Funding Opportunities

UPDATED WITH Q&A: Request for Proposals – Market Strengthening Project Data Collection in Kenya

Summary
The United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) is accepting proposals from Firms to conduct mobile phone-based household data collection for the Market Strengthening project in Kenya.

Household data collection will involve a mobile-based survey to understand the household’s primary fuel used for cooking, and how it has changed over time. Questions on local cookstove and fuel brands from companies supported by CCA will also be included. The survey is expected to be quite short and will be developed in collaboration with the hired Firm. The population of interest is customers of CCA-supported enterprises in Kenya; we will make use of customer lists from those companies when possible. The goal is to understand if the target population is experiencing increased access to cleaner cooking solutions (terms defined below); and to measure customer satisfaction with the CCA-supported enterprises products and services. Firms have to propose a clear sampling strategy for the mobile data collection.

Project Overview
The Market Strengthening project aims to develop a credible pipeline of sustainable, scalable, and investable clean cooking businesses that are able to attract capital to scale and replicate, accelerating the transition to cleaner cooking technologies that meet consumers’ needs. Through this work, the project will help to build a stronger and more sustainable clean cooking sector while helping the project’s supporter, the Government of the Netherlands, deliver on its goal to increase access to renewable energy globally. The four-year project (2019-2023) focuses on strengthening markets in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The project has been constructed across three components which constitute the Cooking Industry Catalyst (CIC). Each focus on an important and interconnected element required to create a dynamic and financially sustainable clean cooking industry:

• Venture Catalyst (VC) focuses on improving the pipeline of investment-ready businesses through business-level interventions;
• Market Catalyst (MC) focuses on improving the enabling environment that helps such businesses succeed through market-level interventions;
• Demand Catalyst (DC) focuses on understanding consumers and driving demand through consumer-level interventions.

Background of Organization
CCA works with a global network of partners to build an inclusive industry that makes clean cooking accessible to the three billion people who live each day without it. Established in 2010, CCA is driving consumer demand, mobilizing investment to build a pipeline of scalable businesses, and fostering an enabling environment that allows the sector to thrive. Clean cooking transforms lives by improving health, protecting the climate and the environment, empowering women, and helping families save time and money.

Objective
CCA is issuing this RFP to conduct a first round of household data collection for the project in Kenya.
The main objectives are to:

• Collect data on the project’s main outcome indicator ‘Number of people who have gained access to cleaner cooking solutions’ through household surveys conducted via mobile data collection, further defined below
• Collect data on a project’s Venture Catalyst indicator ‘Net promoter score* of product brand* (Percent promoters minor percent detractors)’ for enterprises supported by the project in Kenya via mobile data collection, further defined below
• Aggregate and analyze collected data

Number of people who have gained access to cleaner cooking solutions

Definition of Gained Access:
The household’s primary fuel used for cooking will define their access by placing the household in one of three categories: polluting, transition, or clean. By asking about the household’s previous primary fuel, we define if the household has changed categories. A household is counted as having gained access when they have moved up by one or more categories.

The categories are listed as the following, based on cookstove standards use for Sustainable Development Goal 7.1.2 (Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology). Generally, liquid fuels (except kerosene) are clean, pellets are transitions, and some charcoal stoves can be transitional.

Note that LPG is excluded as it is not covered by the Government of Netherlands funding for this project. Households whose primary fuel is LPG are not part of the population of interest. Data from these households can be collected, but it will not count for the purposes of indicator calculation.

Population of interest in Kenya

The population of interest for the purposes of collecting data for this indicator will be the customers of CCA-supported enterprises in Kenya.1 The goal would be to understand if the target population is actually experiencing increased access to cleaner cookstoves and fuels over the course of the project. The data will be collected using a mobile survey.

CCA will obtain customer lists from supported enterprises in Kenya and share them with the data collection Firm. The Firm will then conduct mobile surveys with the customers to ask questions that address this indicator. In case the customer lists from the supported enterprises are not adequate to develop a sampling frame, the selected Firm will work with CCA to develop alternative approaches to develop an adequate sampling frame.

