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AGA KHAN FOUNDATION

(Pakistan)

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a private, non-denominational, international development agency established in 1967. It seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill-health with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous and other resource poor regions, primarily in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its main areas of focus are education, health, rural development, environment and strengthening civil society.

The Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan) [AKF(P)] is seeking high calibre professional for the following Consultancy to be based in Islamabad with field work in Gilgit Baltistan:

“Endline Survey on Mother Care and Child Survival Project in Underserved Regions of Pakistan”

I.          Purpose of the Consultancy:

The Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation Mali (AKF Mali), the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique (AKF Moz), the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKFP), and the Aga Khan Health Services Pakistan (AKHS,P) is implementing a three year project (2012-2015) on Mother Care and Child Survival Project (MCCS) in Underserved Regions of Mali, Mozambique and Pakistan Project, an initiative funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada. As part of this project, AKFP will undertake an end line survey to generate both quantitative and qualitative data on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) which will provide information on project achievements, vis-à-vis the baseline.

The Consultant to implement the end line study in Gilgit-Baltistan will work under the guidance of AKFP to develop, adopt and implement processes of end-line evaluation.

II.        Background and Context:

The program seeks to strengthen health systems, engage communities in addressing poor maternal health and improve nutrition and infant/child feeding practices. The three components of the project are improved availability of quality MNCH services, increased utilization of MNCH services and improved nutrition practices of women and children in target districts.

Six immediate outcomes contribute to these three project components.  These include:

i)        Increased capacity to deliver quality, technically sound MNCH services at community and health centre levels in target districts.

ii)      Strengthened capacity of health services and communities to provide effective leadership, planning, management, supervision, assessment and governance of health facilities and services in target districts.

iii)    Increased access to MNCH services for women and children under 5 in target districts.

iv)    Improved awareness of and demand for MNCH services by women, men and families in target districts.

v)      Improved capacity of health workers and community committees to encourage good nutrition, hygiene and sanitation practices and to detect and address nutritional problems.

vi)    Increased knowledge and understanding by women, men and families of good nutrition practices.

Gender, governance and environment are the cross cutting themes to implement three components of the MCCS project. A baseline study was conducted, Performance Measurement framework (PMF) was developed and project MIS was established to report on selected MNCH indicators. MCCS project also established automated MIS known as ‘DHIS-2’ which primarily collects data from the LHW-MIS, project specific checklists and LQAS.

III.       Objectives of the End Line Evaluation:

i)        To measure improvement in availability of quality (safe, effective, gender-responsive,) MNCH services to women and under-five children according to project targets.

ii)      To evaluate utilization of MNCH services by women and children under-five in target districts.

iii)    To determine improved nutrition practices of women and children in target districts.

iv)    To assess the overall impact on knowledge, attitude and practices of health workers and beneficiaries in the project area on maternal and child health issues.

v)      To measure outcomes of different trainings received by health facility staff and community based health workers. 

vi)    To determine state of all health indicators (of PMF) and provide comparative analysis with baseline information.

vii)  To generate discussion and derive conclusion based on analysis.

IV.       Sample and Proposed Methods:

The target districts for the end line evaluation include Gilgit, Hunza-Nagar, Ghizer, and Astore. For primary data, tools will include questionnaires, focus groups discussions and key informant interviews whereas secondary data include project based MIS. The study sampling units will include: i) health facilities and a sample of facility health staff, ii) community health workers, and iii) communities/households within the project target areas. End line evaluation will adopt the similar sample size and methods which were developed and utilized during the base line survey.

Household survey will adopt a two-staged cluster sampling from 45 village clusters and 900 households. The health facility survey will collect the general information from a list of 37 health facilities in terms of number of health professionals, details of infrastructure, supplies, commodities, services available in the facility and status of MNCH service indicators. Health facility survey will also collect information on knowledge and skills of health workers / professionals in the health facility. End line evaluation is also expected to capture information from community health workers and beneficiaries through use of primary and secondary data to determine state of MNCH indicators in four districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. 

V.        Scope of Work:

The Local Consultant will carry out all major tasks in consultation with AKF(P). The Local Consultant shall lead the process of evaluation design, results framework as per project requirements, data collection, entry, cleaning and analysis in Gilgit-Baltistan under the supervision of AKF(P). Specifically, the local consultant or consulting firm will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Schedule meeting with Health Team of AKF(P) to discuss TOR, purpose of end line evaluation   and timelines.

2. Review project documents and description of the base line methodology for performing the end line evaluation.

3. Design and draft end line evaluation protocol, detailed methodology including representative sampling, quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, secondary data inputs, measures for data quality assurance, data cleaning and management; data analysis technique and software to be used for analysis, ethical considerations and limitations and report generation and submit the study protocol to health team of AKFP for review and finalize the document by incorporating feedback.

