DEADLINE: 30TH APRIL, 2023
GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION (GAIN)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR IDENTIFYING PRIORITY GAPS IN INDICATORS FOR MONITORING FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION
(I) PROJECT BACKGROUND AND SCOPE OF WORK
(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 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
Addressing the interlinked challenges of malnutrition, climate change, equity and inclusion, and resilience requires integrated approaches that work across all aspects of food systems, as opposed to in sectoral silos.
The 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit crystallized widespread agreement on the need for this kind of “food system transformation” to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and other development goals, and resulted in the establishment of over 100 country “food system pathways” – guides for future transformation.
Early 2023, GAIN will start the implementation of Nourishing Food Pathways (NFP) programme. The goal of NFP is to strengthen and support the implementation of these food system pathways in nine focus countries (Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia) so they can accelerate improvements in the consumption of safe nutritious food for all, especially the most vulnerable, produced in a sustainable way.
One of the workstreams under NFP aims to develop, test and validate methods and metrics for assessing food systems transformation in the focus countries. The focus will be on identifying gaps in methods and metrics, as opposed to gaps in data – i.e., places where an accepted indicator does not yet exist, as opposed to those where an indicator exists but has not yet been widely collected. These indicators are meant to be locally grounded in local food system stakeholders’ – particularly policy actors’ – needs and preferences for indicators tracking food system transformation. At the same time, they should be of sufficient generalizability to have some relevance in other contexts. Indicators could focus on any part of the food system (e.g., drivers of food system change, food supply chains, food environments), with a focus on those relevant to attaining nutrition and environmental sustainability goals. Priority should be given to indicators that are sensitive to change on short time scales (e.g., process and intermediate outcomes, as opposed to ultimate outcomes), with feasibility of definition and collection being a key criterion in indicator selection.
The purpose of this RFP is to engage services of a consultant (individual or, more likely, company) to identify and convene a group of local stakeholders in each of the nine countries named above to:
(a) Develop a locally specific theory of change for food systems transformation (or multiple theories of change specific to certain types of food system transformations)
(b) Aligned with that theory of change, identify country specific priorities for indicators that can track and assess food systems transformation, with a focus on intermediate indicators (as opposed to outcomes)
As background to that convening, the consultant should do an assessment of the main local priorities for food system transformation and existing indicators to track those types of changes and processes. Following the consultations, the consultant should document the main indicators identified and their relative priority, following up with stakeholders individually, as needed, to complete any missing information.
As local knowledge and presence will be central to undertaking this work, GAIN expects that multiple consultants will be needed across the nine countries named above. Applicants can apply with a focus on just one of these countries, or any combination of the nine countries, but must demonstrate experience and on-the-ground presence in all countries for which they are applying. We will give preference to those applicants able to work across more than one country—but only if it is clear that this can be done with quality and in reliance on local expertise. Proposals should clearly indicate the country/ies to be covered, and budgets should be realistically aligned with the country scope.
GAIN is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) and will be the administrative lead organisation for this RFP.
(3) SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES
The successful applicant shall provide the following services, in each country for which they are applying:
- Assess the main local priorities for food system transformation within the country, with a focus on government priorities.
- Assess existing indicators to track those types of changes and processes, whether used in country or elsewhere.
- Convene stakeholders representing all major food system areas (e.g., environment, agriculture, health), with a focus on the public sector, for a workshop to: a. Develop a locally specific theory of change for food systems transformation (or multiple theories of change specific to certain types of food system transformations), and b. Aligned with that theory of change, identify country specific priorities for indicators that can track and assess food systems transformation.
-The consultant must apply in-depth expertise of food systems to ensure that the indicators suggested during the workshop align to true gaps in metrics and methods (as opposed to gaps in data) and could feasibly be developed. In their applications, consultants should discuss their approach for determining feasibility.
-Preference should be given to indicators that can show change in the short term (e.g., process and immediate outcome indicators); the consultant will need to steer discussions in the appropriate directions to foster this. In their applications, consultants should provide indicative examples of the types of indicators they would envision being identified.
