Research and Evidence Consultant

Consultancy

02/25/2022

Global (Remote)

ChildFund International

About ChildFund
ChildFund International (www.childfund.org) is a US-registered, non-profit child and youth development organization working in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Our goal is to empower children and youth, their families, and their communities so that they can enjoy healthier, safer, and more productive lives. ChildFund collaborates with governments, communities, and civil society organizations to promote the health and wellbeing of children across all lifestages.

Purpose
ChildFund requires the services of an external consultant (or firm) to draft a manuscript and an evidence brief based on the results of a completed tuberculosis (TB) and nutrition project in India. The project, completed in partnership with USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and India’s flagship innovations in financing platform, introduced the world’s first impact bond to improve nutritional status and treatment cure of TB patients in 2019. The overarching goal of the project was to improve treatment compliance, nutrition status and treatment cure rate of 3,000 notified TB patients in Madhya Pradesh, India. The deliverables of this consultancy will be used to highlight and share the effectiveness of the intervention and its phased scaling to provide evidence for future grants acquisition.

The consultant needs to produce the following written deliverables over a 12-week period.
For their production, ChildFund will provide the consultant with access to relevant documentation and datasets.
The consultant will also have the opportunity to meet with research and technical staff within the ChildFund International office (based in the US) and local implementing staff and partners in India.

Deliverable 1: Review of existing materials and evidence brief outline generation.
1 page maximum to be submitted 2 weeks after consultant start date.
· The consultant will review existing documents provided by ChildFund to understand the overall purpose and outcomes of the TB and nutrition project. Documentation can include technical reports, project completion reports, datasets, PowerPoints, and business development (BD) briefs. The consultant will also have the opportunity to request additional documentation and meet with programmatic, technical and BD staff over the two-week period to ask questions and receive additional guidance as needed.
· At the end of the two-week period, the consultant will submit a one-page outline on the proposed scope and structure of the evidence brief. ChildFund will have two business days to review and request feedback on this deliverable.

Deliverable 2: Literature review: tracking spreadsheet and bibliography.
To be submitted 2 weeks after completion of Deliverable 1.
· Once the evidence brief outline from Deliverable 1 is complete, the consultant will conduct a literature review to identify and summarize existing peer-reviewed journal articles on TB and nutrition in India. A draft tracking spreadsheet and bibliography containing the results of the literature review will be sent to ChildFund within 2 weeks of completion of Deliverable 1. The specific formatting of the tracking spreadsheet will be at the discretion of the consultant.
· ChildFund will have 1 week to review and provide feedback on the literature review and spreadsheet. Final changes will be agreed upon by all parties and incorporated within 1 week prior to manuscript drafting.

Deliverable 3: Manuscript drafting: introduction and methods.
To be submitted 3 weeks after acceptance of Deliverable 2.
· The manuscript introduction and methods sections will be drafted over a 3-week period. The specific length and formatting of these sections will be decided at the start of the consultancy. The Deliverable 2 literature review will be used to frame/inform the introduction.
· Once submitted, ChildFund will have 1 week to review and provide feedback on these sections. Final changes will be incorporated within 1 week of receiving ChildFund’s feedback.

Deliverable 4: Manuscript drafting: results, discussion, and conclusion.
To be submitted 3 weeks after completion of Deliverable 3.
· The manuscript results, discussion and conclusions sections will be drafted over another 3-week period. Again, the specific length and formatting of these sections will be decided at the start of the consultancy.
· Once submitted, ChildFund will have 1 week to review and provide feedback on these sections. Final changes will be incorporated within 1 week of receiving ChildFund’s feedback.

Deliverable 5: Evidence brief drafting.
2 pages maximum to be submitted 1 week after completion of Deliverable 4.
· The evidence brief will be drafted according to the outline developed in Deliverable 1 using the manuscript draft developed in Deliverable 4. The final draft should be no more than 2 pages in length.
· Once submitted, ChildFund will have 1 week to review and provide feedback on these sections. Final changes will be incorporated within 1 week of receiving ChildFund’s feedback.

Selection process of individual consultant (or firm)

ChildFund will undertake a competitive selection (focused on technical capacity and cost) to identify the individual (or firm) to undertake this consultancy. If you are interested in applying, please provide to Russell Dowling (RDowling@ChildFund.org) by 11th March 2022 the following:
a. 1-page capacity statement describing qualifications and experience with similar assignments.
b. Sample text of at least two previous similar assignments.
c. CVs of individual consultants who would work on the manuscript and evidence brief.
d. All-inclusive, fixed-price cost proposal, which includes the total amount to be charged for the totality of the deliverables. The maximum budget for this consultancy is $10,000 USD. ChildFund will undertake negotiations with the shortlisted candidates.

Email materials requested above to RDowling@childfund.org