4. Review and adopt baseline survey questionnaires in consultation with AKFP health team.

5. Review and generate data inputs (sub sets) from the secondary data.

5. Identify, select and train local data collectors and field supervisors in coordination with AKHSP team.

6. Supervise the fieldwork of the entire evaluation and check the quality, authenticity and completeness of each questionnaire.

7. Identify data quality and noncompliance issues timely at field level and ensure taking corrective measures immediately.

8. Prepare a concise report documenting the preliminary findings of the end line evaluation   for review by health team of AKF(P) and AKHSP.

9. Submit the final report by incorporating feedbacks from AKF(P).

VI.       Key Deliverables:

1. Inception Report

2. Evaluation protocol (Enumeration and documentation of health facility, health worker, and household level data and discussions)

3. Data collection tools

4. Clean data sets in SPSS

5. Sub sets from secondary data

6. Draft tabulation plan

6. Draft report

7. Final report

VII.     Proposed schedule and level of effort required:

This assignment requires 60 days in total, ending on August 30th 2015. 

No

Activities

Location

# days

Participants

1

Inception report

Islamabad

4

Lead Consultant with AKFP Team

2

End line evaluation design and protocol 

Islamabad

5

Lead Consultant with AKFC & AKFP Team

3

Study  variables , instruments/questionnaires

Islamabad

4

Lead Consultant with  AKFC & AKFP team

4

Secondary data review

Islamabad

5

Lead Consultant with AKFP team

5

Travel to Gilgit-Batistan , Team hiring and, training

Chitral

5

Lead Consultant and MCCS team

6

Data collection

Chitral

15

Lead Consultant and data collection team

7

 Primary & secondary data Analysis and draft report

Islamabad

12

Lead Consultant

 

Preparing Final report incorporating feedback and final submission

Islamabad

10

Lead Consultant

VIII.    Selection, Facilitation and Support:

The local consultant is expected to submit a short proposal (10 pages) including methodology (2-3 pages), short CVs of key staff (excluding supervisors and enumerators), a tentative work plan, and proposed budget. The proposal will be reviewed by AKFC, AKFP and AKHSP and short-listed consultants will be asked to make presentations at AKFP premises. The successful consultant will be invited for negotiation of the contract.

After signing the contract, the local consultant will review the project documents and will submit a work plan for the entire duration of the assignment. The consultant will work closely with AKFP, AKFC, and AKHSP teams. Field level facilitation in terms of contacts, introductions, and approvals will be provided by AKHSP. Work of the local consultant will be monitored by the international consultant of AKFP and AKHSP, as needed. AKFC, AKF(P) and AKHSP will provide their comments on the draft report, which will be finalized by the local consultant.

IX.       Reporting:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of AKF(Pakistan). The consultant will not use any or all of the data for any other purpose (study/publication), unless AKF’s permission is sought prior to its use. 

X.        Deliverables:

Following deliverables are expected from the local consultant during the assignment:

i)        Finalized Survey instruments

ii)      Enumeration and documentation of health facility, health worker, and household level data and discussions

iii)    Entry and cleaning of data

iv)    Draft tabulation plan

v)      Draft report

vi)    Final report

vii)  Clean and labeled Survey data in SPSS format

XI.       Payment Plan:

The following payment plan is proposed for the assignment:

i)        30% of the contract value as advance on signing of the contract.

ii)      40% of the contract value on submission of cleaned data.

iii)    20% of the contract value on submission of the draft report.

iv)    10% of the contract value on submission of the final report.

Withholding tax will be deducted at source.

I.                   Qualification and Experience of the Consultant:

The prospective consultant or consulting firm is expected to demonstrate an appropriate balance of managerial and technical skills, knowledge of the region, and experience in baseline surveys in the context of health, social and economic factors. Key team should possess good communication, writing and strong interpersonal skills. Qualifications of key representatives should include:

i)        A Master’s degree or above with specialization in social sciences preferably in epidemiology, economics, sociology, management or development studies.

ii)      At least 5 years of experience in public health research and project evaluations.

iii)    Familiarity with the policies, programs and operating modalities of the Government and AKDN will be desirable.

iv)    Understanding and sensitivity of the culture, tradition and language of the GB will be an advantage.

AKF(P) offers a competitive remuneration package and conducive working environment. We are an equal opportunity employer - females are encouraged to apply.

Interested candidate/firms should forward their applications or profiles by June 11, 2015.

Please note that only short-listed candidates/firms will be contacted.

For more information about AKDN, please visit www.akdn.org