CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO CONDUCT SMART SURVEYS; GUIT COUNTY & BENTIU POC (UNITY), AND JUBA PoC (CENTRAL EQUATORIA), SOUTH SUDAN 73 views0 applications

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CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO CONDUCT SMART SURVEYS; GUIT COUNTY & BENTIU POC (UNITY), AND JUBA PoC (CENTRAL EQUATORIA), SOUTH SUDAN

1. Background

Concern Worldwide (Concern) has been working in South Sudan since 1985, initially focusing on emergency response to people affected by civil war in various parts of the country. Currently, Concern has programmes in three former states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBeG), Unity and Central Equatoria. In Unity and Central Equatoria, Concern is responding to immediate needs of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites in Bentiu and Juba, as well as in the host community. On the other hand in NBeG, Concern focuses on both recovery and emergency through health and nutrition interventions; and emergency sensitive food security and livelihoods (FSL) programme seeking to increase quick access to food as well as build local capacities and resilience to climate and market based shocks, in Aweil North and West counties.

1.1 Context of Operation

The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan has deepened and spread as a result of multiple and interlocking threats, including armed conflict and inter-communal violence, drastic economic decline, diseases, and climatic shocks. As a result of conflict, around 1.85 million people in South Sudan remain internally displaced including over 203,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites; and nearly 2.4 million South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries. Given the unstable security context, these numbers have continued to fluctuate. According to the August 2019 Integrated food security Phase Classification (IPC) released by South Sudan Government and UN, 6.35 million people (54%) are severely food insecure currently. Acute malnutrition amongst children under the age of five has increased from 13% in 2018 to 16% in 2019, which is above the 15% emergency threshold. The situation is expected to improve towards the end of 2019 in the harvest season, thereby reducing the food insecure population to 4.5 million people, but 1.3 million children under the age of five are still expected to be affected by malnutrition by 2020.

1.2 Concern Nutrition Programme Overview

Concern’s nutrition response focuses on the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition among the most vulnerable groups such as under five children and pregnant and lactating mothers through the therapeutic and supplementary feeding programme as well as behaviour change communication through the promotion of Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) practices. The nutrition interventions are implemented in all the three locations of the country programme operation.

In Juba PoC, Concern is running two Outpatient Therapeutic programme (OTP) and Therapeutic Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP) sites. The total population of Juba POC (POC1 and POC3) based on the Sept. 2018 biometric registration exercise is around 30,000 people. Concern provides nutrition services in OTP and TSFP using a stand-alone nutrition centres in Juba POC 1 and PoC3, integrated with MIYCN behaviour change programme in the camp community.

In Unity State, Concern is running two OTP/TSFP sites in Bentiu PoC sectors 3 and 4, with an estimated population of 47,000 individuals including 17,000 under 5 children. As part of the Beyond Bentiu Response (BBR) targeting the rural communities (returning or permanent), Concern provides nutrition services (MAM/SAM) in Guit county with 7 nutrition static sites plus 8 mobile outreach sites. An element of mobile response is maintained in the programme to ensure emergency response capacity as the security and access context remains fluid in the State.

Concern’s nutrition programme model in NBeG includes OTP, TSFP, BSFP, in-patient care and community outreach activities to prevent and identify malnutrition early. Concern supports 49 clinics in NBeG (24 in Aweil West and 25 in Aweil North) and 3 stabilization centres (2 in Aweil West and 1 in Aweil North).

The nutrition programme is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and guided by national protocols; and in coordination with the Nutrition Cluster. Concern is an active member of the nutrition cluster and implementing partner in Aweil West, Aweil North, Bentiu PoC, Guit and Juba. Concern conducts SMART Surveys in compliance with the national protocol which includes regular nutrition and mortality surveys to monitor and inform nutrition interventions. It is based on this that Concern is seeking the services of qualified consultants to conduct SMART surveys in the programme areas.

