Survey firm for the study on evidence use in policymaking in Ethiopia

Background

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in collaboration the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) and the Policy Studies Institute (PSI), is implementing a study to examine barriers to evidence-informed policymaking and to evaluate interventions aimed at strengthening the use of research-based evidence in Ethiopia’s policy processes. Despite increasing investments in research production and growing recognition of the importance of evidence-based policymaking in low- and middle-income countries, the actual utilization of evidence in policy decisions remains limited. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, evidence ecosystems continue to face constraints related to limited accessibility of evidence, weak awareness and trust among policymakers, insufficient technical capacity to interpret and apply research findings, and institutional and political economy factors that shape decision-making processes. Ethiopia reflects many of these broader challenges, where investments in research capacity have not consistently translated into systematic use of evidence in policymaking.

To address these challenges, IFPRI is undertaking an evaluation of two complementary interventions designed to strengthen evidence uptake among policymakers. The first intervention focuses on capacity-building and training activities aimed at improving policymakers’ awareness, skills, and confidence in accessing, interpreting, commissioning, and applying research evidence in policy decisions. The second intervention involves an evidence translation and rapid-response intermediation service that will provide policymakers with timely syntheses of relevant research evidence, including AI-assisted summaries tailored to policy needs. The study will assess whether these interventions can increase policymakers’ demand for, trust in, and use of research evidence, while also examining how factors such as accessibility, timeliness, source credibility, institutional arrangements, and policymaker characteristics influence evidence uptake. As part of this research, IFPRI seeks to hire a qualified survey firm to support data collection activities associated with the study.

Scope of work

The study is organized into seven interlinked phases, integrating baseline, midline, and endline data collection with capacity building, evidence translation, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Within this framework, the selected survey firm will be responsible for the following activities:

• Recruit enumerators (May 2026): Quantitative interviewers, supervisors, and quality controllers will be recruited by the selected survey firm to participate in the training. All recruits should have previous survey experience, be university graduates, and preferably have worked previously with the firm on similar surveys.

• Test survey instruments (May–June 2026): Collaborate with IFPRI research leads to refine and pilot the baseline, midline, and endline survey instruments measuring policymakers’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and institutional constraints related to evidence use.

• Participate in enumerator training (June 2026): Ensure all enumerators and supervisors attend and complete at least 5 days of in-person, including full questionnaire review, supervised practice using CAPI, and readiness assessment.

• Implement baseline survey (June–July 2026): Lead data collection for the baseline survey of 360 participants identified by IFPRI and its implementing partners. Ensure strict adherence to protocols, training guidance, and use of secure tablet-based CAPI systems (e.g., SurveyCTO). The survey will primarily target policymakers working in Federal Ministries and affiliated agencies/commissions in Addis Ababa. The survey duration will be approximately 90 minutes per respondent.

• Implement midline survey (January 2027): Conduct the midline survey following identical procedures and standards, surveying the same 360 participants using the finalized instrument. The survey duration will be approximately 90 minutes per respondent.

• Implement endline survey (June 2027): Conduct the endline survey following the same procedures and standards as earlier rounds, ensuring consistency and data quality across all waves. The survey duration will be approximately 90 minutes per respondent.

• Quality control mechanisms (June 2026–December 2027): Implement robust quality assurance systems, including active supervision, field–office