RFP for Collaboration Hub, Outcome Evaluation: Nigeria

Top Line Objective:

Request proposals for a full-service research agency to design, run and deliver an evaluation for two new programmes that form part of the Collaboration Hub

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit that builds media that girls want, trust, and need. From chatbots to chat shows and TV dramas to tech, our content helps adolescent girls in Africa and Asia make choices and changes in their lives.

We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, and relationships, empowering girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible “for a girl.”

Our reach is 50 million and counting and we’re using technology to reach girls at scale so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning, and her livelihood.

Because when a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, community, and country.

That’s the Girl Effect.

About the Collaboration Hub

Girl Effect and Good Business (lead partners of the SKY Girls programme) have launched a new programme called the Collaboration Hub. It is designed to foster and support greater collaboration between partners focused on gender norms change, especially those that focus on young people and use media to achieve their goals.

As part of the Hub’s activity, two new programmes are being launched, both of which have collaboration at their heart, and will seek to shift gender norms and drive behaviour. One of these projects is being led by Girl Effect and is in Kaduna. The other is being run by Good Business and is in Lagos.

More details on each of the two programmes and their outcomes and target audiences are provided below.

The Scope

Girl Effect is seeking an evaluation agency/organisation that has worked in Nigeria including in Northern Nigeria with extensive experience in youth-centred, SRH, qualitative and quantitative research to conduct a thorough impact evaluation of the programmes.

It should include a quantitative evaluation to provide impact data and may include additional qualitative components to tell individual impact stories.

The evaluation must align with the objectives for each programme outlined below. The successful agency should demonstrate local expertise and show how it will apply its experience to assess the impact against specified outcome indicators.

If you wish to apply to run one of these impact evaluations but not the other (e.g. you would like to run the Kaduna evaluation but not the Lagos one or vice versa) then please feel free to do so and indicate this clearly in your response.

These programmes are part of the Collaboration Hub’s wider activity, which includes a focus on collaboration across organisations to increase impact in a set of five projects (of which these are two). A request for proposals which focuses on the collaboration element is also currently out to tender. If you wish to apply for this in addition to this outcome evaluation piece please see link below:

Collaboration Hub Evaluation

If you are interested in applying to both of these RFPs please make this clear in your application, and respond to the requirements for each RFP clearly and distinctly, in particular providing costings for each RFP separately.

Methodology

We strongly support the principles of rigour, reliability, and replicability in research. We welcome recommendations on the best possible approach to deliver against our research objectives and would like to receive your approach design as a core component of the proposal. Our suggested approach is below. We encourage agencies to suggest adaptations or additional components that would allow for a robust evaluation of the intervention. The final methodology for this evaluation will be designed with the successful agency after they are commissioned.

For both evaluations, our priority for this evaluation is to collect quantitative data to assess the effectiveness of the interventions.

For the quantitative elements of both evaluations:

• We envisage a maximum 4 month long research approach
• We would like to explore the potential for a very light touch midline study to identify how many consumers have engaged with content and any early shifts in behaviours, knowledge, attitudes and intent related to the programme outcomes between consumers and non-consumers.
• An end-line evaluation survey will be conducted after the projects’ completion, the methodology should include a strong comparative element including control and treatment groups, this will be especially important as we will not undertake a baseline study.
• Please note: Due to content launching imminently, or projects already being live, a true baseline survey, before the intervention, is likely to be impossible.

For the qualitative elements of both evaluations:

• We require a qualitative component to the evaluation to gather compelling stories of impact. This will additionally aid the interpretation of the quantitative data.
• We envisage this component to be undertaken through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) and/or in-depth interviews (IDIs).

Additional audiences

Each of the programmes has also identified secondary audiences which will be further defined as the programmes are further developed. For the Girl Effect project, this will include priority groups in girls’ social networks, likely to include religious leaders or community influencers. For the Good Business project, this includes fathers and brothers.

Ideally, this will contain quantitative and qualitative components, but we are open to recommended methodologies to include these groups in a cost-effective and robust manner.

