GFPREQ01998: Call for Consultancy for Global Fund HIV Program Evaluation

Country: Kenya

Organization: Kenya Red Cross

Closing date: 14 Dec 2022

https://www.redcross.or.ke/uploads/tenders/pr11262022GFPREQ01998GFPREQ01998-CallforConsultancyforGlobalFundHIVProgramEvaluation.pdf

The full document can be accessed on the Kenya Red Cross Society Website via the link above

An Evaluation of the interventions to Reduce Human Rights related Barriers, Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) and Drop-In Centers (DICs) in the specific Global Fund counties.

1. 
   Summary of the Evaluation Assignment.
   
   1. 
      Purpose: The purpose of the evaluation will be to assess the contribution of the Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in treatment, care, and support; effectiveness of Drop-In Centres (DICs) in provision of health services for key population; and the impact of integrating interventions to reduce human rights related barriers in promoting access to justice, reporting and institutional linkages for Key and other vulnerable populations in the program sites.
   
   
   2. 
      Partners: Global Fund, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), National AIDs and STI Control Program (NASCOP), National Syndemic disease and control council (NSDCC), County Governments, Implementers (Sub Recipients and Networks) and other stakeholders.
   
   
   3. 
      Duration: 35 days.
   
   
   4. 
      Estimated Dates: 30th January 2023 to 17th March, 2023
   
   
   5. 
      Geographical Location: The program being implemented in about 45 counties of Kenya.
   
   
   6. 
      Target Population: The program is currently targeting key and other vulnerable population – people living with HIV (including Adolescent and Young Population), Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), People who inject drugs (PWID), Transgender Population.
   
   
   7. 
      Deliverables: Inception report, data collection tools, Final Evaluation Reports and Dissemination of the findings.
   
   
   8. 
      Methodology: It is expected that the proposed evaluation questions and methodology will be effective in responding to the specific evaluation objectives as well as friendly to the specific population under the program.
   
   
   9. 
      Evaluation Management Team (EMT): KRCS and SR team.
   
   


2. 
   Background Information
   

Kenya HIV Estimates 2020 estimated that Kenya had approximately 1,517,707 people living with HIV (775,939 women, 643,598 men and 98,170 children), 41,416 new HIV infections and 20,997 deaths. Kenya has recorded a tremendous progress in HIV and AIDS response for the three decades despite the epidemic contributing significantly to the national disease burden. Kenya’s HIV epidemic is generalized, affecting all sections of the population including children, young people, adults, women, and men. Key population record the highest prevalence Female Sex Workers (FSW), 29.3%; Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), 18.2% and People who inject Drugs (PWID), 18.3% as compared to adults (15-49 years), which is estimated at 4.5% (women, 5.8% and men, 3.1%), with geographically diverse, ranging from 20.2% in Homabay to 0.2% in Wajir Counties. AIDS related deaths have reduced by 39% in 2015 from 2013, which is attributed to rapid scale up of ART.

According to Kenya Health Information System (KHIS), 28% of all pregnancies reported in 2019 were among adolescents aged 10-19. This calls for elimination of all forms of violence against children to address heightened risk to HIV infections among girls. HIV related stigma, human rights discrimination and legal barriers impede access to health services and serve to fuel new HIV infections and lead to worse health outcomes for people living with HIV. In 2015, the Kenya HIV estimates showed that new infections among young adults 15-24 years contributed to half of all the new HIV infections among adults.

In line with several global, regional, and national policies, Kenya has made commitments to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, inspired by a global vision to progress towards ‘zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination’. Although awareness of HIV and AIDS is high in Kenya, many people living with HIV face high levels of stigma and discrimination which prevent people from accessing HIV services. The HIV epidemic among key populations continues to be exacerbated by human rights violations, which are fuelled by discrimination, stigma, violence, and punitive laws, policies, and practices. Stigma, discrimination, and marginalization in society, including in the health sector, limits access to effective HIV services by key populations. In other instances, some religious interpretations and community beliefs, which are punitive and violate people’s rights, have made key populations more vulnerable by condemning and criminalizing their behaviours.

It is on these bases, that Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) was selected to manage Global Fund HIV grant as a non-state Principal Recipient (PR) for the Global Fund HIV Grant for the period between July 2021 and June 2024. The goal of the grant is to contribute to attainment of universal health coverage through comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care for all people in Kenya with the objectives to reduce new HIV infections by 75%, reduce AIDs related mortality by 50% and reduce HIV related stigma and discrimination to less than 25%.

