John Snow Incorporated (JSI) Request for Consulting Firm for Rapid Data Quality Assessment (RDQA) in M-RITE Focus States

John Snow Incorporated (JSI) is a public health care and health systems consultant and researcher driven by a passion for improving health services and health outcomes for all.

Title: Request for Consulting Firm for Rapid Data Quality Assessment (RDQA) in M-RITE focus states

Location: Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract

Background

• Immunization services are an essential part of the primary health care system and a key contributor to people’s fundamental right to health.  Vaccines are among the greatest advances in global health and development. For over two centuries, vaccines have safely reduced the scourge of diseases like polio, measles, and smallpox, helping children grow up healthy and happy.  Some populations – often the poorest, the most marginalized, and the most vulnerable – have little or no access to immunization services[Immunization-agenda-2030].  In 2021, 25 million children were un- or under-vaccinated and more than 60 percent live in just ten countries including Nigeria, and 18 million did not receive any vaccines (zero-dose children), an increase of 5 million from 2019 [WHO/UNICEF national immunization coverage estimates, 2021 revision]. 
• MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health) Round 3B,  hereafter referred to as MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE), is a global U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperative agreement, which aims to sustainably strengthen routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome the entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates in maternal, newborn, and child health, voluntary family planning, and reproductive health (MNCH/FP/RH) partner countries; and address the barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines and other health services. 
• M-RITE is a consortium of global leaders in immunization systems approaches, integrated management and service delivery, health system strengthening (HSS), financing, data and learning, social and behavior change (SBC), strategic partnerships, gender, and human-centered design (HCD). The project’s mandate is to strengthen the capacity of USAID partner countries to overcome entrenched obstacles to equitable immunization coverage. Additionally, M-RITE contributes to ongoing global efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on immunization services and supports countries to prepare for and introduce COVID-19 vaccines.
• In Nigeria, the project provides support to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) at the national and state level for COVID-19 vaccination rollout and the design of the RI start-up program in five states of Nigeria: Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, and Lagos. M-RITE provides technical assistance (TA) focused on capacity-building, gender-sensitive microplanning, and service delivery to support the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines and help the NPHCDA to adapt its strategies as the pandemic and vaccine supply and service delivery strategies evolve. M-RITE conducted initial analyses and several partner discussions during a two-month start-up period, utilizing existing data on RI system performance as well as drivers of demand in the focus states and has engaged stakeholders at national, state, Local Government Area (LGA), and health facility levels to identify the root causes of persistent challenges to equitable immunization coverage in the five focus states. Through this investment, USAID aims to increase its impact on achieving high equitable coverage with RI services.

Purpose

• The purpose of the RDQA activities is to analyze the quality of data reported and support the organization in remediating gaps identified across all M-RITE’s COVID-19 vaccination sites.Specifically, to review of the completeness, consistency, accuracy, and timeliness of the COVID-19 vaccination data collected and reported from the sites to the upper admin level.

Duties, Responsibilities and Scope of Work

• Data Validation: Consultant will validate data documented and reported through the systems for all completed data sources (M-RITEdatabase vs EMID Platform/Call-In Database, COVID-19 Vaccination Registers, Tally Sheets and Vaccination Cards) and establish the level of data availability/completeness, consistency, correctness/accuracy, and timeliness and address all gaps identified.A sample of APPR records will be extracted from the database and compared to hard copy records for validity and reliability. This should be cross-checked with hard copy records to either confirm the number reported against the recorded in the reporting tools. Timeliness should be determined by comparing the difference in dates between when the data was collected and when it was captured into the electronic Database and the reporting tools in each site.
• System Audit: Consultant will conduct clients’ vaccination data audit to verify existence of clients and confirm receipt of COVID-19 vaccines. This process will involve sampling some of the clients vaccinated and confirming that they received services. For clients who report not to have received services, but are captured in the database, further analysis and inquiries will be undertaken to establish the circumstances that could have led to their inclusion into the organization database.
• Coordination: Consultant to work with the M-RITE State Team Lead (STL) who leads the collation of all validated data and report writing and signs off the Final RDQA reports.

