SERVICE CONTRACT FOR POPULATION-BASED REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY ON MENSTRUAL DIGNITY

I. GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE

1.1 Background
Fòs Feminista is an intersectional feminist organization centred around the sexual and reproductive rights and needs of women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Led and governed by the Global South, Fòs Feminista works as an alliance of organizations in 40+ countries worldwide to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Fòs Feminista is both the connective tissue that links these diverse partners in an alliance and an active participant in the broader ecosystem of actors working on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ). Fòs Feminista orchestrates transnational and transregional action by connecting partners throughout the SRHRJ ecosystem, amplifying innovative partner-led solutions to SRHRJ issues, and catalysing funding and political will for an intersectional feminist agenda on SRHRJ.
We recognize that the ability of women, girls, and gender-diverse people to make free and informed choices about their sexual and reproductive lives, including to access safe and legal abortion, is central to their life plans and to achieving gender and reproductive justice. Together with partners in the Alliance, we provide access to sexual and reproductive health care and services, including contraception, abortion, and care for victims of gender-based violence, and we reach young people with comprehensive sexuality education. We are at the forefront of advocating for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice from an intersectional lens in national, regional, and global spaces, coordinating with our partners to ensure that diverse experiences, priorities, and voices of the Global South are represented in these spaces. We also strengthen intersectional feminist movements and organizations by creating and holding space for partners to participate in an international community built on feminist values of sharing power, diversity, mutual learning, and solidarity and to access resources to strengthen their work.
Fòs Feminista is leading the Sang Pour Sang consortium project to challenge the structural drivers of menstrual discrimination in 9 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean so that women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals have the information, services, products, infrastructure, and supporting environment to exercise their right to menstruate with dignity.
Sang pour Sang is a consortium project of 4 international organisations. The project is funded by AFD (Agence Française de Developpement) and has a duration of 3 years.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 Objective & Role of the Agency
The main objective of this consultancy is to design, conduct, and contextually analyse the results of a population-based representative survey to measure the evolution of the structural factors of menstrual discrimination experienced by menstruating people in the 9 countries where the Sang pour Sang project is implemented (Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Guinea, Haiti, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines.) This survey will be conducted at baseline during the third quarter of 2024 and at project endline in the fourth quarter of 2026. The baseline will represent a crucial input informing the design of the Sang pour Sang project; the endline will serve to measure its impact.
Specifically, in close collaboration with consortium partners of the project, the agency will apply their survey expertise and global capability to assess the following indicators among a representative sample of menstruators impacted by the project in each country.

Required indicators:

Knowledge:
• % of menstruators who are aware of more than 1 type of menstrual product
Attitudes:
• % reduction in the number of menstruators who report menstrual discrimination
Practices:
• % of menstruators who report that their preferred menstrual product is available and affordable
• % of menstruators using menstrual products from local social and solidarity enterprises (SSEs)
• % reduction in monthly cost per menstruator using purposely made menstrual products

Potential additional indicators of interest:
Knowledge:
• % of menstruators who feel they know enough about menstruation
• % of menstruators with correct knowledge of the fertile period during the ovulatory cycle
• % of menstruators who report that they were able to reduce their menstrual (abdominal/back/cramping) pain when they needed to during their last menstrual period
Attitudes:
• % of menstruators who believe menstruation is dirty or impure
• % of menstruators who believe menstruation is shameful
• % of menstruators who think menstruation should be discussed openly with everyone
• % of menstruators who believe that women are inferior to men because they menstruate
• % of menstruators who believe that women should be respected for menstruating
• % of menstruators who believe that women should be proud to menstruate
• % of menstruators who believe menstruation is a women's issue
• % of menstruators who would feel comfortable seeking help for menstrual problems from a health-care provider
• % of menstruators who have someone they feel comfortable asking for support (advice, resources, emotional support) regarding menstruation
• % of menstruators who report a period does not impact their day
• % of girls whose class or work participation was not impacted by their last period
Practices:
• % of menstruators who reported having enough menstrual materials during their last menstrual period
• % of menstruators who changed their menstrual materials at school in a space that was clean, private, and safe during their last menstrual period

All results must be disaggregated by country and age group, along with other factors relevant to the local context. The agency will analyse results with the consortium members in their respective contexts from a local intersectional feminist perspective due to the highly contextual nature of these multidimensional inequalities.

