Request for Quotation (RFQ)

RFQ # Reference Number  217630_MOZ003_01

Funding Agencies: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

RFQ Title: Data collection for an assessment of the actionable drivers of HIV outcomes in Mozambique

The Company Palladium International, LLC

Services Required Recruitment, data collection, data entry, data cleaning

Country Mozambique

RFQ Issue Date: March 11, 2019

Deadline for Questions March 18, 2019

Closing Date April 08, 2019

Contact Persons Zulfiya Charyeva (zulfiya.charyeva@thepalladiumgroup.com)

Submission Format Emailed electronic files (MS Word or pdf)

Thank you for your interest in the above procurement. Palladium is seeking proposals from qualified organizations (Offerors) interested in providing the services as described in the attached solicitation. The procurement is subject to all applicable Government of Mozambique, USAID, and US Federal Government procurement regulations. The period of performance for this subcontract is May 2019 – September 2019.

This Request Quotation (RFQ) includes the following information regarding preparation and submission of a proposal.

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Contents

Request for Quotation (RFQ).........................................................................................................................1. Instructions for Bidders...........................................................................................................................2. Terms of Reference (TOR).....................................................................................................................

Background.................................................................................................................................................Data collection methods..............................................................................................................................Scope of Work.............................................................................................................................................Key Personnel.............................................................................................................................................Deliverables.................................................................................................................................................Data Protection and Ownership.................................................................................................................

3. Conditions of Proposal.........................................................................................................................Eligibility and Proposal Format..................................................................................................................Offeror Qualifications and Past Performance............................................................................................Technical Approach...................................................................................................................................Staffing and Management Plan.................................................................................................................Budget.......................................................................................................................................................

4. Evaluation of Proposal..........................................................................................................................Proposal Submission.................................................................................................................................Bidder Costs..............................................................................................................................................Confidentiality............................................................................................................................................Bidder Acceptance of Conditions...............................................................................................................

5. Templates.............................................................................................................................................Template 1: Proposal Format Checklist.....................................................................................................Template 2: Past Performance Template..................................................................................................Template 3: Staffing Template...................................................................................................................

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1. Instructions for Bidders

This is a USAID activity funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Thus, all bidders are required to follow USAID Procurement Regulations and Laws including the Procurement Integrity Act 41 U.S.C. §423. All bidder details will be kept confidential.

Any Proposal received by Palladium will be on the basis that all terms and conditions in this Proposal document and the briefing guidelines are understood and accepted by the bidder.

Proposals must be received no later than March 29, 2019 [18h00 CAT], on the closing date and at the address designated below. Late submissions will not be considered. The proposal shall be submitted as a MS Word or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) document in English. The electronic copy offer should be submitted to:

Zulfiya Charyeva, email Zulfiya.Charyeva@thepalladiumgroup.com

When submitting Proposals, please indicate in the subject line: RFQ 217630_MOZ003_01

Palladium is not bound or required to accept the lowest priced proposal or any proposal. A proposal will not be deemed to be accepted unless and until such time as a formal contract is negotiated and executed by both Palladium and the successful bidder. Palladium reserves the right to enter into negotiation with any other bidder if contract negotiations cannot be concluded with the preferred bidder.

Submission of Questions: Questions regarding any aspects of this RFQ may be submitted via email to [Zulfiya.Charyeva@thepalladiumgroup.com] no later than March 15 at 18h00 CAT, via e-mail only. Please indicate in the subject line: Questions for RFQ 217630_MOZ003_01. Questions and requests for clarification and the responses thereto, will be circulated to all offerors who have indicated an interest in this RFQ. Only information provided as written answers from Palladium will be considered official and carry weight in the RFQ and subsequent evaluation. No questions will be answered over the telephone or in person.

Palladium reserves the right to ask questions of clarification and/or request best and final offers from all or some of the Offeror, in response to proposals.

If your quote is successful, you will be required to enter into the Company’s standard contract for the types of goods and services being provided. In the provision of the Goods and Services, you will be required to comply with the Company’s policies, including (without limitation) its Business Partner Code of Conduct and any relevant Project Manual. Potential suppliers must also comply with the Company’s Business Partner Code of Conduct in the submission of any quotes pursuant to this RFQ.

If you are bidding as part of a joint venture, partnership or similar, please make this clear in your submission, Likewise, if you propose to subcontract any part of the goods or services provision, then disclose this fact within your submission. The Company may require additional information from you and approval for subcontracting will not be automatic as subcontractors will be subject to Palladium’s Due Diligence process.

2. Terms of Reference (TOR)

Background

Palladium, a global consulting firm, helps to protect and promote people’s well-being around the world. For over 40 years, Palladium has created lasting solutions to some of the most pressing public health challenges facing nations. We predict future health and development trends, uncover barriers to well-being, and forge on-the-ground partnerships to ensure lasting change.

