RFP No: 37709-CHTF-CSA – Child Survival Action and Child Health Task Force Advocacy

I. Background

MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health) Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity, herein referred to as “the project” aims to strengthen routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome the entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates and barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines. The project also provides country, regional, and global technical support for routine immunization of children and older populations.

The Child Health Task Force (CHTF) is a global network of implementing partners, governments, donors, multi-laterals, academic institutions, private sector entities and individuals working together to strengthen comprehensive and equitable child health programs. The Secretariat, led by JSI, receives funding from USAID Africa and Global Health Bureaus through the project.

The Secretariat also coordinates Child Survival Action (CSA), a renewed call to action to support the 59 countries (the majority in sub-Saharan Africa) off track to achieving the SDG under-five mortality target of 25 deaths or fewer per 1,000 live births. Operationalizing the call to action requires a country-led process to identify the communities and families where children are at greatest risk, understand the vulnerabilities and barriers to accessing quality healthcare, prioritize interventions to address the major causes and risk factors of death through primary health care (PHC) (inclusive of community level and multi-sectoral approaches), and finance and implement accelerated solutions. CSA was officially launched in April 2023 and includes three action teams – Country Engagement, Results & Accountability, and Advocacy. The following scope of work is focused on the advocacy component of CSA. However, collaboration across teams is critical and expected.

This year, CHTF plans to expand the CSA Advocacy team to encompass the broader work conducted by the CHTF, including advocacy for children aged above five years and those living outside of the 59 off-track countries. However, CSA advocacy will remain an emphasis of the group given the time-bound nature and high regional burden.

II. Objectives

The purpose of this scope of work is to provide support to guide the expanded CHTF and CSA Advocacy Group to:

• Strengthen prioritization of child health and development, resulting in sustained political will and increased resources dedicated to child health programming and integration of child health within broader agendas across the health and relevant non-health sectors (e.g., environment, education), especially in the countries off-track to achieve SDG 3.2.
• Energize and support African leaders to champion CSA in their countries and on the continent.
• Build on existing relationships with country governments and civil society organizations (CSOs), and build new relationships, to support the 59 off-track countries to advocate for accelerated actions for child survival.
• Develop the capacity of CSOs in select countries to lead advocacy efforts, including resource mobilization and advocacy plan development, to elevate child survival in their respective countries.

III. Activities/Tasks

Activities:

1. Regional and national leadership

1. Energize and support African leaders to champion CSA in their countries and on the continent through supporting key events including a Summit for the African Child and Parliamentarian trainings, and through continued partnership with key regional partners including Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC), Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) and the African Union.
2. Coordinate, prepare, and refine a draft article publication on CSA, authored by an African leader, linked to a policy window or strategic event agreed on with Secretariat and partners. Following finalization and approval by the JSI activity manager, submit the article for publication. Revise the draft article as needed based on feedback from the target publication(s). Support dissemination and socialization of the article following publication.

2. Regional Advocacy Plan implementation

1. Implement the CSA Regional Advocacy Plan, including by outlining key global and regional events and opportunities to socialize CSA in 2025-2026 with a focus on the African continent. Global-level opportunities with a strong reach with key African stakeholders (e.g., WHA) should also be included in the outline. Maintain and update this outline throughout the year as needed.
2. Support the Secretariat and CSA partners to implement side-events or other engagement mechanisms (e.g., booths, exhibits, abstracts) at priority global and regional convenings. Support may include support in concept note development, support for event planning and coordination, and day-of-event support.
3. Coordinate and collaborate with the CSA Results & Accountability Action Team and where relevant, the CSA Country Engagement Action Team, to design evidence-based advocacy products for dissemination during key policy windows and convenings.
4. Refine and implement the Communications/Social Media Toolkit to build support for CSA, especially via channels with regional popularity. This may include developing materials and messaging for posts, as well as advising on opportunities to strengthen social media presence. Collaborate with the CHTF Communications Advisor to disseminate social media messaging via CHTF channels.