2. The SMART Survey

Concern conducts SMART Survey as an end of year assessment for her Health and Nutrition Programmes as well as an assessment to better understand the current nutrition situation to tailor an appropriate response. The surveys are also conducted as requested by the Nutrition Cluster and UNICEF.

2.1 Purpose and Objectives of the SMART Survey

The overall purpose of the SMART Survey is to measure the extent and severity of acute malnutrition among children aged between 6 and 59 months, and assess additional nutrition and health related indicators as per the donor results frameworks in areas of programme interventions. The results of the survey will also inform policy makers and programme managers on priority issues or strategies for programme adjustment.

2.2 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the SMART Survey include;

· To estimate the prevalence of acute malnutrition, stunting and underweight among children (boys and girls) aged 6 – 59 months

· To collect data on additional variables related to micronutrients, MIYCN, childhood morbidity (fever, diarrhoea, cough), health care, HIV and WASH of children aged 0 – 23 and 0 – 59 months (disaggregated by sex), as per the indicator list (refer to Annex 1), which is in line with the indicators on the results framework.

· To formulate practical interventions and recommendations for both emergency and long term programmes of Concern guided by the survey findings

3. Scope of the SMART Survey

The SMART Survey will be carried out in Bentiu POC and Guit County in Unity, and Juba PoC in Central Equatoria. Concern anticipates that the surveys will be conducted concurrently in the two areas and therefore has divided the assignment into two lots, as follows;

· Lot 1 – Juba PoC, Central Equatoria (November – December 2019)

· Lot 2 – Bentiu PoC site and Guit, Unity (November – December 2019)

Lot 2 requires two (2) lead consultants to conduct the survey concurrently.

All the applicants must indicate clearly which lot they are applying for in their bids. A consultant may apply for more than one lot, depending on proven capacity to conduct the surveys concurrently within the stipulated timeframe.

3.1 Specific Tasks to be undertaken by the Consultant(s)

The contract will focus on the planning, implementation, data entry, analysis and report writing. The following are specific tasks to be completed in the contract:

a) Planning

· Finalize the survey protocol, and timeline of activities, data collection, final report and presentation of results for each of the three lots separately.

· Review and finalize the sampling methods and implement the sampling plan as developed by Concern Programme team.

· Present survey protocol to South Sudan Nutrition Information Working Group (NIWG) for review and approval, respond to questions raised by NIWG, in collaboration with Concern.

· Work with Concern teams in NBeG, Unity and Juba to ensure that all survey materials, tools and equipment are ready for the survey.

· Support the management of measurement and assessment equipment, including weighing scales, height boards, and Digital Data Gathering (DDG)[1] devices and ensure that the measurement equipment is standardized. Familiarising with the DDG software by completing the Concern online learning course.

b) Training

· Conduct the survey training covering all details in the survey tool. The survey training shall be attended by supervisors and data collectors.

· Organize a field test to validate the questionnaire, the work flow, recording and data entry.

· Include a standardisation test during the training as per SMART methodology. (might need to reduce the number of children to make it feasible)

· In collaboration with the Concern nutrition and transport teams, prepare a transport plan to organize the deployment of data collection in teams to the different clusters of each county/area with a plan indicating who will work, where and when.

c) Implement SMART Survey

· Ensure adequate supervision of each survey team during the entire data collection period

· Make periodic supervision visits to the survey teams during their work to ensure high data quality

· Review the entered data daily with support of DDG focal point and provide prompt feedback to teams.

· Document the constraints, difficulties or potential biases identified during the survey implementation process

d) Data analysis and report writing

· Conduct regular plausibility checks (on daily basis) during the data collection period.

· Conduct the preliminary analysis of the survey results and prepare a short preliminary report that will be also be used to present to the NIWG.

· Interpret the results of the survey with Concern Nutrition team

· Complete reports and all other activities timely as per the agreed schedule

· Share the survey results with Concern

· Present the survey methodologies and results to Nutrition Cluster and NIWG.

· Share a soft copy of the report, power point presentation of the findings and data sets (raw and clean).