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Palladium is seeking the services of a Mozambique-based research organization to support the implementation of a study on case management in the context of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) programming under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Specifically, the study will examine the features of the case management system of one OVC project in Mozambique, through qualitative interviews with project staff and the collection of project cost information. Data collection will take place in six districts within three provinces of Mozambique – Maputo Province (Manhiça and Boane districts), Gaza (Chibuto and Mandlakaze districts) and Nampula (Cidade de Nampula and Moma districts).

Palladium is seeking a subcontractor research organization to assist with data collection for this study. The selected research organization will work in coordination with the Palladium team based in Mozambique and the United States.

Qualified candidate organizations will have:

Significant experience in conducting semi-structured interviews in Mozambique with both low-literate and highly educated populations;

Experience in collecting cost and expenditure data is highly desirable; Experience in compiling quantitative data; Experience in analyzing qualitative data, and particularly in developing code summaries; Skills and experience in research ethics in the context of data collection in Mozambique; A strong in-house staff team with time and skills to lead and manage this study; Ability to recruit and train qualified data collectors; Proven capacity to plan and manage survey operations and logistics; Demonstrated knowledge and application of data quality assurance practices; Data management skills and experience including electronic data file preparation for analysis; Survey data cleaning, file preparation and analysis expertise; Sound human resource and financial management systems for timekeeping, invoicing, financial

forecasting, management and payment of staff for field data collection; Ability to work as part of a larger multidisciplinary team and with multiple stakeholders; Capacity to work under a tight schedule and to meet deadlines. Knowledge of community-based HIV programming; and Staff with language skills in English, Portuguese and local languages in study regions.

Study methodology This RFQ pertains to a mixed-methods study. Palladium seeks the support of a local research partner to support two types of data collection: (1) extraction of cost data from existing OVC project records; and (2) semi-structured interviews with OVC project staff. Detailed methodology for these two study components is outlined here. Data will be collected from six community-based organizations (CBOs), based in six districts - two in Maputo province (Manhiça, Boane), two in Gaza province (Chibuto, Mandlakaze) and two in Nampula province (Cidade de Nampula, Moma).

Of note, all field work should be conducted simultaneously – cost data will be collected at the same time as interviews with other OVC project staff are conducted.

Component 1: Quantitative cost data extraction

Retrospective cost and program data will be captured from multiple sources including budgets, work plans, expenditure summaries, accounting/financial accounts, and timesheets. Key cost components to be measured include costs of start-up and program development, recurrent costs of program implementation and delivery (staff costs, materials, transportation), and capital costs or those whose useful life extends over multiple periods (vehicles, buildings, equipment). If available, the study will also capture equipment/asset inventories to estimate the annual equivalent cost of these items. The study will also document economic costs, such as donations for program implementation, and determine their market value by asking what it would cost to obtain these items or labor on the open market. Donations include both those items/time given free-of-charge and items/time given to the program at a subsidized price.

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Costs will be collected from the project at the central level, and from six CBOs. The trained data collector will also support prime-level follow-up of outstanding cost information.

Component 2: Semi-structured interviews with OVC project staff

Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with OVC project staff at CBO level as well as at the central level. Specific sampling and recruitment procedures for each type of staff are outlined below. All potential participants will receive an information sheet about the study and data collectors will seek and document informed consent prior to beginning data collection. Data collectors will then administer the questionnaire to participants individually and privately, with their informed consent. The majority of questions are closed, but some are open-ended. The closed questions will require a note taker to rapidly code responses and the open-ended questions will require the note taker to rapidly summarize responses in note form. All interviews will be conducted in a private space at the CBO or partner office. Interviews will last about 45 minutes.

Interviews with activistas: Trained data collectors will conduct brief semi-structured interviews with 10 randomly selected activistas at each site (about 3 from each administrative post). Trained data collectors will elicit information about their caseload, training, the supportive supervision they receive, the quality of their care team meetings, the non-monetary incentives they receive, the degree to which the care team is networked to reference services in the area, and their demographic characteristics (education, years working as an activista, etc.). In these interviews, data collectors will also elicit information on activistas’ work satisfaction, their suggestions for ways to improve quality of services, the amount of time that they spend working for the OVC project and any costs they incur that are not met by the project. Interviews with activistas will be conducted in their local language.

