Title: Semi Quantitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage (SQUEAC) Assessment Consultancy – Mogadishu, Somalia 2016
Location: Mogadishu (Abdi-Aziz, Hodan, and Kahda Districts)
Period of Assessment: October 2016
Key Working Contacts: Head of Medical and Nutrition Department, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) Manager.
1. Background:
Founded in 1979, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) saves the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. With 35 years of expertise in emergency response to conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, ACF runs life-saving programs in over 45 countries. In Somalia, ACF has been providing lifesaving programmes since 1992 initially, in response to a major famine, which claimed the lives of over 350,000 people. As the direct factors remained persistent and humanitarian situation deteriorated, ACF launched a health and nutrition program in Mogadishu in 1995 and has since expanded to various other regions in the south-central and Puntland zones in Somalia.
Our Health and Nutrition programme in Mogadishu focuses primarily on prevention and treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) through four Outreach Therapeutic Centres and two Stabilization Centres in the three districts. ACF has conducted two coverage surveys in Mogadishu since 2014, which will inform the implementation of this planned survey. In an effort to strengthen implementation of our nutrition projects, ACF would like to engage a consultant to conduct a Semi quantitative Evaluation of Access and coverage (SQUEAC) assessment. The assessment is expected to dissect the relevant program and deeply analyze the coverage challenges and enablers through an interactive process that utilizes both secondary and primary data collection methods. This process should also incorporate both qualitative and quantitative data. The result will include an estimate of current project coverage, barriers and boosters to coverage and recommendations on how to increase the coverage based on the facts established during the investigations.
2. Purpose:
The purpose of the SQUEAC is to assess the coverage of the nutrition programme, investigate indicators related to coverage and programme quality. The survey is expected to identify key factors affecting the uptake of OTP/SC services in target areas of coverage on the basis of which specific recommendations are made.
3. Objectives of the coverage survey:
- To map out both Point coverage and Period Coverage of the targeted areas
- Identify factors affecting the uptake of OTP/SC services in each of the three districts
- To understand the community dynamics and its impact on the access to care and the coverage of OTP/SC services in the targeted districts.
- Develop in collaboration with ACF Somalia specific recommendations to improve acceptance and coverage of Nutrition program.
- Build the capacity of ACF field staff in understanding SQUEAC investigation methodology.
4. Activities:
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the survey consultant will undertake the following:
- Design the survey protocol, develop comprehensive tools for data collection
- Conduct training for ACF Somalia nutrition staff on SQUEAC methodology and thereafter guide and supervise them as they take part in the entire assessment.
- Organize adequate supervision and coordination of the survey teams in the field
- Analyze data and compile a comprehensive coverage survey report
- Present investigation results to ACF coordination team in Nairobi as well as the Assessment and Information Management Working Group (AIMWG).
5. Duration of the Consultancy:
The proposed consultancy will last for 21 working days starting from 1st October 2016; this is inclusive of all the processes of the investigations from the day after the contract is signed to the report submission day.
6. Expected Output:
At the end of the assignment the consultant should deliver:
- A final report indicating how each of the above outputs has been achieved including reporting and capacity building of the staff.
- A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key sections of the report and the recommendations.
- All the hard copy data collected (to be kept at ACF Field office) and a CD with the soft copy of the data used for the report.
7. Desired Qualifications:
Education (knowledge):
Advanced degree in Nutrition, public health, research, social statistics, Epidemiology or related discipline
Experience:
- At least 5 years of international and field experience preferably in developing countries.
- Extensive Experience in Leading Nutrition surveys and surveillance systems as well as proven experience with the SQUEAC/LQAS methodology. (Provide evidence of at least three previous assessments undertaken)
Skills and Abilities:
- Proven ability to organize and manage assessments in a cross-cultural & volatile setting.
- Ability to train team and ensure quality delivery of outputs within a limited time frame.
- Excellent report writing, communication and presentation skills.
- Understanding of Somalia context is desirable.
8. Conditions of Work:
The consultant will be based in Mogadishu. ACF will support and facilitate the Consultant’s Air travel to and from Mogadishu, however the consultant will be required to cover the administrative (visa, accommodation, meals, airport transfer, perdiem/allowances), logistics (survey vehicles, training venue, printing/stationery, communication cost) and security related issues of the consultancy including travel within Mogadishu.
The Consultant will be responsible for initial preparations, survey team training and subsequent data collection for both small area and wide area surveys. In order to ensure quality in the process, data collected will be checked on daily basis and feedback given to the teams and ACF.
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested applicants who meet the above requirements should submit the following:
- CV & cover letter demonstrating capability and availability;
- Detailed Company profile (registration certificate, PIN number, Bank details, telephone and email contacts).
- A technical proposal detailing how you will implement the coverage assessment.
- Financial proposal for the entire consultancy service (this includes a detailed breakdown of administrative, logistical, consultancy fees and security related costs).
- A detailed work plan indicating the activities for the entire SQUEAC Assessment.
- Provide evidence of at least three previous assessments undertaken, with the telephone & email contact details of referees who can validate technical expertise.
Applications should be sent to the following email address: nairobi-procurement@so.missions-acf.org by 31stof August 2016 with the subject as CONSULTANT SQUEAC ASSESSMENT - MOGADISHU 2016.
Only short- listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
