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/firm for the following consultancy services and for the field work, the Consulting Firm/Consultant will be based in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. This is a short term consultancy which will start in November, 2018 and end in December, 2018. The beginning date and number of days will be mutually agreed between the consulting firm/ consultant and AKF(P)
“Access to Quality Care through Extending & Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS)”
Overall Objectives
1. Background:
Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKF(P)) is executing a multi country Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) project in Pakistan – Access to Quality Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS). The project aims to improve MNCH outcomes, specifically women of reproductive age, men, girls and boys under the age of five (5). AQCESS will be implemented by local agencies that are institutional members of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan) is seeking qualified Consulting Firm/ Consultant to conduct the Midline Survey in its targeted district(s) of Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Astore and Chitral.
2. Purpose
The midline assessment is intended to provide the stakeholders with insights on how the project has progressed from baseline to the mid-point of the project, with particular reference to the Health Facility Data. Key stakeholders include the project staff from respective implementing agencies, beneficiaries at the project implementation sites including the Government Health Providers and Managers. The midline assessment will document the key achievements to date, by conducting a health facility assessment that will look at data from the time that the baseline survey was conducted in September 2018 (22-24 months postbaseline).
The objective of the midline assessment is to:
Assess the progress in quality of service delivery in project health facilities. All the facilities included in the baseline will be assessed with a view to describing the current status of MNCH related equipment, infrastructure and commodities
The same survey tool used at baseline (the HFA surveys were adapted from the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool) will be used at the midline assessment. The tool includes structured checklists to collect reliable data on service delivery, availability of essential equipment, medicines, and supplies, basic amenities, and diagnostic capacities and includes sections to assess:
Study Area and Population
The Midline HFA will be implemented in five (5) district(s) in two (2) Northern Provinces of Pakistan: Chitral district of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and Astore, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar &Gilgit district(s) of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) province. All 46 target AQCESS Health Facilities will be selected for the Midline HFA.
Key Information to be Collected
Questionnaires on Health Facility and training needs assessments will collect data on: waste management, delivery and newborn care, maternal/neonatal health provider, child curative care services, observation of sick child consultation, diagnosis and treatment of child illness.
Data Management in the Field
Data will be collected by trained enumerators hired by a Consultant Firm/Consultant, with oversight from AKF(P) MERL Department. All data will be collected using tablets with the questionnaire programmed using Open Data Kit (ODK) Software. Once data is collected, it will synchronized directly to a secure, password protected server (hosted by Digital Ocean), thereby eliminating the need for data entry, and enabling data inspection and quality assurance in real time. MERL Officer will supervise data entry and engage with the Consultant Firm/Consultant to solve any data quality issues. An experienced Data Manager at MERL will be responsible for overall data management including developing the data entry system for data entry teams. Once all data are entered and verified, cleaning, analysis and interpretation will be conducted by the MERL statistician based in AKF(P). All data will be archived and accessible only to authorized study personnel.
Project Consultant
The Consultancy Firm/Consultant will be responsible for the recruitment and training of the data collectors, coordination and supervision of data collection, data quality control and entry. S/he will work closely and with oversight from the AQCESS M&E Officer and ensure delivery of a clean baseline dataset to the MERL Data Manager.
The specific tasks of the consultant will be:
- Recruiting all Field Staff involved in midline data collection including Field Enumerators and Supervisors. The Enumerators for the Health Facility Assessment should be ideally females and must have previous experience in data collection. Enumerators for the facility assessment should have medical or nursing background.
- Training Enumerators, Data Entry Personnel and Supervisors following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and data collection protocols provided by the MERL Unit.
- Pilot testing data collection tools.
- Data quality assurance checks, including ensuring that spot checks by supervisors are conducted with a sub sample of selected facilities. Real-time data will be sent to the MERL Unit to facilitate the identification of errors and initiate retraining of Eumerators if required.
- Use of computer assisted data collection tools such as tablets. The MERL Officer will monitor the process to ensure the data quality on data entry, to verify data is logical, consistent and complete. Provision of raw data during data collection period and a complete data set upon conclusion of data collection, as per the schedule.
- To work closely with AKF(P)/AKHSP to gain necessary clearance to Facility Survey.
- Provide a field report, detailing any challenges, lessons learned, modifications to collection protocols and any remediation required.
- The Consultancy Firm/Consultant must not share any of the assessment results with any third party.
3. Payment and Tax Arrangement
1st Payment: 30% on mobilization fee on signing of the agreement.
2nd Payment: 30% on completion of field based data collection work in GB and Chitral.
3rd Payment: 40% on Satisfactory Completion of the assignment.
All applicable Taxes will be deducted at source, as per GOP statutory laws.
4. Skills and Qualifications of the Baseline Consultant Firm/Consultant
The team must be multidisciplinary as the midline assessment is an opportunity to set the direction of all programme components. At minimum the Consultant Firm/Consultant must possess the following:
i. At least a Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Monitoring and Evaluation or other related field and demonstrated experience in Health Facility Assessment.
ii. Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience in administering studies, collecting data and producing quality baseline/midline and end line study reports, preferably for international non-profit organizations or multilateral agencies, including multi-country studies.
iii. Good knowledge of context and preferably regions where the project is being implemented, preferably with demonstrated practical working experience in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral.
iv. Experience of effective interaction with local non-government organizations, government departments, and international organizations.
v. Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English and Urdu.
vi. Evidence of similar work in the recent past is a key requirement.
vii. Ability to recruit enumerators with English and local language skills.
viii. Experience of data collection using computer assisted interviews is a strong preference. The Consultancy Firm/Consultant should supply the tablets and backup power source for use of computer assisted data collection.
ix. Ability to collect geo-location data.
5. Reporting and Supervision
The consultant is expected to produce a field report after data collection detailing the data collection process based on the quality standards outlined in the field work SOPs. This report should be submitted to Programme Manager, Health – AKF(P) no later than 5 working days after data collection is completed.
In addition, the Consultancy Firm/Consultant is required to submit all required documents, raw data, transcripts and reports to the AKF(P) within the specified timing in Section 3 of this report.
The overall supervisors of this assignment will be the Program Manager, Health and MERL, AKF(P). However, the Consultant Firm/Consultant will work on a day to day basis in close coordination with AQCESS MERL Officer and Project Lead of Aga Khan Health Services, Pakistan.
6. Expression of Interest
Qualified and interested parties are asked to submit the following:
- A copy of curriculum vitae (CV) which should outline qualifications and relevant experience of key team members
- Detailed technical proposal of a maximum of 10 pages clearly demonstrating a thorough understanding of the ToRs.
- A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs for the study, including:
- Itemized Consultancy fees/costs
- Itemized field data collection expenses
- Itemized administrative expenses
- Validity period of quotations
4. Names and contact information of three (3) references who can be contacted regarding the relevant experience
5. A Consulting Firm profile (if applicable).
Please note that the applicant(s) are advised to upload their Profiles, Technical & Financial proposal(s) properly. No direct application will be entertained.
AKF(P) offers a competitive remuneration package and conducive working environment. We are an equal opportunity employer - females are encouraged to apply.
Interested Consultant Firm/Consultant should forward their applications, Technical and Financial Proposals and Profiles by 18th November 2018.
The selected Consultant Firm/Consultant will commit to respect AKF(P) Policies including Child Protection Policies and other ethical standards.
Please note that only short-listed Consultant Firm/Consultant will be contacted.
For more information about AKDN, please visit www.akdn.org