Consultancy assignment scale up costing tool development

Introduction

Rutgers commissions the development and testing of a generic costing tool that calculates the required budget to scale up comprehensive sexuality education. The purpose of the tool is to provide insights in the costs and costs drivers to sustainably expand the coverage of any existing comprehensive sexuality education programme by inputting relevant financial parameters about the intervention and the implementation context. This generic tool will be tested in Ghana in coordination with the Planned Parenthood Association Ghana and in one other locality with a to be determined partner.

Rutgers is looking for qualified researchers or consultants (individuals, universities or organisations) to undertake the development of this tool. This TOR/RFP sets out the scope of the assignment. For any inquiries or submission of your expression of interest, please contact Ardan Kockelkoren via [email protected] before 21 August 2022. Please find below what should be included in a submission.

Background

Over the last decades, demonstration projects, research and evaluations helped us learn how to design and deliver effective CSE programs that improve health outcomes and promote safe and equitable learning environments. Yet, despite recognition of the need for CSE and evidence of its effectiveness, progress to expand its implementation on the ground has been slow. Across settings, a common challenge is moving from short-term donor-funded demonstration projects with limited coverage to high quality universal access funded and coordinated by government authorities, anchored in formal education policies and programs.

Working to advance this transition, many CSO’s and implementers are involved in lobby and advocacy, engaging with key decision-makers to take responsibility and commit to the delivery of CSE. Please find more detailed steps for NGOs and CSOs to consider here. However, even when there is political will, subsequent decision-making on the roles, responsibilities, resource dedication, training and roll-out remains difficult, due to a lack of data about the gap to be addressed and the detailed costs involved to scale up existing high quality programs and best-practices.

In countries where CSE costing studies have been carried out, such as Albania (Kempers, J. & A.A. Ahmeti, 2017), DRC (Institute for Reproductive Health, 2020), Indonesia (El Halabi, S. & Annerstedt, K.S., 2021) and Tanzania (Terris-Prestholt et al, 2006), they have proven to be instrumental in securing commitment and planning for scale up. However, other than these examples and the work of UNESCO (2011), there aren’t many resources or supporting tools to replicate these studies and for others to build on these contextualized experiences.

About Rutgers and Planned Parenthood Association Ghana

Rutgers has worked with young people on sexual and reproductive rights for more than 50 years. At Rutgers, we talk about sexuality openly, positively and practically. We want young people to be free to enjoy their sexuality and relationships while respecting the rights of others in a gender-inclusive society. Our mission is to connect, support and engage with young people and those around them to make this a reality. Learn more at Rutgers.International.

Rutgers and Planned Parenthood Association Ghana are recognized as International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Centres of Excellence on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Youth Programming. For many years, we have been working to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Netherlands, Ghana, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. In our approach we integrate advocacy, research, implementation and capacity building.

Rutgers and PPAG , as IPPF Centres of Excellence, share expertise and knowledge with other organizations, institutions, peer educators, activists and government decision-makers to support them to deliver quality CSE and address the challenges of programme scale up. Activities focus on dissemination of existing and development of new knowledge, identification of gaps and promising practices, testing and validating concepts, with the aim of providing support to others, while avoiding duplication.

Goals

The objective of this assignment is to develop a costing tool and have it applied in two places (by PPAG in Ghana and by another to be determined partner and country). The costing tool is to equip implementers of and advocates for CSE with detailed information about the total financial investment needed to give all youth in a country, district or city access to CSE. Access to this financial data will assist implementers, governments and donors to advocate for informed and tailored solutions and better plan for feasible and sustainable CSE program scale-up.

Scope

The consultant will develop an economic model that outputs the total cost of CSE scale up per student, school, district or country based on a list of input parameters about the costs of existing CSE implementation and the implementation context. This model should be presented in a tool such as an excel document or preferably a more user friendly and appealing looking front-end for users to input data and access the presented outcome data/models.

We expect the model to take into consideration existing efforts and examples of applied economic modelling for costing research of CSE programs and integrate their findings/approaches in a generally applicable and accessible end product. Without it being an exhaustive list these examples include the work of Kempers, J. & A.A. Ahmeti (2017), the Institute for Reproductive Health (2020), El Halabi, S. & Annerstedt, K.S. (2021) and Terris-Prestholt et al. (2006).

