TERMS OF REFEREN/CE:

Data Collection Sudan

July 2024

Duration: 4 months – September to December 2024

Location: Sudan/ with research team in Sudan  

Reports to: Project Lead and GTS Statistics team

Ground Truth Solutions (GTS) seeks the services of a data collection organisation to conduct a quantitative perception survey in two or three states of Sudan to understand perceptions, priorities and opinions of people affected by the conflict in Sudan. The study will cover questions related to access to humanitarian assistance, the relevance and quality of support provided, interactions with humanitarian aid providers, mutual aid, community organising and support structures, and coping strategies.

About Ground Truth Solutions

We are an independent organisation that uses research and advocacy to bring about change. Our mission is to ensure that people affected by crises have a say in humanitarian action, from individual aid projects to global humanitarian reform. To achieve this, we work with partners to collect feedback from people at the receiving end of aid. We work with communities on recommendations and advocacy. We challenge and support aid agencies to use this feedback to optimise their work.  We work with policymakers, governments, and aid agencies to bring about the change we want to see.  We are not a third party monitoring organisation.

About the project

Objective

The overall objective is to understand the perceptions of people affected by the conflict in Sudan to inform and improve the humanitarian emergency response efforts. The aim is to make data available for advocacy, ensuring key humanitarian actors understand people’s perceptions and priorities and use it for more effective programming. Additionally, NGOs can use the data to advocate for more support or access, increasing awareness of the humanitarian response and its challenges.

The consultancy 

Scope of work

GTS seeks the services of a data collection organisation to conduct perception surveys exploring the aforementioned topics (access to humanitarian assistance, the relevance and quality of support provided, interactions with humanitarian aid providers, mutual aid, community organising and support structures, and coping strategies). A perception survey will be preceded by qualitative consultations conducted by Ground Truth Solutions with different humanitarian actors to help inform the design of the survey tool. The findings from the surveys will be used to generate recommendations to humanitarian actors and funders and advocate for more effective emergency response.

For our work in Sudan, the collaboration with the selected data collection partner will include a research scoping and design phase and a data collection phase.

In particular, we are looking for a partner that can conduct the following activities.

1. Short research scoping & design phase

The selected data collection partner will be expected to partner on scoping efforts to ensure good quality research. It will also ensure that research questions are informed by people's realities and by the context in different states of Sudan. The data collection partner will provide insight and evidence to guide the selection of the most relevant target groups based on the research scope and questions, and support in identifying vulnerable and marginalised populations. The partner will contribute to defining the geographic scope of the research based on their presence and network, as well as provide insight on the accessibility and feasibility of conducting the research in specific locations across Sudan, including obtaining necessary approvals.

2. Data collection phase

2.1. Quantitative Data Collection

The selected data collection partner will work with GTS on the design of a quantitative survey, support with sample design (see paragraph 2.3), conduct enhanced questionnaire testing, data collection (face-to-face surveys), and translation of any open-ended responses into English. The partner will:

a. Work closely with us in designing the survey tools (including translation of survey questions from English into Sudanese Arabic)

b) Develop a representative sampling methodology covering 2-3 states of interest to us (Central, East, North, South Darfur; Blue, White, River Nile; South Kordofan, Gedaref, Sennar, Northern), stratified by state, focusing on internally displaced people.

b. Appoint, train (with GTS support), and manage a team of capable enumerators in different states of Sudan with appropriate education levels and experience in collecting quantitative data from people affected by the conflict.

c. Ensure that enumerators have or are provided with materials and training they need to enable them to complete the assignment within the timeframe, including training on collecting data with SurveyCTO and the survey provided by GTS.

d. Demonstrate that it has a methodology for testing the survey, including cognitive testing and pilot phase.

f. Ensure enumerators submit data in a timely manner and share with us brief daily updates where necessary on progress and/or challenges experienced in the field.

g. Demonstrate that it can work safely and ensure the wellbeing of the enumeration team based on precedents.

After data collection, we expect the data collection partner to participate in a joint analysis session with GTS to discuss and validate the preliminary findings from the quantitative data.  

2.2. Quality Assurance for Quantitative Data Collection

We expect that quality assurance measures will be taken by our data collection partner to ensure that the data quality is of a high standard and accurately captures the opinions of affected people. We also expect the selected partner to carry out daily data quality checks and identify poor quality data and fraudulent interviewers. Details of the quality assurance measures that the data collection partner would implement prior to and during data collection should be provided in the proposal.

