DEADLINE: 11TH JANUARY, 2022,
PALLADIUM
USAID INTEGRATED HEALTH PROGRAM (IHP)
REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA)
PALLADIUM’S REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA) NUMBERS:
1. IHP-TO06-2021-RFA005: NUTRITION AND ESSENTIAL HYGIENE COUNSELING, RESPONSIVE CARE AND FOOD-BASED APPROACHES GUC IN EBONYI STATE.
2. IHP-TO07-2021-RFA005: NUTRITION AND ESSENTIAL HYGIENE COUNSELING, RESPONSIVE CARE AND FOOD- BASED APPROACHES GUC IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT)
TITLE: PREVENTING AND ADDRESSING MODERATE MALNUTRITION THROUGH FOOD-BASED APPROACHES AND NUTRITION COUNSELING IN PRIMARY HEALTH CENTER (PHC) PER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY (LGA) AND AREA COUNCIL IN EBONYI AND FCT UNDER THE “USAID INTEGRATED HEALTH PROGRAM”
1. Overview
USAID’s Integrated Health Program (IHP) invites qualified local entities, Nigerian Non Governmental organizations (For-Profit and Not-for-Profit), non governmental professional associations, training institutions and other qualified organizations to submit concept notes and full applications (if shortlisted) with respect to technical, managerial, and other aspects of the program described below
IHP is seeking interested eligible organizations that have interest in preventing and treating moderate malnutrition without complications and preventing relapse among recovered severely malnourished children using food-based counseling approaches. illustrative activities may include but not limited to participatory cooking activities, counseling for caregivers and pregnant women, household food production and processing demonstrations for preparing affordable, nutritious foods, year-round using locally available foods. Organizations should reinforce healthcare workers’ use of Infant and Young Child Feeding (YCF) to counsel caregivers to address active cases of malnutrition treated through out-patient and community-based services.
1.1 Goals and Objectives
To prevent and reduce moderate malnutrition and prevent relapse among recently recovered severe acute malnutrition cases in children under Five. In Ebonyi, and FCT, grantee will strengthen healthcare provider, volunteer caregiver capacity in Primary Healthcare Center (PHC).
In Ebonyi, the grantee must work in at least five designated CMAM centers per LGA September 30, 2022.
In FCT, the grantee must work in at least five PHCs per AC by September 30, 2022.
The grantee may apply to work in one or both geographic locations.
Period of Performance of Grant Under Contract: Approximately March 1, 2022-September 30, 2022 (must be fully completed no later than September 30, 2022)
Objectives
Use a food-based approach with locally available and affordable food to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition in children under five and strengthen the capacity of at least five Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) sites in each LGA (Ebony) and at least five sites per ACHA In FCT to screen, assess, counsel and treat childhood malnutrition using a food-based approach. When an existing Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) site is not available in a LGA or ACHA, a high volume PHC site will be designated by the LGHA/ACHA to provide the food-based approach to address and prevent moderate malnutrition.
The grantee will transfer skills to PHC providers and caregivers/heads of households to use locally available food stuff to prepare nutritional diets, on meal planning, storage, fortification of food and general hygiene. This will be through health talks, food demonstrations, practical sessions, peer-learning Q&A sessions, support group meetings, referrals, Iocally led food fairs and competitions where applicable. Awardee wll document changes in weight and
dietary diversity weekly for moderately malnourished children enrolled in the intervention. Awardee will also build capacity of providers to receive referrals for moderately malnourished children from other PHCs in the State and provide feedback to the original PHC for follow-up.
This activity will be implemented through a Fixed Amount Award (Grants Under Contract funding mechanism). The awardee will:
a) Use positive deviance inquiry to develop a sustainable model for and build capacity of healthcare workers, volunteers, parents/caregivers of children under five and pregnant women to effectively prevent, screen for and counsel for moderate malnutrition of children, treat and monitor weight of moderately malnourished children on an outpatient basis, avoid relapse of recovered cases of malnutrition, and improve dietary diversity and micronutrient consumption through food-based approaches using locally available and affordable micronutrient and protein rich foods.
b) Leverage existing community resources (agricultural groups, youth groups, women’s/mother’s groups, community-based organizations) to carry out participatory food preparation activities to increase utilization and local consumption of diverse healthy roods.
c) ldentify sustainable strategies to continue food-based interventions and services beyond the life of the grant identify volunteer members of the community and/or health worker champions that can continue to address/prevent malnutrition through screening. growth monitoring, counseling and food based participatory cooking exercises.
d) Support the state and stakeholders to adapt, produce and disseminate a recipe book that would inform support to mothers and household heads through the PHCs in the state.
e) Build on local dietary best practices learning from very poor families with well-nourished children through appreciative inquiry and positive deviance inquiry drawing on locally available and affordable foods and apply this knowledge to conduct competency-based training to healthcare workers, volunteers, parents/ caregivers or children under five and pregnant women, and other stakeholders in Ebonyi State and the FCT
f) Throughout the intervention period, monitor changes In dietary practices and weight of the moderately malnourished children that participate in the program at least five PHCs per LGA in Ebonyi and at least five PHCS/ACHA in FCT to prepare sites to serve as referral sites for other PHCs in the LGA/ACHA
g) Awardee will also build capacity of providers to receive referrals for moderately malnourished children from other PHCs in the State and provide feedback to the original PHC for follow-up. Capacity should be built to upwardly refer severe and complicated cases of malnutrition to general hospitals.
The selected awardee (s) will be invited to the co-creation design to further refine approaches, and also Identity creative ways to potentially expand coverage of these services to the greatest number of beneficiaries/sites.
IHP will conduct a Training of Trainers for the award-winning organizations and will provide Infant and Young Child training, a recipe book, nutrition screening curricula and facilitator’s guide and job alds. Awardees will not need to develop any training material or conduct any TOT. Awardees however will be encouraged to identify innovative, food-based approaches to promote sustainable dietary diversity and positive nutrition practices in Out-patient settings, including conducting a positive deviance study of well-nourished children from poor families in each Supported LGA/ACHA.
Applicants must cover at least five PHC sites per LGA in Ebonyi State or at least five sites per ACHA In FCT. As noted above, applicants may apply to work in one or both geographic areas.
The full guide, RFA, Templates and Instructions for submitting the Concept note can be accessed via this link: https:/bit.ly/3svchkP
1. Submit a letter indicating interest In applying for any of the lask Orders (TOs). If applying for multiple states, separate submissions are required for each state submission.2. When applying for more than one state, submit a full package of all the requirements for each state.
3. Provide evidence of eligibility as per the requirements.
Other consideration to note while submitting the Concept note:
All short-listed organizations will be invited to submit a full application.
Electronic submissions:
Please send your completed documents in PDF form as a single file to IHP.Grants@ihp-nigeria.com referencing the RFA number or numbers on the subject of your email. The document should not be more than 10MB In size.
Sometimes electronic submissions are affected by internet challenges and IT issues as a result, organizations are advised to plan and ensure submissions are made before the deadline. IHP will not be held liable if electronic
submissions are not delivered or have other challenges that may render is not readable.
Representative Email: Ihp.grants@ihp-nigeria.com
Programme website: www.thepalladiumgroup.com
Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment, nor does it commit Palladium to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission.
Note: This Submission of concept note closes on January 11, 2022 by 5.30pm local time.
