Support Third Party Monitoring (TPM) of nine health sector implementing partners in northern Benin. TPM will include assessment of partner performance through in-person site visits, data collection and evaluation, and identifying recommendations for partner improvement

Project: Global Health Program Evaluation, Analysis, Research and Learning (GH PEARL)

Issue Date: June 11, 2024

Country of Performance: Benin

Submit Questions by: June 17, 2024

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2024

The Project

USAID-funded Global Health Program Evaluation, Analysis, Research and Learning (GH PEARL) project aims to effectively generate and utilize high-quality data and evidence with the goal of strengthening policies and program implementation to improve health and save lives in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). GH PEARL is a consortium led by the University of Carolina (UNC), which work together to assist countries in identifying and adopting proven and innovative approaches to improve the quality, coverage, and equity of health areas such as Family Planning/Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition interventions at the global, regional, national, and subnational levels.

GH PEARL implements a TPM activity in Northern Benin. This involves conducting primary data collection from health implementing partners to improve adaptive management by both the partners and USAID, , and strengthening capacity for, and Adapting (CLA) approaches. Additionally, the activity aims to develop data collection protocols, including an analytical plan, using a collaborative co-design method and pilot test them before full-scale rollout. The overall purpose of the TPM activity is to ensure that swiftly acted-upon data leads to sustained, performance of implementing partners in serving the population of Benin.

Minimum Qualification Criteria

Organizations who wish to respond to this RFP must meet the following minimum qualification criteria and provide corresponding supporting documents:

• Must be a registered legal entity in Benin and provide a copy of certificate or articles.
• Must have been in existence for at least three years.
• Must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI, instructions for obtaining UEI may be found here
  https://sam.gov/content/entity-registrationhttps://www.sam.gov/)..)
• Must not have any active exclusions in www.sam.gov, United Nations, or other international
  compliance databases.
• Must be owned by nationals of a country not considered a prohibited source or barred from doing
  business with the United States.

Required Experience

• Experience conducting TPM or similar monitoring and evaluation activities within the health sector.
• Proficiency in quantitative data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of standards and best practices in the design, development, and implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plans for projects funded by USAID, including expertise in robust data collection methodologies.
• Demonstrated capacity to efficiently deploy qualified staff and resources to conduct monitoring
  activities in multiple project locations, ensuring consistency and quality of data collection and analysis while adapting to project-specific needs and challenges.
• Proven track record in collecting qualitative data through informant interviews and focus groups.

Scope of Work

GH PEARL will not be responsible for nor facilitate any duty of care arrangements, offerors must account for conducting their own logistical, insurance, and security planning, and must be prepared to show Palladium that appropriate measures are in place.

The subcontractor will be responsible for carrying out the following key activities:

1. Develop an operational plan to include:

• Procedures for conducting field visits, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and consistency in field
  observation, including a proposal detailing the number of supervisors and field monitors needed to carry out the data collection effectively.
• Logistic requirements for field work, such as transportation, accommodation, and equipment (as necessary).
• Strategies for managing logistics efficiently, considering factors like scheduling, resource availability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Protocols for handling and securing mobile devices and materials needed for field activities.
• Create a detailed timeline outlining the sequence of activities from planning to execution.
• Set clear deadlines for each phase of the implementation process, allowing flexibility to accommodate unexpected delays or changes in project scope.
• Contingency plan to address potential challenges or disruptions that may arise during field data
  collection, such as adverse weather conditions, equipment failures, or personnel issues. Outline
  alternative strategies and measures to mitigate risks and minimize disruptions to the project.

Every Friday, the subcontractor shall provide GH PEARL with a weekly report highlighting the findings from the week’s site visits, with a consolidated report provided on the last Friday of the month.

The sub-contractor is expected to inform the site of the visit and seek the appropriate government approvals in advance of arriving and should factor this into the scheduling visits. Subsequently, field monitors will collect informed consent to participate from site personnel before administering the structured questionnaires via mobile devices.

2. Recruit and Hire Staff

All personnel must possess prior experience in field data collection, particularly in assessing health areas. The subcontractor will be responsible for recruiting, hiring, and making available the following staff:

• Point of contact: To manage logistics, assignments, reporting, scheduling, and serve as the main
  liaison for the GH PEARL Local Program Lead. Must have a bachelor’s degree, at least five years of
  experience managing or conducting complex field work, and excellent communication skills.
• Data collection supervisors: To oversee and supervise data collection activities. Must have a
  minimum university degree and extensive relevant experience.
• Field monitors: To conduct data collection and interviewers. Must demonstrate experience in data
  collection methodologies. A university degree is desirable but not required.

