Request for Proposal (RFP)

Transcription

1 Request for Proposal (RFP) RFP # Reference Number NG-007 Funding Agencies: USAID Activity MEASURE Evaluation: OVC MER Outcome Monitoring in Nigeria Services Required Country Data collection, data entry, data cleaning, preliminary data analyses, and preliminary report Nigeria Date of Issuance June 13, 2016 Deadline for Questions June 24, 2016 Closing Date July 08, 2016 Contact Persons Walter Obiero [Walter.Obiero@thepalladiumgroup.com] Submission Format ed electronic files (MS Word or pdf) Palladium is seeking proposals from qualified organizations (Offerors) interested in providing the services as described in the attached solicitation. The procurement is subject to all applicable Government of Nigeria, USAID, and US Federal Government procurement regulations. The period of performance for this subcontract is August 1, 2016 March 15, This Request for Proposals (RFP) includes the following information regarding preparation and submission of a proposal: Footer Text 1 / 15

2 Contents Request for Proposal (RFP) Instructions for Bidders Terms of Reference... 3 Background... 3 Scope of Work... 4 Staffing... 5 Deliverables... 6 Data Protection and Ownership Conditions of Proposal... 7 Eligibility and Proposal Format... 7 Offeror Qualifications and Past Performance... 7 Technical Approach... 8 Staffing and Management Plan... 8 Budget Evaluation of Proposal Proposal Submission Bidder Costs Confidentiality Bidder Acceptance of Conditions Templates Template 1: Proposal Format Checklist Template 2: Past Performance Template Template 3: Staffing Template Footer Text 2 / 15

3 1. Instructions for Bidders This is a USAID activity funded by the U.S. President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Thus, all bidders are required to follow USAID Procurement Regulations and Laws including the Procurement Integrity Act 41 U.S.C All bidder details will be kept confidential. Any Proposal received by Palladium will be on the basis that all terms and conditions in this Proposal document and the briefing guidelines are understood and accepted by the bidder. Proposals must be received no later than July 08, 2016 [5:00 PM EDT time] and at the address designated below. Late submissions will not be considered. The proposal shall be submitted as a MS Word or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) document in English. The electronic copy offer should be submitted to: Walter Obiero Palladium International, LLC Walter.Obiero@thepalladiumgroup.com When submitting Proposals, please indicate in the subject line: RFP NG-007. Palladium is not bound or required to accept the lowest priced proposal or any proposal. A proposal will not be deemed to be accepted unless and until such time as a formal contract is negotiated and executed by both Palladium and the successful bidder. Palladium reserves the right to enter into negotiation with any other bidder if contract negotiations cannot be concluded with the preferred bidder. Submission of Questions: Questions regarding any aspects of this RFP may be submitted via to Walter Obiero at Walter.Obiero@thepalladiumgroup.com no later than June 24, 2016 at 5:00pm EDT time, via only. Please indicate in the subject line: Questions for RFP NG-007. No questions will be answered over the telephone or in person. Palladium reserves the right to ask questions of clarification and/or request best and final offers from all or some of the Offeror, in response to proposals. 2. Terms of Reference Background Palladium is seeking the services of a Nigeria-based research organization to support its implementation of four household surveys of participants in four PEPFAR-supported projects that aim to improve the well-being of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Nigeria. The survey will measure project outcomes using a standardized methodology that has been developed for application across multiple countries. Information on this methodology can be found in the MEASURE Evaluation PEPAR Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) Supplement, located at Palladium is seeking a sub-contractor research organization to assist with data collection in Nigeria, data management, and data analysis for the four surveys. The selected research organization will work in coordination with the Palladium team based in the United States. Qualified candidate organizations will have: Experience in conducting large household surveys in Nigeria preferably on topics related to OVC and with the methodologies outlined in the PEPFAR MER Supplement; Skills and experience in research ethics and best practice in child protection; Ability to recruit and train qualified data collectors; Footer Text 3 / 15

