Request for Proposal to Conduct a Baseline Study of an Integrated Development Project (Gram Uday) in Nuh District, Haryana

Objective of the Bid- Hiring an Agency to conduct baseline study of an integrated development project in Nuh District. Haryana. 

1. About Us

S M Sehgal Foundation is a grassroots NGO working in the rural areas across 12 states in India, reaching over 4.94 million people. The organization’s mission is to foster positive social, economic, and environmental change in rural India. It focuses on critical issues such as food security, water security, and local participation and sustainability, emphasizing the empowerment of women and children. The foundation’s team of experts collaborate with rural communities to create sustainable programs to improve water resources management, increase agricultural productivity, strengthen village development, and transform the lives of youth and schoolchildren. S M Sehgal Foundation operates through five main program areas: Agricultural Development, Water Management, Local Participation and Sustainability, Transform Lives one school at a time, and Outreach for Development. 

As a part of its project “Gram Uday VIII”, operational in Nuh district in Haryana, SMSF seeks to hire an agency to conduct baseline study in select project villages.

2. Project overview

The intervention villages lie in the most backward district, Nuh as identified by Niti Aayog, 2018. The district lags behind the rest of the districts in various essential parameters such as agriculture, health, education, income and nutrition. Major source of livelihood in Nuh district is agriculture along with allied and agri-based activities. Agriculture is mostly rain fed. Water scarcity is one of the major problems in the intervention region that is impeding the development indicators. Ground water is the only source for farming and household activities. Due to the constant reduction of rainfall and over extraction of ground water for various activities, the ground water level is depleting at a faster rate and water is becoming scarce. It is affecting the farming practices which are a mainstay of the people in the region. As the irrigation facilities are frugal, the dependency on rain fed crop is higher. Animal husbandry is the secondary source of income in the region to earn income alongside agriculture. However, the scarcity of money and non-availability of veterinary services increases their burden of rearing livestock.

With this background, S M Sehgal Foundation is implementing a project with the objective of creating awareness among selected community leaders about the value of participation in making local institutions vibrant and to improve the last-mile delivery of government programs (Part A); and building capacities of farmers to promote sustainable and climate-resilient practices of agriculture and allied interventions and water conservation in agriculture (Part B). The project’s implementation is planned over a span of one year, starting 2024, in Tauru block of Nuh District in Haryana.

Key objectives of the project are

For Part A

• Provide information about government programs and improve access to government programs
• Build capacities of selected community members for improving access to government programmes
• Create awareness among selected women elected representatives for improved participation in local government institutions

For Part B

• Provide knowledge on climate-resilient and cost-saving agricultural practices
• Promote water conservation practices in agriculture
• Promote allied agricultural activities among farming communities
• Bridge the knowledge gap and build capacities of progressive (men/women)

3. Scope of Work

The scope of work for the agency will be to plan, design, coordinate, and conduct the baseline study. Further, the agency will collect, manage, clean, analyse, and report the baseline findings in the form of a presentation along with an executive summary. 

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The agency will propose and utilize quantitative and qualitative methods and tools including structured interview schedules, semi-structured interview schedules, and focus group discussions. 

1. Duration of baseline evaluation 

The duration of the baseline study is six (06) weeks starting from the date of signing of the agreement. The agency is required to complete the data collection by 30^th June 2024. PowerPoint presentation along with an executive summary are required to be submitted by 15^th July 2024.

2. Evaluation Type

The agency is expected to submit a detailed sampling plan representative for generating project level findings. We expect a mixed-methods study, with a robust and statistically defensible sample size. The qualitative component should take on board the views of farmers especially women farmers, etc. to arrive at project-level conclusions.

Further details for each intervention will be shared with the selected agency.

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3. Sampling

Primary sampling unit: The baseline study will be undertaken in 30 villages in the Tauru block of the district Nuh, Haryana. (15 villages for Part A and 15 villages for Part B)

Final sampling unit and Sample Size: The sampling frame, consisting of a list of villages is provided below. The proposed sample size for the quantitative survey is 350 (Part A) and 350 (Part B). The agency is required to cover all the project villages under this baseline study. The indicative village-wise sample size for the quantitative survey is as follows:

We expect the agency to apply both quantitative and qualitative tools including structured interview schedule, semi structured interview schedules and focus group discussions. The sample should cover all the interventions

This baseline report is expected to provide information on following vital indicators:

Part A

• Awareness and access to government schemes
• Citizen Information and Support Center (use of tollfree number)

Part B:

• Farming practices and allied livelihood practices
• Livestock management along with the use of balance animal nutrition
• Sources of water availability
• Water conservation practices in agriculture like laser levelling and micro-irrigation techniques
• Kitchen and nutri-gardening
• Sustainable and climate resilient agricultural practices (includes intercrop farming, the utilization of liquid/foliar fertilizers) 
• Renewable-based solutions for farming, such as solar spray pumps and composting
• Farm mechanization (reaper)

4. Quality Assurance

The agency will be expected to share quality control protocols and results from any checks conducted as part of the process with the team and address any problems promptly.

Below are some indicative data quality checks that the agency is required to conduct:

• Spot checks by field supervisors: Random visits to be done on the day of the evaluation.
• Pattern checks: This involves pattern recognition to understand any discrepancies

5. Data Management 

1. Privacy and Security: The agency is expected to maintain the highest standard of data privacy and security. Bidders must share information on data storage, transfer, and other management protocols. Bidders should also outline measures to ensure data is not lost.
2. Legal: The agency will be expected to act in full compliance with all relevant data privacy laws while handling the data.

6. Data Analysis

The agency shall provide graphical representations and visualizations of the data analysis results to facilitate easy comprehension and decision-making. Graphs, charts, and any interactive method may be employed to present findings effectively. 

A. Data Sharing and Report 

• The agency will be required to share all data that they collect during the course of this study. This includes but is not limited to the raw data of baseline quantitative and qualitative surveys, the cleaned data, and data from quality checks. 
• The agency will be required to prepare summary and presentations.

B. Expected Broad Tasks and Deliverables

• Conduct Baseline survey (quantitative and qualitative) in the intervention villages of the district Nuh, Haryana
• Ensuring the quality of the data through consistent data monitoring
• Provide raw and cleaned dataset at the time of submission of PowerPoint presentation
• Submission of key findings in the form of a PowerPoint presentation along with an executive summary

4. Submission of Proposal

The proposal is to be submitted to research@smsfoundation.org  by 5:00 pm on 31^st May 2024. RFP received after the last date shall not be opened and no further action shall be taken on such proposals.

Proposal guidelines: 

1. The proposal should briefly outline the methodology (not exceeding one page) and the approach to the study. 
2. The financials should be submitted with all costs and applicable taxes incorporated with an adequate explanation of breakup of budget heads (not exceeding one page).