Scope

Deliverable Schedule
The firm shall supply the deliverables described above in accordance with the following schedule - This is subject to when the contract is awarded:

Qualifications and Experience of the Prospective Subcontractor’s Personnel

• The prospective firm will be selected based on their proven experience, qualifications, and ability to deliver good quality work in a timely and efficient manner. The minimum qualifications, experience, knowledge, and other capabilities of the consultant will include:

Required qualifications and competencies of lead consultant of the firm:

• A minimum of Master's Degrees / Postgraduate qualifications in M&E, Public Health, or related discipline.
• Proven knowledge/ experience in conducting social and health research
• Demonstrable knowledge of Nigeria’s public health sector and immunization program.
• Experience in co-creation human design is highly desirable.
• Experience in geospatial service availability mapping, qualitative interviews, and surveys.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality reports and publications.
• Ability to analyze data, apply statistical methods appropriately and interpret the research findings.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills.
• Knowledge and experience of working within the five key States is an added advantage.
• All reports shall be in the English language and shall be submitted to the Accountable Manager, in MS compatible document. Photos used in the reports should be well captioned and accompanied by signed consent forms.

Application Information
Technical focal points

• The consultants will report to the Senior Advisor/MEL who will regularly communicate with the contractors and provide feedback and guidance on their performance and all other necessary support to achieve objectives of the assignment, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to contractors’ performance and quality of work.  
• All activities and deliverables undertaken by the contractors shall be discussed and planned in consultation with M-RITE. The contractors are expected to deliver each component of the workplan electronically.  

Performance Indicators for the Evaluation of Results
The evaluation of the contractor's performance will be based on:

• Completion of tasks specified in ToR;
• Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables;
• Quality of work;
• Demonstration of high standards of work with M-RITE and with counterparts.

Structure of the Technical Proposal
The Technical Proposal should include, but not be limited to, the following:  

• Short profile, including CVs of key personnel and references;
• Detailed individual portfolio (web links to similar products) showcasing range of work;
• Demonstrated experience in geospatial mapping of public health interventions in Nigeria;
• Data production  and dissemination capabilities: quality and timely synthesis of immunization data and other knowledge management products at national levels

Evaluation Process and Method

• Each proposal will be first assessed on its technical merits. A maximum of 70 points is allocated to the technical proposal, and a further 30 points for the price component, with a maximum possible score of 100 points.
• Technical proposals will be evaluated based on a desk review.
• M-RITE evaluators will read technical proposals and assess the quality of portfolios and submitted profiles. Scores from the desk review will be allocated according to the table below: 

• The final selection will be based on the principle of “best value for money” i.e. achieving desired outcome at lowest possible fee.
• If not included in the TOR, M-RITE will not reimburse costs not directly related to the assignment. This contract does not allow payment of off-hours, medical insurance, taxes, and sick leave.

Definition of Supervision Arrangements

• The contractors will be directly supervised and evaluated by the M-RITE Senior MEL Advisor. Payments will be rendered upon successful completion of each task, as per the schedule outlined below.

Payment Schedule

• Payments will be based on deliverables and will be made in local currency, within 30 days and after deduction of applicable taxes, upon delivery and M-RITE satisfactory acceptance of services specified in the commercial vendor contract.     
• M-RITE reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, or not delivered for failure to meet deadlines.

Description of official travel involved

• The assignment will involve travel within focus states. The contractors are expected to cover costs, arrange and schedule such visits, including transportation, travel, accommodation, transportation and all necessary costs to produce and deliver on the expected results.

Support Provided by M-RITE

• M-RITE will regularly communicate with the contractors and provide feedback and guidance and necessary support so to achieve the objectives of the work, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to the performance and quality of work.

M-RITE will provide the contractors with:

• Basic information on the projects (reports, earlier developed human stories, Donor Branding and Marking Requirements);
• Branding and other M-RITE guidelines on the deliverables;
• Suggestions on the most suitable project-relevant contacts.

Copyrights & utilization rights:  

• The copyright of all video materials produced (raw and edited) taken during the assignment will belong to M-RITE. The vendor will obtain the relevant written consent for information products usage from concerned people/authorities.
• Travel expenses shall be based on the most direct route and economy fare. Quotations for business class fare will not be considered.
• Note, WHT for Firm is at 10% of fees or Indirect cost.

Application Closing Date
10th January, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: jsi_integratedproject_procurement@ng.jsi.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.