Interviews with activista chefes, supervisors, project coordinators and CBO managers: Trained data collectors will conduct brief semi-structured interviews with all activista chefes that support the selected activistas, their supervisors, and the project coordinator and/or CBO manager. It is anticipated that the study will include up to three activista chefes per site, and two supervisors, though this will depend on the supervision structure unique to each CBO. In these interviews, trained data collectors will elicit information on supervision structures and ratios, the level of supportive supervision, the quality of care team meetings, non-monetary incentives given to activistas and the degree to which the care team is networked to other reference services in the area. Data collectors will also inquire about the process of assigning cases to activistas and determining their caseload, activistas turnover, and challenges with staff recruitment and retention. Also, data collectors will elicit information to support organization and assignment of costs and interpret quantitative findings on cost estimation.

Interviews with CBO finance and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) staff, and central level OVC project staff: In the sampled CBOs, trained data collectors will interview the finance manager and M&E lead along with a Palladium co-investigator (who will support data collection for two of the CBOs). A trained data collector will also interview approximately five staff at the central level, including the Chief of Party, the Finance Director and the M&E Director, and some of their support staff. The purpose of these interviews is to elicit contextual information about costs such as how they are tracked, as well as on cost categories.

SUMMARY: From each CBO, the study will capture data from 18 people (10 activistas, 3 activista chefes, 2 supervisors and 3 other staff). In total, this study will capture data from 60 activistas, 18 activista chefes, 12 supervisors, 6 OVC project coordinators/CBO managers, 6 CBO M&E Advisors and 6 CBO finance managers. At the central level, data collectors will interview up to five OVC project staff. This brings the total number of anticipated interviewees to 113.

Data collection team

Data collection at CBO level will be carried out by three, four-person data collection teams. Teams will include a Team Lead, who will be responsible for site-level coordination (and for conducting some interviews), a (second) interviewer, and two notetakers. In two sites, a fifth member to the team will be added

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to capture the financial data of the CBO. Data collection at the central level (related to the costing element of the study), will be conducted by one of the study Co-Investigators.

Members of the data collection team will be selected based on level of education (a university degree is required), prior experience conducting semi-structured interviews, knowledge of the study areas, understanding of community-based HIV programming, and fluency in study languages. Other criteria for selection should include maturity, friendliness, and ability to travel. Contractor should ensure a gender balance during recruitment of the data collection team.

The study team will conduct a one-week data collector training workshop, led by the local Principal Investigator (PI), supported by Palladium Investigator/s. The ultimate objective of the training is to provide the data collectors with a thorough knowledge and skill base to take on their roles as interviewer and/or notetaker, or financial data specialist, and to ensure high-quality data and ethical conduct of the study. The training will be classroom- and field-based, using participatory techniques and practical exercises. It will comprise: (1) facilitated sessions on the overall aims of the study and its procedures, including conducting interviews, recording and note-taking, coding responses, transmitting data, quality assurance, the questionnaire, and ethical procedures; (2) mock interviews to test the tools and processes and practice skills; and (3) a field-based pilot test. The contractor is expected to organize the pilot test – in collaboration with Palladium. Data collectors will receive special instruction on the collection of cost data.

Quality control

Sampling will be conducted by Palladium; recruitment and data collection will be carried out by an experienced and well-trained data collection team (as described above), overseen by Mozambique-based Principal Investigator (to be named by applicant). The local PI will vet all members of the data collection team, will lead the data collector training, instrument pilot testing and field work. The Palladium PI will participate in the data collection training including a field practicum, instrument pilot testing and data collection, working hand-in-hand with the local PI. Following each interview, members of the data collection team will review the notes and the note takers’ coding for closed-ended questions, and notes for open-ended questions to agree upon and document final responses. Interviews will be recorded (if consent for recording is granted), so a digital file of what transpired will be available for analysis. These recordings will enable the analysts to spot check the validity of coding done in the field and determine the inter-rater reliability of coding.

After data collection in a site has been completed, the data collection team and the local PI will review learning to inform data collection at the next site and ensure communication protocols with the OVC project are being followed. Two analysts – the local PI or designate and a Palladium researcher will analyze data jointly.

Data management

During data collection, all data will be managed and overseen by the data collection team lead in the study area. Digital recordings from interviews will be uploaded into a cloud with password access and deleted from the recording devices. Notes, coding sheets and signed consent forms will be stored separately – consent forms will be stored together, coding sheets and notes will be stored together. (Coding sheets and notes will not include participants’ names.) The data collection team lead is responsible for moving data securely back to Maputo and handing them over to the local PI. Once in Maputo, data and consent forms will be stored (separately) in a locked cabinet (when not in use for data analysis) in the office of the local research partner.

Scope of WorkThe scope of work includes the following key tasks:

Task 1: Review information about the study including the protocol and data collection tools. Engage in work planning discussions with Palladium. Develop a workplan. Note that the protocol is expected to be IRB-approved by the time of subcontracting.

