PATH Calls for Proposals: Support for Design and Implementation of Study of Urban Malaria in Senegal

PATH seeks proposals from interested institutions in Senegal for the Support for Design and implementation of study of urban malaria in Senegal.

Interested institutions will co-lead the design and implementation of the study and the dissemination of the findings. As the concept note for this study is still subject to PMI approval and PNLP review, there may be additional changes to this SOW. The potential institutions will be notified of any changes to this SOW, and if so, all potential bidders will be given an opportunity to make reasonable/ required amendments to their proposal based on those changes before a final selection is made. All activities are to be conducted under the leadership of the National Malaria Program of Senegal (PNLP) and in partnership with PMI Insights, PMI and UCSF. A steering group of key stakeholders will be formed to guide the study design, implementation, and dissemination. In addition, PMI Insights will actively support the project management.

Eligibility:

PATH is looking for an institution that has experience in conducting mixed methods research, including evaluations of malaria prevalence and incidence and entomological evaluations of vector control interventions. The institution will demonstrate experience and expertise in the design, implementation, and evaluation of malaria interventions in communities. The institution will possess experience conducting baseline assessments, qualitative research (informant interviews and focus group discussions), quantitative research (baseline and endline surveys, cohort surveys), quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and report writing. The institution will ideally possess both French and English language capabilities. The institution will also be required to build and develop relationships with key contacts in the target study areas (Touba, Senegal). 

Tasks:

1. Collaborate on the timely development of a study protocol that includes a background summary of the relevant literature, study objectives (including intervention package), methods, data management and analysis, data collection tools, consent forms and timeline for the study, with the initial design occurring during a two-day workshop in June 2023.
2. Submit and obtain the necessary ethics (e.g., Comité National d’Ethique pour la Recherche en Santé – CNERS review) and administrative approvals (e.g. district officials) to conduct the study in Senegal and provided required documents to facilitate ethical approval by other collaborating institutions (i.e. PATH, UCSF, etc.).
3. Facilitate the development and implementation of a community engagement strategy that includes community consultations, as needed, to: refine the study objectives or design; communicate the study objectives methods and timelines to national, district, community and daara stakeholders; and disseminate findings of the study after it is completed.
4. Rapidly map and characterize the daaras in the selected study area to permit randomization.
5. Program, test and pilot data collection instruments and organize and conduct the training of data collectors.
6. Conduct baseline (and endline) quantitative and qualitative surveys and focus groups in daaras to determine patterns of exposure of talibes to malaria vectors and the feasibility and acceptability of interventions proposed for the study, building on an urban landscape analysis already conducted.
7. Support the PNLP in the implementation of the package of interventions in selected daaras.
8. Evaluate the impact of the interventions on malaria through baseline and endline malaria crosssectional surveys in intervention and control daaras and/or through measurement of incident infections as well as through other quantitative and qualitative data collection activities.
9. Participate in regular check-in meetings with the PMI Insights project team and organize meetings with the steering group to update on the progress of the evaluation.
10. Lead the write-up of the key findings of the evaluation study in a full report.
11. Provide inputs into the development of a research use plan for the study. The research use plan includes a mapping of the key stakeholders for the study, defines how the results will be used and by whom, and includes a stakeholder engagement and dissemination work plan to facilitate the uptake of the findings.
12. Co-facilitate meetings and webinar(s) with key stakeholders to facilitate their engagement and uptake of the findings from the study.
13. Support the dissemination of research findings with all relevant stakeholders (including the community) and partners through meetings/workshops and eventually, peer-reviewed publications.
14. Share recommendations with the PNLP and collaborate on targeted scale-up of the intervention packages.

Read more in English and French.

Proposal deadline May 19, 2023.