Consultancy Services for Endline Evaluation for Ken-Pneumonia Centenary Commitment Project: Reducing Infectious Diseases in Children Under 5 years in Kenya, Save the Children International

1.Introduction

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children whose vision is “A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our breakthroughs for children by 2030 are Survive [no child dies of preventable causes before their fifth birthday), Learn (all children learn from a quality basic education) and Be Protected (violation against children is no longer tolerated). Our focus is on the most deprived and marginalized children.

2.Project overview

The Pfizer immunization project has been implemented for 3 years with the aim of reducing the needless deaths of children under 5 years in three counties of Mandera, Nairobi and Wajir counties.  The main working areas include:

• Technical support to develop a robust strategy for immunization of marginalized populations.
• Training health workers to improve child health and immunization services.
• Social and behavioral change communications to strengthen community acceptance of immunization.
• National-level support for immunization programming.

3.The overall objective of the endline evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess both the processes and the outcomes of interventions and collect evidence and lessons learnt in Nairobi, Wajir and Mandera counties. The findings emerging from the end line evaluation will:

• Generate information on the level of achievement of the intervention objectives, outcome and evidence of emerging impact, information which will be useful to stakeholders, including the county Governments
• Inform and guide the design and implementation of future Save the Children projects

3.1The specific objectives are:

Specifically, the evaluation seeks to address the following issue and provide specific, actionable and practical recommendations for future programming based on the findings.

• Measure the level of achievement of the immunization project and the changes in coverage and quality of immunization services in the programme implementation areas.
• Changes in social acceptance, care-seeking and health-promoting behaviors for immunization services by families and communities in the project sites.
• Document the lessons learned during programme implementation and assess how much the programme brought change in the capacity of the Ministry of Health and National Vaccines and Immunization Program division to steward the vaccines and immunization program

4.Study Design and Methodology

• The consultant will develop the methodology that should be able to clearly answer each of the specific objectives and should specify mechanisms to avoid bias. The consultant and his/her team are expected to propose methodology and best sampling design to conduct the evaluation.
• The consultant will propose an appropriate mix of qualitative, quantitative methodologies, tools, work plan and budget for the end-line survey.

Evaluation criteria

Relevance

• Was the project design most appropriate and relevant to the immunization policies and strategies in Kenya
• What strategies were most useful for ensuring demand and access to immunization services
• What best practices and strategies did the project implement in increasing immunization coverage

Effectiveness

• Comparing to baseline immunization coverage results, to what extent the coverage of immunization among target population (specifically among children 12-23 months of age) has been changed within the project implementation area
• To what extent has the project achieved the planned objectives (Refer to the outcome indicators provided)

Sustainability

• What systems/structure did the project put in place that are likely to be sustained after the project ends

4.1 Population

The study population will include the hard to reach communities in Mandera and Wajir plus urban poor communities in the informal settlements in Nairobi. In addition to 12-23 months children for immunization coverage estimation, the study subjects will also include (for other aspects of evaluation) the caregivers of children 0-59 months, Health care workers from the Ministry of Health facilities, key informants (government, partners, community/opinion leaders) and project team members/Save the Children staff.

4.2 Study area

The endline evaluation for the project will cover selected areas in Mandera, Wajir and Nairobi counties.

4.3 Sampling design

The endline assessment will employ sampling design that will provide significant representation at county level to enable generalization of the results at that level. In consultation with Save the Children focal person(s), the consultant will ensure that the sample size meet the minimum statistical requirements for the expected statistical power of the study. Qualitative methods will use non-probability sampling methods but rationale for methods and sample sizes should be provided in the inception report.

4.4 Sampling frame

The target beneficiaries of the project include children, caregivers of children 0-59 months, health care workers, community health volunteers, duty bearers (government institutions and officers including policy makers), private health facilities and, implementing partners and donors.

5.Expected deliverables

1. 1. • Inception Report

The inception report should provide a detailed methodology outlining how the consultant carry out the evaluation. The consultant will also be expected to develop and share an inception report before commencing fieldwork as well as obtain the relevant ethical review and approval.

1. 1. • Data collection tools and templates

The consultant will be expected to develop tools and templates. These will be shared with Save the Children for review and approval in accordance with the agreed-upon timeline. The Research assistants to be used in the data collection exercise will be recruited by Save the children and trained by the consultant.

1. 1. • End-line survey report including project impact results as well as the raw data set

The draft survey report must be submitted to the Save the Children designated contact person within 15 working days after completion of fieldwork and data analysis. The final report of the survey, after integration of the various comments made, must be submitted within 10 working days after reception of the comments from Save the Children.

1. 1. • Project log frame completed

As part of the draft survey end line report, the consultant will submit the project log frame with the end line column completed.

1. 1. •  Final report

The final report should be submitted within 10 working days after receiving feedback on the draft report. This will be submitted in soft copy by email and 2 copies on CD/Flash disk including the raw data sets.

1. 1. • A four page brief of the final report

6.Time frame

The end-line evaluation process including submission of final report is expected to be completed by end of 15th November 2022. The consultancy will be 30 working days. The consultant is expected to submit a detailed work plan highlighting dates for submission of draft and final reports.

7.Consultant’s qualifications and experience

The consultant(s) will be expected to be have experience in conducting endlines, evaluations and/or implementing Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) programmes in addition to working in urban informal settlements and ASALs regions of Kenya. The consultant(s) will have the primary responsibility for conducting the endline evaluation and writing of the endline evaluation report. The consultant will be expected to lead and coordinate the data collection, entry and analysis of data and report writing.

Specifically, the (Lead) Consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• Relevant Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Epidemiology, Applied Nutrition, Biostatistics, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems or any Health Science or Social Science disciplines. PhD will be added advantage.
• Previous experience in the area of maternal, new-born and child health and public health.
• Sound knowledge and experience working with the county governments and familiarity with their health systems.
• Have a proven gender sensitivity and capabilities to handle child safeguarding during the study
• Demonstrated knowledge of project evaluations and possess strong research skills.
• Experience in the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of MNCH projects.
• A demonstrated high level of professionalism and ability to work within tight deadlines.
• Excellent spoken and written English.
• Good computing skills.
• Have strong writing skills (will be required to produce examples of previous work
• Independence from the parties involved

8.Required Responses to the TOR

A technical and cost proposal based on this Terms of Reference (TOR) is requested from the consultant or consulting firm. The proposal should contain:

• Detailed plan of action for field work indicating staff-days required, including methodologies for data collection and analysis
• Specific roles and responsibilities of the team leader, supervisory chain and other core members of the evaluation team
• Schedule of key activities preferably in a Gantt chart format
• Detailed budget with justification. The external evaluation proposal should include a reasonable detailed budget to cover all costs associated with the evaluation. This should be submitted by major activities and line items for Save the Children review and decision.
• Updated CV of Team Leader and other core members of the Evaluation Team showing relevant experience in the areas required by the ToR
• A profile of the consulting firm (including a sample report/s of concluded assignments of a similar nature

9.Submission of expressions of interest

All interested individuals/firms are requested to express interest by email to:  kenya.logisticsbidding@savethechildren.org indicating the assignment title on the subject line. The applications close on Wednesday 28th September 2022.

Late submissions and canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.

10.Evaluation and award of consultancy

Save the Children will evaluate the proposals and award the assignment based on technical and financial feasibility criteria guided by this ToRs. Save the Children reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal received without giving reasons and is not bound to accept the lowest, the highest or any bidder… https://kenya.savethechildren.net/careers

Deadline: 29 SEP 2022 – 02:59 EAT