Request for Proposals for
Final Evaluation of the Access: Infant and Maternal Health (AIM Health) Programme in Five Countries
World Vision (WV) Ireland invites proposals from consultancy firms for undertaking a final evaluation of the Access: Maternal and Infant Health (AIM Health) programme implemented in five countries in east and west Africa, ending December 2015. The last date for submission of letters of intent is July 15, 2015 and that for submission of proposals is July 30, 2015, both by 5PM Irish Standard Time (UTC + 1 hour) of the last date.
Program Background
Access: Infant and Maternal Health (AIM Health) is a five-year programme of WV Ireland, funded by Irish Aid and implemented in 10 Area Development Programmes (ADPs) of World Vision, across 5 countries – Kenya (1), Uganda (3), Tanzania (2), Sierra Leone (2), and Mauritania (2). AIM Health implements the “7-11” strategy of WV International, a package of 7 interventions for the mother and 11 for children, which are high-impact and low-cost interventions to reduce mortality and morbidity among mothers, newborns and children. The 7-11 strategy employs three core project models to bring about 360-degree behaviour change at individual, household, community and environmental levels. These models are: community health worker timed and targeted counselling (CHW ttC), community health committees (COMMs) and citizen voice and action (CVA) to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) in target communities. AIM Health also implements Positive Deviance – Hearth (PD-Hearth) to rehabilitate moderately malnourished children.
The goal of AIM Health is to improve MNCH outcomes and reduce infant and maternal mortality rate by 20% in 4 years. Through its interventions, it is expected that children and their mothers are well nourished, protected from infection, disease and injury, and have access to essential health services. AIM Health reaches a total population of 306,804 people across the ten ADPs.
The three project models of ttC, COMMs and CVA are built on evidence-based theory of 360-degree behaviour change, which shows intricate links between individual behaviour and community and sociocultural contexts. CHW ttC reaches mothers and their family members with key messages from the 7-11 strategy through scheduled visits during pregnancy and the first two years of the child’s life, and delivers the messages through negotiation and dialogue behaviour change counselling approach. The COMMs model builds capacity of community groups to support MNCH interventions in their communities, specifically through CHW ttC. CVA is community-based advocacy that works with COMMs and other stakeholders in communities to identify service and policy gaps and work with relevant structures to address them.
AIM Health runs from January 2011 to December 2015. The first year, also called AIM-Prep, was used to carry out the baseline survey and other initial assessments. Over the past 3 years, AIM Health trained 1,799 community health workers (CHWs) in ttC, which are considered to be fully functional in 2014. There are 1,002 COMM members across the 5 countries, the majority of which have been trained in organizational capacity and in MNCH technical areas. 671 COMM members have been trained in CVA to date, across the 10 ADPs. 273 of the above CHWs have also been trained in PD Hearth, specifically in Mauritania, Uganda and Sierra Leone ADPs.
The results-based framework (RBF) provides the overall monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for AIM Health. Outputs help track the implementation of the project models; outcomes track changes at the population level and impact objectives pertain to changes in maternal, neonatal and child mortality. The results-based framework of AIM Health can be found in Annex 1.
Objectives and Scope of the Final Evaluation
The overall evaluation framework for AIM Health uses the mixed methods approach, involving quantitative and qualitative methods, to iteratively implement AIM-Health evaluation in each context. This process is to take place over a series of three exercises: a formal baseline (completed in 2012), a mid-term review (carried out June-August 2014), and the Final evaluation, slated for the last quarter of 2015 and early part of 2016 immediately after the completion of the four-year programme. The final report is due to reach Irish Aid by the end of the first quarter of 2016.
The overall purpose of the final evaluation will be to measure improvements in maternal and child health and nutrition in the areas where AIM-Health was implemented. In addition, the final assessment of AIM-Health will be used to generate important lessons learned and inform existing and future World Vision programmes using the project models of ttC, COMMs, CVA and PD-Hearth.
The hypothesis to be formally tested through the final evaluation is whether or not there are statistically significant changes in reported MNCH and nutrition indicators (pre- and post-intervention comparison). Indicators pertain to two target populations: pregnant women and children under age five.
The primary questions for the final evaluation are:
- Did the programme contribute towards any observed statistically significant changes in MNCH and nutrition indicators?
- What is the probable impact on under 5 (with emphasis on neonatal and infant mortality) and maternal mortality based on values from baseline and final assessments and using the mathematical modelling tool called Spectrum LiST (Lives Saved Tool)
- What are the possible mechanisms at work behind the programmatic approach and what is the programmatic relevance of each?
- Did the programme have any limitations, risks and threats?
Application and Selection Process
Letter of Intent
Please state, in not more than 500 words, the intent, availability and qualification of your agency for this assignment in a signed letter of intent, sent to Nicola_dunne@wvi.org by July 15, 2015 by 5 PM Irish Standard Time (UTC +1 hour).
Technical Proposal
Qualification Summary (2 pages max): Describe your agency’s interest and capacity for undertaking this assignment. Include relevant qualifications, skill sets and experience
Evaluation Methodology (2 pages max): Propose a design and methodology that takes into account the objectives and scope of the assignment. Include a high-level work plan with timelines.
Team Members’ Profile and Qualifications (2 pages max): Concise abstract of experiences that explains the background and expertise the team members will bring to this project. Include CVs or resumes as attachments.
References: Include a minimum of three references familiar with the quality and reliability of theapplicant’s work. For each reference include a contact phone number and email address, a brief description of services provided, and the time frame in which services were provided.
Work Samples: Provide two written samples of previous work, at least one of which is an evaluation report.
The technical proposal will be graded as follows:
Component | Marks |
Qualification Summary | 30 |
Evaluation Methodology | 30 |
Team Members’ Qualifications | 40 |
Total | 100 |
Financial Proposal
Provide full details of your financial offer in US$, including fixed costs and any variable costs, and costs for any value-added services proposed. Indicate the components of your financial offer. The financial proposal will be graded over a total of 100 marks. WV Ireland will contact those agencies that sent letters of intent with budget parameters.
Please email your technical and financial proposals, with a cover letter and the needed attachments by July 30, 2015 by 5PM Irish Standard Time (UTC +1 hour) to Nicola_dunne@wvi.org.
Selection Process
WV Ireland will evaluate technical and financial proposals separately. Financial proposals will be opened only for those applicants scoring at least 80% for the technical proposals.
The final score will give a weightage of 80% to the technical proposal and 20% to the financial proposal.
WV Ireland will contact shortlisted applicants only, for the next stages in the selection process.
