Catalyze Impact Initiative: Re-Envisioning and Strengthening Africa’s Research Ecosystems for Enhanced Impact

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. The Center is Africa-based and African-led, with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and a West Africa Regional Office (WARO), in Dakar, Senegal. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.

Recognizing the critical role of research ecosystems in driving impactful solutions, APHRC launched the Catalyze Impact Initiative in 2022. As one of APHRC’s most impactful initiatives, which is funded by the Gates Foundation, the program focuses on strengthening Africa’s research ecosystems and empowering African researchers to take the lead in accelerating research and development (R&D) efforts. The program amplifies the voices and leadership of African researchers and institutions through the following interventions:

• Strengthening Africa’s research ecosystems: The Catalyze Impact Initiative develops tools such as the Research Readiness Assessment Tool (RRAT) and platforms such as the Africa Research Connect (ARC), African Journal Visibility Platform (AJVP) and the Africa Research Nexus to strengthen research capabilities and connect researchers and other key stakeholders across institutions for more impactful research.
• Enhancing knowledge leadership: The Initiative generates valuable knowledge products, including the development of policy profiles to inform policy decisions and strategic investments in African research.
• Promoting evidence-informed policy: The Initiative fosters collaboration between researchers and policymakers, ensuring research findings translate into policy and tangible improvements in public health outcomes, with the ultimate goal of reducing the research to policy impact gap from an average of 17 years to less than 5 years.
• Strengthening African Institutions’ grant governance: The Initiative supports African Universities and research institutions achieve the Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) self-assessment and certification, essential in positioning them in prime positions to apply for, receive and prudently manage multi-million US Dollar research and other donor grants.

The Need for Enhanced Knowledge Development and Sharing

While the Catalyze Impact Initiative has made significant strides, there’s a crucial need to amplify the program’s impact by effectively developing and disseminating its wealth of knowledge. We are seeking to establish a pool of qualified individuals or firms to partner with APHRC in transforming the Catalyze Impact Initiative’s program interventions into high-quality, peer reviewed, accessible knowledge products. These are academic products that will be published in peer reviewed journals and distributed through other channels. With the support and expertise of qualified technical writers and or consulting firms, working with the Catalyze Impact Initiative team, the program’s valuable resources will reach a wider audience within the African research ecosystem and beyond, ultimately leading to a more robust and impactful research ecosystem across the continent. The successful bidders will play a crucial role in reviewing draft knowledge products and contributing to developing, and disseminating new knowledge products arising from program interventions aimed at strengthening and re-envisioning research ecosystems in Africa. Their work directly supports the knowledge management goal of expediting knowledge creation and streamlining knowledge flow. They achieve this by gathering, documenting, analysing and presenting key information on high-priority subjects. This ensures the right people have the right knowledge, at the right time, and in the most usable format.

Key Objectives

• Enhance the quality, clarity and impact of draft knowledge products/publications generated from the Catalyze Impact Initiative interventions, ensuring they meet publication standards.
• Collaborate with Initiative staff and technical experts or consultants working on the Initiative projects to understand Initiative methodologies and their impact on the African research ecosystem with a view to use the knowledge gained in enhancing draft knowledge products and developing new knowledge products.
• Develop new knowledge products from Initiative interventions, available Initiative information and data, and from engagements with key Initiative staff leading the various Initiative workstreams.
• Develop compelling communication materials describing the Initiative’s products and their benefits for researchers, funders, institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders in the African and global research landscape.
• Develop clear and concise communication materials targeted at various stakeholders within the African research ecosystem.
• Utilize data visualization techniques to present complex information in an engaging and informative format.
• Utilize data sets from the research readiness assessment to analyze and interpret research ecosystem trends.
• Leverage AI tools and graphic design skills to create visually appealing and informative presentations of Initiative outputs.
• Develop and assist in implementing a comprehensive strategy for dissemination of knowledge products, targeting relevant stakeholders in Africa and beyond in collaboration with APHRC’s Public Engagement and Communication (PEC) and Visibility Units.

Scope of Work

The qualifying individuals and/or firms will undertake the following tasks:

1. Review and Generate High Quality Publications:
   • Review draft publications (policy briefs, research reports, articles) generated by the Initiative team.
   • Offer in-depth editing services: This includes substantive editing (clarity, organization), structural editing (flow, logic), copy editing (grammar, style), and proofreading (errors).
   • Ensure accuracy, clarity, conciseness, and adherence to publication guidelines.
   • Repackage existing content into standardized knowledge products.
   • Collaborate with Initiative staff to refine content and ensure consistency of messaging.
   • Use clear and everyday language throughout writing, with consistent tone and voice. Structure sentences similarly for a smooth flow, making it easier for readers to understand and remember key messages.
   • Improve and modernize publication standards, covering everything from writing style and tone to visual presentation. This also includes ensuring proper citation formats and the use of reliable sources.
2. New Knowledge Products:
   • Repurpose, document and package knowledge related to Catalyze Impact Initiative processes.
   • Extract explicit, procedural knowledge from unstructured sources (e.g. interview transcripts, diagrams, presentations) and diagrams (e.g. process maps).
   • Develop clear and concise descriptions of Initiative interventions and their products (e.g., platforms, tools, frameworks).
   • Analyze the impact of Initiative interventions on various stakeholders (researchers, funders, institutions, policymakers) and create compelling narratives highlighting the Initiative’s contribution to strengthening African research ecosystems.
   • Improve and modernize publication standards, covering everything from writing style and tone to visual presentation. This also includes ensuring proper citation formats and the use of reliable sources.
3. Data Analysis and Visualization:
   • Analyze quantitative data sets from research readiness assessments to identify key trends and insights and generate new knowledge products.
   • Utilize AI tools (where appropriate) to interpret and visualize data in a clear and informative manner.
4. Dissemination Strategy:
   • Work in collaboration with APHRC’s Policy Engagement and Communication (PEC) Visibility unit to develop and implement a comprehensive dissemination strategy for knowledge products, targeting specific audiences within the African research ecosystem and beyond.
   • Identify relevant channels for disseminating knowledge products (e.g., conferences, workshops, online platforms, social media).
   • Recommend innovative approaches for promoting stakeholder engagement with Initiative outputs.