4 Proven capacity to plan and manage survey operations and logistics; Demonstrated knowledge and application of data quality assurance practices; Data management skills and experience including electronic data file preparation for analysis; Survey data analysis expertise; Sound human resource and financial management systems for timekeeping, invoicing, financial forecasting, management and payment of staff for field data collection; Ability to work as part of a larger multidisciplinary team and with multiple stakeholders; and Capacity to work under a tight schedule and to meet deadlines. Scope of Work The scope of work includes the following key tasks: Task 1: Review information about the PEPFAR MER Survey and information about the projects whose beneficiaries will be surveyed; review the draft study protocol and assist with submission to a local ethics review board, as needed; review methodology resource materials Task 2: Participate in survey design consultation meetings with Palladium, OVC project managers, and other stakeholders to: discuss collaboration and expectations, review survey design and operations, and set schedules. Task 3: Participate in an assessment (baseline and endline) of the Offeror s capacity to implement outcomes monitoring for OVC programs, led by MEASURE Evaluation, and in development of a capacity building plan that outlines short-term objectives and activities that will be implemented jointly by MEASURE Evaluation and the Offeror. Participate in the planned capacity building activities throughout the project. Task 4: Task 5: Task 6: Task 7: Task 8: Task 9: Draft the Operations Manual, i.e., standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all aspects of survey implementation. Assist the Palladium team to conduct a field assessment of the beneficiary registries for each of the four projects using a community-trace-and-verify methodology. Assist the Palladium project team to adapt the MEASURE Evaluation survey tools for each of the four surveys. Translate the tools. Internally test translation, comprehension, and flow of the survey tools and revise, as needed. Procure data collection tablets, develop the electronic data collection interfaces for the four survey tools, program the tablets, and internally pre-pilot test use of the tablets. Develop the field data collection schedule for the four surveys. Orient local government and community leaders to the surveys and request their support and necessary permissions for data collection. Recruit data collectors and conduct formal training with the data collection teams on all aspects of field data collection and in accordance with the SOPs and standards of practice. As part of the data collector training, conduct an external pilot test of all data collection and data handling procedures. Revise tools and procedures as needed and finalize. Task 10: Conduct the four household surveys using electronic data capture in the field. Task 11: With the Palladium project team, perform edit checks and clean the data. Create the four analysis files. Task 12: Analyze the collected data for the four surveys in collaboration with Palladium. Footer Text 4 / 15

5 Task 13: Draft the four survey reports in collaboration with Palladium. For the purposes of developing a proposal, Offerors should assume that each survey will use cluster sampling of 30 project sites with 15 interviewed households per cluster for a survey sample size of 450 households, i.e., a 30 x 15 cluster sample, for each survey. The locations of the four surveys are as follows: Survey 1: Benue, Nassarawa, FCT Survey 2: Akwa Ibom Survey 3: Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom Survey 4: FCT, Nassarawa, Benue Electronic data capture, i.e., Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) using tablets, is the preferred method of data capture in the field. The Palladium team will provide technical assistance in this method as needed. The estimated time period for this project is eight months, August 1, 2016 March 15, Palladium will provide overall management of the project and technical assistance for these tasks as needed. Staffing Suggested staffing for the project includes the following positions. All staff working in the field should be fluent in English and the local languages and cognizant of the socio-cultural values and sensitivities of the target population. Project manager/principal investigator: Serves as the primary liaison with the Palladium project director and Study Coordinator and manages all activities under this subcontract. Provides overall technical direction and work flows. Assumes lead responsibility for developing the workplan and Operations Manual and necessary staff recruitment and training. Coordinates and stays abreast of all day-to-day project activities and resolves problems that arise. Responsible for ensuring the quality of deliverables and submitting them on schedule and within budget. Works with the Palladium team to analyze and interpret the collected data and to draft the survey report. The proposed candidate will have a Masters level or higher university degree in public health or a related field with at least five years experience leading similar survey research in Nigeria and/or Western Africa. Survey field manager: Develops data collection plans and schedules, working with the Project manager and the Palladium team. Assumes lead responsibility for survey scheduling and logistics, plays a lead role in data collection training and pilot testing. Works in the field during data collection to provide overall management of data collection teams to ensure survey operations follow protocols and stay on schedule. During field data collection, serves as frontline liaison with OVC project staff in the field and with survey communities. Troubleshoots and resolves emerging issues in consultation with the Project manager and Palladium team. The proposed candidate will have a university degree in public health or a related field, experience managing similar field teams for large surveys, such as the Demographic and Heath Surveys, preferably in Nigeria. Data collection team leads: Manage teams of data collectors in the field and oversee sampling procedures and operations. Participate in the data collection training and lead team building exercises with their teams. In the field, work closely with the Survey field manager to ensure data are collected according to protocol. Proposed candidates will have a university degree and experience in survey data collection at the community level, preferably related to OVC programs. Data collectors Collect data for the survey working with other members of their team and under the direction of the team leads. Participate in the data collection training and pilot testing. Proposed data collectors will have prior experience in collecting household survey data and will have completed university or currently enrolled. All data collectors must Footer Text 5 / 15