The programmes

The Girl Effect programme

Overview

Working closely with young people in Kaduna, we will establish collaborations with CBOs such as Education as a Vaccine and fashion influencers/content creators; we will design a multi-media behaviour change ecosystem encompassing diverse content formats such as a radio chat show that explores contraception use, supported by social media and on-the-ground activities in targeted areas to increase reach and engagement with the content e.g. screenings of content.

Evaluation Outcomes

1. To understand the SRH programme’s influence on social norms related to contraceptive use within married couples.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of the SRH programme in shifting the behaviours and intentions of married young women to use contraception.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the SRH programme in shifting the psychological drivers that contribute towards building intention to act and contribute towards behavioural change (as outlined by Girl Effect’s theory of change).

• Knowledge
• Attitude
• Outcome Expectation
• Perceived support

1. To evaluate the effectiveness of the SRH programme in shifting the psychological drivers of the social network surrounding adolescent girls and young women. Especially our secondary audience; religious leaders/community influencers.

Target audience and sampling frame

The respondents of the evaluation must be members of the project’s target audience: married males and females aged 18-24 years from Kaduna. The respondents should be a mix of income level, education status, religion, etc.

We would also like the sample to include influential members of the social networks surrounding young men and women. We will confirm these groups once we have selected the agency. They may consist of religious leaders or community influencers, parents, teachers etc.

The evaluation will need to capture three cohorts of consumers:

• “Low-fi consumers” who listen to the content via broadcast media.
• “Digital consumers” who primarily engage with the content online via social media channels.
• “Champion consumers” view content at on-the-ground activities in their local community.

We encourage agencies to suggest a methodology that will provide a robust evaluation of the impact of our content on all three cohorts. As part of the proposal, we would like agencies to describe how they will design the sample. Please give details on sample size and recruitment selection processes.

Girl Effect will be able to connect the agency with some “champion consumers.” However, the agency will need to identify “low-fi” and “digital consumers.”

The Good Business programme

Overview

We are looking to launch a mother-daughter cooking TV show aimed at mothers and daughters aged 10-24 in Lagos. The process of cooking family meals provides a familiar and “safe” space to encourage intergenerational conversations on sensitive issues without creating immediate resistance. Additionally, cooking is seen as “women’s work,” reinforcing traditional roles. This makes it an ideal starting point for opening up conversations about broader gender dynamics. We will use entertainment media, influencers and brand appeal for large-scale reach through online and traditional media (TV and social media), complemented by on-ground activities (events and workshops).

Evaluation Outcomes

1. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in increasing the confidence of mothers and daughters to talk about SRH and financial management
   • More targeted outcomes around SRH and financial management will be developed as the programme and messaging are further developed.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in increasing the knowledge of girls and mothers of the basics of financial management and sexual health (dispelling misconceptions)
   • More targeted outcomes around SRH and financial management will be developed as the programme and messaging are further developed.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in shifting knowledge and attitudes in fathers and brothers

Target audience and sampling frame

The respondents of the evaluation must be members of the project’s target audience: mothers and daughters aged 10-24 in Lagos. The respondents should be a mix of income level, education status, religion, etc.

We would also like the sample to include fathers and brothers.

The evaluation will need to capture those who watch the show on TV as well as those who attend events and workshops built around the TV content.

Good Business will be able to connect the agency with some of those who attend the events and workshops, however, the agency will need to identify respondents who have seen the TV show.

Tasks

The successful agency will be responsible for the following:

1. Design:

• Design the evaluation to meet all requirements. We anticipate this will likely include the above mentioned component but are open to other recommendations that deliver on objectives.
• Work with Good Business and Girl Effect to understand the programmes and outcomes and ensure alignment across research design.
• Agree on the final design with Girl Effect’s evidence and insight teams
• Design sample specification to be representative of target audiences
• Achieve required ethical approvals and obtain approval from relevant public entities
• Design research tools based on Girl Effect’s ToC and previous impact evaluations
• Translate (and back translate) and contextualise the data collection tools into local languages

1. Setup:

• Secure all required ethical approvals and local permissions to conduct the study.
• Work closely with all organisations running the 4 projects to ensure high-quality alignment across all projects, while bespoke requirements are delivered.
• Recruit a suitable team of researchers and field enumerators for gender-matched interviews with young women and young men.
• Facilitate training for all researchers, including a pre-testing exercise under actual field conditions.
• Complete survey testing and scripting (pilot)
• A post-pilot debrief and working sessions to refine and adapt the data collection following the pre-testing
• Sample and recruit communities and participants according to the provided purposive sampling criteria
• Obtain informed consent from all participants, consent from parents/caregivers, and assent from minors.

1. Fieldwork:

• Capture and store all survey data using digital devices
• Compile and submit field summaries with a breakdown per locality on agreed-upon frequency
• Ensure all work is conducted according to the Girl Effect Girl Safeguarding Policy and an agreed safeguarding agreement
• Conduct data collection in the selected districts. All field worker management, logistics, etc, shall be the agency’s responsibility
• Follow strict data quality assurance procedures and ensure high standards of data management

1. Analysis and reporting:

• Provision of raw and clean data sets
• Provide data tables with cross breaks pre-agreed with Girl Effect.
• Conduct analysis
• Deliver draft reports for Girl Effect’s feedback and input (baseline, midline, end-line and qualitative)
• Deliver final reports for Girl Effect with video-call debrief (baseline, midline, end-line, and qualitative)
• The final report will be delivered to ethical approval boards as required.

The agency will coordinate closely with Girl Effect to deliver work that delivers on all of Girl Effect’s reporting requirements. The Girl Effect Teams will conduct quality assurance during the fieldwork implementation. And review and agree on all major stages of the design and delivery.

Deliverables

• Evaluation Design (with GE’s support and input)
• Participant sampling
• Survey tool
• Qualitative interview/focus group tools
• Consent and Assent forms
• Translations of tools into relevant languages and formats
• Risk assessment
• Ethical approval certificates
• Training plan
• Analysis plan
• Raw data files for each stage (baseline, midline, end-line, qual)
• Clean data files for each stage (baseline, midline, end-line, qual)
• Data tables as per GE specification, including sig testing for each stage (baseline, midline, and end-line)
• Baseline report
• Endline report
• Qual component report
• Ethical approvals final report
• Data quality report

Location

The agency must be based or have substantial operations in Nigeria and must be conducive to working with teams in the UK, Sub-Saharan Africa & India. The Assignment is to be carried out in Nigeria (Kaduna & Lagos).

Management

The agency will have a primary point of contact with our Global Evidence and Insights Team and an additional local point of contact based in our Nigeria team. The language of the materials and reports shall be English. The contract supervisor shall approve all deliverables submitted by the agency before any payment is made.

Tentative Project Timelines

• Agency procurement completed – December 2024
• Ethical approval submitted – January 2024
• Ethical approval achieved – February 2025
• Midline Evaluation Fieldwork – March 2025
• Midline Evaluation Reporting – April 2025
• Endline Evaluation Fieldwork – August 2025
• All final reporting – September 2025

Who You Are

Skills Experience and Expertise:

• Extensive experience in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative research
• Capacity to deliver all areas expected of this research, from design through recruiting and training researchers to leading the data collection process in target field locations, ensuring quality assurance that aligns with research ethics principles, and delivering high-quality reporting.
• Experience designing and conducting quantitative studies in Kaduna, Nigeria, especially with youth.
• Experience conducting sensitive research with hard-to-reach, most vulnerable populations
• Experience in interviewing minors and adolescents and safeguarding policies and procedures
• Excellent and demonstrated understanding of Child Protection/ Safeguarding and ethical issues in research
• Excellent fieldwork supervision and data quality control strategies
• Ability to conduct a risk assessment and mitigation plans for research
• A fieldwork team of interviewers
• A fieldwork team of female interviewers for interviews with young women
• Proven record of effectively managing relationships with research partners
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstration of effectively managing relationships with research partners
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstration of effectively managing relationships with research partners
• Exceptional communication and organisation skills
• Ability to respond to comments and questions in a timely, appropriate manner
• Experience in delivering outputs on time and budget
• Ability to write clearly and concisely in English
• The reputation of the responding agencies and any previous experience in similar surveys/research will also be considered.

Proposal Submission

Interested agencies are asked to submit the following to support their candidature (Max 10 pages):

Technical Proposal:

• Your understanding of the brief and why you feel you are well-placed to advise us on this
• Credentials – Please showcase any previous work that you consider relevant to what we are trying to achieve, how we approach our work, and the audience we cater to. Describe the qualifications, experience, and capabilities of the firm or consultant in providing the requested services (CV/Profile).
• An initial proposal for the design
• Workplan with clear timelines
• Reference – Provide at least three references for similar contracts with a description of the service provided, the value of the contract, and the contract periods of performance

In their technical proposal, the bidder must demonstrate an understanding of the requirements described in the RFP and demonstrate how the bidder will meet the requirements of the evaluation criteria. The technical proposal must be at most ten pages.

Financial Proposal:

• A breakdown of the financial proposal in Naira indicating the daily rate for each of the proposed experts, time input, and all applicable reimbursable expenses
• All applicable taxes should be quoted separately.
• Separate costs for key elements of the proposal, i.e., quantitative and qualitative

Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. Financial bids will not be opened until the technical evaluation and only for those proposals deemed qualified and responsive. The Proposals shall be prepared in English Language.

GE is not liable for any cost incurred during the award/contract preparation, submission, or negotiation of the award/contract. All submitted documentation and/or materials shall become and remain the property of GE.

The proposal’s VALIDITY shall be 90 days from the bid closure date.

Evaluation Criteria

The criteria against which proposals will be evaluated are listed below.

Technical Evaluation:

• A well-written capability statement clearly outlines your experience in delivering the Scope of Work and how you meet the ‘Who You Are’ requirements above – 20%
• An initial proposal for design (to be finessed with the GE team upon contracting) – 20%
• Ability to achieve project goals/deliverables, i.e., does the proposal have strong feasibility in moving forward with the critical deliverables on schedule? -10%
• Demonstrate geographic experience in Kaduna and Lagos (Nigeria)- 10%
• Clear and Concise Profile/CV demonstrating relevant expertise – 10%
• Evidence of a minimum of three contactable references – 10%

Financial Evaluation:

• Value for money/proposed budget breakdown – 20%

Procurement Timeframe

• Terms of reference published: 27th November 2024
• Deadline for Questions/Clarifications: 3rd December 2024
• Deadline for responses from GE: 6th December 2024
• Proposal submission Deadline: 13th December 2024

Ethics

• The successful agency must adhere to Girl Effect protocols and safeguarding measures during all stages of research. This will ensure all girls’ participation will be conducted safely and securely.
• Ethical approval must be submitted to the relevant ethical board to ensure the research takes place with the proper permissions.
• Consent must be obtained from girls with consent forms that clearly state that at any time, research participants are free to decide to leave the research should they feel a reason to do so.
• Care also should be taken by the successful agency to maintain the confidentiality of the information provided by the respondents during the community. Informed voluntary consent should be taken before starting from the community, and parent/caregiver consent should be obtained for a minor. If an individual refuses to participate, they should not be compelled to participate or demoralized by any means. These cases will be treated as no-response under this survey. The research team must all undergo safeguarding training per Girl Effect’s safeguarding procedures and sign the Girl Effect safeguarding policy.
• All data must be stored in password-protected electronic files and shared with Girl Effect via a secure file transfer protocol (FTP)

Tax

Girl Effect Nigeria is obliged by the Nigerian tax authorities to ensure all taxes are charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position regarding provisions to Nigeria tax legislation when developing their proposals.

Copyright

All materials/documents arising from this consultancy work shall remain the property of Girl Effect.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow.

Please note: We will evaluate only proposals submitted following the application process outlined in the RFP and using our specified email address ([email protected]).

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organisational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found here. We have zero tolerance for violence against children, beneficiaries, and staff.

Equal Opportunities

Girl Effect Services is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity, or expression. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an increasingly representative organisation that works extensively with the communities we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy service organisations and individuals with diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

How to apply

Questions/Clarifications

If you have any questions about this RFP, please email [email protected]by 3rd December. All questions will be answered and shared through an FAQ.

How to Apply

Please submit proposals, as described above, to Girl Effect’s procurement team ([email protected]) by the 13th of December 2024, at 5.30 pm EAT. Please mark your email with the subject line, ‘‘Proposal – Collaboration Hub, Outcome Evaluation: Nigeria.’