Consultant – Formative Research to Inform Program Design – Remote

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

GAYA is an Associate Award under the IDEAL project, funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Response, with Save the Children as the prime. GAYA seeks to: (1) improve the quality and impact of food security and nutrition (FSN) activities through a focus on gender and youth, and (2) strengthen the BHA implementing partner (IP) community’s ability to elevate and integrate gender and youth throughout the program cycle and in diverse operational contexts, including humanitarian response, early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience.

GAYA uses a human-centered design approach to understand the critical capacity, knowledge, and practice gaps of BHA nutrition and food security program implementers; provide practical and grounded support to address those gaps; and put the interests, voices, intersectional identities, and unique experiences of women, men, girls, and boys at the center of our work.

GAYA has two intermediate results:

• IR1: BHA FSN IP staff demonstrate improved application of gender and youth resources and research from peer learning activities
• IR2: BHA FSN IP staff demonstrate improved application of gender and youth analyses

Mercy Corps started work on this award in late September. A draft Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Plan was submitted to USAID/BHA in February 2022, with the final version expected to be submitted on/before March 28, 2022. As part of the M&E plan, GAYA plans to conduct an annual implementing partner (IP) survey in May 2022, with an initial report submitted to BHA in early June, and the final report submitted to USAID/BHA in July 2022. Additionally, GAYA aims to conduct focus group discussions (FGDs) with IPs to flesh out the results of the survey, and specifically dig into the “why” and “how” behind some of the survey results in June 2022.

Purpose / Project Description:

The primary purpose of this year’s annual IP survey and FGDs is to inform GAYA’s intervention design (through a human-centered design approach) and validate/measure GAYA’s learning agenda. Future annual IP surveys (conducted beginning/mid program year) and biannual FGDs will refresh the learning priorities, measure IR-level indicator achievements, and feed program adaptation, but are not included as part of this SOW.

Consultant Objectives:

Objectives will be further refined during the inception period for this SOW in partnership with the consultant. The proposed objectives of this study are as follows:

Objective 1: To inform GAYA’s intervention design through an HCD approach

1. Document the current state of BHA FSN IPs’ self-reported/self-reported on their team’s behalf knowledge, attitudes, and practices as well as their needs and gaps, related to gender and youth integration in BHA FSN programs.

2. Document the preferences of BHA FSN IPs as to how the GAYA program will close these needs and gaps, including the content (the what) to be covered within the peer-to-peer learning and capacity building, the mechanisms (the how), audience (the who) for each intervention, and how often (the when).

   1. Document what G&Y integration frameworks and tools, and G&Y analysis approaches BHA FSN IPs are currently using and what is meeting the needs of IPs.
   2. Document how and to what extent BHA FSN IPs are applying G&Y resources and research and to what extent the resources and research meet their needs.
   3. Document where BHA FSN IPs currently go to find G&Y learning/research/information (knowledge groups, platforms, communities of practice (CoP) listservs, etc.), how BHA FSN IPs share resources and research (email, skype, fora, etc.) and what motivates BHA FSN IPs to share resources and research with the broader FSN community.
   4. Document how and to what extent (lead, contribute, co-facilitate, etc.) BHA FSN IPs currently interact with existing gender and youth-related knowledge groups, platforms, COPs, listservs, etc. and to what extent these are effective in addressing G&Y gaps, or are used by BHA FSN IPs.

3. Document the barriers to the integration of gender and youth (G&Y) for BHA FSN IPs, including the attitudes or beliefs held by BHA IP staff which prevent or enable successful integration of G&Y.

Objective 2: Validate/measure GAYA’s learning agenda

1. Document the extent to which BHA FSN IPs find GAYA’s learning questions useful and relevant to their work.

Consultant Activities:

The consultant will support Mercy Corps with the design of the survey, including the instrument itself, and will be expected to input into operational elements of this survey work including considerations around format, length, accessibility, and data output structure, flow, and linkages with the Mercy Corps MEL system. This consultancy will be entirely remote.

