DEADLINE: 30TH MAY, 2022
GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION (GAIN)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR SCOPING REVIEW OF GENDER AND DIGITIZATION IN LARGE-SCALE FOOD FORTIFICATION
ABOUT GAIN
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people.
At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious and safe food. We work to understand and deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food insecurity faced by poor people. By understanding that there is no “one-size-fits-all” model, we develop alliances and build tailored programmes, using a variety of flexible models and approaches.
We build alliances between governments, local and global businesses, and civil society to deliver sustainable improvements at scale. We are part of a global network of partners working together to create sustainable solutions to malnutrition. Through alliances, we provide technical, financial and policy support to key participants in the food system. We use specific learning, evidence of impact, and results of projects and programmes to shape and influence the actions of others.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has representative offices in Denmark, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, we have country offices in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tanzania. Programmes and projects are carried out in a variety of other countries, particularly in Africa and Asia.
BACKGROUND
GAIN is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) and will be the administrative lead organisation for this RFP.
The purpose of this RFP is to engage services of a Consultant to design and conduct a scoping review of gender equity efforts in LSFF, with particular focus on the digitization, as part of GAIN’s work on digitizing fortification quality and strengthening enabling environments.
INTEGRATING GENDER EQUITY INTO THE DIGITAL QA/QC PROJECT
Under the digital QA/QC project, GAIN is committed to being intentional about gender equitable LSFF programming across the continuum from design through implementation and measurement. GAIN will aim to ensure that no gender-based barriers to the new technology are inadvertently created, and instead will encourage more women’s involvement in this work. The new technology and its user experience will be tailored to consider gender so that there are no barriers in its use. Capacity building of women to access and use digital tools as part of their daily work, and to train others, can make the MVP for digital QA/QC more inclusive and more amenable to current contexts in which women are faced (e.g., increased childcare duties now and due to COVID, staying at home due to cultural and other factors, etc.). Additionally, where possible, GAIN will include gender intentional considerations related to women’s roles in the LSFF value chain from millers to regulatory authorities, in digitization, in implementation research and sex disaggregated data from situation analyses and project assessments, and in considerations around unintended harmful consequences. Gender considerations will also inform the selection of mills at the country level for the pilot and scale-up.
During the planning phase of the project, GAIN aims to develop guidance on gender-sensitive fortification programming and identify gender-sensitive metrics that can be incorporated into the digital QA/QC project implementation plans in Bangladesh, India and Nigeria.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective is to undertake a scoping review that will present global learnings to date and consolidate specific knowledge related to the following research questions:
- What gender considerations are required during design, implementation, and evaluation of LSFF programs?
- What gender-sensitive metrics can/should be integrated into LSFF programs throughout the program life cycle?
- What strategies can be deployed to ensure gender equity in business and technology across the LSFF value chain?
- What strategies can be deployed to address systemic barriers to women’s participation in and capacity to benefit from digitization of LSFF?
The review must use transparent and reproducible methods in line with best practices for scoping reviews.
The results of this review will be a key input into the development of a guidance document on gender-sensitive fortification programming, including specific gender-sensitive metrics for incorporation into the digital QA/QC project implementation plans, as well as general guidance for GAIN’s LSFF programming. The results are also expected to generate high-quality evidence that will result in at least one manuscript to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant shall provide the following services:
- Work with GAIN to finalize the research questions to be answered by the review.
- Lead the development of a review protocol (search terms, databases, etc.), and finalize based on input from GAIN.
- Register the review with an appropriate registry (if deemed necessary).
- Undertake keyword searches in relevant databases and search the websites of relevant organizations (e.g., FAO, the CGIAR centers) to identify relevant documents, clearly documenting the search methods.
- Screen all identified documents for inclusion using defined inclusion/exclusion criteria, clearly documenting reasons for exclusion.
- Review the full text of all relevant documents and extract relevant information using a standardized template.
- Regularly update GAIN on the progress of the review, including discussing initial results and using those to adapt strategies if necessary.
- Document all steps of the review process.
- Compile a PRISMA flow diagram detailing the number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for exclusions.
- Develop an outline for the final manuscript, for GAIN review and approval.
- Draft a full manuscript on the review, including methods, data collection activities, results (aligned to the research questions stated above), and conclusions/recommendations
- Revise and finalize manuscript based on GAIN input.
- Review and provide inputs into the guidance documents being prepared by GAIN.
DEADLINE
- Submission of proposals: 30 May 2022
- Contracting finalized: 10 June 2022
- Review protocol finalized: 17 June 2022
- Outline of manuscript: 24 June 2022
- Draft manuscript: 8 July 2022
- Final manuscript and inputs into guidance documents prepared by GAIN: 31 July 2022
CONTACT
Key programme and technical staff from GAIN are part of the selection team of the organisation and will review the proposals. They will be available via email to respond to clarifications on this solicitation. Please direct all inquiries and other communications to rfp@gainhealth.org. Reponses will not be confidential except in cases where proprietary information is involved.
SUBMISSION
Interested applicants should prepare a proposal that consists of the following:
(1) a three-paragraph expression of interest including: reasons for interest in the task, qualifications conducting scoping and/or systematic reviews, and estimated days and daily rate;
(2) a brief (<3 pages) CV highlighting recent relevant experience and references; and
(3) a relevant writing sample (from similar work).
DEADLINE
Completed proposals should be submitted to rfp@gainhealth.org by 5:00 pm EST on 30 May 2022.
