Consultancy to conduct a Nutrition Mapping Desk Review for USAID/Hinga Weze Project

TERMS
OF REFERENCE FOR HINGA WEZE Nutrition Mapping Desk Review

Title	Consultancy to conduct a Nutrition Mapping Desk Review for USAID/Hinga Weze Project
Client	USAID Hinga Weze Activity/Plan International
Location	Kigali

1.
Background and Rationale

a.
Summary:

USAID/Hinga
Weze requires the services of a nutrition sensitive ex

pert or firm (hereafter
called the “Consultant”) that is well-versed in conducting Nutrition mapping
desk review, to carry out such analysis for the Feed the future/Hinga Weze
project, with the objective of assisting staff and partners to mainstream
nutrition in the project. This work will include

a)
Assess the nutrition sensitive related activities, tools, messaging, channels,
and approaches used in Rwanda,

b)
Identify and highlight key gaps and weaknesses, duplicative and complementary
activities, new opportunities for partnership and collaboration for Hinga Weze
activity and

c)
Propose solutions/recommend on how best we can achieve targets for indicators
16-21 of MEL plan.

The
nutrition mapping review findings and secondary data such as in USAID/Twiyubake
and Gikuriro nutrition strategies will inform the elaboration of the Feed the
future/Hinga Weze Activity nutrition mainstreaming strategy and implementation
guidelines.

The
nutrition desk review will inform the design of activities across technical
areas by identifying ways to reduce duplication, strengthen district/national
coordination of nutrition sensitive activities and collaboration with other
implementing partners. The DPEMs will be a key source of information for the
assessment.

The
Consultant will be recruited by Plan International Rwanda, Country Office and
he/she will be under Hinga Weze team supervision. The nutrition desk review is
expected to take place from Novemberto December , 2017 (30 Calendar days).

Plan
International Rwanda is inviting interested Individual Consultant (s) or
Consultancy firm(s) to submit their expressions of interest to conduct the
nutrition desk review in all 10 districts namely Nyamasheke, Nyamagabe,
Karongi, Ngororero, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Gatsibo, Bugesera, Kayonza and Ngoma.

1.2.
Background and Rationale:

Cultivating
New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is implementing the Feed the Future Rwanda
Hinga Weze Activity and coordinating the work of a consortium of local and
international partners, including Plan International, HarvestPlus, Souktel,
Rwanda Development Organization (RDO) and the Imbaraga Farmer Federation.
Launched in June 2017, Hinga Weze will sustainably increase smallholder
farmers’ incomes, improve the nutritional status of Rwandan women and children,
and increase the resilience of the agriculture and food systems in a changing
climate. Hinga Weze is being implemented in the following ten districts of
Rwanda: Gatsibo, Kayonza, Bugesera and Ngoma in the Eastern Province; Nyabihu,
Rutsiro, Ngororero, Nyamasheke and Karongi in the Western Province; and Nyamagabe
in the Southern Province.

Plan
International is responsible for improving the nutrition status among
beneficiaries and integrating gender across project components.

The
expected results in 5 years are: i) At least 40% increase in number of women
(aged 15-49) consuming targeted nutrient-rich crops or products, At least 40%
increase in number of children 6-23 months consuming targeted nutrient-rich
crops or products, At least 40%increase in number of children 6-23 months
receiving a minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and At least 40% increase in women’s
dietary diversity score: mean number of food groups consumed.

Plan
International is a global development and humanitarian organization founded 80
years ago that is active in over 70 countries. Its mission is to advance
children’s rights and equality for girls (https://plan-international.org).

2.
Project Goal

To
sustainably increase smallholder farmers’ income, improve nutritional status of
Rwandan women and children, and increase the resilience of agriculture and food
systems to the changing climate.

Specific
objective 1:
To increase productivity and link farmers to markets;

Specific
objective 2:
To strengthen business and management practices of agribusinesses;

Specific
objective 3:
To promote the consumption of locally-available, nutrient-rich diets; and
support equitable household decision-making.

3.
Objectives of the assignement
3.1 General objective

The
general objective of this assignment is to conduct the nutrition sensitive desk
review for Hinga Weze activity.

3.2
Specific objectives

The
specific objectives of this assessment are to:

1)
Develop nutrition sensitive agriculture dimensions’ framework for nutrition
desk review .

2)
Assist the Hinga Weze staff and partners to mainstream nutrition in all
components of the Project.

3)
Recommend on how best the Project can achieve targets for nutrition indicators
(16. Women’s dietary diversity score: Mean number of food group consumed by
women of reproductive age; 17. Percentage of children 6-23 months receiving a
minimum acceptable diet (MAD); 18. Number of households increasing income
for purchase of nutritious foods for women and children; 19. Prevalence of
children 6-23 months consuming targeted nutrient-rich value chain crops or
products; 20. Prevalence of women of reproductive age (15-49) consuming
targeted nutrient-rich value chain crops or products and 21. Number of
households using improved supported food safety practices as a result of USG
assistance).

4.
Target groups (intended users of the report)

Multiple
stakeholders including Hinga Weze activity beneficiaries, volunteers (Twigire
muhinzi Farmer Promoters, FFS facilitators and CHWs), local government, local
implementing partners, Donors and Hinga Weze component leads.