2.2 Agency Deliverables
In collaboration the project consortium members, particularly the Business Intelligence, Evaluation & Research Cluster of Fòs Feminista, the contracted agency will complete the following deliverables:
1. Inception report. The agency will submit an inception report outlining the methodology and detailed work plan with timelines and level of effort for each project milestone. This report will be subject to review and approval by Fòs Feminista.
2. Report on survey design, testing, and administration. This report shall include a description of evidence and rationale used for the survey design, a description of methods (including sampling techniques, the methodology and results of survey testing and validation in each country, and methodology for comparison between baseline and endline), finalized survey tools for each country, a summary of the contextualized analysis approach, and other information pertinent to survey development and deployment.
3. Baseline survey report. Deliver a baseline report containing baseline data for the indicators specified above, as well as an overall analysis of key findings, localized interpretation by country with contextualization from consortium partners, and critical insights and learnings.
4. Endline survey report. Deliver an endline report containing endline survey data and contextualized comparative analysis between endline and baseline data for the survey indicators specified above. It will also include an overall analysis of key findings, localized interpretation for each country with the contextualization from consortium partners, as well as important insights and learnings.
Agency deliverables will be reviewed with Fòs Feminista, as well as the consortium partner teams when needed. Deliverables are also expected to have an intersectional feminist lens that analyses differences in project effects and insights for the people at the intersection of discriminatory power structures.

2.3 Agency Profile
The ideal agency has:
• Fluent verbal and written communication skills in both English and French, with demonstrated ability to test and administer surveys in the local languages of Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Guinea, Haiti, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
• Specialized expertise in population-based representative survey development, testing, and administration in the Global South, with a preference for survey experience in the 9 countries of the project.
• Extensive background in designing and implementing rigorous assessments of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice, with the expertise to assess menstrual discrimination with an intersectional feminist lens.
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate ethical considerations and protections, as well as local adaptations of deliverables for each country.
• Strong knowledge of the sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, with a particular focus on menstrual health and dignity.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in multicultural settings across multiple time zones and using remote digital formats.
• Ability to adapt to challenges and opportunities as they arise.
• Familiarity with Agence Française de Developpement (AFD) requirements or reporting is a plus.

III. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

3.1 Project Duration
All deliverables related to the baseline survey shall be completed by September 30, 2024. All survey deliverables at project endline shall be completed by February 1, 2027.
3.2 Work Location
This consultancy will be conducted remotely, with the ability to apply the representative survey in Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Guinea, Haiti, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
The contracted agency must be willing to adjust to different time zones.
3.3 Reporting
The agency will report to Fòs Feminista's Business Intelligence, Evaluation, and Research Unit.

IV. APPLICATION PROCESS
For consideration, please submit :

1. A résumé or portfolio that demonstrates expertise in representative survey development, implementation, and analysis, as well as a proposal for the consultancy.
2. The proposal must include the proposed methodology and approach, anticipated level of effort and timelines for deliverables, and a financial offer in USD, which includes rates plus all taxes and liens that this type of consultancy requires.

All application materials shall be submitted in English.
Deadline to apply: Applications must be submitted by May 20, 2024.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

V. SAFEGUARDING COMMITMENTS
Fòs Feminista is committed to ensuring that the health, rights, and wellbeing of all children, young people, and vulnerable populations who work and engage with Fòs Feminista's Team Members and Associated Persons are respected and protected in their interactions with them, so requires all its Team Members and Associated Persons to share this commitment.
The successful agency must:
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in the United States, in the country of residence, and in the international context.
• Sign and adhere to Fòs Feminista's International Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct, including the minimum operating standards for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in the United States, in the country of residence, and in the international context.

VI. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT
Fòs Feminista is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive rights and health and dismantling inequities from a feminist intersectional lens. Reproductive justice, racial justice, and diversity are driving forces for us.
Fòs Feminista provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, national origin, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital and partnership status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law.
At Fòs Feminista, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our employees. We strongly encourage applications from all kinds of backgrounds to build a diverse workforce in which all social and minority groups are represented.

Keywords

survey developmentpopulation-basedmenstrual discriminationintersectional feministrightsjusticesurvey testinganalysisbaselineendline