• Phase 1: Quantitative and Qualitative data collection design
  • Kick-off Meeting with GAYA team
  • Review background documents provided, facilitate conversations with GAYA to finalize the sample frame/size and sample methodology, and the quantitative survey and qualitative study protocols (including considerations on study length, accessibility, data output structure, data flow, linkages with MEL system)
  • Deliver inception report — inclusive of final sample design, sample size, study designs (qual and quant) and an early draft Data Analysis plan (DAP)
  • After acceptance of the inception report – submit a full DAP, including dummy tables, placeholders for charts/graphs/images, description of how data triangulation/synthesis will be conducted, how qualitative data will be analyzed, etc.
  • Deliverables: inception report, initial data analysis plan, final quantitative survey protocol, final qualitative study protocol, final DAP
• Phase 2: Survey questionnaire design and coding
  • Facilitate conversations with GAYA team to draft survey questions and responses, code survey in Ona
  • Respond to GAYA and BHA feedback on questionnaire prior to survey launch
  • Deliverables: Drafts of survey questionnaire in excel and Ona — while GAYA can support the translation of the survey questionnaire, the Ona coding should support the addition of other languages as well, survey questionnaire and data in Excel and Ona
• Phase 3: Survey real-time analysis
  • Monitor survey results and perform real-time troubleshooting of survey issues
  • Perform analysis of results in real-time to feed drafts of analysis report
  • Provide recommendations on ways to improve the survey for future iterations
  • Deliverables: updated survey questionnaire based on recommendations for improvement, final survey questionnaire, datasets
• Phase 4: FGDs design, coding, and implementation
  • Draft FGD protocol
  • Revise the FGD protocol based on GAYA and BHA feedback and early results from the annual IP survey
  • Conduct, transcribe, code, and analyze FGDs
  • Deliverables: FGD protocol drafts, implemented FGDs, FGD transcriptions and coding, FGD analysis
• Phase 5: Reporting
  • Draft initial analysis report, which will contain recommendations for the program’s HCD and topics of focus
  • Respond to GAYA and BHA feedback on analysis report
  • Deliverables: drafts of analysis report

Consultant Deliverables:

The consultant will charge Mercy Corps for the days used, not the estimated level of effort. Should the work require more time than the estimate, the consultant will agree on priorities, with the GAYA contact person and confirm changes to the consultancy work plan in writing.

• Inception report and quantitative and qualitative protocols (4 days)
• Survey
  • Final survey protocol — including length, accessibility, data output structure, data flow, linkages with MEL system (2 days)
  • Draft #1 of survey questionnaire in excel, based on consultations with GAYA team (3 days)
  • Draft #2 of survey questionnaire based on GAYA and BHA feedback, coded in web-based survey tool (likely Ona) (2 days)
  • Draft #3 of coded survey questionnaire in web-based survey tool based on GAYA piloting (1 day)
  • Rolling analysis of survey results and real-time troubleshooting of survey issues (4 days)
  • Draft #1 analysis report with survey analysis (pre-FGD analysis) (3 days)
• FGDs
  • Final FGD protocol — including stratification guidance, coding strategy, other key factors (2 days)
  • Draft #1 of FGD tool in excel, based on consultations with GAYA team (3 days)
  • Draft #2 of FGD tool in excel, based on GAYA and BHA feedback, and early results from the IP Survey (2 days)
  • Conduct FGDs with target audience (3 days)
  • Transcribe FGDs (4 days)
  • Code and analyze FGDs (3 days)
• Draft #2 analysis report with FGD analysis, and with revisions based on feedback from GAYA team (4 days)
• Draft #3 analysis report based on feedback from GAYA and BHA (2 days)

Total = 42 working days over 3 months. This is an estimated LOE, Consultant should propose the number of working days/schedule that they feel is necessary for this work, and justify shifts in the LOE.

Mercy Corps will provide the following: The core GAYA team is available to:

• Provide input into the qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, participating in meetings with the consultant to discuss the aim of the tools and providing feedback on the drafts prepared by the consultant
• Develop the communications protocol for sharing the survey with respondents — including networking with BHA and BHA RFSA and emergency programs to establish a list of survey recipients
• Develop the list of potential attendees in FGDs based on the networking mentioned above
• Coordinate and arrange the FGDs with IPs based on consultant strategy
• Consult with BHA on the tools, design, and communications protocols to obtain BHA’s feedback and consensus
• Obtain survey translation services and review translations for accuracy
• Circulate the survey to respondents based on the above-mentioned communications protocol
• Facilitate introductions during FGD sessions, listen in on FGD discussions, probe where needed
• Review and provide feedback on analysis report prepared by the consultant
• Liaise with BHA (the consultant should not engage directly with the donor)
• Share report with BHA along with program adaptations

Key Considerations

• Translation services will be obtained by GAYA. However, the Ona coding for the survey needs to allow for eventual translation. The survey will be provided in the following languages:
  • French
  • Arabic
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • English
• At minimum, the FGDs need to be conducted in:
  • French
  • Arabic
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • English
• The survey has to be short enough that respondents complete it, while being sufficiently detailed.
• Data should be collected in a usable format, based on the purposes mentioned above. Fundamentally, the analysis report needs to inform the what, how, who, when of GAYA’s activities, and get information to feed the learning agenda.
• On the humanitarian program side, BHA IP’s may not be directly implementing projects, relying on sub-awards and local organizations. The data collection must therefore have a wide reach, beyond just the IP, to sub-awards, local partners, etc.
• GAYA understands “implementing partners” or IPs to include the following: headquarters staff, regional hub staff, field implementation staff, sub awardee or partner staff, and local organization staff, inclusive of entry, mid, and senior level professionals, across regions and geographies, and across both BHA emergency and RFSA programming. IPs also include technical experts, program directors/managers/chiefs of party, gender experts, youth experts, and field officers. Additional categories of IPs may be identified by the consultant, or through conversations with the consultant, GAYA, and BHA.

Study Methods

The study design will include an annual participant-based, quantitative survey distributed via the Ona tool, as well as FGDs. The unit of analysis is IP staff.

Disaggregation categories should include:

• Type of IP: Headquarters staff, regional hub staff, field implementation staff, and local organization staff
• Gender
• Age/Work Experience Level (Entry, Mid, Senior)
• Language
• Region/Country/sub-region of program implementation
• Emergency/RFSA
• Conflict/non-conflict/natural catastrophe
• Role – technical expert, PM/COP, gender expert, youth expert, other

Additional details of the study design will be determined by the consultant in consultation with Mercy Corps.

Timeframe / Schedule:

The anticipated length of this consultancy is from approximately April 11 to July 29, 2022. GAYA welcomes recommendations from the consultant as to deliverables that can be submitted earlier than the below deadlines, or areas of the schedule that can be streamlined.

The number of days will be suggested by the consultant and assessed by Mercy Corps based on previous experiences. The consultant will charge Mercy Corps for the days used, not the estimated level of effort. Should the work require more time than the estimate, the consultant will agree on priorities, with the GAYA contact person and confirm changes to the consultancy work plan in writing.

