RFP Number	EHRA-01-03
RFP Title	External consultant. EECA Regional Civil Society Survey.
RFP Closing Date and time:	23:59 EET on February 07, 2024
Proposal Submission Address:	info@harmreductioneurasia.org

Background

The Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination (Platforms) were established in 6 regions of the world by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) within its Community, Rights and Gender Special Initiative (CRG-SI) implemented throughout 2014-2016. The work of the Platforms was reaffirmed to be executed throughout 2017-2020, 2021 2023 and 2024–2026 within the 2nd, 3rd and 4th phases of the now called Community Engagement Strategic Initiative (CE SI). Since 2017 Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) is hosting the Regional Platform for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) (starting from 2024 also known as EECA Learning Hub).

The Regional Learning Hubs are expected to have a key role in engaging civil society organizations and community networks in the Global Fund processes. They are responsible for fostering regional dialogue, exchange knowledge and good practices among civil society actors and networks, as well as disseminating information on technical assistance opportunities across civil society and community groups across all countries where the Global Fund has grants and/or countries under the Global Fund multi-country grants.

Therefore, one of the objectives of the EECA Learning Hub is to enhance community knowledge of the Global Fund and its processes, through the regular mutual sharing of tailored and targeted information with a diverse audience.

In order to achieve this objective in 2024 – 2026 and to better address the learning needs of the civil society and communities in EECA, in the first quarter of 2024 EHRA within its EECA Learning Hub project is planning to conduct a survey to understand the specific learning needs of HIV and TB communities in EECA on the Global Fund related issues.

EHRA is looking for a consultant to develop and conduct this Regional Civil Society Survey in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Purpose and scope of the survey

The survey aims to help the EECA Learning Hub to better understand the specific Global Fund related learning needs of HIV and TB communities, key affected populations (KAPs) and civil society partners in the EECA region to properly plan the work of the EECA Learning Hub in 2024 – 2026.

It is expected that the survey will help to understand the following (but not limited to):

• What are the learning priorities of civil society including communities’ representatives on Global Fund-related issues (specific subjects, national, global level, etc.)?
• Why people need the specific Global Fund-related information, for what engagement purposes, and how might it help them?
• What are the major barriers to learning about community engagement in Global Fund processes and how could these be overcome?
• Are there any learning needs that could be addressed through access to Technical Assistance?
• Are there any examples of successful community engagement in Global Fund-related processes that should be showcased for others to learn from?
• Are there any countries facing similar challenges, or with similar learning priorities, who could be twinned together for peer-learning?
• What are the most appropriate formats of learning/ information sharing?
• What Learning Hub could do differently to better address the learning needs?

Key tasks for the Consultant

Task #1 – Review of Materials

After the contract between EHRA and Consultant is signed the Consultant will review the following:

• Learning Hub’s communication channels including website and accounts in social networks (Twitter, Facebook);
• Learning Hub’s work plan for 2024 – 2026;
• EHRA report on the EECA Regional Platform’s work in 2021 – 2023;

• All relevant documents will be provided by EECA Learning Hub/ EHRA.

Task #2 – Developing and Conducting Survey: Interviews & Online Survey

1. Semi-structured interviews with representatives of the following groups:
2. NGOs which received Global Fund’s Community Engagement (CE) TA with the support of the EECA Platform in 2021 – 2023 (3 interviews)
3. Partners involved in the implementation of the Component 2 of the CE SI in EECA region both within the current and previous phases (2 interviews)
4. CE TA providers which had the experience of CE TA provision in EECA region in 2021 – 2023 (3 interviews)
5. Global Fund representatives including CE SI staff, CRG investment support advisor and others from Grant Management Division, as relevant (2 interviews)
6. Key EHRA partners in the region from among national and regional key populations networks (2 interviews)
7. Activists from among the following communities in EECA countries – People Living with HIV (PLH), Sex Workers (SWs), People Who Use Drugs (PUD), LGBTQI+, people living with or affected by TB, prisoner/ex-prisoner, migrant populations (6 interviews)

The Consultant will:

• Prepare the list of the interviewees with the help of EECA Learning Hub. Some interviewees might represent more than one group.
• Develop separate questionnaires for each group of interviewees.
• Confirm the list of interviewees and questionnaires with the EECA Learning Hub before the start of interviews.
• Conduct not less than 16 interviews covering all the above-listed groups (as some of the respondents could represent 2 or more groups).