4. Duration of the Consultancy

Concern anticipates that the SMART Survey will take 34 days for Unity and 24 days in Juba.The Consultant(s) should develop a feasible work plan/activity schedule covering the stated number of days for each lot, and submit as integral part of the proposal for this consultancy.

5. Expected Deliverables Outputs for each Lot

I. A final SMART survey report per each area surveyed, no longer than 30 pages excluding annexes including survey results and findings disaggregated per county and recommendations on actions to address the situation to be presented no later than 10 after field data collection.

II. Results for each SMART survey relevant indicator entered on the project Results Framework. The results framework will be given to the consultant by Concern Programme Director.

III. The findings and major recommendations to be presented to State Ministry of Health and County Health Department first, then Concern Juba office and the NIWG. Dates to be confirmed and communicated to consultant by Concern Programme Director or Nutrition Technical Coordinator. (Oral presentation and PowerPoint slides and discussion of technical questions are expected for the presentations).

IV. The raw and final cleaned version of the data sets used to calculate the survey results is to be sent to Concern Programme Director and Nutrition Technical Coordinator.

6. Security

The Country Director is responsible for security and will make the final decision on travel plans of the Consultant based on security assessments. The Consultant must accept the Country Director’s decision and must adhere to all Concern South Sudan security protocols while in-country.

7. General conditions of the consultancy

• The consultants will work in the Concern offices in Juba when undertaking Juba based assignment and at Bentiu Concern offices when working in Bentiu PoC and Guit, with field visits as per the agreed work plan with the Programme Director and Nutrition Technical Coordinator.
• Concern will provide transport to facilitate the work activities.
• The consultants must complete all formal administrative requirements of Concern like signing Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy.
• The consultants should have their own lap-tops to complete the work activities.
• Mode of the payment to the consultant shall be 40% payment on arrival, 30% after submission of preliminary report and 30% after submission and approval of final report.
• Payment will be subject to 20% withholding tax, as per South Sudan law unless the consultant provides confirmation that they are exempted.

8. Essential and Desirable Experience/Qualifications

a. Academic qualifications: Master’s Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, or Biostatistics, along with relevant technical knowledge in Survey Methodologies, Research methods, SMART methodology etc.

b. Necessary experience: Extensive experience (3 years) in coordinating and managing SMART nutrition surveys especially in South Sudan and/or conflict and displacement context (camps, settlements)

c. Other necessary/desirable skills/qualifications.

• Documented experience in survey protocol development ·
• Proven skills to analyse, identify needs and respond with recommendations to address supply, human resources and implementation issues
• Ability to conduct data analysis, including collating and presenting survey data
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Willingness to travel and work in remote, conflict affected field environments
• Supervisory, coordination and organization skills
• Excellent English Fluency

9. Application procedures

Qualified and interested candidates may send applications to:

• Requesting a softcopy by emailing [email protected]

Having critically considered the scope of work and requirements of this consultancy and your suitability for the same, you are invited to submit your Expression of Interest (Eol) to [email protected] , with email subject as “Concern 2019 SMART Surveys Consultancy – specifying Lot 1 and/or 2”.

The EoI should include:

· Cover letter

· CV (s) with details of qualifications, experience, telephone number and names of three referees for similar works conducted,

· Technical proposal that summarizes your understanding of the ToR clearly stating which lot(s) the applicant is bidding for, and the proposed methodology, including the foreseen work plan for each lot; and

· Financial proposal providing cost estimates of daily consultancy fees in US dollars ($), for each lot. Daily consulting rate is negotiable, although will be commensurate to Concern Worldwide consultancy terms and standards.

· One SMART survey report previously written (Concern will keep it confidential).

Please forward the expression of interest, in English and marked *‘Concern 2019 SMART Surveys Consultancy – specifying Lot 1 and/or 2’** no later than 18th November 2019.

Annex 1: Tentative list of variables to be assessed by the SMART survey**

The following list of variables includes all SMART survey relevant variables of the Health and Nutrition Programmes Results Framework. Indicators marked with an asterisk* are in addition.

