DEADLINE: 1ST FEBRUARY, 2023
GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION (GAIN)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ASSESSING AFFORDABILITY OF TARGET FOODS
(1) 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.
(2) BACKGROUND
Since 2017, GAIN´s strategy has aimed to improve the consumption of nutritious and safe foods for all people, especially the most vulnerable. The goal of GAIN’s ‘Transforming Food Systems to Improve Diet Quality and Resilience for the Most Vulnerable’ portfolio is to improve consumption of target nutritious foods in Mozambique (chicken pieces and dried fish), Kenya (vegetables), Nigeria (eggs), and Ethiopia (dairy). Consumers at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP), living with between $1.90 and $3.20/person/day, are the main target for the portfolio´s programmes.
Focusing on the BoP means the issue of affordability is important. When affordability is a constraint, programmatic interventions can focus on: i) increasing incomes (e.g., via social protection); ii) reducing prices (e.g., by making less expensive nutritious foods more available, reducing the transaction costs in supply chains for other nutritious foods, reducing food losses, retailer promotions, etc.); iii) reducing cash flow constraints (e.g., smaller pack sizes, milk ATMs); and iv) changing the food in ways that improve its overall perceived affordability (e.g., addressing time burden constraints if the food is inexpensive to purchase, but expensive in terms of time to prepare).
To help guide programmatic decisions related to affordability, GAIN seeks a Service Provider to design and conduct a harmonized quantitative affordability assessment of the target foods in Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, and propose potential solutions to address identified affordability barriers to improved consumption.
(3) SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES
(3.1) OBJECTIVES
The main aims of this work are to: i) assess the affordability of target foods in each of the four countries, with a specific focus on consumers at the bottom of the pyramid; and ii) model policies and interventions to improve affordability of target foods.
Specific objectives of the assessment include:
(1) Improving our understanding of how to conceptualize and measure affordability of target foods within the context of programmatic efforts to shape people’s food choices.
(2) Developing and implementing a harmonized approach to quantitatively assess affordability of target foods in the four countries, to understand their affordability for BoP consumers in programmatic areas.
(3) Using modelling approaches to identify policies and interventions to address identified affordability challenges and improve access to target foods, especially for BoP consumers.
(3.2) ACTIVITIES
The full methodological approach will be proposed and developed by the Service Provider. Activities for this assignment include:
For objectives 1 and 2:
- Initial discussion with GAIN to understand and agree on the specific characteristics and basic elements of the methodology for conducting the affordability assessment of target foods;
- Detailed description of proposed steps for conducting the affordability assessment for validation by GAIN;
- Using the proposed methodology to conduct the quantitative affordability assessment of the target foods in Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, with a specific focus on BoP consumers in programmatic areas (where subnational data are available).
- The assessment will comprise the identification of benchmarks (e.g., price) for affordability of the target foods (e.g., ‘at what price do target foods become unaffordable to BoP consumers?’).
- If data are available, the assessment will identify the most affordable vegetables during the dry seasons in Kenya.
- Refinement of the proposed methodology based on experience using it and GAIN’s feedback;
- Development of user-friendly tool or step-by-step how-to guide for programmes to use the developed methodology for affordability assessment of target foods;
- Brief training video or additional training materials, as required.
For objective 3:
- Initial discussion with GAIN to understand and agree on the expected processes and outcomes of the modelling exercise;
- Modelling of policy changes and interventions to address identified affordability barriers and improve access to target foods. The modelling exercise will serve to identify context-specific policies and interventions, and targeted strategies for different geographic locations and periods of time (e.g., depending on the season of the year).
For all objectives:
- Discussion of the study results and programmatic implications with country teams.
- Dissemination of results through a final report, peer-reviewed publication, and virtual workshop.
The results of this work will improve our understanding of how to conceptualize and measure affordability of target foods within the context of programmatic efforts to shape people’s food choices. It will also allow us to identify specific actions which might be promoted or implemented to improve affordability of these foods.
(3.3) DELIVERABLES
The following deliverables will be required:
- Initial inception report;
- Research protocol including the detailed methodology and workplan;
- Draft of the final report (format to be determined);
- Final report (format to be determined);
- Slide deck summarizing key findings;
- Virtual workshop to present and discuss key findings;
- User-friendly tool or how-to guide (to be agreed) on methodology for affordability assessment of target foods;
- Training video or materials on methodology for affordability assessment of target foods (format to be determined);
- Peer-reviewed publication.
(3.4) ANTICIPATED TIMELINES
Phase I: February – March 2023
- Project kick-off call
- Delivery of inception report and research protocol
- Revision of report and protocol based on GAIN’s feedback
Phase II: April – July 2023
- Delivery of draft report with quantitative affordability assessment and modelling exercise
- Revision of report based on GAIN’s feedback
- Delivery of draft version of user-friendly tool or how-to guide
Phase III: August – September 2023
- Delivery of final report, user-friendly tool, and related training materials
- Conduct virtual workshop to present key findings
Phase IV: October – December 2023
- Delivery of draft peer-reviewed publication
- Submission of final manuscript to scientific journal
3.5. EXPERTISE REQUIRED
For this assignment, we seek a Service Provider with demonstrated experience conducting affordability assessments and economic modelling exercises.
(II) INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDING
This section addresses the process for responding to this solicitation. Applicants are encouraged to review this prior to completing their responses.
(1) CONTACT
Please direct all inquiries and other communications to rfp@gainhealth.org, with the subject line ‘Query – affordability analysis’. Reponses will not be confidential except in cases where proprietary information is involved.
(2) BUDGET
Applicants are required to provide GAIN with an illustrative budget proposal in US Dollars. The final budget amount will be defined as the scope of the assignment is further clarified, and will have to be approved by GAIN prior to starting the project.
(3) FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL
The proposal needs to be formatted and attached as three separate documents:
- Technical proposal (max. 5 pages) outlining: i) the research objective and the proposed methodological approach and justification for the approach; ii) a timeline for undertaking and completing the main activities, including planning, implementation, and reporting (a Gantt diagram is preferred); and iii) the relevant qualifications, expertise, and experience of the individuals who will be conducting this work.
- Financial proposal presenting a budget broken down by main cost categories (personnel, operational, direct and indirect costs) and by main activities, accompanied by a brief narrative justification for line items included. The budget should be inclusive of all taxes/VAT and indirect costs.
- Completed ‘Offer of Services’ form, which you will find at the end of this Request for Proposals.
(4) SUBMISSION
Proposals should be in English and submitted in electronic copy to the following e-mail address: rfp@gainhealth.org. Please include in the subject line ‘Proposal – affordability analysis’.
(5) DEADLINE
Completed proposals should be submitted to GAIN, by email at rfp@gainhealth.org by 10 February 2023.
