Consultant

Job Description

Terms of Reference (TOR) 

  for engaging a consultant to undertake community survey including participatory

assessment of community needs for KP program design

Position Title: Consultant (To undertake community survey including participatory assessment of community needs for KP program design) 

Project Title: GC7 Implementation of HIV/AIDS Services in the DICs and Communities Across Supported Districts in Sierra Leone

Organization: Project HOPE Sierra Leone

Location: Communities across six districts of Western Area Urban, Moyamba, Bo, Kailahun, Bombali and Kono in Sierra Leone

Type of Engagement: Contract 

Expected start and end dates: 

Reports to: Technical Lead

Deadline for receiving final report: 

Project Background

Project HOPE is an international NGO with employees and volunteers who work around the globe, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients, provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local healthcare organizations around the world, helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up, and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide. 

As an implementing mechanism, Project HOPE has the mandate to lead the implementation of interventions related to improving access and inclusion of services for KP and AGYW seeking HIV prevention, care, and treatment services across selected districts in Sierra Leone. The aim of this project is to sustainably improve access and quality of HIV prevention, care and treatment services among KP and AGYW.  The GC7 HIV and KP program prevention, care, and treatment interventions are being implemented by Project HOPE as a sub-recipient to World Vision International Sierra Leone, funded by the Global Fund. 

Context and Description of Assignment

Project HOPE Sierra Leone is looking for an independent consultant to undertake a 30-day community survey, including a participatory assessment of community needs for KP program design, across six districts of Western Area Urban, Moyamba, Bo, Kailahun, Bombali, and Kono, with the support and supervision of the Project HOPE team. 

The survey’s main objective is to collect data and information from a representative sample of KP community to gain a clear picture of their needs and expectations to facilitate seamless access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services. This survey is expected to establish the initial conditions of KP program as well as needs and expectations of the community members. The findings therein are expected to serve as essential tools in learning and improving KP program under the Global Fund GC7 through evidence- informed recommendations from the assessment. Therefore, the Consultant is expected to work with KP community with Project Hope’s team oversight from P to assess the community needs of various KP typologies as related to “GC7 Implementation of HIV/AIDS Services in the DICs and communities across supported districts in Sierra Leone” 

Survey Objective  

• To conduct a community survey in Sierra Leone districts, engaging Key Population typologies to explore their health and social needs and enhance current KP programming.

• Conduct a community survey in Sierra Leone’s districts to assess the health and social needs of key population groups and improve current programming.

• To conduct a community survey in Sierra Leone’s districts, engaging various key population groups to assess their health and social needs and enhance current programming for these populations.

Hypothesis 

• Participatory engagement of Key Population communities will support recommendations for program improvement 

• Engaging Key Population communities in the decision-making process will help generate recommendations for improving programs.

• Empowering Key Population communities to actively participate in surveys will drive impactful recommendations for enhancing program effectiveness.

Specific task to be accomplished by the consultant include:

Preparatory phase (10 days) – 

1. Develop and finalize questionnaires, FGD and KII checklists as well as other assessment tools, materials that reflect all KP typologies.
2. Review necessary documents and secondary information and consult key stakeholders.
3. Lead adaptive validation of the survey tools with the KP community including existing CSOs leadership to ensure survey questions and checklists are acceptable and okay by the community members.
4. Work with KP communities to identify, validate (Collect contact details of data collectors including full names and phone numbers, and ensure it matches with their bank account details)
5.  and engage experienced data collectors/enumerators.
6. Develop a detailed plan and methodology, including a work schedule for data collectors/enumerators across all typologies of KPs.
7. Identify survey sample per typology and district, finalize and assign designated data collectors as appropriate. 
8. Lead the orientation of the enumerators on the assessment, data collection and transmission processes. 

Data Collection Process (10days) – 

1. Use the identified and assigned enumerators to collect quality and meaningful data across all typologies of KP.
2. Supervise the data collection process across all the selected districts
3. Provide required support and requested information to Project HOPE team to facilitate coordination of the assessment.
4. Supervise data entry into project database as required by Project HOPE

Data analysis (5 days) 

1. Data entry 
2. Data checking and cleaning using the appropriate tool
3. Carry out necessary analysis and synthesize finding
4. Provide recommendations.

Report writing and dissemination (5 days)

1. Draft assessment report
2. Work with Project HOPE to organize a meeting with stakeholders to present the findings from the assessment.
3. Prepare and submit final report with clear recommendations on how to improve KP program across communities in the districts 

Schedule for Key Activities and Deliverables

Scope of work:

The survey aimed to identify and describe the community needs and expectations of various typologies of KP related to “GC7 Implementation of HIV/AIDS Services in the DICs and Communities across supported districts in Sierra Leone” under World Vision International supervision and guidance. In line with Project HOPE’s expectation; the consultant will work closely with the data collectors to collect data and information to evaluate the basic health needs and expectations across various genders, ages, and typologies of KP.  The survey should assess the knowledge, attitude, acceptability and practice of existing KP program interventions across communities in Sierra Leone.  Further to this, it should look into the current status of HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions, skill of practices among providers, leveraging of technologies, and adoption of new technologies in improving KP program It will also explore additional social needs of KP beyond access to care and treatment to empower KPs for social stability.

