to be evaluated.

• Financial evaluation

• The winning consultant/firm will be determined by combining the technical score and financial score as per the following formula:
• Final score (S): (TS x Tw%) + (FSxFw%) where:
• S= Final score
• TS = Technical score
• FS = Financial score
• Tw = % Weight of technical score (80%)
• Fw = % Weight of financial score (20%)

• Price shedule

Note:

• The cost should be inclusive of required taxes ( 15% WHT or 18%VAT Tax)
• The consuAll Rwandan consultants must quote in Rwandan Francs
• CRS will cover expenses related to the enumerators

12. Confidentiality

All documents and data will be treated as confidential and used solely to facilitate this assignment.

13. Application process

Interested individual consultant are encouraged to send their applications to rwandabids@crs.org no later than January 23^rd, 2024 at 11:00am Kigali time. The title of the email must include: “lead the Baseline survey for STRONG Project.’’ and the application document should include the technical proposal and financial proposal in two PDF documents. A late submission will not be considered.

Length of the bid document 

Interested bidders should submit technical and financial proposal documents that do not exceed 10 pages maximum without annexes.

Done at Kigali, January 9^th, 2024.

Hans Fly

Country Representative