Individual consultant or organization: National research partner in Ethiopia

Background and Justification

Globally, 45 million children under the age of five suffer from wasting. Wasting dramatically increases the risk of death, killing 875,000 under-fives annually. Testing innovative solutions to prevent wasting are urgently needed. The Joint UN Partnership for the Prevention of Wasting (JUNIPr) between UNICEF, WFP, and WHO offers a unique opportunity to study the effectiveness of multisystem and multisectoral programs aimed at preventing wasting. Actions to prevent wasting should be tailored to context and integrated in the continuum of care from screening to treatment and post-treatment follow-up.

This project will generate high-quality evidence through research in West Africa (Mali), East Africa (Ethiopia), and South Asia (Bangladesh).

Scope of Work

I. Goals

In close consultation with the global research lead IFPRI, the national research partner will be involved in the Design Phase (Phase 1) and the Implementation Phase (Phase 2) of the research project described above. Briefly, Phase 1 will consist of the following activities: support formative research; support the identification of the different components of the intervention package and the appropriate model to test at scale; co-design (with IFPRI) the protocols for the implementation research, impact evaluation study, and costing study to be conducted in the second phase. Phase 2 will have the following activities: Lead a rapid assessment of program scale-up; lead the implementation of the impact evaluation study; lead the implementation of the implementation research; lead the implementation of the cost study; lead a dissemination workshop in country.

II. Activities and Tasks

The contract will be issued and managed by IFPRI. Under the close supervision of IFPRI and in close consultation with IFPRI, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, this consultancy will focus on several activities in two research phases. Details of each phase and the related activities are provided below.

Phase 1 – Design (18 months)

Activity 1: Formative research

Formative research will be conducted to inform the design of context-tailored intervention packages, including relevant delivery platforms and implementation modalities. The national research partner will co-design (with IFPRI) the formative research and will lead the implementation of the formative research.

Sub-activity 1.1 Desk review, key informant interviews, and triangulation of findings from the first co-creation workshop and secondary data analysis

Sub-activity 1.2 Second workshop to validate the intervention package

Activity 2: The development and approval of detailed research protocols for the implementation, impact evaluation and costing research

In close consultation with the JUNIPr consortium, the national research partner will co-develop (with IFPRI) the research protocols for the research activities of Phase 2, and in consultation with the JUNIPr consortium and implementers.

Sub-activity 2.1 Impact evaluation protocol

Sub-activity 2.2 Implementation research protocol

Sub-activity 2.3 Cost study protocol

Activity 3: Obtaining IRB and other required approvals and related amendments

Phase 2 - Research Implementation (estimated duration: 36 months)

During Phase 2, the intervention model developed in Phase 1 will be implemented. The national research partner activities will focus on the impact assessment, implementation study, and cost study. Detailed descriptions of the Phase 2 activities