- After the workshop, clearly document the indicators identified, with prioritization and vetting against criteria of feasibility and novelty, in a draft report to GAIN. To revise and complete this report (including in response to GAIN comments), the consultant may need to follow up with workshop attendees or additional stakeholders.
(3.1) OBJECTIVES
The consultant will work with GAIN to produce a comprehensive mapping of the priority gaps in indicators for food system transformation in the nine selected countries (or a subset thereof), subject to criteria of sensitivity, novelty and feasibility.
(3.2) DELIVERABLES
The consultant will provide the following deliverables:
- A mapping of the main local priorities for food system transformation within the country, with a focus on government priorities, and existing indicators to track those types of changes and processes
- A draft workshop terms of reference, including schedule and invitees
- A completed consultation workshop (documented through signed attendance sheets)
-A draft report capturing the outputs of the workshop: a. a locally specific theory of change for food systems transformation (or multiple theories of change specific to certain types of food system transformations), and b. country specific priorities for indicators that can track and assess food systems transformation, vetted for feasibility and novelty and with a focus on indicators that can show change in the short term
- A revised and completed report in response to GAIN comments.
(3.3) PROPOSED TIMELINE
The engagement is expected to commence by mid-May 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by August 2023. Given the limited scope of work and that this is only an introductory step in a larger work package, the number of work person-days spent per country, and the associated budget, is expected to be relatively modest.
(3.4) CONTRACT TYPE AND BUDGET
The final contract will be a firm fixed price contract and is expected that the Offeror(s) selected will complete all services within the timeframe contemplated by the parties at the price fixed. The Offeror(s) should be selected on relevant experience, technical and financial proposals. Applicants are required to provide GAIN with a detailed budget in US Dollars (USD), including fees/travel/accommodation and any other direct costs to be incurred in the delivery of the Scope of Work. Include a brief narrative justification for line items included. The budget must be inclusive of all taxes/VAT and indirect costs. The final budget amount will have to be approved by GAIN prior to starting the project.
(3.5) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA FOR PROPOSAL SELECTION
The consultant shall be an individual consultant or institution with the following expertise:
- Strong understanding of food systems concept
- Strong understanding of metrics and methods as applied in the food systems space, including the characteristics of good indicators
- Proven experience in conducting similar consultancy assignments, including organising and facilitating interactive workshops
- Proven experience working with diverse stakeholders, particularly those from the government
- In-depth experience and on-the-ground presence in all countries for which they are applying
-Existing networks and relationships with relevant food systems stakeholders in those countries will be an advantage
- Excellent communication skills in English, both oral and written
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. Reponses will not be confidential except in cases where proprietary information is involved.
(2) BUDGET
Applicants are required to provide GAIN with a detailed fee proposal. Where the applicant is applying to cover multiple countries, costs per country (as well as cross-cutting costs) should be made clear. The final budget amount will have to be approved by the organisation prior to starting the project.
(3) FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL
The proposal needs to be formatted as two separate documents:
- Technical Proposal of a maximum 8 pages, excluding Appendixes. The proposal shall include:
-Relevant background of the consultant (i.e., expertise on food systems and on metrics/methods, similar prior engagements, collaborations with relevant actors, in- country expertise, etc.)
- CVs and/or examples of prior work can be included in an appendix
-Proposed team with relevant expertise and roles (making distinctions across countries clear, if working across countries)
-Detailed technical approach
-Expected workplan and timeline to meet deliverables
-References
- Financial Proposal (in a separate document):
-Budget
-Detailed budget justification
- Offer of services (see template attached under IV)
(4) SUBMISSION
An electronic copy containing the documents, preferably in MS Word or PDF formats, along with all the required information, including the fee proposal should be sent to GAIN at rfp@gainhealth.org. Please include ‘Food System Transformation Indicators’ as reference in the email subject line.
(5) DEADLINE
Completed proposals should be submitted to GAIN, by email at rfp@gainhealth.org before 23:59 Central European Time on April 30, 2023.
(6) UNACCEPTABLE
The following proposals will automatically not be considered or accepted:
- Proposals that are received after the RFP deadline.
- Proposals received by fax or mail.
- Incomplete proposals.
- Proposals that are not signed.