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Task 2: Participate in a joint learning assessment with Palladium. This will be a half day meeting at the office of the subcontractor where the scope of the contract and past experiences are discussed, and areas for growth are identified. This discussion will be led by Palladium and key study team members should be present. This task does not require the subcontract to gather evidence of capability in advance of the meeting.

Task 3: Prepare for field work. Draft the study operations manual, including plans for recruitment, the field schedule, and study code of conduct. Discuss the schedule with the OVC project and selected CBOs. Finalize the manual and schedule in consultation with Palladium. Finalize recruitment of any data collectors and note takers. Note that it is important for data collectors to conduct interviews with activistas and activista chefes in their local language. This should be considered in recruitment, in addition to the criteria outlined above.

Task 4: Train data collectors and note takers in Maputo. We suggest a 5-day training including one day pilot test (see Task 4). Palladium staff will participate in this training. Training should be led by the Lead Researcher. The training should include (1) facilitated sessions on the overall aims of the study and its procedures, including conducting semi-structured interviews, recording and note-taking, coding responses, transmitting data, quality assurance, the questionnaire, and ethical procedures; (2) mock interviews to test the tools and processes and practice skills; and (3) a field-based pilot test.

Task 5: Pilot test data collection tools as part of a training exercise. Palladium will determine the CBO for the pilot test in Maputo, but the subcontractor will be responsible for organizing the pilot test, including the following tasks. Communicate in advance with the CBO. Recruit participants that match the target groups of the study as part of this exercise. Recommend adjustments to the data collection tools as a result of this process. Palladium will maintain responsibility for finalizing the tools. The aims of the pilot tests are to: assess comprehension of the wording of the questions, ensure the questions measure the intended construct, finalize response categories for closed questions, assess comprehension of consent forms; address issues with translation, determine the length of time that the interview will last and practice/address challenges in recording / documenting / coding the discussions.

Task 6: Develop a glossary of translated terms in relevant local languages for all data collection tools.

Task 7: Collect quantitative cost data (component 1). One bilingual data collector (English and Portuguese) from the local research organization to work side-by-side with a co-investigator from Palladium to collect cost data and contextual information from the central-level office in Maputo and two CBOs. The local data collector will then independently use the data collection tools to collect cost data from the remaining four CBOs.

Task 8: Organize and conduct the semi-structured interviews (component 2). This task includes recruiting participants, documenting informed consent privately, conducting the interviews, and capturing responses. Interviews will be conducted by a two-member team including a facilitator and a note-taker. Interviews will be audio recorded with participant consent, for the record. The contractor is not expected to transcribe all interview recordings unless a data quality issue is identified (see Task 7). Note takers will be expected to take detailed notes and record responses on the questionnaire. From each CBO we expect to interview 18 people (10 activistas, 3 activista chefes, 2 supervisors and 3 other staff). In total we expect to interview 60 activistas, 18 activista chefes, 12 supervisors, 6 OVC project coordinators/CBO managers, 6 CBO M&E Advisors and 6 CBO finance managers. At the central level, we expect to interview up to five OVC project staff. This brings the total number of anticipated interviewees to 113. The lead researcher is expected to be present throughout data collection and is responsible for the technical quality of the data. We expect all members of the study team to be at each selected CBO for 2-3 days. There are two CBOs in each province, so contractors should assume about a week in each province/for each

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provincial team, depending on how data collection is proposed. Tasks 7 and 8 should be conducted simultaneously.

Task 9: Prepare a brief report on data collection process. A template will be provided.

Task 10: Conduct a quality control exercise (related to component 2). The lead researcher will randomly select 10 recordings across participant categories and locations and will record responses on the questionnaire (i.e. recode responses). The lead researcher or designate will compare the new responses with those captured by data collectors in the field, determine the inter-rater reliability (percent agreement between two raters) and report findings. If inter-rater reliability is determined to be low, further investigation will be required by the lead researcher and team to identify if the problem is across all participant categories and locations or is specific to one set of interviews/one data collector. Where there are concerns about the coding done in the field, the lead researcher will be responsible for re-coding those interviews, using the recordings as the data source.

Task 11: Develop data entry templates in Excel for entering quantitative data from the semi-structured interviews with activistas, activista chefes and supervisors, program coordinators/CBO managers and send for review to Palladium.

Task 12: Enter data from component 2 in Excel. Clean data and translate all free text responses into English.

Task 13: Analyze data from free text questions in interview guides; compile written analyses in report-form for each question, highlighting similarities and differences in responses among respondents and across CBOs. Palladium will provide further guidance on this task during the analysis phase of the activity.

Task 14: Participate in an assessment of changes in capacity within the local partner institution and analyze lessons learned. This will be a half day meeting at the office of the subcontractor with participation of the Palladium study investigator and key study team members.

