Request for Proposal: Medical Industry Perception Surveys-CIPE عودة إلى الفرص

 

1.  Abstract 

 

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is seeking a Tunisia-based research firm/consultancy to conduct perception surveys of marketing, authorization, and certification processes among pharmaceutical industries and medical professionals for a project funded by the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) and the United States Embassy in Tunisia. 

1.  About CIPE 

 

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy.  CIPE has over 30 years of experience working with chambers of commerce, business associations, think tanks, and other civil society organizations (CSOs) to strengthen democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform.   

 

CIPE’s approach to programming is guided by our organizational mission to promote democracy based upon three principles: respect, integrity, and excellence.  Our programs are developed based upon local ownership for sustainability, inclusion of all stakeholders, learning and innovation based on lessons learned, and accountability to the communities where we work, partners and donors. 

 

1.  Project Background 

 

CIPE is implementing the Supporting Good Governance in Healthcare Administration (SAHA) project, which aims to enhance good governance in the Tunisian health sector by promoting transparency and accountability. Through this five-year project, supported by the U.S. State Department, CIPE is working with the Tunisian Ministry of Health and with local civil society organizations to:   

 

1. Increase transparency in the pharmaceutical sector by creating a digital regulatory system for the Tunisian Directorate of Pharmacies and Medicine (DPM)  
2. Ensure that Tunisian laws and regulations in the health sector are conducive to fair, transparent, and participatory governance
3. Build the capacity of the Ministry of Health’s training structures to improve the implementation of good governance 

  

•  Scope of the surveys

 

CIPE is seeking proposals from qualified and experienced firms/consultancies to plan, conduct, and analyze two separate phone surveys, each with a baseline and endline, examining: 

1. The perceptions of stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry regarding the efficiency and transparency of the marketing authorization process. This will involve a baseline survey on the current process used by the DPM. Subsequently, pharmaceutical industry stakeholders will be asked to complete an endline survey once the new digital system is operational. The assessment aims to measure changes in stakeholder perceptions of the performance and governance standards of the DPM’s regulatory processes before and after the establishment of a digital regulatory system (currently under development).
2. The perception of medical professionals regarding the transparency and integrity of the certification process. The goal is to measure changes in their perception of the transparency and merit-based nature of the certification process before and after the implementation of best practices recommended in a Certification Improvement Plan document being prepared by the project.

These will feed data into two outcome-level indicators in the project:  

• Outcome Indicator 1.4: Percentage improvement of pharmaceutical industries’ perception of marketing authorization process performance and governance. 
• Outcome Indicator 3.7: Percentage of medical professionals who say that the certification process is transparent and merit-based.

 

In line with these indicators, one phone survey will examine representatives from participating companies in Tunisia’s pharmaceutical industries’ perceptions of marketing authorization process performance and governance. The other phone survey will determine the extent to which medical professionals, including pharmaceutical industry professionals, view the certification process as transparent and merit-based. 

 

The sample size for the survey of companies in Tunisia’s pharmaceutical industry will be approximately 175 companies. This sample will be drawn to represent the universe of 264 pharmaceutical companies. 

 

The sample size for the survey of healthcare professionals will be approximately 400 healthcare professionals, including medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health professionals, including nurses, midwives, and health technicians. This sample will be drawn to represent a total population of 200,000 healthcare professionals anticipated to benefit from the SAHA project. 

 

These sample sizes are preliminary based on current sampling frame estimates. Upon scoping and conversation with the project team, the consultant may choose to adjust the sample size for either survey, pending changes in the project and the inclusion of further areas of disaggregation. 

 

We anticipate the implementation of this work to occur in three phases, each with a unique objective, with data collection, analysis, and reporting continuing throughout: 

 

1. Phase 1 (Baseline): To assess initial perceptions of marketing authorization and certification processes among pharmaceutical industries and medical professionals.

 

1. Phase 2 (Endline): To assess changes in perceptions of marketing authorization and certification processes among pharmaceutical industries and medical professionals.

 

1. Phase 3 (Sensemaking Report): To provide actionable recommendations based on the phone survey results to further enhance the marketing, authorization, and certification processes.

 

Estimated Level of Effort* Anticipated Tasks and Assignment Phases 

Baseline Phase   [potentially 30-40 calendar days]

This phase is meant to assess initial perceptions of marketing, authorization, and certification processes among pharmaceutical industries and medical professionals. It includes:  Briefing with the CIPE MEL and project team to understand project objectives and the task at hand;  Determination of sample scope for two phone surveys following direct coordination with the Ministry of Health and professional orders for professions with representative bodies to access names and contact information for healthcare professionals; Drafting of two phone survey protocols in support of outcome indicators 1.4 and 3.7 (see above);  Administering phone surveys with identified sample groups; Processing of phone survey data with emphasis on data coding and data quality checking; Analysis of baseline data and developing summary results, and specification of baseline indicator data and disaggregations, shared in a brief analytical report.

Endline Phase  [potentially 30-40 calendar days]

This phase is meant to assess changes in perceptions of marketing, authorization, and certification processes among pharmaceutical industries and medical professionals after the implementation of the new digital system. It includes: Addition of endline questions in phone survey protocol; Administering phone surveys with identified sample groups; Processing of phone survey data with emphasis on data coding and data quality checking; Analysis of endline data and producing summary results, taking into account both baseline and endline data, and reporting on indicator data and disaggregations, shared in a final analytical report; Support for CIPE in the generation of final recommendations for dissemination with relevant partners.

*Note: The contractor should consider what efficiencies can be proposed within this anticipated scope of effort. The number of days can be adjusted (either increased or decreased) within reason depending on the proposed technical approach and case made by the selected contractor. 