Net promoter score* of product brand

Mobile surveys will be conducted only with confirmed customers of supported enterprises in Kenya to measure customer satisfaction with the clean cooking company from whom they purchased a product. The selected Firm will develop the survey questions and conduct the data collection. The exact number of companies and sample size to be selected for this data collection will be determined jointly with CCA.
Activities
The selected Firm will undertake the following activities:

• Document review. Review all pertinent project documentation.
• Methodology & sampling framework. Develop the data collection methodology and viable sampling framework in coordination with CCA.
• Survey instruments and translation. Develop and translate the survey instruments.
• Inception report. Develop a detailed inception report including the data collection methodology, survey instruments, work plan and timeline of activities.
• Mobile survey. Convert the surveys into electronic format for the mobile tool.
• Pilot testing of mobile survey. Conduct pilot testing of the mobile surveys and based on the pilot testing results make changes as required.
• Enumerators. Hire and train enumerators for data collection as required. Enumerators should speak the local language of the country where they will administer the mobile survey. Enumerators may not be required if the data collection is planned to be SMS-based or use an automated calling system.
• Implement mobile surveys. Implement the mobile surveys in Kenya. The data collection period can be set by the Firm, but it is expected to be two to three weeks long. Periodic field reports are expected to track progress and highlight any challenges.
• Clean data. All data should be cleaned and labelled (in English) at the conclusion of the data collection period.
• Submit final datasets to CCA. Data will be submitted via secure means, and data should come labelled with a codebook.
• Draft report. Submit a draft report including a codebook, compiled field reports, an explanation for any missing data including sample sizes that are above or below planned numbers and aggregation and analysis of data.
• Final report. Submit a final report including a codebook, compiled field reports, an explanation for any missing data including sample sizes that are above or below planned numbers and aggregation analysis of data.Presentation. A final presentation to CCA on the data and results.

Please Note:

• Data collection for additional project indicators may be included as part of this work after discussions with the selected Firm.
• Depending on the quality of work, CCA may wish to extend the contract to include data collection for these two indicators in 2022 and 2023.

Deliverables
The selected Firm will be expected to have regular calls with the CCA M&E Manager throughout the project work period. All deliverables, including the datasets, will be in English.

1. Inception report
2. Final clean and labelled datasets
3. Draft report
4. Final report
5. Presentation to CCA on final data and results

Period of Performance
The expected date for completing a signed contract is July 12, 2021, and data collection is roughly anticipated to begin by the end of July and to last for a period of approximately 3 weeks. Final datasets and a draft report are due within 3-4 weeks of the completion of data collection. A final report and presentation on the baseline data and results are due within 2 weeks after the delivery of the datasets and the draft report and after CCA has reviewed and provided comments on the draft report.

Technical Requirements
Firms applying to conduct the data collection in Kenya must showcase relevant expertise, experience, and capacity to accomplish the proposed objectives. In general, Firms should have:

• Experience conducting household surveys using mobile tools.
• Experience conducting household data collection in sub-Saharan Africa. Experience in Kenya will be helpful but is not necessary.
• Experience working in the field of International Development preferably in the clean cooking or energy sectors.
• Firms should specifically address how uncertainties relating to the current COVID-19 situation will impact the implementation of this work, and how those can be potentially mitigated.

Timeline

Budget
A detailed budget in US Dollars must be submitted with the proposal. Budget should include both pre-tax and net of tax values. The budget should include direct costs (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Sub-Agreements, Equipment, Supplies, etc.), as well as indirect costs (overhead). For indirect costs, please indicate a list of expenses covered by the indirect rate. For all direct cost, please include assumptions that were made to arrive at line-item costs (e.g. 2 trips @ $1,500/trip = $3,000 or 20 staff hours @ $40/hour = $800).

If a bid has a mathematical discrepancy, CCA may correct the discrepancy and notify the Firm of the adjustment. In such circumstances, the Firm may choose to withdraw their bid.
Proposal Guidelines and Requirements

• The proposal should be no longer than 12 pages (in pdf) in length, which should include the following:
  • Detailed sampling plan including target sample sizes and technical approach to reaching those targets. For the purposes of the proposal, assume the project supports 3 enterprises in Kenya, each with 100,000 customers and partial customer lists including contact information.
  • Detailed methodology describing the proposed use of mobile phones to collect the data, such as SMS, voice-activated responses, or using a live enumerator
  • Description of Firm/Team including relevant expertise and previous work. If the Firm has experience collecting data from clean cooking companies in the past, please include the names of those clean cooking companies.
  • Detailed Budget broken down into sub-categories
    • Staff Time/Personnel (need estimates of hours and daily rates, if applicable)
    • Grants
    • Contracts
    • Workshops, Roundtables, and Trainings
    • International Travel (transportation, lodging, meals/incidentals)
    • Regional Travel (transportation, lodging, meals/incidentals)
  • Detailed Timeline
• Proposals received after June 14, 2021, 11:59 pm EST will not be considered.
• The price provided should be in US dollars and should contain both pre-tax and net of tax values. If the process excludes certain fees or charges, the applicant must provide a detailed list of excluded fees with a complete explanation of the nature of those fees.
• CCA prefers a single point of contact who manages deliverables. If the execution of work to be performed by the Firm requires the hiring of sub-contractors, the Firm must clearly state this in the proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. Subcontractors are subject to vetting and approval of UNF/CCA.
• CCA will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of subcontractors; however, we retain the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
• Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful responses are considered available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.
• This RFP is open to multiple partners and is a competitive process.