Task 15: Contribute to the development of the study report, brief, PowerPoint, paper, and support a webinar in collaboration with Palladium. Palladium will lead the development of all of these products, with input from the contractor who will be responsible for key sections of the report and for reviewing / providing technical inputs into the other products. If scheduling permits, lead a presentation at the Jornadas de Saúde conference in September, which will be prepared by Palladium with the contractor.

All tasks are to be completed by September 30, 2019.

Key Personnel This scope of work calls for the following functional positions. If the subcontractor wishes to propose additional positions, separate or combine positions, that is acceptable, as long as the functions are fulfilled with staff with appropriate expertise and experience. All staff must be based in Mozambique. International travel will not be permitted under this contract.

Project Manager/Study Coordinator. Responsible for the successful implementation of the project and will be the primary liaison with the Palladium team. The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring the quality of deliverables and submitting them on schedule and within budget. He or she will stay abreast of all day-to-day project activities and resolve problems that arise. This person is also ultimately responsible for contractual and financial issues.

Lead Researcher and Field Supervisor: This person will be the technical led on the project and must have a Masters-level degree and at least five years’ experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative research, including expertise in training data collectors, recruiting interview participants ethically, compiling quantitative data and analyzing qualitative data. This person should have a sound understanding of community-based HIV programming. This person will train data collectors,

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supervise/participate in data collection, ensuring that all activities are being implemented in line with the study protocol, develop study products and participate in dissemination.

Data Collectors: 2-3 experienced data collectors must be proposed. One of these may be the lead researcher. Personnel proposed to conduct interviews must have experience conducting semi-structured interviews. Data collectors must be fluent in the local languages of the study areas – Manhiça, Boane, Chibuto, Mandlakaze, Cidade de Nampula and Moma districts.

Note-takers: At least 2 experienced note takers must be proposed. Personnel proposed will have considerable experience capturing information shared in interviews. Note-takers must be proficient in the local languages used in the areas of study. Note-takers will be expected to code participant responses during the interview; this skill should be considered in recruitment.

Deliverables

The Terms of Reference include the following deliverables. Details for each deliverable are included, including the required language of submission.

Summary Description Relates to Task

1. Workplan Participation of study staff in work planning meetings Workplan including an approach to study

implementation and timeline (English)

Task 1

2. Learning assessment

Participation in a learning assessment A list of technical competencies identified among the

team for strengthening and a plan to resolve these

Task 2

3. Study operations manual and field work schedule

Study operations manual including procedure for recruitment, gaining informed consent, and data management: how data will be handled in the field, secured and stored, and handed over to Palladium (Portuguese)

Study Code of Conduct (Portuguese) Draft schedule including tentative dates by location and

evidence of communication with the OVC project (English or Portuguese)

Task 3

4. Data collector training and pilot test

Training agenda, materials and daily participant logs (Portuguese)

Brief report of training and pilot test (template will be provided) (English or Portuguese)

Suggestions for revising data collection tools and coding framework (Portuguese)

Glossary of translated terms in relevant local languages for all data collection tools

Tasks 4, 5, 6

5. Raw data Audio files from all completed interviews at CBO level Summarized notes, by question, from all completed

interviews (English) Quantitative cost data from the central level and the six

selected CBOs (English)

Tasks 7, 8

6. Report on data collection

A brief report on data collection (a template will be provided) (English or Portuguese)

Task 9

7. Quality control exercise results

Brief report on the results of the quality control exercise to check the accuracy of coding done in the field (a template will be provided) (English or Portuguese)

Task 10

8. Data entry templates

Data entry templates in Excel for entering data from interviews with activistas, activista chefes and supervisors, program coordinators/CBO managers (English)

Task 11

9. Data entry from interviews

Excel files with cleaned data from interviews with activistas, activista chefes and supervisors, program

Task 12

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coordinators/CBO managers (three separate files) (English)

10. Qualitative write-ups

Qualitative analysis in report-form of free text questions (open-ended questions) in interview guides, highlighting differences and similarities among respondents and CBOs (English)

Task 13

11. Participation in learning assessment

Participation of the local partner staff in a joint half-day meeting with Palladium to review changes in the local organization’s capacity in the areas identified in Task 2 and analyze lessons learned

Technical input to a brief report on learning (English)

Task 14

12. Product contributions

Contributions to report (key sections, as agreed with Palladium) (English)

Technical input into and review of the following products: brief, PowerPoint, and a paper if time permits

Participation in a webinar to disseminate study findings Presentation at Jornadas, if time permits

Task 15

Data Protection and OwnershipData collected by the subcontractor under this Agreement shall be treated as sensitive data and protected with adequate security measures and according to the study protocol and security guidance provided by Palladium, and in accordance with Mozambican government regulations. The Subcontractor agrees that the data collected under this contract belongs to Palladium and that the subcontractor is prohibited from using, analysing, distributing/sharing, or publishing the data collected under this Agreement without prior approval from Palladium. The subcontractor acknowledges that it will comply with Government of Mozambique, USAID, and Palladium data sharing agreements and requirements. The subcontractor shall, after the completion of the tasks, handover the raw data and data prepared for analysis with agreed upon format and documentations to Palladium.

3. Conditions of Proposal

Eligibility and Proposal Format

Please include a cover sheet with the title of your proposal, the date of submission, your organization’s name, and a contact person’s name, phone number and email address. Proposals should not be longer than 8 pages (exclusive of cover page, cost proposals, past performance references, CVs and Timeline), double-spaced, in size 11 Arial font with right, left, top, and bottom margin of 1 inch each and your organization’s name indicated in a header or footer. Proposals must be submitted in English. Incomplete or late applications may be rejected. Only one proposal per organization will be accepted.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow this outline:

1. Technical Approach2. Staffing and Management Plan3. Qualifications and Past Performance 4. Cost Proposal and Budget Narrative (by Deliverable)5. Past Performance References (use template provided) 6. CVs of Key Personnel (2 pages per person, maximum)7. Timeline (1 page)

A checklist of required materials is given in Section 5, Template 1.

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Technical Approach

In narrative format, please describe the approach the Offeror will use to carry out the fifteen (15) Tasks under the Scope of Work and fulfil the twelve (12) deliverables. Please present this information by Task. The approach should demonstrate understanding of the study objectives and methodology, and clearly identify how the Offeror proposes to implement this methodology. Describe steps the Offeror will take to ensure high quality data are collected in the field and the data quality assurance steps that will be undertaken throughout the data management and analysis phases. Include in an illustrative timeline for all Tasks and Deliverables. A Gantt Chart could be used for this purpose. The timeline may be included in an Appendix and will not be counted toward the 8-page limit.

Staffing and Management Plan

In narrative format, please present a staffing plan for the project and include an organogram for the project team and how it relates to the larger organization. Please provide position titles, outline the roles and responsibilities of each position, and note how many individuals will hold each position (e.g. number of data collectors). Using the template provided (Section 5, Template 3), list the names of all proposed staff, their proposed positions on the project, their key qualifications for the assigned positions, and their proposed level of effort on this project. Also include CVs for all named staff (maximum length of 2 pages per CV). If staff recruitment is planned for some of the positions, please indicate which ones and describe the recruitment process.

Please describe the management strategies that will be established and implemented to ensure the work is of highest quality and completed within the agreed upon timeframe. This description should include a proposed communications plan (internally, and with the Palladium project team and project stakeholders) and quality assurance measures. Please outline anticipated management and technical challenges based on past experience and how these challenges would be addressed (i.e., prevented or resolved) should they arise in this project. Please describe these challenges and proposed resolutions specific to each of the Scope of Work Tasks.

Qualifications and Past Performance

In narrative format, please describe the Offeror’s experience in implementing and managing donor-supported data collection/research projects. Of particular relevance is current or previous experience in managing qualitative research studies including interviews, and research / evaluation related to vulnerable children and on HIV. Applicant must demonstrate ability to recruit members of the target population for interviews and collect high quality qualitative data. Experience with Government of Mozambique, USAID, and/or PEPFAR programs and an understanding of the importance of data quality are particularly relevant. Additionally, please complete the template provided (Section 5, Template 2) for a minimum of three, and up to five recently completed projects.

Budget

Palladium anticipates awarding a fixed-price subcontract for all costs, including direct and indirect costs. Please prepare a detailed line-item budget for each of the twelve (12) deliverables described above under the Terms of Reference (i.e., Workplan, trained data collectors, etc). The budget should be presented in MS Excel with a worksheet/budget tab for each of the twelve (12) deliverables. Please quote costs in U.S. Dollars and Meticais. Do not cost tasks; please cost deliverables. Each deliverable budget should contain the following budget categories, as applicable:

Labor/Personnel: For all personnel, list name (or TBD), position on the project, daily rate, number of workdays, and

total cost. Provide a subtotal of all labor costs.

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Travel: Lodging and per diem: List daily rate and number of days for field work (and other proposed travel,

e.g., training, as needed). Transport: List vehicle and fuel costs/mileage; drivers; other transport costs, as needed. Other travel costs (if any): List any other travel-related costs. Provide a subtotal of all travel costs.

