Terms of Reference |
The IRC started operating in Bangladesh in October 2017 in response to the large influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in August 2017. The IRC’s vision in Bangladesh is to protect and promote the rights and serve the needs of the most vulnerable populations through leadership in women and children’s health and protection services, and effective response to those affected by conflict, disaster and poverty. IRC is working in close coordination with the government, local and international partners on its five outcome areas including safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and protection (For more information click here).
IRC is planning to conduct an impact assessment to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the access to and use of SRH information and services by the men, women, boys and girls , including its effects on the delivery of SRH services in Rohingya refugee camps and neighboring host communities. The results from this assessment would be used to inform the design of ongoing and future SRH programs in the context of COVID 19 pandemic.
Purpose and Objectives
Coronavirus is considered a greater threat to people affected by complex crises and those living in camps without proper infrastructure and poor health systems. The field of health, especially reproductive and sexual health have been greatly affected by the turbulence caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic. Women and girls are affected differently from men during epidemics.
During a pandemic, health, and medical care centers, including reproductive health facilities, are too often to be limited due to transferring the resources to control the epidemic, and thus, life-saving reproductive health services are overlooked. Lack of health facilities and restriction of movement in the camps aggravate the situation. Misinformation and rumors on COVID-19 further exacerbated level of panic that resulted negative health impacts. Despite guidelines issued by the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Working Group in Cox’s Bazar on how to continue providing and prioritizing maternal health care during COVID-19, some health actors reduced the recommended number of antenatal consultations for pregnant women in their clinics and fewer women are attending routine reproductive healthcare appointments.
The main objective of the study is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SRH services of men, women, boys and girls , including its effects on the delivery of SRH services in refugee camps and neighboring host community.
Specific objectives are:
- Assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced access to and uptake of SRH services.
- Evaluate the extent to which programs implemented by the IRC and other humanitarian agencies have taken actions to ensure continued access to essential SRH services in Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps and nearby host community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The evaluation will also cover how cross cutting issues such as gender age and disability inclusion are addressed while delivering SRH services.
Research Questions
The study will be guided by the following key questions:
- How have perceived needs and health seeking behavior for SRH, including contraception and post-abortion care, changed among women and girls, men and boys since the COVID 19 outbreak began?
- What activities and interventions have humanitarian organizations undertaken to ensure continued access to SRH services, including contraception and abortion care, throughout the COVID 19 outbreak and how have these efforts affected use, quality and community perceptions of SRH services?
- What are COVID and non-COVID health care providers’ and stakeholders’ attitudes toward and experience with the provision of SRH services, including contraception and abortion care, in the context of the COVID 19 outbreak?
- In what ways have COVID 19 response agencies, including the MoH, attempted to respond to the SRH needs of women and girls, including contraception and abortion care, and how and to what extent are these services being offered at health facilities?
- What is the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and response on delivery of SRH Education/information?
- What have been the main sources of Sexual and Reproductive Health information and communication for service provision for adolescents and young people during the COVID-19?
- What is the impact of COVID-19 on the functionality of health services during the pandemic?
- How and to what extent has the delivery of SRH services changed from March 2020-September 2021?
Scope of the Impact Assessment
The scope of the impact assessment will cover the SRH intervention areas in Refugee camps and the sub-districts covering the COVID pandemic period (March 2020-August 2021).
The contractor will be expected (not limited) to undertake:
- Review background documents that provide the context of SRH provision before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Rohingya camps and neighboring host communities
- Prepare an inception report which incorporates data collection tools, based on the desk review and detailed schedule of activities
- Conduct a training for research personnel on appropriate use of research tools, data collection, data quality and analysis for the study
- Report on the findings and sharing the findings at country level
- Prepare a final report on the findings of the study
- Organize and conduct a webinar for the dissemination of the findings of the study
- The consultant will be responsible for their own logistical requirements such as office space, administrative and secretarial support, telecommunications, printing of documentation, travel, meetings and accommodation arrangements. This include securing data bundles for interviews and validation meetings
Methodology of the Study
The consultant should propose the approach or set of approaches/methodologies they are proposing to use to respond to the assessment objectives. The methodology should include the design, the population and sampling, key research questions, and the field plan as well as data analysis plan.
The assessment will use mixed methods including focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, quantitative health facility assessments and analysis of available service statistics. The results from this assessment would be used to inform the design of ongoing and future SRH programs in COVID-19 outbreaks.
Deliverables
The impact assessment team is expected to deliver:
- An inception report agreed by the IRC impact assessment management team
- Research protocol, Methodology, Tools
- A draft impact assessment report
- Presentation of the impact assessment key findings
- The final report
Expected Timeframes:
The study will be completed in 25 days over 2 months (November-December 2021) starting from date of agreement signing.
Intellectual Property Rights
All products arising from this impact assessment will be owned by IRC. The consultant will not be allowed, without prior authorization in writing, to present any of the analytical results as his or her work or to make use of the assessment results for private publication purposes.
