Request for Proposals (RFP): Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) Demonstration Model Impact Assessment Endline Survey

I. Background

World Education, Inc. (WEI) has been operational in the Lao PDR since 1992. WEI has worked in a number of sectors (agriculture, education, health, microfinance, and repatriation) over the past 25 years. Projects are currently focused on: Disability Inclusion, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, Capacity Building, and Economic Development.

In implementing these activities, World Education works in partnership with relevant Government of Lao PDR agencies including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, National Regulatory Authority and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To learn more visit us at www.worlded.org orwww.laos.worlded.org.

The USAID Okard (ໂອກາດ) Activity is guided by the philosophy of Disability Inclusive Development (DID) and the belief that no one should be left behind. It is a 5-year project managed and implemented by World Education that intends to improve and sustain the independent living and functional ability of persons with disabilities, regardless of factors such as age, sex, gender expression, ethnic origin, or indigenous status, and their households in Lao PDR. It will be implemented in three target provinces – Vientiane Capital, Xieng Khouang and Savannakhet.

The Government of Lao PDR is currently finalizing two key documents for the development of the rehabilitation and disability sectors,and USAID Okard will use these two documents as the foundation to support their implementation and piloting:

• Draft National Disability Policy and Strategy and Action Plan for Person with disabilities 2017-2025
• Draft National Strategy and Action Plan for Rehabilitation 2018-2025

The Activity utilizes a flexible two-tiered approach that integrates the systems and individual level interventions within the three components: Health (Component 1), Economic Empowerment (Component 2), and Stakeholder Engagement (Component 3). World Education is the lead implementing agency with close support from Activity partners including Humanity & Inclusion (HI), Ministry of Health (Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation), Center for Medical Rehabilitation (CMR), Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MoLSW) National Committee for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly (NCDE), Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE), Quality of Life Association (QLA) and Lao Disabled People’s Association (LDPA).

Background on the CBID Demonstration Model

A key feature of the Activity is implementing two Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) evidence-based demonstration model projects to demonstrate the effectiveness at community level of both the GoL National Disability Policy and related strategy, and the National Rehabilitation Strategy. Working in targeted districts in both Xieng Khouang and Savannakhet, these CBID demonstration models generate the data as evidence of tangible change and provide feedback to strengthen government systems and decision making in support of the aforementioned key documents**.**

Using the CBID approach, USAID Okard implements innovative and effective interventions that directly address the health, livelihoods, and social needs of persons with disabilities, with a focus on individuals, families, and communities. The lessons of the change created on the life of people with disabilities and their household should drive adjustments at the systems level (by increasing demand and utilization for inclusive services) and societal level (by engendering new beliefs about the abilities of persons with disabilities). This supports the execution of the National Rehabilitation and National Disability Strategies and Action Plans by the GoL (i.e., Tier 1 system-level activities) and serves to address the overall disabling environment for persons with disabilities in Lao PDR. This provides evidence to the GoL and service providers about the effectiveness and possible gaps of both CBID and the approaches outlined in GoL policies, strategies and action plans to provide inclusive access to services for persons with disabilities. These records help identify and remove barriers to increased participation of persons with disabilities and demonstrate to the Lao Government that inclusive services for persons with disabilities can have real impact if all relevant actors are made aware, properly trained and mentored, and work together in one catchment area. The CBID demonstration model districts are being conducted at two sites; implemented initially in a district of Xieng Khouang province as an evidence-based model, and later a district in Savannahket province.

The CBID demonstration model districts in Xieng Khouang and Savannakhet have been conducted by local organizations with the technical support of expert organizations. CBID Facilitators have acted as lay social workers, directly supporting persons with disabilities to identify barriers to their optimal functioning, and work with families, communities, local authorities and relevant service providers, so they understand these barriers and interact together to meet these needs. This CBID demonstration model has provided the connection between the improved service provision systems down to the individual needs of persons with disabilities and their households.

II. Objectives

The section below describes the overall objectives of the impact assessment (baseline and endline survey). Note, that this RFP is only for the endline survey component of the CBID demonstration impact assessment.

The overall objectives of the Impact Assessment are as follows:

1. Objective 1: Identify the level of activity and participation (function) and wellbeing of people living in target areas and measure the changes after the interventions of USAID Okard.
2. Objective 2: Understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of community stakeholders including people with disability themselves and their family, regarding disability and inclusion, and measure the changes after the interventions of USAID Okard.

The CBID Impact Assessment Baseline was completed in 2019 designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data to achieve objectives 1 and 2, and the CBID Impact Assessment for Endline should follow the similar design. It is expected that a panel study with cross-sectional endline surveys is developed to achieve the first objective and a part of the second objective, and a qualitative study using grounded theory should be developed to achieve the second objective. While quantitative surveys should target local residents (with and without disabilities, received and not received the CBID interventions), the qualitative study should also target caregivers and family members, service providers, representatives of economic and socio-political organizations, and CBID facilitators.

The study will be conducted in the two target districts (Kham District in Xieng Khouang province, and Xayphouthong District in Savannakhet Province).