Request for Applications (RFA) - SHARE Uganda Mentoring Study

Closing date15 Mar 2024
1. Right To Play International
Right To Play is a global organization committed to improving the lives of children and youth affected by conflict, disease, and poverty. Established in 2000, Right To Play has pioneered a unique play-based approach to learning and development which focuses on quality education, life skills, health, gender equality, child protection and building peaceful communities. With programming in 16 countries, Right To Play transforms the lives of more than 2.3 million children each year, both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to our work with children, Right To Play advocates with parents, local communities, and governments to advance the fundamental rights of all children.

Right To Play is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and in London, UK and has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Our programs are facilitated by more than 500 international staff and 31,900 local teachers and coaches. For more information, follow @RightToPlayIntl and visit www.righttoplay.com.

2. SHARE Project Overview
The Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) project is a five-year project carried out by a consortium of partners with the aim of improving sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) among young people in Ghana, Mozambique, and Uganda. Funded by the Global Affairs Canada, SHARE is led by Right to Play International (RTP), in collaboration with WaterAid (WA) and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE). FHI 360 serves as a key technical partner for the project.

3. Research Overview
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and SRH rights (SRHR) are critical to supporting the health and well-being of young people. Group-based mentoring interventions are a promising approach to improve SRH and realize SRHR among young people. However, key evidence gaps remain in our understanding of the role of group-based mentoring in supporting positive SRH and SRHR among youth, particularly adolescent boys and young men, and our current knowledge relies on heterogenous approaches implemented across diverse settings.

In response, under the SHARE project, FHI 360 is leading an implementation research study that will assess the implementation of an evidence-based mentoring program implemented by the SHARE project in two districts in Uganda. Originally developed and tested in one setting in Uganda, the mentoring program will enroll out-of-school adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and adolescent boys and young men (ABYM) ages 15 to 24 years in gender-specific mentor groups in local communities within Buyende and Adjumani Districts.
Key informants, the full list of which is yet to be determined, but will include program implementers, and district/regional/national stakeholders relevant to intervention implementation and sustainability.
A timeline of study activities is included as Section 5 below.

4. Purpose of Consultancy
Right To Play is seeking to procure the services of an independent, Uganda-based research organization, academic institution, or consultancy firm to work closely with FHI 360 and lead the implementation of main data collection activities in Uganda. FHI 360 will supply an approved study protocol, and related tools, including informed consent forms, questionnaires, IDI guides, and FGD guides. The Service Provider, in close collaboration with FHI 360 researchers, will plan and carry out data collection activities associated with the study. The Service Provider will also support data cleaning, using approved plans and procedures. The Service Provider will be responsible for following the study protocol exactly, unless otherwise agreed upon with FHI 360 and RTP.

In support of the data collection activities, the Service Provider will also coordinate activities preparatory to study implementation, including hiring/procuring the services of qualified data collectors/interviewers; and planning and carrying out a training of these data collectors, with oversight from FHI 360 staff. The Service Provider will also plan and carry out data collection activities in study sites, including: working with FHI 360 and RTP to obtain any required permissions to collect data in the target districts; identifying, recruiting, screening, obtaining informed consent, and enrolling study participants into the study; and collecting data using approved study instruments.

All data collection activities will be conducted face-to-face with study participants by trained data collectors. Structured questionnaires will be administered in an electronic format using computer tablets. In-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD) will be administered following a semi-structured interview guide and will be audio recorded. The Service Provider will be responsible for transcribing interviews in the language in which they took place, translating the transcribed interviews into written English, and responding to any queries from the FHI 360 data analysis team related to the meaning and interpretation of translations.

Participants will be offered compensation for study participation. We estimate compensation to be 15,000 UGX for each participant for each interview. These costs should be included in the Service Provider’s budget.