Quality & Ethical Standards
The consultant should take all reasonable steps to ensure that the impact assessment is designed and conducted to respect and protect the rights and welfare of the people and communities involved and to ensure that the assessment is technically accurate and reliable, is conducted transparently and impartially, and contributes to organizational learning and accountability. The assessment team will also commit to adhering to IRC Way and Code of Conduct.
Qualification of Consultant/ Consultancy firm
The following qualification, competencies, and skills are required to successfully carry out this assignment:
Specific skills and experience sought:
- Post-graduate degree in health research studies, social work, gender studies, development Studies and/or related field
- Expertise in Qualitative and quantitative information collection, analysis, and reporting.
- Experience in working with government officials, donors, youth, civil society, adolescent girls, women, and being able to interact with a variety of stakeholders at different levels.
- Has experience in conducting mix-methods health program evaluation, HSS or SRH research/assessments.
- Knowledge of relevant sectors in humanitarian contexts Community Mobilization, Protection, Inclusive WASH, and Gender Equality.
- Proven experience in the use of participatory action research methodology
- Strong knowledge of and familiarity with Bangladeshi humanitarian context particularly the Ukhia and Teknaf
- Excellent writing, communications, and presentation skills in English
- Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative information
- Ability to write clear and useful reports (examples of previous work will need to be submitted).
- Excellent command in English language is essential and local languages knowledge is desirable. However sound knowledge of local language for enumerator /field worker is mandatory
- Ability to manage the available time and resources and workout in meeting tight deadlines
- Independence from IRC, program stakeholders or other parties involved.
Evaluation Criteria:
Eligible documents |
Please find VIF form, Conflict of Interest, Code of Conduct inhere Bidders must submit above mandatory documents and other mentioned documents with necessary signature along with proposals. If in any case supplier fails to provide any of the mentioned mandatory documents, supplier may considered as disqualify for further evaluation process. |
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Criteria 1: |
Post-graduate and advanced degree in research studies, social work, human rights, clinical psychology, gender studies, development Studies and/or related field. |
5% |
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Criteria 2: |
Refers to Bidders ability to demonstrate relevant experience and technical knowledge of the services required, experience working with UN, NGO, INGO or GO especially in, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Community Mobilization, Protection, and Inclusion in Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis context and Host communities. More qualified gender balanced team with highest relevant experience/skills will be scored highest. |
20% |
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Criteria 3: |
Refers to availability and capacity of immediate commencement/ mobilization of resources (skilled team/materials) to start the Baseline Survey or study. With consideration of Covid-19 movement restriction Provider need to provide a detail work plan with timeline on what activity will start when and by when work will be completed. provider need to submit a details alternative plan on how provider will mitigate the risk of any movement restriction imposed by local government. |
10% |
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Criteria 4: |
Detail methodological/technical aspects of carrying out the study.
Provider need to provide details of their understanding of the work and how they will conduct the study. Committee will review their methodology and will score out of 20% marks. |
30% |
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Criteria 5: |
Based on the evaluation score of criteria 1, 2, 3 and 4, only the top ranking consultants who will score 40% and above out of 65% will be invited for presentation and financial evaluation. |
15% |
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Criteria 6: |
Financial proposal will be open only for providers/suppliers who will successfully pass in technical evaluation. |
20% |
Clarification of Bidding Documents:
A prospective Bidder requiring any clarification of the Bidding Documents may notify the Purchaser in writing at BD.clarifications@rescue.org. The request for clarification must reach the purchaser not later than 24th October, 2021 before 5.00PM. The Purchaser will respond by e-mail providing clarification on the bid documents by 25th October, 2021.
A Pre-bid meeting will be held on Zoom virtual meeting (Zoom conference meeting) on 24th October 2021, starting at 2.00 pm and finishing time 03.00 pm, where all interested bidders are invited. To attend such Zoom meeting, all interested bidders are requested to send their Email address to BD.clarifications@rescue.orgby 24th October, 2021 within 1.00 pm. IRC will then send the Zoom Link through email to attend and ask for any clarification during the meeting. Or, interested bidders can find the link in IRC Box folder (given link below) as meeting notice on 24th October 2021 within 01.00 PM.
Deadline of proposal offer submission:
Interested bidders are requested to submit their proposal (both financial and technical) with necessary supporting documents mentioned above as a PDF copy through email with necessary attachments before 05.00 PM of 31st October 2021. After this mentioned date and time, no bid offer will be accepted.
Proposal Submission email address: BD.procurement@rescue.org.
(email attachment document size shouldn’t be more than 20 MB, in case of larger file, bidders can upload documents in google drive share the link in their proposal submission email: BD.procurement@rescue.org.
IRC Core Values & Commitments:
The IRC workers and partners/consultants must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Adult Safeguarding, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.
IRC is committed to ensuring that consultant is suitable to work with children and women / girls and have the knowledge s/he needs to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy.
Level of interaction with clients: Frequent direct contact with clients
IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.
Women candidates and persons with disability are highly encouraged to apply.