5.
Tasks

The
Consultant will perform the following tasks:

Conduct
a nutrition desk review with key informant interviews to
highlight the causes of malnutrition in Rwanda, related activities,
partners, tools, messaging, channels, and approaches used to fight against
it.
Assess
the 10 District Plan to Eliminate Malnutrition (DPEM), conduct
beneficiaries’ focus group discussions and lay out the
key gaps and weaknesses, duplicative and complementary activities, and new
opportunities for partnership and collaboration to fight against
malnutrition.
Undertake
a Nutrition gap analysis of the Feed the Future/Hinga Weze Activity,
including project goals; expected results; activities/components/services;
and indicators, planning and monitoring tools. Provide recommendations for
implementation that will support nutrition integration across the project.
This work should include not only the identification of gaps, but also
recommended ways to address these gaps so that ways forward to address
nutrition challenges are linked to actual activities and approaches that
constitute an operational response to each challenge to improve the nutritional
status of Rwandan women and children.

6.
Consultancy approaches and Deliverables

The
proposed approaches include:

i)
Literature review of pertinent secondary sources
ii) Primary sources including key informant interviews and
Focus group discussions

The deliverables include:

i)
Inception report with detailed methodology, including data gathering and
nutrition analysis tools, High-level annotated outline of the anticipated
report, supported by anticipated methodology, for approval. The anticipated
report will have the following key points:

Table
of content;
List
of abbreviations;
Executive
summary;
Background
and objectives of the assessment;
Conceptual
Framework, Methodology and limitations;
Findings,
Analysis and Interpretation;
Recommendations
by activity component and viii) References and Annexes.

ii)
Draft report and Stakeholders’ validation workshop report to be approved
by feed the future Hinga Weze Activity team.
iii)   Nutrition sensitive agriculture mainstreaming strategy
with related Implementation plan and capacity building plan.
iv)   Tools/ guidelines for nutrition sensitive
implementation/integration within different project components or services
including Nutrition Strategy, approved policies.
v)   List of identified key actors and their areas of
interventions and where they operate.
vi)   Final report of Nutrition desk review completed to inform
HW activities incorporating the feedback from feed the future Hinga weze team
and recommendations on how best we can achieve targets for indicators 16-21 of
MEL plan (16. Women’s dietary diversity score: Mean number of food group
consumed by women of reproductive age; 17. Percentage of children 6-23 months
receiving a minimum acceptable diet (MAD); 18. Number of households
increasing income for purchase of nutritious foods for women and children; 19.
Prevalence of children 6-23 months consuming targeted nutrient-rich value chain
crops or products; 20. Prevalence of women of reproductive age (15-49)
consuming targeted nutrient-rich value chain crops or products and 21. Number
of households using improved supported food safety practices as a result of USG
assistance.

7.
Timeline

The
consultancy is expected to be carried out within 30calendar
days in the period of November –December 2017, starting from the date of
contract signature by two parties.

8.
Expertise required

The
consultant/firm must have:

Experience
of 5 yearsand expertise in nutrition sensitive activities,substintial
experience in designing,implementing and analysingnutritionand health
contexts required;
Experience
in working with multi sectoral projects or programs. Demonstrated capacity
in research methods including data analysis, qualitative and
quantitativemethods and focus groups discussions, key informant interviews
required.
Previsous
experience in similar work will be helpful, fluency inenglish and
knowledge of rwandan context are required.

9.
Instructions for the preparation of the technical and financial proposal

9.1.
Technical Proposal should explain how the applicant
intends to carry out the work in detailed document with provided
timeline. Pages in excess of the 4 page limit will not be read or evaluated.
The technical proposal should be written in English and include the following:

i)
Technical Approach (1 page): The Bidder shall demonstrate its
understanding, ability and overall approach to performing the requirements
described in the Statement of Work;

ii)
Personnel Qualifications and Availability (1 page): The Bidder
shall identify in summary format the names, education, experience and
professional qualifications of individual/firm individuals proposed for this
Statement of Work.

Past
Performance and
Timeframe for completion(1 page): The Bidder shall submit a list of
related contracts and subcontracts that are similar to the scope.
Bidder shall provide the contact details for reference
purposes.Additionally, the Bidder shall explain the amount of time
required for each element in the Statement of Work.
Bidder
shall also provide:a profile of the consulting firm including the full
names, physical addresses, telephone numbers and contact person of the
firm/company; date of registration, registration number, copy of
registration certificate and VAT certificate; names of directors. Copy of
CVS of the consultant and his/her team who will undertake the training

9.2.
The Financial Proposal should explain the costs of the
assignment (1 page):

Itemized
consultant’s fees
Expected
payment plan and method
Tax
status of the Consultant/Consultancy Firm in Rwanda and legal registration

10.
How to apply

Interested
bidders are requested to submit their applications in hard copies in sealed
envelopes with mention “Consultancy to conduct a nutrition mapping review of
Feed the Future Hinga Weze Project”and should be delivered to Plan
International Rwanda, Country Office, Plot 821, Gasabo District, Kagugu Sector,
Gacuriro Cell in Kigali City.

The
deadline for application is scheduled on November 21, 2017 at 12 am
(Kigali GMT+2).

For
further details please contact the reception of Plan International Rwanda at
+250 788305392. Only successful bidders will be notified and Plan International
Rwanda reserves the right to reject any of the bids.