6 Software developer/tablet programmer: Work with Palladium staff to develop/adapt CAPI data entry screens for the survey instruments, provide training in the use of the programmed tablets for data collection, adapt tools as needed resulting from the pilot test, and troubleshoot and resolve problems that may arise in the field during data collection. The proposed candidate will have prior experience with CAPI data entry screens for other studies (e.g. through DHS or other surveys) using software such as ODK, Kobo Toolbox, CSPro, or CommCare, and a proven track record for supporting comprehensive, high quality data entry screens, data capture, and data transmission. Data manager: Responsible for the management of data from the point of field collection to the creation of analysis files. Oversees the data cleaning process and ensures that the survey files are prepared and cleaned according to the SOPs and that the data editing process is thoroughly documented. Prepares the final analysis files and their metadata/documentation. The proposed candidate will have a university degree and prior experience as a data manager for large surveys. Financial/operations manager: Manages all operational and financial tasks to fulfil subcontract requirements. This includes among other responsibilities oversight of staff timekeeping system; managing procurement of goods and services; facilitating timely payment of staff and vendors for their labor, travel, per diems, services, etc.; preparing financial projections and submitting invoices to Palladium; and responding to Palladium requests for financial information/documentation, as needed. The proposed candidate will have experience working with the Offeror s organization and be familiar with its financial and contractual policies as well as experience with U.S. government financial and contractual requirements. Deliverables The Terms of Reference include the following deliverables. Details for each deliverable are included. Deliverable 1 Workplan 2 Operations Manual 3 List (and CVs) of data collectors; data collection training materials and report Description Description and timeline for the implementation of all activities as described in the Terms of Reference with annotation of staff responsibilities. Detailed description of the standard operating procedures that will be followed to carry out: 1) survey planning and preparations including recruitment and training of data collectors; 2) pilot testing and finalization of survey tools; 3) logistics plan and schedule; 4) sampling procedures; 5) data collection process including obtaining informed consent and administering the questionnaire; 6) quality assurance and field team management; 7) data management including electronic processing, edit checks, and documentation of file cleaning; 8) roles and responsibilities. Final list of named data collectors with their CVs; agenda, data collection training curriculum and tools, and a report that summarizes outcomes of the training. 4 Pilot-test results and report Description of the pilot test(s) performed, list of recommendations for revisions to the process/questionnaire/tools and additional training, as needed; revisions to the Operations Manual, as needed. Footer Text 6 / 15

