Consultancy Full-Time

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Situation analysis on nutrition status for Catalyzing Strengthened policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) project.

Background

Founded in 1945, CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) is a leading international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE is a global leader in a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty. CARE seeks a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security. CARE works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice, putting women and girls in the center.

CARE is a global leader in a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty. CARE seeks a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security. CARE works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice, putting women and girls in the center. CARE International began its work in Mozambique in 1984, providing large-scale, emergency humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the protracted war between government and rebel forces. Since the end of the war in 1992, CARE has responded to people’s needs in the areas of health, water and sanitation, agriculture, as well as economic empowerment and food assistance. One of CARE’s main areas of focus is the empowerment of women and girls and the strengthening of local civil society.

Overview of the project

CARE and GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), two organizations that have extensive experience in fighting malnutrition, have joined as a Consortium and won a tender to implement a project called “Catalyzing Strengthened policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience” (CASCADE) that is being implemented in 6 countries: Benin, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Mozambique.

CASCADE has two strategic objectives, that represent the long-term outcomes of the  CASCADE program, required to achieve the program’s goal: strategic objective 1: To increase access to and consumption of healthy diets among household members in the six programme countries, particularly women of reproductive age and children; and the strategic objective 2: To increase resilience to economic-and climate change-related shocks and stresses of household members in the six programme countries, particularly women of reproductive age and children. The project has five different domains. These are:

D1. Government bodies effectively implement nutrition-related policies promoting year-round consumption of healthy diets, particularly for women of reproductive age.

D2. Private service providers offer accessible and affordable products and services, promoting year-round consumption of healthy diets, particularly for women of reproductive age.

D3. Community members, advocates, and government service providers are drivers of change that positively influence the implementation of nutrition-related policies and practices.

D4. Empowered women have increased knowledge, skills, and resources to produce, acquire, prepare and consume healthy diets for themselves and their children, D5. Strengthened coordination and linkages among food system actors and processes.

At the Mozambican level, the project will be implemented in the Nampula Province, with specific headquarters in the district of Nacala Porto.

CARE (Netherlands and US) and GAIN form the consortium and are equal partners in CASCADE. CASCADE works with 3 Key Stakeholder groups (see below) to implement the main goal of CASCADE, to implement nutrition policy.

Objective of the assessment

General Objectives

The overall objectives of the assignment are to:

• Examine knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, norms and practices and food taboo to produce, acquire, prepare, and consume a healthy and diverse diet of our targeted communities.
• Explore how women – including female small-scale food producers – can gain access to and control over resources that will enable them to produce and/or acquire nutritious food (including food processing, food storage, post-harvest losses).
• Describe the current state of gender dynamics at a household level highlighting the most significant gender issues which impact the nutritional status of women of reproductive age, young children and adolescent girls and boys.
• Assess the level of knowledge about fortified foods at community level (use and access).
• Generate recommendations that can assist the CASCADE project in achieving results.

Specific Objectives

• Provide local context-specific details on knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive practices that impact women of reproductive age, young children and adolescent girls and boys.
• The trends of healthier food preparation, and consumption.
• Adaptations during times of food shortage.
• Quality of services (health, nutrition, hygiene) that can impact the nutrition practice of the WRA, children, and adolescent boys and girls.
• Identify the processes and factors that influence (enable or disable) transformation in behaviour change in these areas (such as intra-household dynamics).
• Suggest how women’s empowerment and men’s engagement can be defined and measured regarding nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive practices and the project outcomes.

Purpose and scope of the consultancy

In addition to the baseline study, the CASCADE project plans to generate in-depth qualitative data about communities’ perceptions on food and nutrition in targeted districts, within the most vulnerable communities where CASCADE will implement activities, nutrition-related information from districts and provincial Health departments and from local partners.

The results of the assessment will inform the selection of the key behaviors, practices, norms, and taboos to focus on, as well as structural issues within health services that CASCADE should focus on.