Other Direct Costs (Non-Labor): All other costs associated with the deliverable, e.g., interviewer equipment, other equipment/material

used for data collection and management, and any other miscellaneous costs, e.g., interview guide printing, operations manual printing, badges for field workers, allowances for project staff who support recruitment; etc. For each item, list the item, unit cost, and number of units.

Provide a subtotal of all Other Direct Costs

Indirect costs, if relevant: Provide costs and add notation for how indirect costs are calculated.

Total cost for the deliverable Provide the sum total of all costs for the deliverable.

In the spreadsheet, also please include a summary budget tab. This budget should present the sum of costs across the twelve (12) deliverables by each of the budget categories, i.e., sum of all labor, sum of all travel, etc., and the total budget across all deliverables and budget categories.

The budget must be accompanied by a Budget Narrative (in MS Word) explaining the costs by deliverable.

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4. Evaluation of Proposal

The proposal must comply with the requirements of the Terms of Reference (TOR). Compliance with the TOR will be determined solely by Palladium. Failure to submit a proposal including the information required by the TOR will factor into Palladium’s assessment of the level of compliance with the Request for Proposal and may result in rejection of the proposal. The committee will evaluate proposals according the following criteria:

  Element Points Criteria

1 Past performance 0 to 30

o Organization’s experience in managing and conducting studies involving semi-structured interviews with both low-literate and professional populations;

Organization’s experience in collecting cost data; Organization’s experience in developed code summaries of

qualitative data; Experience in collecting data from OVC programs and

understanding of case management as it pertains to PEPFAR-funded OVC programming;

Experience working on studies funded by USAID and/or PEPFAR; and

Demonstrated success in completing project deliverables on time and within budget.

2 Technical approach 0 to 20

Demonstrated understanding of the requested tasks and deliverables and the steps required to accomplish them;

Concise description of how the work will be carried out including planning and preparations for data collection; staffing and logistics requirements for field data collection and how they will be accomplished; human subjects protection; data security and quality assurance procedures; data management steps and safeguards; and contributions to report writing; and

Realistic timeline for the proposed tasks and deliverables.

3 Staffing and Management 0 to 20

Demonstration of staffing needs and a plan for meeting them; Clear and realistic organizational structure and lines of

supervision/reporting; Qualifications of the proposed staff; Plan for recruiting staff (if not all staff are proposed); Clearly defined roles and responsibilities of proposed staff; Understanding of the management challenges and experience-

based, practical strategies for addressing them; and Administrative and management tools and processes that will be

employed to ensure the delivery of high-quality and timely products.

4Well written, comprehensive proposal

0 to 10 Completeness of the materials requested in the RFQ; and Quality of writing and presentation of proposal materials.

5 Budget 0 to 20

Alignment of the budget with deliverables; Clear presentation of unit costs and realistic estimates of unit costs; Clear explanation of costs in budget narrative; and Reflection of strategies used to control costs and maximize costs

savings.

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Palladium reserves the right:

a) to accept or reject any proposal, and to annul the proposal process thereby rejecting all proposals, at any time prior to the award of contract

b) to cancel or vary the Request for Proposal process at any time whether before or after the closing date

c) to reject any proposal that does not adhere to the structure and content requirements as outlined in this Request for Proposal.

d) to accept proposals for the whole or any part of the requirement e) to negotiate with the most favorable bidder on the cost proposal f) to require any additional certifications and vary the language in the final contract template.

Palladium shall not be bound by any oral advice given or information furnished but shall be bound only by written advice or information. The conduct of this Request for Proposal shall not be construed in any way as a legally-binding agreement between Palladium and another Party or the acceptance of any liability by Palladium. A proposal will not be considered in a case where the bidder or a representative of the bidder gives or offers anything to an employee or agent of Palladium as an inducement or reward, which could in any way tend to influence the actions of that employee or agent.

Proposal Submission

It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure that the proposal is received at Palladium by the closing date and time prescribed in this Request for Proposal. A proposal submitted after the closing date is a late proposal and may be excluded from consideration at Palladium’s sole discretion.

Palladium will not consider or entertain any queries about a decision to assess or reject a late Proposal. Proposals are to be in English and all budgeting is to be in US Dollars.

Bidder Costs

Bidders are responsible at their own cost for:

1. Making all arrangements and obtaining and considering all information relating to the Terms of Reference.

2. The preparation, delivery, and lodgment of their proposals 3. Costs associated with any issues that may arise, including disputes, related to the proposal process.

Confidentiality

Bidders must keep any discussions or contact with Palladium in connection with the Invitation to proposal and any Contract negotiations, strictly confidential and shall not disclose such information to any third party.

Bidder Acceptance of Conditions

A proposal lodged in response to this Request for Proposal does so with agreement to these Conditions of Proposal unless any departures from these Conditions are detailed in the proposal submission. Palladium reserves the right to reject or accept any departure from these Conditions of Proposal, and thereby determine that the proposal submission is non-conforming for that reason.