5. Proposed Scope of Work
Specific responsibilities and tasks for the Service Provider will include:

Study Preparation (March-April 2024)

Recruit, hire, and manage data collectors and supervisors according to a staffing plan that will be approved by FHI 360
Ensure all data collectors, supervisors, and other Service Provider personnel who will take part in this research will have completed and obtained certification of that completion for a research ethics training curriculum prior to the beginning of data collectors’ training
In accordance with guidance provided by FHI 360, plan the logistics required for the first round of data collector training to be co-led by the Service Provider and FHI 360 staff on study procedures, data collection, and data management. Each training is expected to be 5 consecutive business days in length, and to include a field test of data collection instruments Training materials will be jointly developed between the Service Provider and FHI 360 staff.
Participate in finalizing data collection tools, including reviewing and improving translations
Data collection (May 2024-November 2024)

Prior to and throughout data collection for all evaluation components, ensure that relevant authorities and stakeholders are well informed about the study.
Perform all coordination and logistical tasks related to the planning, scheduling, and relationship-building necessary for successful completion of all data collection activities.
Manage data collection and ensure day-to-day technical and logistical aspects of data collection (including participant incentives) in accordance with procedures described in the protocol and in consultation with the Project Leader. The Service Provider is responsible for developing a detailed schedule for each data collection component in advance, and for submitting it to FHI 360 for approval.
Conduct the following data collection activities:
Pre-intervention data collection with a structured questionnaire with 13 groups of 30 mentees each in Buyende and Adjumani health districts for approximately
780 AGYW mentees enrolled in the SHARE mentoring program (May 2024)
Up to 52 mentors for AGYW groups (26 per district) (May 2024)
780 ABYM enrolled in the SHARE mentoring program (May 2024)
Up to 52 mentors for ABYM groups (26 per district) (May 2024)
Re-contact and conduct post-intervention interviews with a structured questionnaire with approximately
780 ABYM enrolled in the SHARE mentoring program (September 2024)
Up to 52 mentors for ABYM groups (26 per district) (September 2024)
780 AGYW mentees enrolled in the SHARE mentoring program (November 2024)
Up to 52 mentors for AGYW groups (26 per district) (November 2024)
Enroll up to 40 AGYW and 40 ABYM mentors carrying out mentorship activities for the SHARE project and conduct IDIs (Oct/Nov, 2024 – ABYM; Nov/Dec, 2024 - AGYW)
Conduct follow-up FGDs with a subset of mentees (up to 80 participants) (October – ABYM; Nov/Dec - AGYW)
Conduct IDIs with up to 20 key informants (November-December 2024)
Data collectors will obtain informed consent prior to enrolling study participants. For non-emancipated adolescents ages 15 to 17, if they wish to enroll in the study, we will obtain both parental permission and adolescent assent for mentees.
In addition to obtaining consent and collecting data, data collectors will be required to provide participant compensation (estimated at 15,000 UGX each participant for each interview) and securely transfer data as soon as possible after completing an interview, per agreed upon standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Supervisors will supervise data collection activities and ensure all actions adhere to the approved study protocol and SOPs.
The Service Provider will communicate regularly with FHI 360 on progress of fieldwork and submit short reports summarizing key aspects of data collection activities (such as response rates, any challenges and corrective actions, and general observations) after completion of each data collection activity.
Data entry and cleaning (during and immediately following each round of data collection)

Produce clean and accurate databases of responses from mentee and mentor questionnaires
Arrange for digital audio recording of IDIs and FGDs and manage transcription of interviews, with translation into English as necessary. Check all transcripts for completeness and accuracy, and submit to FHI 360 on an ongoing-basis. When possible, it is expected that recorded interviews will be transcribed by data collectors themselves. The use of external translators may be proposed but is not desirable.
Promptly respond to questions from FHI 360 about any inconsistencies discovered in the data
Provide input to finalize project report, as necessary
Duration and Location
The total duration of the work is expected to be approximately 13 months, from March 2024 through March 2025. The contract is to be administered by Right To Play and managed by FHI 360. Data collector trainings will take place in a central location, logistically and financially feasible for the Service Providers and data collectors, prior to each round of data collection: April 2024 and September/October 2024). Structured questionnaires, IDIs, and FGDs will take place at places of enrollment, and potentially at locations deemed to be convenient to participants.

Milestone schedule
End March 2024: Detailed plan for data collector training and pre-intervention data collection
April 2024: Training report for data collector training
May 2024: Data collection report and raw and clean datasets for mentee and mentor questionnaires
August 2024: Detailed plan for data collector training and post-intervention data collection, including both mentee and mentor structured questionnaires and all qualitative interviews/FGDs
September 2024: Training report for post-intervention data collection data collector training
November 2024: Data collection report and raw and clean datasets for mentee and mentor questionnaires
November 2024: Training report for post-intervention qualitative collection data collector training
January 2025: Final English version transcripts for all qualitative data with all queries resolved