• Phase 1: Quantitative and Qualitative data collection design
  • Review background documents-Consultant-Mon 4/11/22-Tue 4/12/22
  • Kickoff Meeting-Consultant-Tue 4/12/22-Wed 4/13/22
  • Support GAYA to finalize survey and FGD protocols including considerations around format, length, accessibility, and data output structure, flow, and linkages with MEL system-Consultant-Mon 4/11/22-Fri 04/15/22
  • Prepare inception report and initial data analysis plan-Consultant-Mon 04/11/22-Wed 4/20/22
  • Consult with BHA on the survey and FGD SOW, tools, and comms protocol-GAYA-Fri 4/15/22-Mon 05/09/22
  • Develops the communications protocol for sharing the survey with respondents and setting up FGDs, based on sampling methodology developed by consultant-GAYA-Fri 4/15/22-Fri 04/22/22
  • Prepare final DAP and incorporate BHA and GAYA feedback into inception report-Consultant-Fri 4/22/22-Fri 04/29/22
• Phase 2: Questionnaire design and coding
  • Draft the survey questionnaire for GAYA team input and review-Consultant-Fri 4/22/22-Fri 04/29/22
  • Review survey questionnaire and provide feedback to the consultant-GAYA-Fri 4/29/22-Tue 05/03/22
  • Update survey questionnaire based on GAYA feedback and code in Ona-Consultant-Wed 5/4/22-Fri 05/06/22
  • Pilot survey questionnaire in Ona-GAYA-Mon 5/9/22-Mon 5/9/22
  • Deliver final BHA and GAYA feedback to consultant-GAYA-Mon 5/9/22-Mon 05/09/22
  • Update coded survey questionnaire with final BHA and GAYA feedback-Consultant-Tue 5/10/22-Thu 05/12/22
  • Obtain translation services and review translations for accuracy-GAYA-Tue 5/10/22-Thu 05/19/22
  • Update coded survey questionnaire with translations-Consultant-Fri 5/20/22-Fri 05/20/22
• Phase 3: Survey real-time analysis
  • Survey launch-GAYA-Mon 5/23/22-Fri 06/03/22
  • Analyze survey results (rolling) and troubleshoot survey in real-time-Consultant-Mon 5/23/22-Fri 06/03/22
  • Provide final survey questionnaire and recommendations for improvement in next annual survey-Consultant-Mon 5/23/22-Fri 06/03/22
  • Write up draft survey analysis report for GAYA transmission to BHA-Consultant-Mon 5/23/22-Wed 06/08/22
  • Review draft #1 report and provide feedback-GAYA-Wed 6/8/22-Wed 06/22/22
  • Share draft #1 report with BHA-GAYA-Wed 6/8/22-Wed 06/22/22
• Phase 4: FGDs design, coding, and implementation
  • Develop draft 1 of FGD protocol-Consultant-Mon 4/11/22-Fri 05/06/22
  • Provide feedback on draft 1 of FGD protocol-GAYA-Mon 5/9/22-Fri 05/20/22
  • Update FGD protocol, SOW, and methodology with the results from the IP survey and BHA and GAYA feedback-Consultant-Mon 5/23/22-Fri 06/03/22
  • Arrange FGDs with target audiences-GAYA-Mon 5/9/22-Fri 06/03/22
  • Conduct FGDs-Consultant-Mon 6/6/22-Fri 06/17/22
  • Transcribe FGDs-Consultant-Mon 6/6/22-Fri 06/24/22
  • Code and analyze FGDs-Consultant-Mon 6/27/22-Wed 07/06/22
• Phase 5: Reporting
  • Update draft analysis report with FGD results, final program adaptations, and recommendations for YR2 annual survey, and feedback from GAYA and BHA-Consultant-Wed 6/22/22-Wed 07/13/22
  • Review draft #2 of the report and provide feedback-GAYA-Thu 7/14/22-Fri 07/22/22
  • Finalize report based on feedback-Consultant-Mon 7/25/22-Fri 07/29/22

The Consultant will report to: GAYA Program Director.

The Consultant will work closely with: GAYA Program Director, Gender Advisor, Youth Advisor, Technical Officer – Research and Learning, and Senior Technical Lead – MEL.

Required Experience & Skills:

• At least 8 years of experience conducting research for international development or learning projects
• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in social sciences, research, or related field
• Strong experience conducting research for international development or learning projects
• Strong methodological experience in quantitative and qualitative research
• Prior experience with coding in Ona or similar technology
• Experience conducting research studies for learning, gender, youth, food security, and/or nutrition programs
• Detail oriented to ensure quality and consistency
• Ability to remotely manage and coordinate with evaluation stakeholders and implementers
• Offers a strong understanding of how power, gender, and intersectional dynamics can influence data collection results, and experience conducting power- and gender-sensitive FGDs
• Strong work ethic and the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.
• Written and oral fluency in English required

Additional Requirements (preferred)

• Familiarity with human-centered design principles and application of HCD principles to survey design
• Familiarity with designing for social behavior change, and social behavior change principles

**

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.