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5. Templates

Template 1: Proposal Format Checklist

Document Section Check List Y/N

Cover Letter of Submission on letterhead signed by an authorized representative of the organization giving full contact details of the point person in the organization responsible for communications regarding the proposal submission, acknowledging agreement to the terms and conditions of the RFQ, and certifying that all information offered in the submitted proposal is true, accurate, and complete (max 1 page)

Technical proposal (8 pages maximum) organized as follows: Table of Contents, including page numbers (not included in page limit) Technical approach Staffing and management plan Qualifications and past performance Timeline Budget Narrative

Past performance template (completed for 3-5 projects): see Template 2

Staffing template (completed for all proposed staff): see Template 3

CVs for proposed staff (maximum 2 pages per CV)

Budget (in MS Excel format) and Budget Narrative (in MS Word)

Timeline

Organization Profile

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Template 2: Past Performance Template

1. Title

2. Name of client/donor 3. Address of client/donor

4. Contract number or other reference number:

5. Date of contract

6. Date work began 7. Date work completed

8. Contract amount in USD

9. Technical point of contact (name, address, telephone, email)

10. Contractual/ financial point of contact (name, address, telephone, email)

11. Location of work (country, state, province, district, city)

12. Description of work (nature and scope). Use continuation sheet if needed.

13. Current status of contract (choose one):

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□ Work continuing, on schedule □ Work completed, claim negotiations pending or underway

□ Work continuing, behind schedule □ Work completed, litigation pending or underway

□ Work completed, no further action pending or underway

□ Terminated for convenience

□ Work completed, routine administrative action pending or underway

□ Terminated for default

□ Other (explain)

Instructions for Completing the Past Performance Information Sheet

1. Insert the complete name of the client, including parent organization, if any. Do not use acronyms. 2. Insert the client’s complete address, including both post office box and street address, if applicable. 3. Insert the contract number or other contract reference used by the client. 4. Insert the date on which the contract came into existence. 5. Insert the date on which you started to perform the work. 6. Insert the date on which the client agreed that the work was satisfactorily completed (including

substantial completion), aside from any pending or on-going administrative actions, claims negotiations, or litigation.

7. Insert the contract amount, in US dollars. 8. Insert the name, title, address, telephone no., and e-mail address (if available) of the program or

project manager, quality assurance representative, or other client technical representative who is most familiar with the quality of your work under the contract.

9. Insert the name, title, address, telephone no., and e-mail address (if available) of the contracting officer, purchasing agent, or other client contracting or purchasing representative who is most familiar with your work under the contract.

10. Insert the location(s) where the work was performed, including the country and the state or province, county (if applicable), and city.

11. Describe the nature and scope of the work. The objective is to show how the work that you did or are doing is similar in nature and scope to the work that is to be performed under the contract contemplated by the request for proposals. Describe any unusual circumstances of performance or problems that may be relevant to the work that is to be performed. Tell your side of the story of any conflicts with the customer concerning which they may make adverse remarks about your performance. Describe any actions that you have taken or plan to take to correct any shortcomings in your performance. Describe any pending, on-going, or completed litigation.

12. Insert an X in the block next to the choice which best describes the current status of the contract. If you select the “Other” block, provide a brief explanation.

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Template 3: Staffing Template

Name

(Last, First)

Position title

Qualifications Proposed Level of Effort

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

[insert] [insert] [insert] [insert]

Note: Please attach CVs of named staff.

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Organizational Profile Template

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

ORGANIZATION LEGAL NAME

OFFICE ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

ORGANIZATION CONTACT INFORMATION (may list the same individual more than once)

TECHNICAL CONTACTEMAIL

PHONE

CONTRACTUAL/ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACT

EMAIL

PHONE

BUDGET/FINANCE CONTACTEMAIL

PHONE

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Has the company previously entered into a contract with a US government agency, or US government funded organization? Yes No

Please provide the source of funds (client) and dollar value of the organization’s/company’s most recent contracts, up to five, as well as brief description of the type of work (e.g. research, program implementation etc.).

Client Contract value (USD) Brief description

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

How many full-time employees are currently employed? __________

Please provide the annual organization budgets for the past 3 fiscal years:2018 - __________2017 - __________2016 - __________

APPROVAL

The appropriate program and administrative personnel of the institution involved in this application are aware of the sponsoring agency’s guidelines and are prepared to establish the necessary inter-institutional agreement(s). The institution makes all applicable assurances/certifications.

I certify that the information contained in this questionnaire is current, accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Authorized Representative:____________________________ ____________________________Name: DateTitle:

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