At this stage, please submit your proposal and consultancy registration proof to: procurement@medair.org . E-mail topic: SMART survey, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan + your consultancy name before 29 August, 2024.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Medair is an international humanitarian organization established in 1988. Medair has been operating in Afghanistan since 1996, providing a range of emergency relief and recovery services in Health, Nutrition, Food Security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). As signatories of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct, we believe that aid should be given to everyone in need and not be used to further a particular political, social or religious viewpoint. The needs of the people we serve are our utmost consideration. For that reason, we pursue the highest professional standards of quality, accountability and sustainability and carry out our projects in close connection with communities, listening to their needs, and supporting improvements and training for the future.

Medair implementing a project entitled “Lifesaving integrated health and nutrition services to pregnant and lactating women and children under five years in Kandahar & Uruzgan Provinces of Afghanistan”. A SMART Survey will be conducted for this project in Uruzgan province, and the project aims are to:

• Reduce excess morbidity and mortality by responding to humanitarian needs in conflict, drought, and COVID-19 affected, hard to reach and underserved areas of Kandahar and Uruzgan Provinces.

• Enhanced access to quality integrated life-saving health nutrition services for vulnerable populations in conflict affected, hard to reach, and underserved areas of Kandahar and Uruzgan Provinces.

   

PURPOSE:

The overall purpose/objective of this survey is to estimate the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under 5 years of age and in pregnant and lactating women; and estimate retrospective mortality rates and in Uruzgan province. 

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine the prevalence of malnutrition (Stunting, Wasting, and Underweight & Overweight) among children aged 0-59 months. 
• To assess general morbidity (Diarrhoea, ARI & Fever) among children under 5 based on a retrospective two week recall period. 
• To estimate the first and second doses of measles vaccination coverage among children 9-59 months (for 1st dose) and 18 – 59 months (for 2nd dose)
• To assess deworming among children 12-59 months in the last 6 months.
• To assess Vitamin A supplementation in children 6-59 months in the last 6 months.
• To determine the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women (PLW) based on MUAC assessment.
• To assess the crude and U5 death rate in Uruzgan disaggregated by various age groups and sex.
• To assess the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding (MIYCF) practices for children aged 0-23 months
• To determine the food security and livelihood situation in the survey districts.
• To assess household food consumption (quantity and quality).
• To formulate recommendations to guide nutrition programming in Uruzgan.

OUTPUTS:

A comprehensive SMART report with clear and relevant recommendations and present findings to a wider group as requested

ACTIVITIES:

Key tasks for the consultant to carry out in accordance with the terms and conditions of the consultancy contract include:

• Lead the finalization of the survey protocol, training materials and any survey job aids in line with the SMART survey standards.
• To present and defend the survey methodology and preliminary findings to the AIM WG (Information Management working group), MoPH/PND and Nutrition cluster and partners at national and provincial level.
• Finalize the set of data collection tools (in coordination with Medair)
• Conduct a pre-test of the methodology and questionnaires as part of the training before starting the survey.
• Conduct and analyse pre-post-test- test training results for accuracy of anthropometric measurements and address any weaknesses with targeted training.
• Develop a clear survey plan (movement plans, sequence of data collection/mapping/list of selected villages) and ensure it is understood by all who need to participate and support its execution, with coordination of Medair
• Medair will prepare an introduction letter to introduce the consultancy and then the consultancy is responsible for coordinating with related departments in terms of the permission letter to start the data collection in the field.
• Hiring Data collectors/ Enumerators: This includes hiring of data collectors both (male and female) and cover all the expense for the data collection process. Considering the social norms, the female enumerators must be included.
• Design and carry out training of data collectors and supervisors on the survey methodology, anthropometric measurement techniques, effective interview techniques, and essential infection and prevention control methods in the context of COVID-19.
• Ensure all necessary equipment is in place and functioning before the survey starts
• Coordinate data collection from the field and supervise the team daily to ensure quality data is collected. This will involve developing quality control measures, supporting the team in sampling of households and taking anthropometric measurements and interviews in accordance with COVID-19 prevention measures.
• Provide daily field briefing to the Medair H&N adviser and MEAL manager on progress and any challenges from the field. 
• Closely supervise the data collection process and ensure quality control.
• Clean and analyse the survey results using the standard ENA software and for those indicators that fall outside the core ENA analysis function (software must be agreed ahead of time with Medair and consultant must provide it themselves)
• Provide a draft report in an agreed standard format with preliminary results for all indicators, including confidence intervals for indicators and a full plausibility report for review.
• Present preliminary results to Medair, MoPH, PND, AIM-WG, and Nutrition cluster for feedback (verbal and written) and facilitate a discussion on relevant and practical recommendations for finalization of the survey reporting
• Based on feedback, finalize the report with clear and relevant recommendations and present findings to a wider group as requested.

