Background Information
Simprints develop innovative technology to help the world’s most vulnerable and marginalised populations access essential services by designing and developing biometric hardware and software to help verify the coverage and impact of development partners. Simprints aims to conduct exploratory research to identify the factors that lead to a lack of awareness and identify whether immunization centers play a catalyst in raising awareness of social protection programs.
Simprints is seeking a baseline research partner to assess the current status of its project, which focuses on leveraging biometrics for efficient vaccine delivery. The purpose is to establish a baseline measurement that will enable the evaluation of the impact of biometrics on the effective and timely delivery of vaccines to the intended beneficiaries. Simprints aims to collaborate with international and local evaluators for data collection and quality assurance to ensure comprehensive and accurate baseline assessment.
Research Objectives
The objective of this research is to establish a baseline measurement that will evaluate how the use of biometric identification methods impacts the efficient and timely delivery of routine immunizations, including the malaria vaccine, to the intended beneficiaries. The baseline will measure the status of indicators outlined in the project design related to community acceptance and user adoption, data quality, vaccine coverage, and technology scalability. The baseline aims to measure the project approach on various key aspects, including but not limited to
- Immunization Coverage: Determine routine immunization (including malaria) vaccine coverage rates among children under 2 years of age.
- Community acceptance: Measure whether community members accept the technology and know the benefits of biometrics. Identify any concerns or hesitations that need to be addressed.
- CHWs’ knowledge and skills related to biometrics: Conduct an assessment of the CHWs’ knowledge and attitudes towards digital tools, including biometrics and e-tracker. For already trained CHWs, measure their motivation to adopt digital tools.
- Data Quality – timeliness, accuracy, completeness, and data consistency: assess each parameter through traditional paper-based and digital systems. The approach involves comparing child record registries to monthly tally sheets to identify data discrepancies and errors. Only a sample of health facilities will be selected for data quality measurements. The definition of data quality is provided by Simprints in annex 2.
- Efficiency: measure by assessing the time required to complete patient registration and identification at the point of health service delivery.
- Health Service Utilization: Establish a baseline value for digital health service utilization before deploying biometric technology to compare against the endline post-deployment.
- Scalability: Measure the potential for scaling the project to 350,832 children and 586 facilities from the perspective of CHWs, communities, and health stakeholders.
- Crosscutting issues: considerations related to gender, equity, and inclusion of vulnerable groups for technology acceptance and adoption.
Full details of the project, research objectives, and suggested methods can be found in the Research Terms of Reference (ToR).
Key Documents:
How to apply
The consultant should submit a proposal comprising the following:
- A technical proposal that indicates how the consultant will undertake the research outlined in the ToR, with an indicative budget and timeframe.
- A capacity statement detailing the consultant´s ability to deliver baseline assessment within the given timeframe, including an overview of relevant work and technical experience of the baseline team.
- At least 2 samples of previous relevant works undertaken, including at least 1 publication in a peer-reviewed journal that was authored by the baseline team lead
- CVs of the key personnel on the baseline team
- Reference to the local data collection firm if the consultant does not represent the local firm (a letter of support or partnership is preferred)
- A financial budget with explanations about the line items
- Any other appendices the consultant sees as relevant to the application.
Applications should be submitted to [email protected] by March 22nd, 2024. Please refer to the invitation to tender document for all information regarding submitting bids.