• Online survey in two languages (Russian and English) available for any interested civil society and communities’ representatives from EECA region. SurveyMonkey or Google forms could be used as a base for the online survey:
  • Develop and share the online survey form.
  • Confirm the survey form with the EECA Learning Hub before sharing.
  • Collect and analyze information from the online survey.

Task #3 – Report

1. Prepare and confirm with the EECA Learning Hub the structure of the survey report.
2. Prepare the draft report on the results of the survey and present it for the review to the EECA Learning Hub/ EHRA.
3. Incorporate comments provided by the EECA Learning Hub and finalize the report.

Timeline and process

Activity	Timeline
Negotiations of the contract – content of the assignment, payment, timelines.	By Feb 12
Development of the (1) list of interviewees, (2) questionnaires for the semi-structured interviews and (3) online survey form.	By Feb 19
Conducting the interviews, collecting data through the online survey.	By March 22
To propose and agree with the EECA Learning Hub on the outline and structure of the report on the results of the survey.	By March 22
Provide draft report on the results of the survey to the EECA Learning Hub.	By April 12
Finalize the report based on the received feedback and comments from EECA Learning Hub.	By April 22

Deliverables

Report summarizing the results of the survey:

• should not exceed 15 pages (excluding annexes if any);
• prepared in Russian or English.

Cost and payment

The final cost of the contract will be calculated based on the number of working days indicated by the Consultant in their application required to complete each stage of the assessment process described in this Request for Proposals (RFP), as well as the daily rate (in Euros) confirmed and agreed with EHRA. The daily rate must include all taxes to be paid by the Consultant.

Payment will be executed for the completed services after the exception by EHRA of the report on the results of the survey and based on the invoice and act of services rendered.

Evaluation Criteria

An evaluation panel will assess the extent to which proposals submitted in response to this RFP meet the evaluation criteria below.

The minimum technical score is 90. Only candidates with a minimum score of 90 points out of a maximum of 100 are considered eligible for the assignment. Consultants with proven work experience in the community organizations would be given priority.

The candidates with the highest technical score that meet the requirement will be invited for negotiation of the agreement.

Criteria	Weighting
Have experience in conducting of similar surveys in last three years (should be clear from LoI and CV)	20 points
Good communication skills including experience in interviewing people and report writing (should be clear from LoI and CV)	20 points
Have a good understanding of the Global Fund, its policies and processes including those taking place in EECA region and preferably has personal involvement into relevant processes (should be clear from LoI)	15 points
Strong connection with affected communities as well as representatives of NGOs and CBOs involved in implementation of the Global Fund grants in EECA	15 points
Preferably – have a good understanding of the work of the EECA Regional Platform in the region (should be clear from CV and LoI)	15 points
Optimal funding proposal	15 points
Total	100 points

Additionally, the consultants should have:

• No conflict of interest (should be declared in the Letter of Interest);
• Fluent written and spoken English and Russian

This RFP shall not be construed as a contract or a commitment of any kind. This request for proposals in no way obliges EHRA to award a contract, nor does it commit EHRA to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposals.

How to apply

Individual consultants are invited to submit CV and the Letter of Interest (LoI) – covering the above-mentioned criteria, estimated number of working days and daily rate – to info@harmreductioneurasia.org with the subject “RFP EHRA-01-03: Consultant to conduct the EECA Regional Civil Society Survey” to by COB 07 February 2024 24:00 EET.