Methodology

The assignment will be conducted in CASCADE project implementation areas: Nacarroa, Erati and Nacala-a-velha districts.

• The consultant should propose a detailed methodology to complete the assessment effectively and efficiently considering the following recommendations: Tools and methodology
  • Assess the knowledge, behaviours and practices within of the target groups and those key influential community groups including the religious leaders and gate-keepers on food and nutrition.
  • Identify the gender norms that impact food and nutrition of target groups and key influences.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following products within the proposed timeline. The implementation of the assignment will take approximately 65 days and is expected to be completed in a maximum of 1 1/3 months from the date the contract agreement is signed. An indicative timeline for the assignment is presented below.

Submission of proposal

Consultants/firms who meet the requirements below should submit a proposal to CARE up 10th of April 2023, which should include the following:

• Cover letter describing how the consultant/firm’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives as well as the candidate’s interest in the consultancy. This letter should not be longer than one page.
• A technical proposal containing the interest and motivation of the consultant or firm, clear framework, methodology and approach, timeline/work plan, comments on the Terms of Reference (TOR), experience and profile of the consultant or firm, and any other relevant information regarding the specific assignment. If available attach sample works.
• A work plan for this assignment should be developed about the methodology suggested by the consultant/firm and the number of days set for this assignment.
• This technical proposal should not be longer than 10 pages.
• Copy of relevant documents.
• CVs, including detailed work experience and education.
• Financial Proposal. The consultant should estimate the cost and prepare a detailed budget for the key activities or phases in the work plan. Cost estimates may cover items including, professional fees, per diem and other expenses, payments for interviewers, data processors, secretarial services, applicable tax, etc.

Knowledge and experience in team

At least 10 years of proven experience in conducting Social and behavior change, gender norms and nutrition, food, and agriculture analyses. Team leaders who worked on Gender, nutrition, and agriculture will be an added advantage.

Key staff data

• A detail of the experience of previously conducted similar assignments and capacity to undertake the assignment;
• Recent CV including experience in similar assignments and the lead person plus three professional references including previous clients.

Skills and qualifications

The selected consultant or team of consultants should be able to prove:

• Education: at least a master’s or an advanced university degree in Gender Studies, socio-economic studies, social science, nutrition, or related fields.
• Languages: Fluency in English and Portuguese.
• Good understanding of the project target area particularly the Nampula Province and selected districts.
• Competencies and skills: proven ability to carry out research and to write technical papers, showing analytical and innovative perspectives, ability to engage with local partners and facilitate and propose solutions.

Eligibility

The consultant(s) should have:

• Experience in similar assignments for INGOs.
• Availability and willingness to travel immediately, upon signature of the contract.
• Previous experience in working in similar locality and ability to speak and write in English and Portuguese.
• Ability to adhere to deadlines and flexibility.

Selection/evaluation criteria

The selection committee will review all applications after the submission deadline. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above. The following are the evaluation/selection criteria for the technical and financial proposals:

Technical

• Understanding of ToR – 10%.
• Methodology – 25%.
• Proposal presentation – 10%.
• Relevant experience, organization’s past performance in the relevant job, and team composition – 25%.
• Key personnel interview (if needed) – (+10% if needed).
• Overall assessment – 80%

Financial

• Budget realism and reasonableness – 15%.
• Bottom-line price analysis – 5%.
• Overall assessment – 20%.

Applications

Applicants should submit their technical proposal and financial proposal separately. The technical and financial proposals constitute 80% and 20% of the total evaluation score, respectively. The three firms/consultants with passing and highest technical points will have their financial proposals evaluated, and the bidder with the highest total of technical and financial scores (with their respective weights) will be selected.

Interested firms should send an email requesting the full TOR, please email Carla.dasilva@care.org and Cristovao.cuco@care.org to receive the full TOR. The deadline to submit the proposal is [14/04/2023 ate 16:00, Maputo Local time]. All applications marked as “Catalyzing Strengthened policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) project nutritional assessment Consultancy” should be submitted in person to CARE