In addition we envision testing of the model/tool in at least 2 geographies together with an implementation partner before publication. This will include Ghana through the work of PPAG. Other partners will be identified in a later stage. Working through a local university or locally renown researcher or institute has the added advantage of providing the findings with an increased level of credibility for relevant decision-makers.

The product should be generally applicable anywhere and by anyone who has access to the required local data. In addition, the following criteria have been raised in early exploratory conversations:

• The tool should be geared towards producing the information that governments and donors need to inform scale-up decisions.
• Implementers are primarily concerned with presenting the additional financial costs for program expansion excluding the costs that are already committed through current existing delivery modalities, curriculum development or structural existing commitments such as teacher salaries.
• To inform conversations about responsibilities, investment capabilities and budget sharing, the output information should differentiate between initial one-time programme expansion/start-up investments and structural running costs of CSE programmes at scale.
• To inform conversations about programme expansion in a phased manner, the output information should differentiate the programme costs per teacher, student, class, school and geographic jurisdiction (district, provincial or national).
• Building on existing costing studies a suggestion for cost driver categories include: sensitization, training (in/pre-service), material production and coordination including monitoring. But this is to be further explored.

Deliverables

1. An inception report with the results of a desk research and first exploratory expert consultations, including an overview of documents and experts consulted; a first draft of the final tool structure and parameters; new relevant questions that need answering (reflecting on this TOR); and an action plan with further information gathering activities and steps needed to test the draft tool in at least 2 geographies.
2. A CSE costing tool based on a general economic methodology/framework/model which includes
   1. Economic model/calculations
   2. Explanatory documentation about the formulas and parameters used
   3. Visually appealing front end in excel, a website, interactive pdf or other appealing user-friendly format. The costs for the visual design are included in the total budget of this assignment.
3. A how-to-guide with instructions for end users on how to apply and replicate the tool application process in their context, including the general findings and reflections from testing the tool in the 2 geographies.
4. A policy brief template that can be populated with the findings from each geography and used to present the findings to relevant stakeholders.
5. A slide deck summarizing the added value of the tool and practical considerations on how to apply it, will help its further dissemination. We are exploring dissemination platforms to ensure uptake of the CSE scale-up costing tool which includes potential linkages with an updated IPPF Deliver & Enable toolkit.

Process and timeline

The timeline for this assignment is August 21th 2022 – December 31st 2022 (including information collection, tool development, testing and finalization of deliverables as one tool-package). We welcome your estimation of the costs required to produce these deliverables that includes the costs for the testing of the tool in two countries as well as the visual design of the final products.

Ways of working

The consultant will be responsible for the planning, coordination and production of the deliverables, carry out the necessary data gathering activities and undertaking site visits, if required and possible. The Consultant will be responsible for sharing work in progress with Rutgers and will set up regular meetings to discuss progress.

Rutgers will supervise the work in progress, to ensure that it is in line with expectations. Rutgers will provide the contact information and actively liaison with the partners testing the tool. Rutgers will review interim drafts of the deliverables and will provide feedback and comments up to its final approval.

Applicant requirements

• Previous experience/track record in doing research, data gathering and the development of economic models for education and/or health services.
• Understanding of education and health program scaling trajectories that anchor social programs in government policies, budgets, programs and delivery.
• Technical knowledge of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights field
• Language skills: English with French and Spanish considered as an advantage
• If the work requires for it, the ability to travel for in person interviews, other data gathering or tool testing. This includes travel insurance (at own expense) and police clearance or national equivalent prior to travel.
• Availability to start by August/September 2022.

References

• El Halabi, S. & Annerstedt, K.S. (2021) Cost Analysis of a comprehensive sexuality education program in Indonesia (Setara). Rutgers. The Netherlands.
• Homan, R. (2020) Costing of Norms-Shifting Interventions: A Primer from the Passages Project. Institute for Reproductive Health, Georgetown University. Washington, D.C.
• Kempers, J. & A.A. Ahmeti (2017) Cost analysis of sexuality education and life skills programme in Tirana. UNFPA Albania.
• Rutgers (2021) Scaling Up Sexuality Education: Lessons learned and considerations for civil society organizations.
• Terris-Prestholt F Kumaranayake L Obasi AI et al. (2006) From trial intervention to scale-up: costs of an adolescent sexual health program in Mwanza, Tanzania. Sex Transm Dis. 2006; 33: S133-S139
• UNESCO (2011) School-based sexuality education programmes. A cost and cost-effectiveness analysis of six countries.