All indicators must be gender disaggregated.

Anthropometric status

• Percentage of GAM, SAM, stunting* and underweight as per SMART reporting standards

Micronutrient related

• Percentage of children aged 6-23 months who received Vitamin A in the past 6 months according to the vaccination card or mother’s recall by the time of the survey
• Percentage of children aged 6-23 months who received Deworming tablets in the past 6 months according to the vaccination card or mother’s recall by the time of the survey
• Percentage of children aged 6-23 months who received Measles vaccinantion in the past 6 months according to the vaccination card or mother’s recall by the time of the survey
• Percentage of children aged 6-23 months who received BCG vaccination in the past 6 months according to the vaccination card or mother’s recall by the time of the survey
• Percentage of mothers of children age 0-23 months who consumed iron tablets for 90 days during their last pregnancy

IYCF related

• Percentage of mothers reporting decision making power specific to the feeding of their youngest child
• Percentage of children aged 0-5 months who were exclusively breastfed during the last 24 hours
• Percentage of children aged 0-5 months who were put to the breast within the first 1 hour after birth
• Percentage of children aged 0-5 months who were fed with colostrum
• Percentage of children aged 24-59 months who continued breastfeeding up to 24 months or beyond
• Percentage of children aged 6-23 months who were introduced to complementary feeds at 6 months of age
• Percentage of breastfed and non-breastfed children aged 6-23 months who receive solid, semi-solid or soft foods (but also including milk feeds for non-breast-fed children) the minimum number of times or more. (‘meal frequency’)
• Percentage of breastfed and non-breastfed children aged 6-23 months consuming Minimum Dietary Diversity (‘dietary diversity’)
• Percentage of children aged 0-23 months receiving more breastmilk than usual when having diarrhoea
• Percentage of children aged 6-59 months receiving more liquid foods than usual when having diarrhoea
• Percentage of children aged 0-23 months receiving more solid foods than usual when having diarrhoea

Health, HIV and WASH related

• Percentage of children in malarial risk area aged 0-23 months, with fever during the last 2 weeks who were treated with an effective anti-malarial drug within 24 hours after the fever began
• Percentage of children in malarial risk area aged 0-59 months, sleeping under a treated mosquito net
• Percentage of visibly pregnant women in malarial risk area, sleeping under a treated mosquito net
• Prevalence of children aged 0-59 months suffering from diarrhoea, cough, fever in the last two weeks
• Percentage of mothers of children 0-23 months who received at least 4 ANC visits during her last pregnancy
• Percentage of children aged 12-23 months who received DPT3 (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis third dose) according to the vaccination card or mother’s recall by the time of the survey
• Percentage of children aged 0-23 months whose births were attended by a skilled birth attendant
• Percentage of carers reporting that they accessed free health care
• Percentage of mothers of children aged 0-23 months living in a household with soap who washed their hands with soap at least 2 of the appropriate times during the day or night.
• Percentage of mothers of children aged 0-23 months who know at least three effective ways of preventing HIV transmission

Annex 2 : Suggested Number of days and tasks

Activity

Number of days required

Lot 1 – Juba PoC

Lot 2 – Bentiu PoC, Guit

Travel day (International/Local)

1 day

2 days

Preparation in Juba office (familiarize with Concern DDG, desk review, inception report)

1 day

1 day

Review of the methodology and sampling by NIWG

1 day

1 day

Training and pre-testing

3 days

4 days

Data collection

6 days

12 days

Data cleaning, analysis and preliminary report(s) write up

3 days

4 days

Review of the preliminary report(s)

1 day

1 day

Draft final report write up & submit to CHD/State MoH & Concern

4 days

4 days

Incorporate comments and submit final report NIWG

1 day

1 day

Travel back (Juba/International)

1 day

2 days

Availability for questions at home afterwards

2 days

2 days

Total

24 days

34 days

[1] The SMART survey will be conducted through the use of Concern’s inbuilt digital data collection gadgets. The gadgets will be provided by the organization.