RFP Invited for End line Evaluation of LENNS Intervention

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About the Organization:

The Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics is a newly formed research center at the University of Pennsylvania, which aims to support positive behaviors on a global scale, across both informal and organizational settings. The Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics has undertaken a range of projects with different partner organizations around the world by leveraging our expertise in measuring behavior, analyzing behavioral data, and identifying systematic behavioral drivers.

Background

The Longitudinal Evaluation of Norms and Networks Study (LENNS) (Nam Nalavazhvu, or ‘Our Wellbeing’ in Tamil) study is a two arm, cluster-randomized trial (CRT) with 76 wards (38 wards in each study arm), which aims to evaluate the impact of a multi-level behavior-change intervention designed to promote exclusive toilet use in two peri-urban districts of Tamil Nadu.

Purpose:

The University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics (hereafter UPenn) is seeking proposals to conduct an end line survey in 76 wards of two peri-urban districts, Pudukkottai and Karur in Tamil Nadu. The survey will be administered to 34 households per ward in 76 wards using a predesigned questionnaire, which may take up to 60 minutes to administer.

Thus, the most effective approach for achieving the expected task is encouraged and the award will be made to the Offeror whose proposal suggests the best value to UPenn considering technical and cost factors. Agencies with prior experience of collecting data on large trials, measuring norms, and social networks are encouraged to apply.

Scope of services

The selected partner will be responsible for the following tasks:

Implement the LENNS endline survey:

• Conduct of an in-house review of the proposed LENNS survey to provide feedback on the indicators and translation
• Translate the LENNS survey into Tamil and back-translate them for quality assurance. Provide ongoing translation and related support to ensure any changes to survey content remain locally appropriate.
• Program the endline survey on a digital platform for use in hand held tablets/phones, check for consistencies and finalize components prior to data collection.
• Recruit and train field staff on communication skills, survey deployment and quality checks under the technical direction of PennSoNG investigators.
• Administer the endline survey to pre-identified participants according to LENNS baseline listing.
• Provide senior-level guidance and oversight to the field-level management of activities over the data collection period. Monitor intervention implementation against the intervention manual, field protocols (standard operating procedures), and project work plan to ensure the survey is deployed according to schedule, and implemented at high quality, as designed.
• The selected agency is responsible for obtaining all approvals for this data collection from relevant authorities and ethical clearance committees (e.g., IRBs).

Create code books in consultation with UPenn team.

• The entire quantitative raw and clean data (detailing process of data cleaning) should be shared with UPenn upon completion of the survey, and real-time access to raw data is to be provided as well.
• Submit periodic reports on monitoring field activities, including random checks of minimum 10% of the sample.

Instructions for applicants

Qualification applications must include the following components:

Cover letter:

• A brief description of the proposed team members, their experience and qualifications, capacity to secure local institutional ethical clearances for conduct of the survey and a table showing the division of tasks and time allocation of team members.

Organization:

• Legal and compliance details
• Demonstrating experience in conducting similar assignments and a short description of past projects.
• Documentary evidence of previous work
• Two references of past clients

Survey plan:

The plan should include detailed description of the following:

• Understanding of the scope of the grant and work required;
• Data collection methods and tools
• Proposed timeline of activities
• Team structure, including number of personnel, their role and qualifications.
• A detailed quality assurance plan for monitoring of data collection, checking data quality and ensuring consistency in data collection approach.
• Data management and storage plan as per UPenn’s institutional ethical review board requirements.
• Plan for training of enumerators and pilot tests.
• Logistics and team transportation plan

Budget:

• The proposed budget must include all eligible costs (direct and indirect not exceeding 10% of overhead costs) of data collection. Budget notes, explaining the costs, may be submitted as a separate document in Microsoft Excel in font size equal to 11.
• The budget should reflect an adequate team size to achieve the services detailed above. The data collection period is projected in June-July of 2021.

If you have queries related to this RFP, email lenns.upenn@gmail.com with ‘LENNS RFP query’ in the subject line by October 15, 2020.

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