STUDY EFFECTIVENESS OF ORGANIZING PRE-PREGNANT WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS THROUGH CBN TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO, COVERAGE, AND UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED NUTRITION SERVICES

Source: World Bank — Ethiopia Nutrition (FY08)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)

Consulting Services: Study effectiveness of organizing pre-pregnant women and adolescent girls through CBN to improve accessto, coverage, and utilization of community-based nutrition services

World Bank/IDA supported Nutrition Project 

Project ID: P106228, Grant Number: H376-ET

Background:

The Government of Ethiopia officially launched the National NutritionProgram (NNP) in 2009, which aims to reduce malnutrition in Ethiopia by integrating nutrition into community-based health and development programs.  The World Bank supports the Government's implementation of NNP components through its Nutrition Project.  Operational research (OR) is an important component of the NNP, intended to study and resolve problems and challenges that arise during its implementation and to test alternative intervention modalities.  The Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) is responsible for contracting out and supervising the OR.

Rationale:

Malnutrition is a major health issue affecting children and women in Ethiopia.  The country has the second highest rate of malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. The 2005 DHS found that 47% and 38% of children under five were stunted and underweight, respectively. The critical role of maternal nutrition in the intergenerational cycle of growth failure has notbeen well addressed in community-based nutrition programs.   An estimated 27% of women have chronic energy deficiency (BMI<18.5), 17% of women are anemic (rising to 30% among pregnant and lactating women), and 6% of rural women experienced night-blindness in their most recent pregnancy[1]. 

Pre-pregnancy weight and micronutrient status have important implications for the health of both mother and offspring.  Early pregnancy also contributes to the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition by stopping the mother's growth prematurely and by increasing the risk of a low birth weight baby.  However, there are presently no scaled-up nutrition activities specifically targeted to adolescent girls or pre-pregnant women.  Furthermore, there is low individual and community awareness of the health and nutrition needs of women through the life-cycle.  

Community Based Nutrition (CBN) has been identified as a platform with potential to reach adolescent girls or pre-pregnant women to improvenutrition.  CBN builds community capacity in the triple-A-approach (assessment, analysis, and action) through monthly growth monitoring and promotion of children under 2 and community conversations to mobilize actions that support child growth. The program has been implemented in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray and could be used to reach adolescent girls for iron-folate and deworming tablets and behavior change communication.

Objectives:

The aims of this study, not lasting more than 24 months, are to develop, pilot test and evaluate an approach to organizing pre-pregnant women and adolescent girls through CBN to improve accessto, coverage, and utilization of community-based nutrition services.  These should include:

1. Development and testing of approaches for intermittent distribution of iron-folate and deworming tablets to adolescent girls (according to international standards for prevention)
2. Development and testing of behaviour change communication targeted toi) adolescent girls and ii) communities to build awareness of the health and nutrition needs of adolescents and pre-pregnant women, as wellas the importance of postponing first birth to after 18 years of age.  

Grant process:

Grants will be awarded through a two-step application process. First,applicants will submit an expression of interest (EOI).  From these, a selected candidate will be asked to submit a full proposal.  A Proposal Screening Committee (PSC) will evaluate the EOIs and the full proposal.

EHNRI now invites eligible organizations to indicate their interest in carrying out the OR study outlined below. Interested organizations must provide information indicating that they are qualified to carry out the OR study through submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI). Organizations may associate to enhance their qualifications.

The Expression of Interest (EOI) shall include:

• Organizational profile, to include organizational structure, experiences in the relevant field, and staff profiles
• CVs of PI and co-investigators / lead supervisors with a description of their roles
• Documentation such as Articles of Incorporation or Registration showing that organisation is recognised as a legal entity in country specified
• A summary of research approach, no longer than 3 pages (A4 paper, single spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font and 2.5cm borders), to include: a) specific research questions associated with the above outlined objectives; b) summary of methodology, to include study design, targetpopulation, sampling strategy; c) summary of planned analyses; d) composition of team, responsibilities, and experience relevant to objectives.

These will be evaluated based on:

• The strength of the EOI to meet objectives
• Demonstrated understanding of country context
• The quality and appropriateness of the methodology and analysis plan
• Demonstrated organizational capacity
• Experience in relation to the aims of the study
• Level of innovation demonstrated in the EOI

The deadline for EOI submissions to EHNRI in soft copy (secure PDF) format is 5pm, Monday 4^th July 2011

Consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the May 2004, Revised October 2006, edition of the World Bank's Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers.

Key project milestones:

1. Candidates provide expression of interest, to include all informationrequested above, for review by PSC
2. Selected candidate develops and submits full proposal to EHNRI by agreed deadline for review/comments by PSC (Full proposal to include: research methodology and sampling strategy, analysis plan, activity plan and timeline, training and supervisory strategy, and detailed budget)
3. Selected candidate incorporates comments into full proposal by agreeddeadline
4. Selected candidate invited to negotiate contract (including technicaland financial aspects)
5. Awardee develops and pretests study tools (interview guides, questionnaires and supervisors manual) and revises accordingly
6. Awardee submits full proposal for ethical review
7. Conduct data collection and agreed supervision strategy
8. Analyse data and produce an initial report including methods, detailed findings related to objectives, and action-oriented recommendations
9. Circulate initial report to key stakeholders for comments; update report as required by EHNRI
10. Hold dissemination workshop, finalise report as required by EHNRI
11. Submit soft and hard copies of the finalised report to EHNRI

 What costs are covered: 

The funding can be used to pay for salaries, supplies, equipment, andtravel that are related to meeting project objectives

 Contact information:

Interested organizations may obtain further information on this assignment from 9am # 5pm, Monday to Friday, using the below contact information:

Mr. Imailaf Muluken,

Coordinator, Procurement & Supplies Management team,

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute,

PO Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: +251 11 2771056

Fax: +251 11 2754744

Email: imailafm@ehnri.gov.et

www.ehnri.gov.et