NIGERIA TOBACCO CONTROL DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVE- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR TCDI NIGERIA DATA COLLECTION

NIGERIA TOBACCO CONTROL DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CLOSING DATE:    13 AUG 2021

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI), implemented by Development Gateway in partnership with the University of Cape Town and funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a project that aims to supply Sub-Saharan African (SSA) governments with improved access to country-specific data that will inform better tobacco control policy design and implementation. This project aims to design and develop national online websites that contain data and research related to tobacco control. This information is showcased to meet the needs of government stakeholders, as well as civil society and academia. The dashboard will be informed by data from primary sources (either primary data collected during our project or existing secondary data made publicly available) as well as secondary sources (such as papers published in peer-reviewed journals). The purpose of this RFP is to identify a data collection firm to collect primary quantitative and qualitative data on factors (social, cultural, behavioral, etc.) contributing to the use of shisha in Nigeria.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Development Gateway (DG) is an international nonprofit organization that creates innovative information management and data visualization technology, implements data-focused programs, and conducts research and evaluation to further sustainable development. DG supports public and private sector actors in collecting, analyzing and using data in the health sector for policymakers and development agencies to make more effective decisions and to improve service delivery. Our partners in this work include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, USAID, and MCC. DG is headquartered in Washington, DC, and is exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A more complete overview of DG can be viewed at http://www.developmentgateway.org.

For the TCDI project, Development Gateway is partnering with the University of Cape Town’s Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP), an accredited research unit with the School of Economics. REEP focuses on supporting public health through rigorous research in tobacco, alcohol and sweetened beverages.

SCOPE OF WORK

The objective of this consultancy is to conduct both qualitative and quantitative data collection on a number of indicators related to the use of shisha, hookah, and water pipe tobacco products (collectively referred to as “shisha” in the language of this proposal) in Nigeria. The qualitative data will be collected first and used to inform the content of the quantitative survey questionnaire. The proposed budget for this project should not exceed USD $240,000 (see more details on budget in Proposal Submission Instructions).

In this section, we discuss the anticipated work to be included in this consultancy. Please note that this section discusses expectations around the work itself – and not information requested for the proposal.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Both the quantitative and qualitative data collected in this study will aim to answer the following questions:

• Primary research question: “What factors (social, cultural, behavioral, etc.) are contributing to the use of shisha in Nigeria?”. This will include an analysis of the demographics of shisha users in our survey, including age, gender, ethnicity, religion, geographic area, education level, employment, etc.
• Other questions or variables of interest:
• Are participants aware of the negative health impacts of shisha use? What are the prevailing misconceptions regarding health and shisha use?
• What aspects entice people to either start or continue smoking shisha (flavors, peer pressure, perception that shisha is less harmful, etc.)?
• Does shisha use occur primarily in the home or in public settings?
• Does shisha use occur primarily in individual or social settings?
• Did initiation occur in social settings? Was peer pressure a significant factor in initiation?
• Are there other external factors influencing initiation and use (advertisements, movies, social media, etc.)?
• To what extent are health warnings clear and understood by shisha users?
• To what extent are retailers enforcing local laws and regulations on shisha use?
• To what extent are shisha users engaging in other risky behaviors?

RESEARCH APPROACH

In order to derive the most policy-relevant and actionable data from this study, we propose a two-phase mixed methods approach to data collection. The aim of this two-phased approach will be to generate appropriately powered and nationally representative survey data based on a set of questions that are customized for the specific context of shisha use in Nigeria.

• Phase 1 will involve semi-structured qualitative interviews with known shisha smokers on factors related to initiation and continuation of shisha use, social and cultural influences, and knowledge of harmful health effects.
• Phase 2 will involve a survey with a larger sample size , with survey questions crafted and informed by the content and analysis of the qualitative interviews.

The selected firm is expected to work closely with the TCDI team to develop the content of the interviews, and especially the survey questionnaire and sampling methodology. At the end of the research in Phase 1, the selected firm will present findings from the semi-structured qualitative interviews to the TCDI team for review. The firm will then work with the TCDI team to identify specific areas of interest — and question design — for the survey questionnaire that are directly informed by the findings of these interviews and will be used in Phase 2 research.

Requirements/characteristics of the Sample for the Data Collection Process

The TCDI team has calculated an estimated sample size for consideration by the firms applying for this consultancy. However, larger sample sizes and modified methodologies are encouraged inasmuch as they help to answer the research questions identified above. Firms should include a detailed sampling and recruitment strategy outlining how they plan to identify, recruit, and/or incentivize known shisha users for the interviews and survey.