SCOPE:

To achieve the survey objectives listed above, Medair is seeking the services of a competent consultant to lead the survey from the planning phase to implementation and final reporting. This will enable Medair to have an updated assessment of the nutritional status of children 6-59 months and pregnant and lactating women and to obtain mortality and morbidity data in Uruzgan province.

METHODOLOGIES & TOOLS:

A cross-sectional two-stage cluster sampling following SMART methodology will be adopted for the selection of households and children.  All women of childbearing age in the selected households and their children 0-59 months and 6-59 months will be measured for anthropometry. The villages are considered as the primary sampling unit (clusters) and Households will be considered as the secondary sampling unit. Emergency Nutrition Assessment (ENA 2020[1]) for SMART will be used for sample size calculation. A more detailed survey methodology will be designed by the Consultant in consultation with Medair and Nutrition Cluster for approval of the survey protocol. The detailed design must include among others; survey design, sample size determination using ENA software, quality control, data collection, and management process.

TIMEFRAME / SCHEDULE:

In total, the consultant will be expected to complete the SMART survey in 60 days, starting from 1st November 2024. The consultant will receive a briefing at the country office, will coordinate, collect data in the field, write the report and will present the key findings and recommendations to Medair, MoPH and Nutrition Cluster.

The SMART survey will be conducted in Uruzgan province. Uruzgan includes 7 districts (Chora, Chinarto, Dehrawood, Gizab, Khas Uruzgan, Shahidi Hassas, and Tarinkot). The district will be used to create the sample frame from which the sample will be drawn for the target location. When on the ground, if areas are not accessible due to security and population movement/displacements, they will be replaced with a standard replacement method.

SECURITY

The consultant will be responsible for its arrangement for security, transportation, communications, accommodation, and insurance towards implementation of this assignment as well as in the field in Afghanistan. 

CONSULTANCY FEES AND TERMS OF PAYMENT

• International flights and accommodation in transit will be arranged by Medair via pre-selected travel agents and will, therefore, be paid directly by Medair. 
• Medair does not pay the consultant for his/her time spent during travel to and from the country where the services are to be delivered.
• The consultancy fees payable to the Consultant will be taxable in Afghanistan and Medair will withhold 2% of the total for tax.
• The consultancy fees are calculated on the basis of an estimated 60 days of work in USD
• Half of the consultancy fee will be paid into a bank account designated by the Consultant upon completion of the field work.
• The remaining amount will be paid when the final version of the Consultant’s report has been finalised and approved by Medair.
• Medair will reimburse the following expenses, upon presentation of receipts, into the Consultant’s designated bank account:
  • Visa costs;
  • Cost of travel in the Consultant’s country of residency in preparation to travel to Afghanistan;
  • Meals while in transit (up to 3 meals per day, maximum 20 USD per meal, no alcohol, no snacks/drinks between meals).

CONSULTANT RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

• Submit proof of registration as Consultant to Medair before the starting date of the contract.
• Detailed full SMART survey work plan including clear calendar of survey activities.
• Survey protocol presented to AIW-WG, PND/MoPH Nutrition Cluster for approval. This should detail the approach and methodology to be used, sampling, village mapping/list, and survey tools.
• Final data collection tools (including translation of tools into local languages (Dari, Pashto)). Tools are expected to be finalized after Medair review and piloting.
• Final dataset used for analysis and code book for any additional variables created for the dataset.
• Draft report with preliminary results for all indicators (and confidence intervals) and plausibility report submitted to Medair within the agreed timeline between Medair and the Consultant.
• Presentation of the key findings and recommendations to Medair, MoPH, PND, AIM-WG, and Nutrition Cluster.
• Final survey report within two weeks after preliminary presentation/submission, incorporating all feedback, including agreed practical and relevant recommendations in standard format which follows closely that of the ENA software output. 

MEDAIR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Recruit the external Consultant and finalize the consultancy agreement. 
• Share all necessary documents to the Consultant to finalize the SMART survey design, protocols and tools for data collection tools 
• Provide input in the SMART survey methodology, data collection tools and report
• Guidance and coordination throughout all the phases of SMART survey, keeping communication with the Consultant throughout all phases 
• Inform the SMART survey audience including MoPH, Nutrition cluster of their involvement and validation of the findings. Medair will establish an evaluation team to oversee all the related tasks. The MEAL manager will be responsible for the overall coordination of all the SMART survey tasks with the Consultant. In addition, the Deputy Country Director, H&N Adviser, H&N Deputy Adviser and GSO MEAL Adviser among other project staff will provide all the necessary technical support required throughout the SMART survey process.

DEBRIEFING

Medair contracts for the provision of debriefing after any critical incident or assignment as needed.