7 5 Survey tools Survey schedule/logistics plan and team assignments; required copies of all finalized tools (e.g., Informed consent forms and procedures, sampling plan and procedures, data collection tracking forms); final printed survey questionnaires and programmed tablets; data collection team toolkits 6 Field data collection reports Detailed weekly summaries of implementation and outcomes of the field data collection with documentation of any deviations from the Operations Manual. 7 Cleaned data files with data dictionary, frequency counts, and other metadata Format will be in MS Excel or other standard, agreed upon format. Data dictionary will include variable names, variable labels, and value labels. Metadata will include data checks performed, results, and decision rules for editing. 8 Draft survey report The survey report will describe survey methods and implementation, data analysis results (with tables) for the MER indicators, and key findings. Data Protection and Ownership Data collected by the Subcontractor under this Agreement shall be treated as sensitive data and protected with adequate security measures and according to the study protocol and security guidance provided by Palladium, and in accordance with Nigeria government regulations. During the period of performance of the subcontract, the Subcontractor is prohibited from using, analyzing, or publishing the data collected under this Agreement without prior approval from Palladium. The Subcontractor acknowledges that it will comply with Government of Nigeria, USAID, and Palladium data sharing agreements and requirements. 3. Conditions of Proposal Eligibility and Proposal Format Those eligible to compete for this subcontract include non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and private companies based in Nigeria or Western Africa. Only one proposal per organization will be accepted. Proposals should be no more than 12 pages, excluding table of contents, the three template attachments, budget, CVs, and a cover letter. The proposal must contain the following: a) Qualifications and past performance b) Technical approach c) Timeline d) Staffing and management plan e) Budget A checklist of required materials is given in Section 5, Template 1. Offeror Qualifications and Past Performance In narrative format, please describe the Offeror s experience in implementing and managing donor-supported data collection/research projects. Of particular relevance is current or previous experience with projects requiring Footer Text 7 / 15

8 field teams to collect data at multiple sites while maintaining data quality. Describe the Offeror s experience in conducting quantitative research, particularly survey work in community-based settings. Experience with Government of Nigeria, USAID, and/or PEPFAR programs and an understanding of the importance of data quality are particularly relevant. Please highlight experience with survey research or evaluation studies related to programs serving orphans and vulnerable children, household/family well-being, and HIV programs. Additionally, please complete the template provided (Section 5, Template 2) for a minimum of three, and up to five recently completed projects. Technical Approach In narrative format, please describe the approach the Offeror will use to carry out the 13 Tasks under the Scope of Work and fulfil the seven deliverables. Please present this information by Task. The approach should demonstrate understanding of the PEPFAR OVC MER survey objectives and methodology, and clearly identify how the Offeror proposes to implement this methodology. Describe steps the Offeror will take to ensure high quality data are collected in the field and the data quality assurance steps that will be undertaken throughout the data management and analysis phases. Please also include in an illustrative timeline for all Tasks and Deliverables. A Gantt Chart could be used for that purpose. Staffing and Management Plan In narrative format, please present a staffing plan for the project and include an organogram for the project team and how it relates to the larger organization. Please provide position titles, outline the roles and responsibilities of each position, and note how many individuals will hold each position. Using the template provided (Section 5, Template 3), list the names of all proposed staff, their proposed positions on the project, their key qualifications for the assigned positions, and their proposed level of effort on this project. Also include CVs for all named staff (maximum length of 2 pages per CV). If staff recruitment is planned for some of the positions, please indicate which ones and describe the recruitment process. Please describe the management strategies that will be established and implemented to ensure the work is of highest quality and completed within the agreed upon timeframe. This description should include a proposed communications plan (internally, and with the Palladium project team and project stakeholders) and quality assurance measures. Please outline anticipated management challenges based on past experience and how these challenges would be addressed (i.e., prevented or resolved) should they arise in this project. Please describe these challenges and proposed resolutions specific to each of the Scope of Work Tasks. Budget Palladium anticipates awarding a fixed-price subcontract for all costs, including direct and indirect costs. Please prepare a detailed line-item budget for each of the seven deliverables described above under the Terms of Reference (i.e., Workplan, Operations Manual, etc). The budget should be presented in MS Excel with a worksheet/budget tab for each deliverable. A budget template is available upon request; please Walter Obiero walter.obiero@thepalladiumgroup.com. Please quote costs in U.S. Dollars. Each deliverable budget should contain the following budget categories, as applicable: Labor/Personnel: For all personnel, list name (or TBD), position on the project, daily rate, number of workdays, and total cost. Provide a subtotal of all labor costs. Travel: Lodging and Per diem: List daily rate and number of days for field work (and other proposed travel, e.g., training, as needed). Transport: List vehicle and fuel costs/mileage; drivers; other transport costs, as needed. Footer Text 8 / 15