Deliverables

• Edited and improved draft Initiative publications (meeting publication standards).
• Compendium of Initiative interventions and their products, including clear descriptions of functionalities and impact narratives.
• Reports with insightful analysis and visualization of data sets from research readiness assessments.
• A comprehensive strategy document outlining channels and tactics for effective knowledge product dissemination.

Qualifications

• A degree in Communication, Global Development, Social Sciences, Education, Public Policy or a similar field is preferred.
• Strong written English language skills with the ability to craft engaging, clear, and error-free content in various formats.
• A creative mind that can generate original content concepts that resonate with the target audience.
• Skilled at simplifying technical information and consuming, analyzing, and synthesizing research on diverse topics to ensure content accuracy and believability.
• Excellent editing skills with a sharp eye for detail and consistency in written work.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple content projects and meet deadlines effectively.
• Experience in editorial training, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly and adapt writing methods to different subject matter areas…
• Understanding of editorial planning principles and technology integration to streamline content development.
• An energetic, independent, and self-motivated individual with a problem-solving approach, demonstrating innovation, integrity, high-quality work, creativity, adaptability, and resilience.
• Professional maturity, cultural sensitivity, and unwavering integrity that embody the APHRC’s core values.
• Proven experience as a technical writer or consulting firm with expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Clinical Trials, scholarly publication, online platforms development and research ecosystems capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Proven expertise in the African research ecosystem and its specific challenges.
• Demonstrated experience in technical writing for research-oriented audiences.
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, with a proven track record of producing high-quality peer reviewed scientific publications.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and their application within African contexts.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data sets using quantitative methods and potentially AI tools.
• Experience in graphic design and knowledge of data visualization techniques.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to meet deadlines within a tight timeframe (3-6 months).
• Ample evidence of knowledge products developed from similar assignments and examples of assignments done in the last 5 years

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Technical expertise in research ecosystems development and communication.
• Quality of proposed approach for knowledge product development.
• Financial proposal responsiveness.
• Data analysis and visualization capabilities.
• Dissemination strategy comprehensiveness and innovation.
• Team experience and level of education.
• Demonstration of previous experience .
• Innovation in the proposal development.
• Workflow and planning.
• Extent to which the specified Consultant Qualifications are met

Innovative Approaches

This terms of reference encourages bidders to propose innovative approaches for knowledge product development and dissemination. Here are some potential ideas:

• Develop interactive online resources showcasing Initiative interventions and their impact.
• Create multimedia content (e.g., infographics, animations) to explain complex Initiative concepts in a user-friendly way.
• Utilize social media marketing strategies to reach a broader audience of researchers and stakeholders.
• Partner with regional research networks and associations for dissemination activities.

Dissemination Strategy

Bidders are required to submit a detailed strategy for disseminating knowledge products. This strategy should address the following:

• Target audience**:** Identify specific stakeholders to be reached within the African research ecosystem and beyond.
• Communication channels: Recommend appropriate channels for dissemination, considering reach and effectiveness.
• Dissemination activities: Outline planned activities for promoting knowledge products, including workshops, online campaigns, and media outreach.
• Metrics and evaluation: Propose methods for tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of dissemination efforts.

Selection Process

The selection process will follow a competitive bidding procedure. Qualified individuals and firms who are interested to be part of the envisaged pool are encouraged to submit technical and financial proposals that clearly address the requirements outlined in this ToR. Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of Initiative staff and technical experts. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview to discuss their proposed approach and qualifications in more detail.

Contractual Arrangements

The successful bidder(s) will enter into a contract with APHRC outlining the scope of work, deliverables, timelines, and payment terms. The contract will also specify Intellectual Property rights related to the knowledge products developed by the successful bidder(s).

Expected Project Duration

This project is expected to be completed within a timeframe of 6 months. The successful bidder(s) will be required to submit a detailed work plan outlining key milestones and deliverables.

Project Management

The Initiative team will designate a project manager who will serve as the primary point of contact for the successful bidder(s). The Bidder(s) will be responsible for managing their team and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality work. Regular communication between the Initiative team and the successful bidder(s) will be essential for the project’s success.

Budget Considerations

Bidders are encouraged to submit a detailed budget proposal outlining their costs for completing the tasks outlined in these ToRs. The budget should be realistic and competitive.

Timeline for Receiving Applications

Interested bidders are requested to submit their proposals by August 15, 2024. The successful bidder(s) will be expected to commence work on September 15, 2024 and complete the project within 6 months.