Main participants of the survey

The main participants in the community needs assessments include members of various KP typologies, including beneficiaries of the GC7 grant.

Area of Coverage

GC7 HIV/AIDS response is implemented in the DICs and communities across selected districts of Western Urban, Moyamba, Bo, Kailahun, Bombali, and Kono in Sierra Leone. Thus, considering the above, the consultant conducting the survey will ensure a well-designed sampling technique for appropriate representation of the KP typologies across the districts and communities where the survey will be conducted

Methodology:

A mixed methodology of data collection (qualitative and quantitative) will be employed and will include information gathered from members of KP community tailored to evaluating their needs and expectations. Where applicable, the consult will equally lead secondary data collection to complement quality data collected during FGD and KII.All data, qualitative and quantitative, collected through the assessment shall be disaggregated by age, sex, ethnicity, typology and wherever appropriate per district. Finally, the consultant is expected to propose a suitable methodology for carrying out the work and fulfilling the objectives of the survey as well as adhere to the ethical standard (see below).

Quantitative data collection

The consultant will design the questionnaire for a quantitative survey based on the logical model. This will be finalized by incorporating feedback from members of the KP community and field pretesting of the tools. The data collection modality will be mobile-based, but exemptions might be allowed in consultation with the KP community. In consultation with the KP community, the consultant may consider other techniques, such as telephone, SMS, and online, acceptable by the KP community. Also, existing data sources will be consulted to complement the information collected. 

Qualitative data collection

The consultant should utilize qualitative methods such as Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII), as well as participatory exercises and approaches. At least one of these methods should be employed in each selected KP community or typology.:

▪ Focus Group Discussions (FGD)

▪ Key Informant Interviews (KII)

▪ In-depth Interview (IDI)

▪ Participants Observations

Sample size determination of participants

The survey will be conducted in various communities and areas using appropriate statistical sampling procedures. The final sample size will be determined after consulting with key stakeholders (Project HOPE, WVI, KP community, NACP) to ensure it is representative of all key population typologies.. 

The consultant will suggest a detailed approach and methodology for conducting the survey in compliance with the goals and objectives of GC7 grant.

Duration of the survey and schedule of the reports: The total time duration of the assignment will be 30 working days.

Quality and Ethical Standard

The hired consultant should take all reasonable steps to ensure the following

• The survey is designed and conducted to respect and protect the rights and welfare of Key Populations (KPs) as well as the communities to which they belong.To ensure that the survey is technically accurate, reliable, and legitimate
• The survey is conducted in a transparent and impartial manner 
• The assessment contributes to organizational learning, and  KP program improvement .

Reports and deliverables

The consultant should provide the following deliverables:

1. i) An inception report with a detailed work plan, schedule (Gantt chart) in line with the timelines  detailed in the  TOR and a detailed questionnaire/checklist for interviewing respondents. The inception report should elaborate on the proposed tasks, activities and deliverables. The inception report will also contain a sample size with a detailed study methodology. The inception report will also include an outline of the contents of the final survey report, the orientation plan for enumerators (data collectors) and data quality control measures.
2. ii) A detailed determination of sample size and sampling frame using statistical tools and formula.

iii) Survey questionnaire, FGD and KII checklist to capture all required data and assessment information.

1. iv) Final survey presentation. The consultant will present the draft report highlighting major findings. The final report should be written in common English. It should reflect all KP typologies and be submitted along with the questionnaires and qualitative checklists. The report should also include a list of enumerators with their contact details. 
2. v) Findings brief. The consultant should provide a brief of the findings corresponding to the objectives of the study that can be widely circulated. The brief of the survey could be in few pages may be within three pages.
3. vi) Final Report: The final report will contain a short executive summary and a main body of the report covering the background of the KP community evaluated, a description of the evaluation methods and limitations, findings, conclusions, lessons learned, recommendations and action points related to these. The following outline should be used while preparing the final report:

▪ Acknowledgements

▪ Acronyms (if applicable)

▪ Executive Summary

▪ Background

▪ Rationale and Objectives of the Survey

▪ Scope of the Survey

▪ Evaluation Methodology

▪ Findings and Discussion

▪ Recommendations

▪ Conclusion and lessons learned (if any)

▪ References

▪ Annex (Including a copy of the TOR, cited resources or bibliography/reference, questionnaires/checklists and any other relevant materials etc.).

 Qualification 

The ideal candidate for this Job should meeting the following criteria

1. Have master’s degree in the relevant field including epidemiology, public health, health management, and equivalents
2. First degree in the field of Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Public health or Community health is preferrable 
3. Have minimum of 5 years of experience working with KP/ or a KP with KP programming experience 
4. Have a minimum of 4 years’ experience working in an HIV and or TB program
5. Possess basic survey skills with evidence, including the ability to use analysis software proficiently- Excel, SPSS, STATA
6. Conversant with Sierra Leone Key population program 

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to: RecruitmentSL@projecthope.org with email subject “Consultant  – KP Community Survey”.

Due to the substantial number of inquiries, we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be considered. No phone calls please. 

However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise.