Request for Quotations (RFQ): Development of short Technical Guidance Notes to strengthen the practice of MEAL in health and rights programming

2 notes – choose one, or both

1. Summary and Background:

The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) is currently seeking one or 2 consultants to develop short technical guidance notes and technical resources to strengthen the practice of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities in health and rights programming.

1. Resources to support the use of administrative (Health Management Information System [HMIS]) data in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) activities for health and rights projects and programmes. These technical resources, in the shape of a short guidance note with short case studies, will support technical capacity building efforts by CanWaCH strengthen member and partner knowledge and application of international standards. 
2. A short guidance note to strengthen and support the integration of Ethics in MEAL Activities for health and rights projects and programmes. This short note will provide guidance on essential best practices in the collection, management and use of MEAL related data. 

The consultant can provide a quote for one or both of these projects. The quote must specify the project it covers. If the quote is for both projects, please present them separately.

CanWaCH catalyzes Canadian collaboration to deepen effectiveness in improving women’s and children’s health in communities around the world. Our close to 100 member organizations are instrumental in reducing maternal and child mortality, promoting accountability to women, adolescents and children for the improvement of their health and rights, seeking innovation, generating research and supporting monitoring, evaluation and learning. 

Through the development of these guidance documents, CanWaCH aims to support partners and other stakeholders in strengthening their approaches to MEAL in ways that are not only rigorous but also both ethical and supporting ownership and data systems strengthening of country partners, who are also the duty bearers in efforts to improve the health and rights of women, adolescents and children.  

2. Project Description and Scope 

2.1 Content 

CanWaCH is seeking one or 2 consultants to support the development of scientifically robust, user friendly and easily applicable short technical guidance notes, which must include at a minimum the following sections:

2.1.1 For the “use of HMIS data in MEAL” resource: 

• A synthesis review of existing literature, tools, and approaches
• Key definitions and guidance: what is HMIS data, when to use it/not use it and how to use it?  
• Guidance on the use of this data and analysis, to learn from data with partners, bearing in mind how it can be used to “emphasize country ownership and data systems strengthening through the use of local data collection systems and sources”
• Recommendations for bests practices, including under the form of tip sheets, based on examples and three short case studies (already pre-identified)
• Resource recommendations

2.1.2 For the Ethics in MEAL note:

• Key definitions, recognizing the multiple aspects where ethical considerations apply in the practice of MEAL,tailored towards practitioners who might be less familiar than researchers with ethics
• Best practices, linked to clear examples of various areas of application, taking into account feminist approaches to MEAL, and the importance of process and country ownership
• The application of ethics at all stages of the MEAL process, including data collection and management. 
• Summarize key resources available

Note: For both these notes, the consultant(s) will be provided with support and notes from consultations, initial outlines, reflections and literature searches carried out throughout 2022, by CanWaCH staff in collaboration with its Metrics working group. Materials will be produced in co-creation with CanWaCH staff. 

2.2 Intended audience

The intended audience for both these notes includes:

• Practitioners working in partnership with the Government of Canada on global health programming, especially in the design, MEAL and implementation of initiatives. 
• Their global partners
• Researchers involved in evaluation and implementation research

2.3 Questions to be addressed in the notes, but are not necessarily limited to:

2.3.1 HMIS

• What is HMIS data, why is it important to support country ownership, how and when can it be used, especially to track outputs and reach of health and rights initiatives? 
• What are the critical considerations when it comes to the access to and use of this data?
• What does a synthesis of existing literature tell us about recommended approaches, considerations, and issues?
• What are some key limitations and “do’s and don’ts”, bearing in mind the technical and ethical considerations related to the use of HMIS data in MEAL? 
• What information is necessary to consider using HMIS and other “host country” generated data for MEAL of initiatives that they are leading and /or accompanying? 

2.3.2 Ethics

• When do ethical considerations apply in the practice of MEAL-related activities? And what aspects should ethics cover
• What are some of the best practices recognized in the sector? 
• What guidance is missing from current resources available to enhance the inclusion of ethics? 
• What are some basic principles and steps that any organization, including smaller organizations, can apply in their MEAL activities?

3. Project Timelines

3.1 The final version of:

• The short technical guidance note on Ethics must be submitted to CanWaCH no later than Friday, February 24, 2023 at 11:59pm EDT.
• The technical resource on the use of HMIS in MEAL must be submitted to CanWaCH no later than Friday, February 24, 2023, at 11:59pm EDT.

3.2 Detailed estimated schedule:

a) Ethics in MEAL: 

1. Week of January 9, 2023:
   a. Selection of successful Consultant
   b. Negotiation of contract
2. Week January 16, 2023:
   a. Finalization of contract
   b. Initial meeting with CanWaCH for comprehensive review of project scope, deliverables, and work to date
3. Week of January 23, 2023:
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Draft review and discussion
4. Week of January 30, 2023
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Further review and discussion as needed
5. Week of February 13, 2022
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
6. Week of February 20, 2023
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH
   b. Final version of note submitted to CanWaCH
7. Week of February 27
   a. Translation of note by CanWaCH in view of launch. Consultant to provide clarification and editing support as required.

b) The use of HMIS in MEAL

1. Week of January 9, 2023
   a. Selection of successful Consultant
   b. Negotiation of contract
2. Week January 16, 2023:
   a. Finalization of contract
   b. Initial meeting with CanWaCH for comprehensive review of project scope, deliverables, and work to date
3. Week of January 23, 2023:
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Draft of case studies and discussion
4. Week of January 30, 2023
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Draft review and discussion
5. Week of February 6, 2023
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Final version of note submitted to CanWaCH
6. Week of February 13, 2023
   a. Progress meeting with CanWaCH and other key stakeholders as required
   b. Preliminary final version of note submitted to CanWaCH
7. Week of February 20, 2023
   a. Finalization Translation and launch of note by CanWaCH.
   b. Note sent for translation. Consultant to provide clarification and editing support as required.
8. Week of March 6, 2023
   a. Translation review. Consultant to provide clarification and editing support as required.

4. Budget(s)

4.1 All proposals must include proposed costs to complete the tasks described in the project description and scope. CanWaCH will provide the following:

• Accompaniment and feedback
• Translation of guidance note from English to French
• Design of guidance note
• All technical and logistical support for meetings
• Copies of all resource and research compiled to date

4.2 All costs and fees must be clearly described in each proposal. If the consultant submitting a proposal/proposals must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. Additionally, all costs included in the proposals must be all-inclusive to include any outsourced or contracted work. Any proposals which call for outsourcing or contracting work must include a name and description of the organizations being contracted.

5. Bidder Qualifications

Bidders should provide the following items as part of their proposal for consideration, separately for each project presented in this RFQ:

• Description of experience and expertise with the development of practical tools to support MEAL activities & practice, especially in international development and/or global health contexts.
• Description of international experience with: 
  • the use of HMIS/administrative data in MEAL (for the note on HMIS data)
  • the development of ethical frameworks specific for MEAL activities
• Specific examples or portfolio of relevant technical guidance notes, publications, research etc. that you have developed and attest to your specific skills and expertise in this subject matter area.
• Name(s) and CVs of consultant(s) involved in the project
• Testimonials from previous clients (if applicable)
• Project work schedule and proposed methodology, including a proposed table of contents based on the above requirements. As part of this work, please confirm that you will be able to meet the project schedule and required meetings as outlined above.

6. Proposal Evaluation Criteria 

CanWaCH will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria. To ensure consideration for this Request for Quotations, your proposal should be complete and include all the following criteria:

• Consultant Experience: Bidders will be evaluated on their experience as it pertains to the scope of these projects;
• Previous work: Bidders will be evaluated on examples of their work pertaining to the subject matter;
• Value and cost: Bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their proposal based on the work to be performed in accordance with the scope of this project;
• Expertise and experience: Bidders will be evaluated based on descriptions and documentation of staff/consultant expertise and experience.

7. Submitting a Proposal

7.1 All proposals in response to this RFP are due no later than 11:59 PM EDT on Monday, January 9, 2023. Any proposals received after this date and time will be returned to the sender. 

7.2 The selection decision for the winning bidder and to bidders who were not selected will be made no later than January 12, 2023.

7.3 Upon notification, the contract negotiations with the winning bidder will begin immediately. Contract negotiations will be completed no later than January 16, 2023.

7.4 Bidders should submit their proposal to the attention of: 

Ericka Moerkerken
Senior Advisor, MEAL
[email protected]