Request for Proposal for Consulting Services- Urinary Sodium Excretion Survey

Consultancy

08/11/2021

: Flexible. Vendor must be available to overlap with standard business hours in our Africa offices.

Helen Keller INTL

Request for Proposal for
Consulting Services

NATURE of SERVICES: Survey to estimate salt and sodium intakes and the contribution of bouillon and other processed foods to these intakes using urinary sodium excretion, in Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal

CONTRACTING ENTITY: Helen Keller International
Helen Keller Intl is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition, and diseases of poverty. Co-founded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

PLACE of PERFORMANCE: Flexible.
Vendor must be available to overlap with standard business hours in our Africa offices.

DURATION and TIMEFRAME
Approximately 90 days of involvement is anticipated and the work must be completed by September 30, 2021. The technical and the financial proposals and tools should be submitted by June 30, 2021. The final report and the policy briefs will be due by September 30, 2021.

BACKGROUND
Helen Keller is seeking the services of a qualified consultant to undertake a population-based survey to estimate mean salt and sodium intake and the contribution of bouillon and other processed foods to such intakes using dietary assessments and an objective measure of urinary sodium excretion, in Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal. The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which different processed foods contributes to mean salt and sodium intakes in these countries.

SCOPE of WORK
The selected consultant will work closely with Helen Keller, the Country Working Groups (CWG) for bouillon in Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal to conduct this research. Tasks to be achieved in this assessment include:
• Develop a detailed research proposal and tools (questionnaires) to guide data collection on dietary sodium intakes and urinary sodium excretion. The final version of the technical proposal and tools will be shared with Helen Keller and the CWG in each country for inputs, who will also facilitate the inputs of other regional and global stakeholders of this initiative before these are finalized.
• Propose appropriate sampling methods for obtaining urinary sodium excreted data, i.e., either 24-hour urine samples or spot urine samples, depending on what is more feasible and acceptable by the CWG in each country.
• Submit the proposal and tools for Institutional Review Board (IRB) in each country, and any other necessary IRB for approval.
• Oversee data collection in each of the three countries, including traveling to these countries to ensure quality of data collected.
• Analyze data collected, using appropriate statistical methods that adequately addresses the objectives of the study.
• Produce and submit three separate reports with recommendations based on the assessment findings in each country to Helen Keller Intl.
• Make a PowerPoint presentation to the CWG in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal to share the main findings of the study, for inputs and suggestions.
• Make a PowerPoint presentation to the Bouillon Initiative’s Global Team, to share the major findings of the study for inputs and suggestions.
• Produce and submit three separate policy briefs based on the assessment findings from each country and a policy brief to summarize the findings from all three countries for the West African regional audience.
Helen Keller anticipates this study will use a cross-sectional clustered design, but the consultant can propose other designs that could do a better job of addressing the study objectives.

DELIVERABLES
• A technical proposal and associated cost proposal for conducting the study.
• Questionnaires and other tools for data collection.
• Copies of IRB approvals from each of Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal, as well as any other IRB.
• Final reports (per country) with the findings and recommendations.
• PowerPoint presentations to each of the CWGs in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal, as well as a presentation to the Global Team of the Bouillon Initiative and regional groups deemed necessary by Helen Keller Intl.
• Four policy briefs: one for each country and a fourth that summarizes the findings from all three countries, targeted at regional audience.
• Cleaned datasets in SPSS, Stata, or similar software package for all three countries.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE • Academic qualifications, such as master’s in public health, and nutrition; and experience undertaking similar research or similar combination of skills and experience. • Experience with food consumption survey methods and urinary sodium excretion surveys. • Familiarity with a range of statistic and sampling methods. • Ability to work with other professionals of varied cultural and professional backgrounds within the three countries. • Experience in working with non-profit organizations, particularly in nutrition and health fields. • Ability to compose clear, compelling written documents in English. • Oral and written proficiency in English required, French language skills, a plus. SPECIFIC REQUESTS for INFORMATION Please describe the nature of your education and experience and why it is well suited to the nature of the work described above. In particular, please be sure to address the qualifications and experience listed above and comparable project work. In addition, please provide: • Your CV • Sample work product • Three references who may be contacted by Helen Keller Intl. These references should be clients or employers for whom you have provided similar services. • Pricing/Price Sheet: a pricing list for the services that you/your company is interested and able to offer based on the activities listed above. Please submit your proposal to consultants.recruitment@hki.org noting the title “Urinary Sodium Excretion Survey” in the subject line. Submissions will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline on June 18, 2021. EVALUATION and AWARD PROCESS This RFP is open to all persons or entities that are deemed capable of implementing the scope of work, with a solid record of integrity and business ethics. The award will be made to the Seller representing the best value to the project and to Helen Keller. For the purpose of this RFP, price, delivery, technical and past performance are of equal importance for the purposes of evaluating and selecting the “best value” awardee. In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller places diversity and partnership at the core of our work. ~~~ We encourage small minority, women, or veteran-owned businesses to submit proposals.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE • Academic qualifications, such as master’s in public health, and nutrition; and experience undertaking similar research or similar combination of skills and experience. • Experience with food consumption survey methods and urinary sodium excretion surveys. • Familiarity with a range of statistic and sampling methods. • Ability to work with other professionals of varied cultural and professional backgrounds within the three countries. • Experience in working with non-profit organizations, particularly in nutrition and health fields. • Ability to compose clear, compelling written documents in English. • Oral and written proficiency in English required, French language skills, a plus. SPECIFIC REQUESTS for INFORMATION Please describe the nature of your education and experience and why it is well suited to the nature of the work described above. In particular, please be sure to address the qualifications and experience listed above and comparable project work. In addition, please provide: • Your CV • Sample work product • Three references who may be contacted by Helen Keller Intl. These references should be clients or employers for whom you have provided similar services. • Pricing/Price Sheet: a pricing list for the services that you/your company is interested and able to offer based on the activities listed above. Please submit your proposal to consultants.recruitment@hki.org noting the title “Urinary Sodium Excretion Survey” in the subject line. Submissions will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline on June 18, 2021. EVALUATION and AWARD PROCESS This RFP is open to all persons or entities that are deemed capable of implementing the scope of work, with a solid record of integrity and business ethics. The award will be made to the Seller representing the best value to the project and to Helen Keller. For the purpose of this RFP, price, delivery, technical and past performance are of equal importance for the purposes of evaluating and selecting the “best value” awardee. In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller places diversity and partnership at the core of our work. ~~~ We encourage small minority, women, or veteran-owned businesses to submit proposals.