Format for Proposals
Proposals must include applicant signature as well as a signed declaration form. Proposals must include the full legal name of applicant, as well as legal formation and ownership structure (e.g. incorporation certification, tax status and ID, etc.).

Proposal Selection Process
CCA will review all written proposals and may request a phone interview and/or updated submission to address questions or provide clarification. CCA will use the following criteria in our evaluation, which will be weighed against each other.

Intent and Disclaimer
This RFP is made with the intent to identify a Firm to deliver results as described in this RFP. UNF/CCA will rely on the Firm’s representations to be truthful and as described. CCA assumes it can be confident in the Firm’s ability to deliver the product(s) and/or service(s) proposed in response to this RFP.

If CCA amends the RFP, copies of any such amendments will be sent to all respondents to the proposal.

Contracting and Compliance
CCA will negotiate contract terms upon selection. A copy of the contract terms and conditions will be provided upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by the UN Foundation’s Business Services and Budget Reporting team. The project will start upon the complete execution of the contract. The contract will outline terms and conditions, scope, budget, and applicable flow down terms. Selected recipient(s) must comply with CCA, United Nations Foundation, and funder compliance requirements. The selected recipient(s) must also undergo detailed legal, financial, and commercial due diligence.

Release
The Firm understands that CCA has chosen to solicit an RFP for consulting services, and that the Firm’s response does not guarantee that CCA will enter into a new contract with the Firm or continue any current contract(s) with the Firm.

The Firm agrees that CCA may, at its sole discretion:

• Amend or cancel the RFP, in whole or in part, at any time
• Extend the deadline for submitting responses
• Determine whether a response does or does not substantially comply with the requirements of the RFP
• Waive any minor irregularity, informality or nonconformance with the provisions or procedures of the RFP
• Negotiate with all Firms UNF deems acceptable
• Issue multiple awards
• Photocopy the responses for evaluation/review

This RFP is not an offer to contract. CCA assumes no responsibility for Firm’s cost to respond to this RFP. All responses become the property of CCA.

The Firm, by submitting a response to this RFP, waives all right to protest or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP.

The Firm represents that it has responded to the RFP with complete honesty and accuracy. If facts provided in the Firm’s response change, the Firm agrees to supplement its response in writing with any deletions, additions, or changes within ten (10) days of the changes. The Firm will do this, as necessary, throughout the selection process.
The Firm understands it may receive proprietary and confidential information from CCA during the RFP process (“Confidential Information”). The Firm and CCA agree to not use Confidential Information for any purpose other than the Firm’s participation in the RFP process, and to not reveal Confidential Information directly or indirectly to any other person, entity, or organization without the prior written consent of the other party. The Firm and CCA further agree to exercise all reasonable precautions to maintain the proprietary and confidential nature of Confidential Information where it can best demonstrate its value and capacity to delivery ecosystem-wide, meaningful value.

Grounds for Exclusion
Material misrepresentations, including omissions, may disqualify the Firm from a contract award.

Submissions will be rejected in CCA’s sole discretion if it finds that the Firm has engaged in any illegal or corrupt practices in connection with the award.

The Firm will be excluded from participation for the reasons below. By submitting a proposal in response to the RFP, the Firm confirms that none of the below circumstances apply:

• The Firm is bankrupt or being wound up, is having their affairs administered by the courts, has entered into an arrangement with creditors, has suspended business activities, is subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
• The Firm or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted of an offense concerning their professional conduct by a final judgment.
• The Firm has been found guilty of grave professional misconduct; proven by any means which CCA can justify.
• The Firm has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established, or within the United States of America, or those of the country where the contract is to be performed.
• The Firm or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organization or money laundering by a final judgment.
• The Firm makes use of child labor or forced labor and/or practice discrimination, and/or do not respect the right to freedom of association and the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining pursuant to the core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Principal Point of Contact
Responses to proposed questions are available at the bottom of this page.

Submission Details
The application should be submitted as a pdf to CCA by email with the subject line ‘Market Strengthening Project Data Collection in Kenya RFP Proposal – [Firm name]’ to info@cleancookingalliance.org and atodd@cleancookingalliance.org no later than June 14, 2021, 11:59 pm EST.