3. Country-led advocacy

1. Coordinate with the CSA Country Engagement Team, including through regular attendance at Country Engagement Team meetings, and provide identified advocacy support within a national and sub-national context. Examples of types of support to be provided include support for country-led workshops or forums and support for developing advocacy plans and/or key messaging to advance CSA at the country level.
2. Build CSOs’ capacity to effectively advocate for investments in child survival. Examples of capacity-building efforts may include supporting CSOs in grant writing and hosting workshops with CSOs to develop advocacy plans and advance their advocacy capacity.
3. Use the tools developed for the country CSA toolkit to provide TA to countries for their local advocacy efforts.

4. Coordination of the CHTF Advocacy Subgroup/CSA workstream

1. Serve as a co-chair for the CHTF Advocacy subgroup, or the CSA workstream including facilitating meetings, leading annual priority setting, setting agendas, coordinating with other subgroup co-chairs on support needs, and aligning with related initiatives to support the continuum of care.
2. Update the existing CSA advocacy blueprint as needed to ensure alignment with the broadened advocacy agenda.

IV. Deliverables and Schedule

Deliverables

Description

1. Plan for the Summit for the African Child

Expand on the existing concept note and socialize the expanded plan for the Summit on the Africa Child with key stakeholders in the industry. The deliverable includes A) An expanded plan with a tentative timeline and budget, reviewed and approved by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and the JSI activity manager, and B) A report on the feedback from key stakeholders including funders with whom the concept note is socialized.

2. Regional events operational plan

Building on the existing Regional Advocacy Plan, develop a proposed operational plan for 2025-2026 including a calendar of key regional & global events to engage African leaders and other CSA partners, engagement strategy, and social media messages for each event. All plans, social products, and messages should be developed in collaboration with advocacy partners and reviewed and approved by the JSI activity manager before finalization.

3. Final journal article/opinion piece

Final article, focused on child survival, linked to a policy window or strategic event, and authored by an African leader, submitted to an outlet that is approved by the author and the JSI activity manager. This deliverable also includes any revisions following feedback from the publisher.

4. ALMA Parliamentarians – Strategy

Final report summarizing the consultant’s role in conducting outreach and advocating for CSA inclusion in the ALMA Parliamentarian workshops

5. Report on ALMA Parliamentarian workshops

Final report summarizing A) Objectives, participants, and key takeaways and outcomes of CSA inclusion in the ALMA Parliamentarian workshops; and B) Recommended follow-up actions to continue CSA engagement with parliamentarians.

6. Report on country-level CSO advocacy support

1. Final report summarizing engagement and support provided to country-based CSOs, including a) A summary of discussions held with CSO(s) and how these discussions will contribute to capacity-strengthening for CSO(s); b) Recommended follow-up actions to continue and expand CSA engagement with the CSO(s).
2. Each of the five CSO reports will focus on one country and a minimum of two CSOs in that country.

7. CSO in-person workshop report

Coordinate and assume financial responsibility for an in-person workshop with CSOs in a country agreed upon by the JSI activity manager and CSA partners to finalize and adopt advocacy tools, develop a national-level advocacy work plan, and define actions to accelerate CSA advocacy at national and sub-national levels. The final report will include a copy of the adopted advocacy tools, the draft national level advocacy work plan and/or resource mobilization plan, and a summary of the workshop including participants, key takeaways, and recommended next steps for continued engagement.

8. Country Platform operational plan

Expanded plan for designing, building, and adopting a country platform for peer engagement, networking, and accountability among CSA countries. The expanded plan will build upon an existing “Country Platform” document, and should include the following: A) The structure and design of the proposed country platform, approved by the JSI activity manager and CSA partners before finalization; B) An explanation for how the country platform will complement CSA structure and function; and C) An outline of proposed steps for adopting and implementing the country platform into CSA

9. Report on the African Leaders Dialogue

Liaise with African ministers of health and allied ministers to establish a quarterly meeting for dialogue, advocacy, and accountability among ministers of health. Present a report on the first series of dialogue which will include a) a summary of the dialogue series including key participants and discussion points; b) key outcomes of the dialogue series; and c) recommendations for improving the dialogue series and/or following up on key outcomes. Present a report on subsequent meetings and progress made as per the agreed upon cadence.

