Тендер на закупівлю послуг з проведення дослідження потреб ветеранів: RfP for VR Veterans Needs Assessment (IREX)

IREX/Ukraine

Veterans Reintegration Program

Veterans Needs Assessment

Request for Proposals

I. Background

IREX’s Veteran Reintegration Program (VR) aims to improve the quality of and access to services available to Ukraine’s veterans, including the most vulnerable veteran populations, as they transition to civilian life. Its activities focus on expanding veterans’ access to employment and vocational training opportunities, as well as enhancing their access to capable and responsive psychosocial and physical rehabilitation services.

IREX, in partnership with the Ukrainian Veteran Foundation (UVF),  aims to conduct veterans needs assessment among regionally diverse leaders in the veterans’ community, representatives of veteran-focused NGOs, representatives of veterans with disabilities, female veterans, and veteran service providers and academics to get a more nuanced and accurate picture of the challenges faced by the veterans today.

IREX is looking for a vendor to conduct a round of five focus group discussions (FGDs) with 20 diverse leaders in the veterans’ community, and 15 representatives of veteran-focused NGOs, and 14 in-depth key informant interviews (KIIs) with three  representatives of veterans with disabilities,  three veterans from marginalized groups, three female veterans, and five veteran service providers and academics to get a more nuanced and accurate picture of the challenges faced by the veterans today. The final methodological approach for data collection will be determined based on the respondents’ availability.

Goal of the needs assessment: to identify current Ukrainian veterans’ most pressing needs that would feed the discussion and facilitate the solution-creation process during coordination meetings with the Ukrainian government and veteran-focused NGOs.

II. IREX, in partnership with UVF, expects that the selected vendor will conduct FGDs and KIIs of the needs assessment to achieve the following assessment objectives and identify:

• Veteran needs: Identify the current most pressing needs of the Ukrainian veterans in the areas including, but not limited to physical and mental health, employment and vocational training, public services and benefits, community engagement and social life.
• Transition and reintegration challenges: Identify the challenges faced by veterans during their transition from military to civilian life, including issues related to employment, housing, healthcare, and social integration.
• Satisfaction with government programs and policies: Assess veterans’ satisfaction with existing government programs and policies aimed at supporting their well-being, including pensions, housing assistance, and reintegration initiatives. Determine current gaps in the provision of government services to veterans.
• Barriers and challenges limiting veterans’ access to services and benefits: Examine the key bottlenecks veterans, which could include topics such as administrative processes, veterans’ knowledge, and awareness of available services and benefits, geographical accessibility of services and benefits, particularly in rural or remote areas, transportation challenges that may hinder veterans from accessing services.  
• Social integration and community support: Examine the level of social integration and support from the community, including relationships with family, friends, and local organizations. Study how can the general population better engage with and support veterans in their reintegration into social life.
• Education and training: Explore the educational opportunities and vocational training available to veterans, correspondence to their needs, as well as their utilization of such programs.

Target audience (TA): regionally diverse leaders in the veterans’ community (minimum 20 representatives planned), representatives of veteran-focused NGOs (minimum 15 representatives planned), representatives of veterans with disabilities (minimum 3 representatives planned), veterans from marginalized groups (incl. LGBTQ+) (minimum 3 representatives planned), female veterans (minimum 3 representatives planned), and representatives veteran service providers and academia (up to 5 representatives planned).

III. Scope of work

IREX expects the selected vendor to conduct the following tasks:

• Develop design and methodology to address the goal of the needs assessment using FGDs and KIIs focused on the described TA, including a recruitment plan, number of interviews (FGDs), methods of recruitment.
• Develop FGDs and KIIs guides.
• Recruit the respondents. IREX may support the selected vendor with the contacts of the potential respondents.
• Conduct fieldwork to achieve the goal of the needs assessment.
• Prepare transcripts in the language of the respondents.
• Prepare narrative analytical report based on FGDs and KIIs results in English and Ukrainian, summarizing the key findings, including identified needs, challenges, opportunities and recommendations.

Deliverables:

• Work plan (with timelines) in English for each part of the assessment.
• Methodology for FGDs and KIIs, including detailed recruitment plan, in English and Ukrainian.
• Final guides for FGDs and KIIs in English and Ukrainian.
• Transcripts for FGDs and KIIs in the language of respondents.
• Narrative analytical report in Ukrainian and English based on FGDs and KIIs results in Word.
• Summary reports (no more than 5 pages each) based on each thematical subject that IREX can use for publication of the key results.
• Power Point presentation highlighting key results in English and Ukrainian.

Vendors can suggest different methodological approaches (with appropriate budget) to cover assessment objectives.

Timing/duration:

Work should start immediately after the agreement signature and preferably to be completed by November 20^th 2023.

IV. Proposal requirements

Proposal should be sent to [email protected]  no later than 16:59 October 13^th , 2023.

Any clarification questions regarding RfP should be submitted to [email protected] not later than October 9^th 16:59.

Once the vendor is identified, all companies that apply will be informed about the selection results.

IREX reserves the right to re-announce RfP in case less than 3 (three) technically qualified proposals are received through this call.

Elements of the proposal:

• Narrative proposal (maximum size of the narrative proposal in MS Word is 5 pages (font size 12, 1.5 line spacing) which includes:
  • Methodology and design for conduction of in-depth key informant interviews and focus group discussions, including approach to recruiting respondents.
  • Capacity of the organization. Relevant examples of completed similar assignments performed during the last 3 years, and specifically a description of those performed following the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine. (It could be in the form of reference).
  • Timeline by different activities. Timeline should include two options: no list of contact persons for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions is provided by IREX, and list of contact persons is provided by IREX.
  • Registration documents including the following: certificate on state registration, taxpayer certificate, Charter, order for the appointment of the organization head, and any other relevant documents (for example, references).
• Budget calculations by budget lines. Budget calculations to be sent in a separate MS Excel file, using recommended budget template: IREX_VRP_Needs Assessment_Budget template
• Budget options should include two scenarios: no list of contact persons for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions is provided by IREX, and a list of contact persons is provided by IREX.

Budget ceiling is 14,000 USD including VAT.

The payment is made in UAH according to the official currency exchange rate, determined by the National Bank of Ukraine as of the date of invoice issue.

Language of submission is English.

V. Selection criteria

IREX Veterans Needs Assessment RFP