 

Background Documents will be provided by CIPE to the selected firm, such as:  

 

• Project workplans 
• M&E logic model and workplan  
• Project progress reports 
• Monitoring data  
• Context-focused background documents  

 

•  Deliverables and Timeline  

 

The firm/consultancy will produce the following deliverables:

 

1. Workplan (revised after CIPE feedback), including sampling approach, details of data entry plan, pilot test, action plan for data collection, check back plan, recruitment, training, and contracting of experienced field staff.
2. Two phone survey protocols 
3. Baseline – brief analytical report of data analysis and summary of key findings
4. Endline – brief analytical report of data analysis and summary of key findings
5. Sensemaking report 
6. Learning/sensemaking presentation highlighting major findings and recommendations 

 

The consultancy will begin in June 2024 (depending on selection time and length of contracting process for selected contractor). A final timeline will be mutually agreed upon between the selected contractor and CIPE before the contract is signed.

 

The workplan (deliverable 1), two phone survey protocols (deliverable 2), and brief analytical report of baseline data analysis and summary of key findings (deliverable 3) will be expected to be completed by August 31, 2024.  

 

The brief analytical report of endline data analysis and summary of key findings (deliverable 4) will be expected to be completed by June 2025. 

 

While the dates of the consultancy may be adjusted based upon the firm’s proposal, CIPE seeks to collaborate with an efficient, effective consultant who will support and advance our goal for data-driven improvement. 

 

1. Renumeration 

 

Remuneration will be negotiated based on professional qualifications and relevant experience. All applicants are instructed to submit a detailed budget denominated in US dollars indicating the costs associated with the approach aligned in their scope of work.  

 

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria Scoring 

CIPE will base the selection of the contractor on the following criteria: 

 

• Strength of the methodology detailed in technical proposal (30%) 
• Competence of the consultant (20%) 

• Relevance of experience/ past performance (15%) 
• Quality of data processing, data quality control, and data analysis procedures (15%) 
• Cost proposal (20%) 

 

1. How to Apply 

For full consideration, applications must be received by July 14th, 2024 by 5:30 p.m. Tunisia time.  All applications will be reviewed following the deadline. 

 

 

The following information should be submitted to be considered: 

 

1. A cover letter which contains the following components: 

 

1. Organization name and address  

1. Contact person email and phone number  

1. A clear description of the organization’s goals/level of interest in taking on this assignment 

 

1. The names, MEL capabilities, and years of experience detailed in resume format of no more than four (4) full-time staff whom the firm proposes to participate as the core evaluation team. 

 

1. Across the core team, the background experience should address the desired areas of expertise, including knowledge or background in anti-corruption, health, and gender programs and other development work, and expertise in program evaluation. 

 

1. A scope of work that describes the firm’s plan of execution for the requested evaluation at hand, including: 

 

1.  A clear description of the firm’s ability to conduct data collection remotely and/or local resources and staff availability in Tunisia; 
   1. Contractor shall ensure that at least at least 20% of completed phone surveys are back-checked by supervisors and the management team, and all protocols undergo quality control for proper administration. Contractor shall immediately contact CIPE should any problems be detected with the quality of data collection.
   2. Contractor shall include a clear description of their strategy for accessing the phone numbers of healthcare professionals, including their plan for connecting with the Ministry of Health and professional orders for professions with representative bodies. 

 

1. Data collection procedures/protocols and establishment of data quality assurance systems. 
   1. The Contractor shall use random selection techniques from an appropriate database of phone numbers of pharmaceutical industry and medical professionals that includes the full variety of required demographics (type of work – regulatory affairs, quality management, compliance, pharmacy industry, managing a pharmacy in the country).
   2. At least four call backs should be done if the randomly selected respondent is not available at the time of the first call. 
   3. The Contractor should indicate how it plans to conduct sample management, preferably through an integrated sample management process in its computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) system. The Contractor is expected to send regular updates during the data collection process (preferably daily or every other day) on sample achievement and should flag any issues that require addressing. 
   4. Contractor shall enter data into software that can easily transfer data to SPSS.  The Contractor shall ensure 100% verification of entered data and shall use logic-testing techniques to verify the soundness of the data.
   5. The Contractor shall provide a clear strategy for maintaining data security in their collection and analysis procedures, including a description of how they plan to anonymize or pseudonymize respondent data.
   6. The Contractor shall submit a data file in SPSS format to CIPE upon completion of the data processing. This file will contain variables that will be named according to the English questionnaire number, e.g. Q1, Q2, etc. All value labels shall replicate response choices as closely as possible according to the English questionnaire.  All “Don’t know” responses shall be coded to end in a ‘8’, e.g. 8, 98; All “Refused” responses shall be coded to end in a ‘9’, e.g.: 9, 99, etc.
   7. For the final results, the Contractor will supply CIPE with appropriate weights to bring the realized sample in line with population parameters to correct for possible disparities between actual population demographics and achieved sample demographics.

 

1. A detailed and itemized budget indicating cost associated with proposed evaluation design and recommended staff.

 

1. A list of grants or contracts received for MEL work over the past five years from USAID, State Department, or other funders.

 

1. Three (3) performance reviews/references from previous MEL-related work  

 

Please address any queries or requests for clarification to EvalTARequests@cipe.org and mbenoit-lavelle@cipe.org. 

 

Please send all application materials electronically to saha@cipe.org.   

The header should read “Tunisia SAHA Medical Industry Perception Surveys RFP – NAME OF ORGANIZATION/FIRM”.