Request for Consultant Services Proposal At FHI 360

Background
FHI 360 seeks a program evaluator to conduct independent assessment of its Bridge to Employment (BTE) program to be implemented in Bangkok Thailand from March 2021 through December 2023.

The Bridge to Employment initiative (BTE) was launched by Johnson & Johnson in an effort to support education by communicating to at-risk students that learning can be meaningful, engaging, and relevant. BTE helps young people in secondary schools build solid futures by introducing them to a broad array of careers in health, providing them with real world experiences, and exposure to higher education institutions. Since 2003, FHI 360’s National Institute for Work and Learning has been a partner with Johnson & Johnson in the management and evolution of the BTE initiative.

BTE program excellence stems from using a common core of school-to-career principles: maintaining high standards of academic learning for all students, providing opportunities for contextual learning, creating links with institutions of higher education, and connecting students with adults in the workplace. BTE is based on solid research and uses evaluations for continuous improvement, to promote success, and to measure outcomes.

Each program engages an independent evaluator to look at the results of the program on a yearly basis. Evaluators administer yearly surveys to youth in the program, collect grades and attendance from each participating school, and analyze the findings, submitting an annual narrative report to the site and FHI 360. Additionally, an excel spreadsheet with all data is provided annually to FHI 360 for additional analysis. BTE Program Evaluators work with the Program Coordinator of the local BTE site on creating an evaluation agreement which includes timelines and persons responsible for various activities. The Program Evaluator also shares results and feedback from focus groups with the Program Coordinator and FHI 360 with a view of informing continuous program improvement
and also to report on progress and program success.

Scope of Work
The National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL), FHI 360 is looking for an experienced
Researcher, and/or Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning professional to provide evaluation services
to assess the BTE program in Bangkok Thailand- a 3-year program. The goal is to follow FHI 360’s
evaluation protocol, and adequately document all findings using primary and secondary data to help
NIWL in determining what aspects of the program might need to be augmented to increase student
satisfaction, and to ultimately determine the impact that the program has on key program
beneficiaries.

Key Activities under this scope include:
• Finalize language on program/logic model to align with outcomes/indicators being
measured for the program
• Participate in an Evaluation Agreement meeting with FHI 360 and the local BTE program
implementing organization to establish timeline of activities
• Participate in quarterly evaluator meetings facilitated by FHI 360
• Attend the Annual Alliance Building & Training Session (ABTS) Conference sessions for
evaluators hosted by FHI 360
• Customize survey instruments to ensure cultural competence, contextual relevance, and
alignment with the Program Model; send final version to FHI 360
• Work directly the point of contact to obtain deidentified student academic data for BTE
participants and the comparison group to help respond to program outcomes and assess the
program’s impact
• Distribute Comparison Group survey instructions and surveys to School Contact
• Administer BTE Participant surveys (if evaluator is not local, or in instances where there may
be a significant public health threat to in-person distribution, the evaluator shall provide
surveys and instructions to the Site Coordinator for administration)
o Administer BTE Surveys
o Pre- Survey (at BTE student Entry)
o End-of Year Survey (Year 1 and Year 2)
o Exit Survey (Year 3 or any Exiting student)
• Work with Site Coordinator to schedule BTE Participant focus groups
• Conduct BTE Participant focus groups
o Conduct Student Focus Groups (Year 1, Year 2, Year 3)
• Schedule a conference call with FHI 360 and the Site Coordinator to debrief results following
the focus group sessions
• Provide FHI 360 with raw academic data and survey data files on the Master survey data
template provided by FHI 360
• Analyze survey and academic data
o Collect and analyze additional site-based data, including student performance data
using the evaluation guidebook provided by FHI 360 (Science, Math, Language Arts,
and any other subjects the site may be supporting students in.)
• Develop and disseminate annual evaluation report to be submitted annually to FHI 360
(guidelines for the report are provided by FHI 360)

Location of Work
Bangkok, Thailand, Remote

Travel
Only local travel/ground transportation may be needed as part of this scope but is not required.
Program evaluators may for instance travel to the local site to meet with students for the purpose of
conducting focus groups sessions.

Timetable and Address for Submission
Proposals are due no later than 5:00 PM (Bangkok Time) on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Required
documentation listed below must be e-mailed to: bte@fhi360.org with the subject line “**RFP: BTE**
Program Evaluator Thailand”

Qualifications
• A minimum of 5 years research and evaluation experience
• Proven experience conducting focus groups with students at the secondary school level
• Proven experience conducting program evaluations
• Presentation skills and ability to provide programmatic recommendations based on
data/findings
• BS or MA degree in Social Sciences or the equivalent with preferred emphasis on research
and evaluation methods.

**
Evaluation Criteria:** Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:
• Cost Efficiency- 30%
• Evaluation/Research Experience (including academic qualifications and experience
working with youth) – 65%
• Overall Proposal submission- 5%
**
Required Documentation:** Proposals must include the following components:

1. Proposal (to include)
   a. Technical Response – a maximum of 4 pages outlining consultant experience
   (background, qualification and highlights of similar work undertaken to demonstrate
   suitability to perform in the capacity of Program Evaluator as outlined by the scope)
   b. Detailed Budget – a complete annual budget for a 3-year academic period (Total
   budget not to exceed $24,000 USD). Budgets should include cost justification/ budget
   notes.
2. Downloaded and Completed FHI 360 Biodata Form (shorturl.at/altCO**)**
3. Curriculum Vitae

**
FHI 360 Disclaimers**
• FHI 360 may perform a background check on any selected Consultant candidates.
• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow
solicitation instructions
• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further
discussion
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple
awards based on the solicitation activities
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to
award determination to promote competition
• FHI 360’s supplier terms and conditions can be found here while our consultant terms and
conditions can be found here