The sample of participants for the qualitative interviews should include 30-50 respondents from various age groups, socioeconomic status, and geographic areas (including urban and rural). In-person qualitative interviews are strongly preferred, so long as they do not impact the geographic scope of the sample or violate local COVID-19 ordinances. Where in-person interviews are not possible, firms that propose conducting interviews via phone call or video chat will also be accepted. Proposals should outline interviewing procedures via the following methods: live call centers, SMS/WhatsApp/mobile phone data collection, online surveys, and/or in-person interviews.

The estimated prevalence of shisha product in Nigeria ranges from 7% among adults[1] to 20% among university students.[2], [3] Therefore, the sample of shisha users for the Phase 2 survey should consist of 1100-1200 respondents (who complete the full survey) at minimum to ensure sufficient statistical power to answer the research questions.

Other sampling considerations:

• Respondents must be at least 18 years old.
• Sample should be nationally representative of the population of Nigeria, while also accounting for differences in rural vs urban populations, young adults vs older adults, socioeconomic status, etc.
• In line with other countries, we assume that shisha users are generally younger, urban, with higher socio-economic status. Therefore it may be necessary to stratify to achieve higher proportions of younger, urban and higher-socio-economic status individuals in the sample to ensure we obtain the range of 1100-1200 survey respondents and 50 interview participants (larger sample sizes will be given priority in proposal evaluation). The selected firm will be expected to weigh the data appropriately to accommodate for these population differences.
• A range of age ranges, allowing for stratification in the sample, will also be required.

Upon a firm being selected for data collection, the firm must prepare, in collaboration with the TCDI team, a study protocol detailing the sampling and stratification strategy for both the Phase 1 qualitative interviews and the Phase 2 survey, surveyor recruitment and training plans, details on the uploading and testing of the questionnaire on relevant survey software, procedures on pilot and full data collection, data management, data privacy and security, data cleaning and the calculation of data weights. The protocol should also include a work plan and schedule, appropriate sampling techniques, and expected sample size. The protocol will be finalized and validated in consultation with DG. Both the survey instrument(s) and qualitative interview guides must be field tested during the pilot and may require some revisions as needed.

TIMELINE

PROPOSAL TIMELINE

• Submission of completed proposal due by 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, GMT – 5) on Friday, August 13 2021
• Review of proposals will take place August 16th – August 20th, 2021. Firms may be contacted for follow-on questions as necessary during this week.

Notification and Contract Dates

• The successful firm will be notified at the end of the day Friday, August 20th, 2021
• Contract negotiations will take place following notification, and continue as needed

SCHEDULE FOR CONTRACT

• Contract will be finalized by early September 2021.

Work is estimated to be initiated early September and continue as needed with an estimated completion date of March 2022.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The TCDI team invites data collection companies (or consortiums) to submit a proposal that develops a data collection methodology in accordance with the instructions in this proposal. The successful company/consortium will have the capacity to:

(1) precisely target confirmed and/ or potential shisha users for both phase 1 and phase 2 data collection

(2) develop a semi-structured qualitative interview guide, in consultation with the TCDI team

(3) conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews,

(4) analyse the results of the interviews and present high-level findings to the TCDI team

(5) to work with the TCDI team to develop the survey questionnaire,

(6) conduct/implement the survey, and

(7) to analyze the results of the survey.

Firms should make use of existing technologies and any relevant datasets where applicable. The final methodology may be adjusted based on conversations between DG and the vendor. However we expect that the vendor will propose their own approach. The successful firm will also have the required qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale, targeted data collection efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, with experience in Nigeria strongly preferred. Where the firm is not local, a consortium that includes a local Nigerian data collection firm with previous experience in large-scale efforts will be preferred
• Significant experience in collecting health-related questionnaires, with a strong preference for previous research in tobacco control or similar non-communicable disease research
• Prior experience in collecting and protecting sensitive / protected data
• Demonstrated experience with sampling calculations
• Prior experience in designing and conducting semi-structured qualitative interviews
• Experience analyzing qualitative and quantitative data
• Extensive experience in collecting, uploading, cleaning, and compiling phone/tablet-based data for data analysis
• Experience translating and back-translating surveys (up to four languages anticipated)
• Capacity to provide financial incentives (likely through phones) to respondents
• Demonstrated capacity to deliver in the agreed-upon timeframe
• Access to phone numbers in Nigeria and demographic data of those individuals to stratify, for example, by race, gender, age
• Standards and procedures for informed consent and data protection/privacy

The following capabilities are also valued, but not mandatory.

• Knowledge of geo-spatial/GIS analysis techniques for assessment areas, including real-time mapping of assessor movements (for on-the-ground data collection)
• Previous experience conducting a mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) research study, especially where qualitative analysis informs follow-on surveys

Instructions for submitting the proposal are included below. Information about your company’s required lead time, if you receive this assignment, should also be included. All proposals should be submitted in English.