The subcontractor must have a plan to ensure that there are sufficient field monitors available to participate in the two-week training for the data collection activities, taking into account possible staff attrition.

3. Support training and piloting tools

• Organize the logistics for two-week in-person training for the supervisors and field monitors to ensure that all team members are adequately prepared to fulfil their roles effectively; the training will be led by GH PEARL.
• After the training, the subcontractor will organize and conduct a pilot test visit to each site type in close collaboration with the GH PEARL Local Program Lead. These visits will involve gathering information and results to inform updates to data collection tools and processes based on the outcomes of the pilot.
• The subcontractor will be responsible for the logistics of organizing this training in a central location
  and the pilot test visits, including printing training materials, travel and incidental costs for staff, as well as venue procurement, and catering services (as necessary).

4. Data Collection Fieldwork

Implementing and managing all elements of the TPM field work which will include:

• Implement the TPM plan and protocols that outline the methodology, tools, and timeline for data
  collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Conduct on-site visits at the offices and project sites of each implementing partner at the community, health facilities, administrative offices, sentinel surveillance sites, and warehouses. These visits will focus on data collection, quality assurance and quality controls, including cross-checking of data collection and reporting tools.
• Interview key implementing partners/stakeholders, including project staff to gather feedback and
  insights on project performance.
• Supervise data collection activities and data quality assurance and control mechanisms, including spot checks, validity checks, etc.
• Provide office space for GH PEARL Local Program Lead in sub-contractor office to facilitate daily
  stand-up meetings, planning, and notification of any problems identified during site visits.
• Ensure that all field monitors have access to mobile devices for conducting data collection activities;
  mobile devices should be procured if needed and reflected in the financial proposal.
• Field monitors are required to work in pairs while conducting data collection visits.
• Ensure that all fieldwork adheres to international and Benin standards of ethics in data collection.
• The sub-contractor will procure licenses for a web-based application to be used on mobile devices for field monitors to collect data during site visits. At a minimum, the software should collect quantitative and qualitative data as well as geo-coordinates and store photos. Each field monitor, supervisor and project technical assistance and leadership should have access to accounts for data collection or data verification, as appropriate. Data must also be available for GH PEARL to integrate into a dashboard. (Examples: SurveyCTO or KoboToolbox).

5. Data Quality Assessment (DQA)

• Conduct a data quality assessment, carried out high-experience data collectors, to understand the quality of the data reported by implementing partners. This includes:
• Implement the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provided by GH PEARL for data collection. The
  SOP will outline the specific methods and protocols to be followed.
• Ensure adherence to the SOP during the data collection process, focusing on selected performance
  indicators.
• Apply standardized data collection methods to verify the key data quality standards related to validity, reliability, precision, integrity, and timeliness as per the established protocols.
• Compile the findings of the DQA, highlighting areas of strength and weakness in data quality identified during the data collection process.

6. Participate in regular meetings

• Participate in weekly end-of-week meetings with GH PEARL Local Program Lead. The purpose of
  these meetings is to conduct internal quality control and provide feedback on data collected during the week. These sessions are intended for updating the site visit calendar, discussing progress on the field activities, documenting necessary adjustments to logistics for specific local conditions,
  troubleshooting issues, and providing ongoing mentoring as needed for all team members.
• Participate in monthly adaptive management meetings led by GH PEARL Local Program Lead
  intended to support implementing partners to interpret and act upon site visit findings.

7. Data Compilation and Report Writing

• Enter TPM data into database at point of collection via mobile devices.
• Compile monthly reports summarizing activities by pulling screenshots from dashboards and add
  narrative to describe context, findings, and articulate any immediate, urgent recommendations.
• Reviewing project documents, reports, and data sources to assess compliance with project objectives, work plans, and donor requirements for cross-verification.
• Produce a comprehensive DQA report summarizing findings and proposed corrective actions to
  address identified issues and improve data quality.
• Prepare a final report that consolidates all monitoring and evaluation data collected throughout the
  project lifecycle. The final report will include an analysis of key findings, lessons learned, and
  recommendations for future actions.