In addition to co-developing enumerator training materials that reflect the enhanced questionnaire testing, the data collection partner will submit 50 pilot data points including translations for quality assurance prior the start of the data collection according to the GTS format guidelines.

2.3. Survey methodology and sample design

The selected data collection partner should be able to provide input and support on designing a sampling methodology and strategy based on available sources of information and trying to mitigate the high constraints prevailing in different regions/ states across Sudan. Approximate budget for one scoping day per location should be provided in the proposal. The purpose of scoping would be to assess the accessibility and security of the locations.

While the survey should ideally cover at least two different states and a maximum three states, the feasibility will be evaluated jointly by GTS and the selected partner based on analysis of the constraints, access, security risks and final authorities’ approvals and budget considerations. There will usually be around 30-35 questions, including some demographic questions. Questions will be either multiple choice or binary/Likert scale questions and, will include some open-ended questions. The data collection partner should provide a methodology explaining how to ensure data protection and randomisation of the people interviewed.

Sample size: 425 per state, in total up to 1275 covering 3 states. Interviews should be conducted with internally displaced men and women as well as host community members, aged 18+, using a random sampling approach.

Deliverables 

1. Verification and translation of survey tool.
2. Completion of face-face data collection.
3. Submission of translated open-ended questions.
4. A short report after the data collection covering the number of successfully and unsuccessfully completed interviews, adherence to agreed survey and sampling strategy, and any relevant observations and issues.
5. Completion of enumerator survey.

Timeline 

Data collection must be completed by November 2024, and all deliverables submitted by December 2024. A detailed work plan will be agreed upon at the beginning of the consultancy. 

GTS Policies - Code of conduct

The selected partner will ensure that all enumerators adhere to the GTS Code of Conduct for Enumerators, annexed to the contract. If any aspects of the Code of Conduct have not been adhered to, GTS reserves the right to withhold payment completely or until data has been collected in line with the above code of conduct. In cases where the enumerator’s behaviour constitutes a fundamental breach of the Code of Conduct, leading to the safety or wellbeing of participants being compromised or resulting in reputational damage of the organisation, GTS reserves the right to immediately terminate the contract of the enumerator/s and the selected partner. In cases where it is brought to the attention of GTS that the actions of enumerators have constituted a clear breach of safeguarding practices, (e.g. sexual exploitation and abuse) GTS will also report this to relevant authorities.

Do no harm and risk mitigation

The data collection partner must clearly indicate how the data will be collected in a responsible manner. It must ensure that all risks for respondents have been carefully identified along with mitigation measures to prevent any harm is caused to people directly or indirectly involved. The partner will contribute to the elaboration of a protection incident referral protocol and will be required to follow this protocol. Researchers/enumerators will be trained to identify and report cases safely.

How to express your interest

Relevant experience & skills  

Essential: 

• Proven experience with conducting large-scale representative quantitative surveys 
• Staff members with proven experience and strong background in survey and sample design and quantitative methodology 
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic, any other local languages, excellent written and spoken English 

Preferred: 

• Proven quantitative data analysis skills 
• Excellent communication and reporting skills 
• Experience working with civil society organisations and humanitarian actors
• Experience with research in the field of social sciences, international development, humanitarian action, or any other related area of study/equivalent experience. 

Application 

Interested candidates are required to apply before 8 August 2024 at the following address tender@groundtruthsolutions.org indicating in the subject line the following: ‘Quantitative Data Collection – Sudan’.

The application must include: 

• A brief cover letter and CV / organisational profile.
• A brief narrative proposal outlining a proposed methodological approach (maximum of 5 pages) including the states you have access to / are operating in; and a sample design, the deliverables and tasks; and expected number of days each task will take.
• A financial proposal, (maximum of 2 pages) detailing the breakdown of costs, including staffing. The applicant must provide a budget for conducting 425 interviews per accessible state. The specific states included in the study, totalling two to three, will be selected after reviewing applications and defining the scope along with the selected partner at the contract stage.
• 1 page (or more) on your experience working on similar projects (i.e.: prior publications and at least two references - please add contact details of your focal point with previous partners), with short description on how previous experience and projects were relevant to the current assignment.

Questions concerning this consultancy can be directed to the above email.