The following material is to be received by close of business August 13th, 2021 for your proposal to be considered:

(1)  Technical Approach, not to exceed 10 pages in length

(2)  Technical Qualifications (Attachment I); not to exceed 5 pages in length

(3)   Budget (Attachment II)

(4)   Sample Field Reports or Executive Summaries (Attachment III); not to exceed 6 pages in length

The instructions for each of these four sections are included in the below sections.

Technical Approach

Your technical approach, mentioned above, should respond in detail to the scope of work in line with the instructions below:

• Technical capacity overview, which includes:
• Capacity statement describing the organization’s structure and experience, with examples of past similar projects.
• A data analysis plan outlining the methods and processes that will be used to aggregate and analyze both qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data from surveys.
• Suggested process for how you would manage logistics to hire, train assessors, make field visits, collect data, and create procedures for instant upload of data. Include a summary of procedures in case of adverse events that may occur as a result of data collection on the ground, and contingency plans.
• Information about your data verification and validation procedures, during data collection as well as post data collection, and during the data cleaning process.
• A summary of your data confidentiality/security procedures
• A detailed description of the sampling frame you propose to use, including:
• A detailed account that clearly describes the criteria or process by which individuals are included in the sample frame. This narrative account should describe the representativeness of the frame and consider who is excluded from or under-represented in the frame.
• Estimated total response rate. Please note that we anticipate a minimum of 1100 responses being needed, but preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of reaching a larger sample size.
• A full list of variables (e.g. age, gender, socio-economic status, etc.) available in the sampling frame that will allow appropriate stratification of the selected sample:
• Stratification will be important for a) ensuring sufficient sample sizes for groups of interest and b) increasing the probability of finding novel product users by over-sampling groups with higher expected prevalence of use. The more extensive and detailed the set of available variables for individuals in the sample frame, the greater the scope for stratification. Please provide a full list of such variables for your proposed sample frame . The list should indicate the quality of each variable in terms of completeness, accuracy, recentness and any known issues.
• The level of each variable should also be indicated (e.g. individual versus enumerator area).
• Information on response rates:
• Estimates of response rates in general and for specific groups of interest (young adults, and male vs female).
• Strategies for improving response rates.
• Proposed adjustments for non-response.
• Description of your post-stratification approach to reduce coverage bias.
• This description should include an assessment of the variables referred to in the stratification section above in terms of their usefulness in post-stratification.
• Screening procedure:
• To address the low prevalence of shisha use (17-20% of population) together with low response rates for interviews and telephone surveys, some form of screening will be essential to ensure we get sufficient responses. The screening method must not introduce bias while still allowing one to make adjustments for, or at least say something about, the representative of the sample.
• Provide a detailed proposal for screening that gives due consideration to bias and the representative of the sample.
• Technical Qualifications (Attachment I
• Provide an affirmative statement that the firm is independent to DG.
• Provide an affirmative statement that the firm has never received money from the tobacco industry, or any the tobacco industry’s affiliate organizations.
• State the size of the firm, the size of the firm’s technical staff, the location of the office from which the work on this project will be performed
• The names and qualifications/contributions of the individuals to be employed on this project and the anticipated level of effort of key personnel required.
• Provide a list of references for cited work relevant to this proposal including the names and telephone numbers of these clients who may be contacted for references.
• A copy of your corporate business registration and evidence of any necessary insurance for key personnel as well as the company’s plan to provide insurance coverage for individuals who will be hired for data collection

The company that is hired will be responsible for all necessary insurance for all staff contracted to work on this assignment – evidence should be noted in the contract. The contract will require agreement to indemnify DG against any and all medical and ancillary costs that DG may incur on your behalf in any form.

Budget (Attachment II)

In this attachment, please include a budget for the activities proposed in the technical approach. This should include a summary of expenses for personnel and any travel costs. Identify all pricing information broken down by activity in USD. Note that the proposed budget for this project should not exceed USD$240,000, and the value and transparency in the budget proposal is worth 10% of the proposal’s evaluation score.

Sample Field Reports or Executive Summaries

In the attachment, provide up to two sample field reports, or executive summaries, etc. of previous surveys conducted (as allowed by previous contractual agreements). Do not submit more than 6 pages for this section.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your proposal to Annie Kilroy at akilroy@developmentgateway.org  and Megan Little at megan@firdaleconsulting.com with the subject line “RFP FOR TCDI NIGERIA DATA COLLECTION”.

Questions may also be sent to Annie and Megan at any time before Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Answers to questions will be shared with all respondents by Friday, August 6, 2021.