DEADLINE: 4TH JUNE, 2025
GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION (GAIN)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR MIXED METHODS ASSESSMENT OF THE FOOD SYSTEMS DASHBOARD (FSD) PROJECT GLOBALLY AND IN BANGLADESH, INDONESIA, KENYA, MOZAMBIQUE, NIGERIA AND PAKISTAN.
(I) Project background and scope of work
(1) About GAINThe 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, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Programmes and projects are carried out in a variety of other countries, particularly in Africa and Asia.
(2.1) ABOUT THE FOOD SYSTEMS DASHBOARD
(2.1.1) THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEMS DASHBOARD
The Food Systems Dashboard, developed by GAIN and its partners Columbia Climate School, FAO, and Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences brings together extant data from public and private sources—organized using a conceptual framework modified from the HLPE in 20171—to help decision makers diagnose their food systems and identify all their levers of change and the ones that need to be pulled first.
The Dashboard was launched on an open-access platform on June 1, 2020. It currently comprises national-level data with about 300 indicators across food systems. The global Dashboard has three core functionalities, known as the “three Ds”: it Describes country food systems, Diagnoses them to assess how they are performing, and supports decision-makers to Decide on appropriate actions by linking diagnostic findings to a curated set of potential policy options.
(3) Scope of work and deliverables
(3.1) Objectives
As the project enters its fifth year of implementation, and with all Country Dashboards launched approximately eighteen months ago, GAIN is commissioning an independent evaluation to assess the uptake, influence and impact of the Global and Country Food Systems Dashboard and document country-specific case studies of its use. The assessment will inform ongoing improvements in design, dissemination, and strategic use of the dashboards, particularly in support of evidence-informed decision-making. Case studies will also be shared to foster broader learning on how to support the use of data for decision making, and some of the barriers to and enabling factors for that. The primary objective is to assess how the dashboards are being used and the extent to which they are contributing to improvements in food systems policies and programming at national and subnational levels.
The evaluation will focus on both the six Country Food Systems Dashboards and the Global Food Systems Dashboard.
DELIVERABLE DEADLINE
Deadline to submit any questions 14 May 2025 Responses to questions posted online 21 May 2025 Proposal submission deadline 04 June 2025 Final selection of Service Provider 18 June 2025 Inception meeting with GAIN and initiation of contract 19 June 2025 Inception report, including study protocol and data collection tools, submitted to GAIN 10 July 2025 Required approvals obtained (e.g., IRB/ ethical committee, government if needed) 10 August 2025 Draft output outlines submitted to GAIN 03 September 2025 Data collection completed and progress reports submitted 30 October 2025 Draft output documents shared, including: one global report, one report covering all six countries (separated by section), and six country case studiesAll datasets and related documentation submitted 30 November 2025 Stakeholder workshops on results and recommendations held 10 December 2025 Final output documents, datasets and documentation submitted and approved by GAIN 20 January 2026
*Note: Timelines are tentative and will be finalized during the contracting stage with the selected Service Provider.
(4) Submission
Completed proposals should be submitted in electronic copy to rfp@gainhealth.org with the subject “FSD EXTERNAL EVALUATION”.
(5) Deadline
Completed proposals should be submitted by 04 June 2025 Central European Time