Therefore, Kenya Red Cross Society is seeking to recruit a qualified consultancy firm to carry out an evaluation of its interventions to reduce human rights related barriers to access of HIV services, contribution of Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in the provision of treatment, care, and support as well as effectiveness and sustainability of the DICs in providing comprehensive service to key and other vulnerable population across the Global Fund supported counties of Kenya. The information will help KRCS to strengthen quality of its program for efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery for the different communities in Kenya.

4. The Assessment Purpose, Scope & Deliverables

1. 
   
   1. 
      Purpose:
      
   
   

The purpose of the evaluation will be to assess the contribution of the Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in treatment, care, and support; effectiveness and sustainability of the Drop-In Centres (DICs) in provision of health services for key population; and the impact of integrating interventions to reduce human rights related barriers in promoting access to justice, reporting and institutional linkages for sexual and gender-based violence. This will focus on key and other vulnerable populations – people living with HIV (including Adolescent and Young Population), Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), People who inject drugs (PWID) & the Transgender Population. The findings from the evaluation will be used to enhance program interventions for reducing human rights related barriers and enhance access to justice, provision of treatment, care, and support for adolescent and young population as well as provision of comprehensive services to the targeted communities.

4.1.1 Broad Objective

The main objective will be to assess the contribution of Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in treatment, care, and support; Drop-In Centres (DICs) in provision of health services for key population; and integrating interventions to reduce human rights related barriers in promoting access to justice, reporting and institutional linkages for Key and other vulnerable populations in the program sites.

4.1.2 The specific objectives

The specific objectives for the evaluation will include:

1. 
   
   1. 
      
      1. 
         
         1. To assess the effectiveness and impact of interventions to reduce human rights related barriers in creating enabling environment for access to justice, reporting and institutional linkages on GBV and SGBV against Key and other vulnerable populations in the program sites. 2. To evaluate the contribution of the Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) in the provision of adherence counselling, defaulter tracing and treatment literacy to Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV (AYPHIV) in Kilifi, Siaya, Kisii, Machakos and Turkana Counties. 3. To assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the Drop-In-Centres (DICs) in promoting access and sustainability of comprehensive services provision to key populations in the Global Fund implementing Counties of Kenya.
         
         
      
      
   
   
   2. 
      Scope of Work:
      
      1. 
         Geographical coverage: The program is currently implemented in all counties except Narok and Embu counties of Kenya.
      
      
      2. 
         Target groups: The key beneficiaries for the program includeKey and other vulnerable populations – people living with HIV (including Adolescent and Young Population), Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), People who inject drugs (PWID), Transgender Population. In addition, KRCS implements the program in/directly with several partners such as: The Global Fund, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), National AIDs and STI Control Program (NASCOP), National Syndemic Disease and control council (NSDCC), County Governments, Implementers (Sub Recipients and Networks) and other stakeholders.
      
      
      3. 
         Expected Outputs:
         
         1. A technical and financial response to the call for applications outlining the understanding of the various subject areas and evaluation task/assignment, detailing the appropriate methodology for the survey, proposed sample calculation and techniques, work plan with tentative timelines and summary budgets, with costs clearly separated as consultancy cost and field work cost.
         
         
         2. An inception report of the desk review prior to field work to demonstrate a clear understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, data collection tools and a plan of activities throughout the exercise.
         
         
         3. Submission of the final evaluation report to the management evaluation team, including raw, final databases and any recorded material such as video, audio etc.
         
         
      
      
      4. 
         Deliverables: The evaluation will be phased with deliverables at intervals that will be discussed and agreed with the consulting firm. However, at the minimum.
         
         1. The Inception reports (including data collection tools).
         
         
         2. Final assessment report.
         
         
         3. Dissemination of the evaluation findings to stakeholders.
         
         
      
      
   
   


2. 
   Evaluation Methodology Approaches
   

KRCS highly recommend that the consultant considers effective approaches, evaluation questions and designs that specifically respond to each of the evaluation objectives and scope of this assignment. However, additional, and effective approaches may be recommended by the EMT to meet other data requirements. The applicant is required to recommend verifiable sampling size and techniques in their technical proposal, which adheres to the laws of Statistical Regularity and Inertia of large numbers. The methodology, data collection and analysis methods must be comprehensively and explained in the technical document.

