DEVELOP AND TEST INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO PROMOTE CONSUMPTION OF NUTRIENT RICH LOCALLY PROCESSED FOODS FOR VULNERABLE UNDER-2 CHILDREN AND PREGNANT AND LACTATING WOMEN

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: Develop and test innovative approaches to promote consumption of nutrient rich locally processed foods for vulnerable under-2 children and pregnant and lactating women

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 one of the main health problems facing children and women in Ethiopia.  The country has the second highest rate of malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The 2005 EDHS found that 47% and 38% of children under five were stunted and underweight, respectively. Malnutrition among children is linked to food supply, but also to the quality and diversity of food and infant feeding practices; the 2005 EDHS found that among children 6-23 months, only 22% were fed according to the minimum three infant young child feeding practices[1] in the 24 hours preceding the survey. Another important determinant of child nutrition status is birth weight.  The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) is estimated to be 14%.  One major contributing factor to LBW is poor nutritional status of women before pregnancy and inadequate weight gain during pregnancy; an estimated 27% of women are chronically malnourished (BMI<18.5). 

The major barriers to consumption of nutrient-rich foods by under-2 children and pregnant and lactating women are economic constraints and food insecurity.  These reduce the availability, accessibility, quality, and diversityof food. Other important barriers include caregiver and community awareness about optimal nutrition for these vulnerable group, seasonality, traditional practices, and maternal workload.  

Objectives:

Increased production, marketing, and promotion of low cost, locally produced nutrient-rich foods is one opportunity to address this challenge. The aims of this study, not lasting more than 24 months, are to develop and test innovative approaches to promote consumption of nutrient rich locally processed foods for vulnerable under-2 children and pregnant and lactating women.  Some examples of innovations in production, marketing, and promotion include:

Production: Micro-financing small-scale production through local women's associations, partnerships with existing private enterprises, multisectoral initiatives to increase dietary diversity at community level

Marketing: Women's groups, community based health promoters with financial compensation

Promotion: Local media, community-based nutrition education, point-of-sale promotion 

The proposed OR may incorporate some of these approaches, combine these approaches with other initiatives (i.e. incorporating multi-micronutrient Sprinkles into complementary foods), or may propose other innovations.  Approaches should be scalable, sustainable, and targeted to the mostvulnerable under-2 children and/or pregnant and lactating women.

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