Job Position at Save the Children International

Terms of Reference

Introduction
Working to improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) is looking for a communication specialist consultant to develop a Nutrition Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) strategy and implementation plan focusing on the Infant and Young Child Feeding component, which should be guided by a comprehensive, socio-ecological model for change. The BCC strategic plan should include a budget, and a respective M&E system and tools. Preparatory work for the BCC plan should include an inventory of current BCC strategies and materials being implemented by the programme, that can be specifically disseminated using community involvement: community volunteers (CVs), IYCF support groups, Traditional and religious leaders, Fathers, Traditional Birth attendants , Mothers-inlaws, multimedia mobile units (screening centres, Markets, etc) and a platform of community media. The selected consultant will also be responsible for developing, adapting and pre-testing material and messages, and conduct trainings and capacity building of program staff.

Project Background
Every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of morbidity and mortality of a large proportion of children under-5 in Nigeria. It accounts for more than 50 per cent of deaths of children in this age bracket. Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) is a 6-year project funded by
DFID, which started in September 2011. The overall objective of the project is to reduce mortality through decreasing the incidence and prevalence of under nutrition in Nigeria with focus on Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara States. The programme is implemented by a partnership that includes UNICEF, Save the Children and Action against Hunger (ACF). The overall object of the WINNN programme is to build the capacity of the state and LGAs to implement nutrition interventions as routine services through existing PHC structures and to use evidence-based advocacy to improve political commitment to and government funding for nutrition interventions. WINNN aims to improve maternal and child nutrition in Northern Nigerian through support to primary health care service providers for the implementation nutrition interventions as routine services through existing PHC structures, funded by the Government of Nigeria. Behaviour change communication (BCC), outreach and counselling are key activities for the project under the IYCF output. WINNN’s IYCF intervention promotes early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for newborns and infants, continued breastfeeding for at least 2 years and optimal complementary feeding practices for young children. It targets the first 1,000 days, from conception to two years of age, which provides a window of opportunity to prevent child deaths and ensure healthy growth and brain development.

Justification
BCC materials and methods have been developed in the past 4 years as a means to raise awareness of IYCF; however the materials and methods used have not been strong enough to achieve the desired change in behaviour or to reach the anticipated 90% coverage for successful programming. It is therefore proposed that a consultant be engaged to develop an innovative and comprehensive Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) to increase the uptake of Infant and Young Child feeding messaging (exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding, ANC attendance etc.) by targeted population and also to increase health seeking behaviours amongst pregnant women and nursing mother. This strategy will pay special attention to areas of low IYCF coverage targeting Adolescent girls; first time mothers; Fathers; Traditional, Religious and community leaders; Traditional Birth Attendants and Grandmothers in the 5 implementing Northern Nigerian states

Guiding Principles for development
 Leveraging existing resources
 Prioritizing behaviours
 Context specific solutions (Northern Nigeria and its peculiarities)
Specific objectives include:

1. Objective 1: To review existing WINNN-IYCF BCC strategies
2. Objective 2: To determine key messages to disseminate to the target audiences
   taking into account potential barriers
3. Objective 3: To determine the most appropriate media and channels for reaching
   the target audience for implementing the BCC strategy in line with situation analysis
   findings
4. Objective 4: To lead on IYCF BCC message development, Information Education
   Communication Material, pilot test, refine and finalize;
5. Objective 5: To develop M&E logic model and logic framework for BCC strategy

Task
1) Submit an action plan for conducting a situation analysis and for developing the
BCC strategy, including the timeline, activities, methods/strategies and logistics
2) Conduct a situation analysis via desk review of IYCF messaging uptake in the 5
implementing states using available bibliography, with focus on issues relevant to
BCC. This situation analysis should also document the existing status with IYCF
intervention; a review of past approaches to BCC by WINNN; and a critical
assessment of gaps, constraints and opportunities. This will be conducted
through the following activities:

• A literature review of :

• IYCF project documents and past survey/studies (including KAP surveys, ORIE Studies, UNICEF reports) conducted in the 5 implementing states from WINNN , SPRING, CDGP and other IYCF rapid assessment, formative research, baseline study related to the context.