1. 
   Quality & Ethical Standards
   

The applicant is required to outline quality and ethical standard in their technical proposal and ensure that the evaluation is designed and conducted in respect and to protect the rights and welfare of the key and other vulnerable population. The findings of the assignment will be expected to be technically accurate and reliable; conducted in a transparent and impartial manner. The firm may be required to seek for ethical approval prior to the commencement of data collection process. In addition, the team will be required to adhere to the research standards and applicable practices as recommended internationally.

1. 
   Qualifications and Experience for the evaluation firm
   

For the purposes of this assessment, the firm is expected to have:

1. 
   
   1. A minimum of 5 years’ extensive experience in carrying out comprehensive evaluation or similar assignment.
   
   
   2. Good understanding of human rights and gender, Adolescent and young population, key, and other vulnerable population, as well as treatment, care ad support programming in Kenya.
   
   
   3. Availability of experts in each of the subject area, with experience and relevant qualification for the assignment.
   
   
   4. Experience in mobile phone technology in data collection, statistical packages for quantitative and qualitative analyses.
   
   
   5. Excellent analytical (qualitative and quantitative), presentation and writing skills among the team.
   
   
   6. Ready to carry out the assignment and deliver results within the specified period/time.
   
   


2. 
   Management of the Assessment
   
   1. 
      Duration: The entire survey will take a maximum of 35 days. The scheduled start date is 30th January 2023 and end date is to 17th March, 2023.
   
   
   2. 
      Requirements:
      
      1. Inception Report and tools should be submitted in soft copy.
      
      
      2. A soft copy Draft Evaluation Report, editable for review and inputs.
      
      
      3. Final Evaluation Report, well visualized – At least 10 hard copies (Gloss paper and perfect book bound) and soft copy in a Flash Disk, including the PowerPoint presentation used during disseminations.
      
      
   
   
   3. 
      Roles of Evaluation Management Team: The project management team will include KRCS and SRs team. The role of the team is envisaged but not limited to the following:
      
      1. Development and finalization of the Evaluation Terms of reference (ToR).
      
      
      2. Procurement of the consulting firm and implementation of the evaluation plan.
      
      
      3. Provide consulting team with the relevant documents as required.
      
      
      4. Plan for the report validation meeting with key stakeholders.
      
      
      5. Review and approve the evaluation documents and the final report.
      
      
      6. Make fund available to the consultant as per the contract document.
      
      
   
   
   4. 
      Role of the Consultant: The consultant will consult with KRCS in undertaking the following:
      
      1. Respond to the TOR highlighting the understanding of the subject areas, assignment/tasks, propose a detailed methodology, work plan and budget.
      
      
      2. Undertake the desk review and develop literature review.
      
      
      3. Develop inception report and develop data collection tools.
      
      
      4. Sensitize research team for data collection.
      
      
      5. Oversee data collection, data analysis, reporting, etc.
      
      
      6. Develop and submit the final evaluation report.
      
      
      7. Develop study dissemination pack and facilitate actual dissemination.
      
      
      8. Share all the data sets with KRCS.
      
      
   
   


3. 
   Submission of proposal
   

The Technical Proposal MUST be prepared in conformance to the outline provided in Annex 1 while the financial proposal shall conform to the template provided in Annex 2.

Bidders should provide a technical and financial proposal in two separate folders clearly marked “Technical Proposal” and “Financial Proposal” and sent as one email with the subject: “**Tender No.GFPREQ01998: Call for Consultancy for Global Fund HIV Program Evaluation”.

The Proposal should be sent on mail to reach tenders@redcross.or.ke by 14th December, 2022 at 11:00 am

How to apply

The Technical Proposal MUST be prepared in conformance to the outline provided in Annex 1 while the financial proposal shall conform to the template provided in Annex 2.

Bidders should provide a technical and financial proposal in two separate folders clearly marked “Technical Proposal” and “Financial Proposal” and sent as one email with the subject: “**Tender No.GFPREQ01998: Call for Consultancy for Global Fund HIV Program Evaluation”.

The Proposal should be sent on mail to reach tenders@redcross.or.ke by 14th December, 2022 at 11:00 am