10. Monthly Summaries

1. Monthly summary of progress made under the CSA advocacy subgroup. This deliverable includes coordinating the subgroup as a co-chair, attending group meetings and check-in meetings with the Secretariat, collaborating with CSA action teams and CHTF subgroups to support their advocacy expertise needs, and creating linkages with relevant regional forums, professional associations, or other stakeholder groups. Each summary report should include the following: A) A summary of work conducted as co-chair of the advocacy subgroup; B) A summary of support provided to CSA and/or CHTF partners; and C) A summary of any other relevant work supported by the consultant to implement the CSA Regional Advocacy Plan.
2. Monthly summaries may note work that is conducted under a separate deliverable under this SOW where relevant. However, the primary focus of monthly summaries should be on the support provided by the consultant that is not otherwise documented by another deliverable under this SOW, such as time dedicated to leading and coordinating CSA/CHTF Advocacy subgroup workstreams.

11. Resource Mobilization Operational Plan

Develop and submit at least four series of concept notes to support engagement with potential funding partners. Conduct outreach with the target funding partners. In addition, develop an operational plan to work with the Global Fund and other existing funding mechanisms to catalyze resources for countries to develop, monitor, advocate for and implement CSA plans. The final deliverable should include A) the four concept notes; B) a copy of meeting notes and suggested follow up activities with four potential funding partners; and C) a copy of the above-described operational plan.

12. Trip reports for conducting advocacy during the selected events and policy windows

CPHIA Meeting Trip report

African Union Trip Report

1. Leverage key policy windows to engage with African leaders and civil society actors and influence priority setting. This deliverable includes coordinating CSA activities (e.g., side event, exhibit, abstract, etc.) at the given convening, supporting the development of and/or socialization of advocacy products for the convening, and participating and networking at the convening as a CSA/CHTF representative. Each trip report should include key takeaways, findings and accomplishments, action items from the conversations with target African leaders and next steps for CSA/CHTF.
2. The African Union trip will be subject to a go/no-go milestone, at which time the JSI activity manager will approve whether to proceed with spending, depending on the agenda and planned activities to be held at the convening.
3. All advocacy products (including concept notes for events, run of shows, abstracts, evidence-based advocacy products, or other materials) that were developed for the convening, must be attached to the trip report.

Requirements:

• Key personnel must have a masters degree in communications, public policy, and/or a development field e.g. public health or international development with a communications or advocacy focus.
• Key personnel must have a minimum 10 years of experience in advocacy and communications for global development.
• Demonstrated experience and results in advocacy for health in Africa, with a focus on child health or related issue areas.
• Demonstrated success in developing advocacy strategies with global health networks and coalitions.
• Experience in high-level collaboration with partners from a multi-sectoral and multi-cultural perspective, including experience collaborating with key global health partners on the African continent.
• Experience working with donors, multilaterals, international NGOs, local NGOs, CSOs, and governments on health-related issues.
• Experience coordinating and planning side-events or sessions at global or regional health or development convenings.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong writing skills.
• Strong coordination and organizational skills.
• Fluency in both English and French preferred

How to apply

1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND REQUIREMENTS

Offerors are encouraged to read the RFP document in its entirety and ensure that their proposal addresses all of the items cited in the proposal instructions and meets the selection criteria. All proposals must be submitted by the deadline established on the cover page of this RFP. Offers received after this due date and time will not be accepted for consideration.

All proposals, inquiries, and correspondence pertaining to this solicitation are to be directed to the attention of:

JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
Attn: Elena Kanevsky, Director, Finance and Operations
Email: momentumri@jsi.com
Offers must be submitted by email with the subject “RFP No: 37709-CHTF-CSA”