9 Other travel costs (if any): List any other travel-related costs. Provide a subtotal of all travel costs. Other Direct Costs (Non-Labor): All other costs associated with the deliverable, e.g., training venue rental, survey materials, interviewer equipment, other equipment/material used for data collection and management, and any other miscellaneous costs, e.g., questionnaire printing, operations manual printing, badges for field workers, allowances for project staff who support recruitment; bags for data collectors, etc. For each item, list the item, unit cost, and number of units. Provide a subtotal of all Other Direct Costs Indirect costs, if relevant: Provide costs and add notation for how indirect costs are calculated. Total cost for the deliverable Provide the sum total of all costs for the deliverable. In the spreadsheet, also please include a summary budget tab. This budget should present the sum of costs across the seven deliverables by each of the budget categories, i.e., sum of all labor, sum of all travel, etc., and the total budget across all deliverables and budget categories. Footer Text 9 / 15

10 4. Evaluation of Proposal The proposal must comply with the requirements of the Terms of Reference (TOR). Compliance with the TOR will be determined solely by Palladium. Failure to submit a proposal including the information required by the TOR will factor into Palladium s assessment of the level of compliance with the Request for Proposal and may result in rejection of the proposal. The committee will evaluate proposals according the following criteria: Element Points Criteria 1 Past performance 0 to 20 Organization s experience in implementing and managing donorsupported quantitative household surveys requiring field teams to collect data at multiple sites while maintaining data quality. Experience related to data collection for OVC programs. Experience working in Nigeria Experience working with USAID and/or PEPFAR programs Demonstrated success in completing project deliverables on time and within budget Demonstrated understanding of the OVC MER survey methodology Demonstrated understanding of the requested activities and deliverables and the steps required to accomplish them 2 Technical approach 0 to 20 Concise description of how the work will be carried out including planning and preparations for data collection; staffing and logistics requirements for field data collection and how they will be accomplished; human subjects protection; data security and quality assurance procedures; data management steps and safeguards; analysis methods; and report writing Realistic timeline for the proposed activities and deliverables Demonstration of staffing needs and a plan for meeting them Clear and realistic organizational structure and lines of supervision/reporting Qualifications of the proposed staff 3 Staffing and Management 0 to 20 Plan for recruiting staff (as needed) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities of proposed staff Understanding of the management challenges and experiencebased, practical strategies for addressing them Administrative and management tools and processes that will be employed to ensure the delivery of high-quality and timely Completeness of the materials requested in the RFP 4 Well written, comprehensive proposal 0 to 20 Quality of writing and presentation of proposal materials This criteria covers how well written the proposal was - was it formatted well, void of typographical and spelling errors, and used appropriate templates such as the past experience and budget templates. Footer Text 10 / 15

11 5 Budget 0 to 20 Alignment of the budget and proposed costs with the proposed activities and the deliverables Realistic estimates of unit costs Reflection of strategies used to control costs and maximize costs savings Palladium reserves the right: a) to accept or reject any proposal, and to annul the proposal process thereby rejecting all proposals, at any time prior to the award of contract b) to cancel or vary the Request for Proposal process at any time whether before or after the closing date c) to reject any proposal that does not adhere to the structure and content requirements as outlined in this Request for Proposal. d) to accept proposals for the whole or any part of the requirement e) to negotiate with the most favorable bidder on the cost proposal f) to require any additional certifications and vary the language in the final contract template. Palladium shall not be bound by any oral advice given or information furnished, but shall be bound only by written advice or information. The conduct of this Request for Proposal shall not be construed in any way as a legally-binding agreement between Palladium and another Party or the acceptance of any liability by Palladium. A proposal will not be considered in a case where the bidder or a representative of the bidder gives or offers anything to an employee or agent of Palladium as an inducement or reward, which could in any way tend to influence the actions of that employee or agent. Funding Preference: Extra 10 points will be awarded to local and indigenous organizations. As part of the submission package you must submit a letter clearly demonstrating how the organization meets the published criteria of a PEPFAR local partner. Proposal Submission It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure that the proposal is received at Palladium by the closing date and time prescribed in this Request for Proposal. A proposal submitted after the closing date is a late proposal and may be excluded from consideration at Palladium s sole discretion. Palladium will not consider or entertain any queries about a decision to assess or reject a late Proposal. Proposals are to be in Englishand all budgeting is to be in US Dollars. Bidder Costs Bidders are responsible at their own cost for: 1. Making all arrangements and obtaining and considering all information relating to the Terms of Reference. 2. The preparation, delivery, and lodgment of their proposals 3. Costs associated with any issues that may arise, including disputes, related to the proposal process. Footer Text 11 / 15