• Other project implementing BCC in Nigeria, e.g. SPRING and CDGP

• Available international experiences on Nutrition BCC

• Review of the existing IEC/BCC communications methods and materials for CIDD

• Field visits to field offices for participation in F-IYCF/C-IYCF activities and interview/focus group discussion/observation with key stakeholders for IYCF BCC

• In-depth discussions with implementing partners and donor at federal and state level.

3) Development of a draft BCC Strategy for WINNN programme, including, but not
limited to, communication interventions, communicators, audiences, channels,
Messages, Evaluation plan and message strategy. Specific strategies should be
considered for different groups:
a. Pregnant women
b. Lactating women
c. Mothers of children 6 – 24 months
d. First time mothers
e. Adolescents (pregnant and pre-pregnancy)
f. Grandmothers
g. Fathers
h. Traditional, religious and community leaders
4) Revise and finalize the BCC Strategy and the Situation Analysis based on
workshop findings and comments

Consultancy Deliverables
1) Action plan prepared and approved
2) Draft Situation Analysis Report developed and submitted
3) Draft BCC Strategy developed and submitted

4) Pre-testing material and messages conducted
5) Report of pre-test submitted and strategy revised
6) BCC strategy Disseminated at the workshop and shared programme team
7) Final Situation Analysis report and BCC Strategy submitted to Save the Children, Nigeria

Qualification
The consultant should have post graduate degree in public health, behavior change communication, sociology, nutrition, medical/nursing sciences and/or related development studies; or equivalent combination of education and work experience in the context of BCC
Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible work experience in the planning and management of social development programmes including developing countries, with practical experiences in the adaptation and application of communication planning processes to specific programmes.
At least 7 year(s) of relevant technical, capacity building (training, TA, facilitation), program, and leadership experience required in BCC, nutrition, IYCF, public health, partnership-building, program management and monitoring to improve health and/or nutrition behaviour change indicators.

Demonstrated experience and high acceptability in working with government, INGOs, and donors.
Fluent in English and preferably Hausa languages with excellent report writing skills
Preferred experience working in Northern Nigeria or the Sahel region and cultural/religious awareness
Technical Supervision and Approval
Technical supervision for this work will be provided by the Head of Nutrition and Deputy
National Programme Manager WINNN. They will approve the deliverables and any questions or queries should be directed to her.

Estimated timeframe
Minimum of 30 days depending on proposed methodology and workplan

Proposal Instructions and Deadline
Responses to this Request for proposal should be submitted not later than 7th December, 2015 at 5 p.m. (Nigerian time). Offers received after this date and time will not be accepted for consideration.

In order to be considered, Proposals must include the following:

1. Capability Statement – not to exceed three pages, indicating past experience in leading on similar strategy document development
2. Samples of consultancies and strategies developed
3. Client list
4. References – names, company or organization, contact information – of three recent (within the past 2 years) companies that you have consulted for in this capacity
5. Staffing – This is expected to be a dual team consultancy (International and National) please provide names, brief (1/2 page) of lead consultants including their experience and information regarding who will be the lead consultant for contracting purposes.
6. Budget – detailed budget for the above scope(s) of work (broken down into labour cost or personnel costs with an explanation of how the unit costs was reached, detailed travel costs, and other direct costs). Budget must be submitted using the template that is provided. Unit costs, number of units and unit description must be provided. Please also indicate any overhead fees if applicable. Please provide breakdown of costs included in the overhead charges. Budget must be in Naira.

Criteria for Evaluation
SCI anticipates issuing a fixed-price purchase order to the offeror(s) whose proposal is most advantageous, cost and other factors considered. A fixed price contract calls for one firm price, not subject to any adjustment based on the contractor’s cost experience in performance of the contract. This fixed-price is established at the outset, when the contract is negotiated and signed. Proposals will first be evaluated from a technical standpoint. Those proposals that are considered to be technically acceptable shall then be evaluated in terms of cost.

Technical Scores – 80 points max

1. Understanding and experience of the tasks outlined in ToR; methodology/approach, realistic timeline, details of actions – 20 points
2. Institutional experience in Northern Nigeria or similar context – 20 points
3. Lead consultants experience and CV – 40 points

Financial Scores– 20 points max

Following completion of the technical review, the Selection Committee will evaluate relevant cost proposals. Committee will take into consideration clarity and accuracy of budget presentation, details of the budget and budget notes, and cost effectiveness.