12 Confidentiality Bidders must keep any discussions or contact with Palladium in connection with the Invitation to proposal and any Contract negotiations, strictly confidential and shall not disclose such information to any third party. Bidder Acceptance of Conditions A proposal lodged in response to this Request for Proposal does so with agreement to these Conditions of Proposal unless any departures from these Conditions are detailed in the proposal submission. Palladium reserves the right to reject or accept any departure from these Conditions of Proposal, and thereby determine that the proposal submission is non-conforming for that reason. 5. Templates Template 1: Proposal Format Checklist Document Section Cover Letter of Submission on letterhead signed by an authorized representative of the organization giving full contact details of the point person in the organization responsible for communications regarding the proposal submission, acknowledging agreement to the terms and conditions of the RFP, and certifying that all information offered in the submitted proposal is true, accurate, and complete (max 1 page) Technical proposal (12 pages maximum) organized as follows: Table of Contents, including page numbers (not included in page limit) Qualifications and past performance Technical approach Staffing and management plan Timeline Past performance template (completed for 3-5 projects): see Template 2 Staffing template (completed for all proposed staff): see Template 3 CVs for proposed staff (maximum 2 pages per CV) Budget (in MS Excel format template available upon request) Check List Y/N Footer Text 12 / 15

13 Template 2: Past Performance Template 1. Title 2. Name of client/donor 3. Address of client/donor 4. Contract number or other reference number: 5. Date of contract 6. Date work began 7. Date work completed 8. Contract amount in USD 9. Technical point of contact (name, address, telephone, ) 10. Contractual/ financial point of contact (name, address, telephone, ) 11. Location of work (country, state, province, district, city) 12. Description of work (nature and scope). Use continuation sheet if needed. Footer Text 13 / 15

14 13. Current status of contract (choose one): Work continuing, on schedule Work continuing, behind schedule Work completed, no further action pending or underway Work completed, routine administrative action pending or underway Work completed, claim negotiations pending or underway Work completed, litigation pending or underway Terminated for convenience Terminated for default Other (explain) Instructions for Completing the Past Performance Information Sheet 1. Insert the complete name of the client, including parent organization, if any. Do not use acronyms. 2. Insert the client s complete address, including both post office box and street address, if applicable. 3. Insert the contract number or other contract reference used by the client. 4. Insert the date on which the contract came into existence. 5. Insert the date on which you started to perform the work. 6. Insert the date on which the client agreed that the work was satisfactorily completed (including substantial completion), aside from any pending or on-going administrative actions, claims negotiations, or litigation. 7. Insert the contract amount, in US dollars. 8. Insert the name, title, address, telephone no., and address (if available) of the program or project manager, quality assurance representative, or other client technical representative who is most familiar with the quality of your work under the contract. 9. Insert the name, title, address, telephone no., and address (if available) of the contracting officer, purchasing agent, or other client contracting or purchasing representative who is most familiar with your work under the contract. 10. Insert the location(s) where the work was performed, including the country and the state or province, county (if applicable), and city. 11. Describe the nature and scope of the work. The objective is to show how the work that you did or are doing is similar in nature and scope to the work that is to be performed under the contract contemplated by the request for proposals. Describe any unusual circumstances of performance or problems that may be relevant to the work that is to be performed. Tell your side of the story of any conflicts with the customer concerning which they may make adverse remarks about you performance. Describe any actions that you have taken or plan to take to correct any shortcomings in your performance. Describe any pending, on-going, or completed litigation. 12. Insert an X in the block next to the choice which best describes the current status of the contract. If you select the Other block, provide a brief explanation. Footer Text 14 / 15

15 Template 3: Staffing Template Name (Last, First) Position title on project Qualifications Proposed Level of Effort Note: Please attach CVs of named staff. Footer Text 15 / 15