Request for Proposal: Bolstering Citizen Engagement in Budget Tracking
Request for Proposal
Bolstering Citizen Engagement in Budget Tracking
1. Study background and objectives
Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer of crude oil and revenue from the sector represents close to 80% of the federal government’s revenue. Worldwide, Nigeria produces more than 2% of the world’s oil production in 2019.
Although there are existing legal frameworks that clearly outline “rules” for allocations for the distribution of oil revenue, it is difficult to track the flow of these funds and expenditures from national to state to local levels. The lack of ability to clearly track the expenditure of funds heightens the risk of mismanagement of funds and corruption. In response, a number of Nigerian civil society organizations (CSOs) have identified the flow of funds as a corruption risk and are working to make budgets, in general, and the flow of funds from oil revenue, in particular, more transparent through readily digestible publications of national and state budgets on online platforms.
Given this landscape, there is a clear case for systematic coherent research on how to effectively manage these budget tracking projects and to maximize their efficacy. The Leveraging Transparency to Reduce Corruption (LTRC) program aims to reduce this evidence gap through a joint initiative by the Brookings Institution (Brookings), Results for Development (R4D), and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). LTRC is a five-year research initiative to investigate how open governance reforms can be best implemented to reduce corruption risk within the natural resources sector.
As part of this initiative, LTRC aims to understand which models of transparency, participation and accountability lead to improved service delivery and reduced corruption risk in natural resource-derived budgets in an environment of low trust in government? Specifically, LTRC will undertake a study will designed to:
- Estimate the effect of different models of transparency and participation on if participants contact a government representative or anti-corruption agency.
- Assess perception of corruption among individuals.
To support this work, LTRC seeks bids from qualified data collection firms with experience operating in Nigeria to undertake enumeration, data collection, data cleaning, and validation checks over a period of six (6) months.
2. Key tasks, sample, and timeline
Task 1: Translate survey tools
R4D will provide survey tools in English. The data collection partner will work with professional translators to translate and back translate the survey tools into the local languages of the LGAs in our sample, described below.
Task 2: Code and pilot survey tools
Prior to each survey round, the data collection partner will be responsible for coding the survey tools into an electronic data collection format and then piloting them in non-sample communities. The data collection partner will provide a feedback report to R4D highlighting the success and challenges experienced during piloting and will work with R4D to incorporate reasonable changes to the survey based on piloting activities.
Task 3: Baseline survey
The first round of data collection will begin in May 2020. Surveys will take place in either (1) five or (2) ten local government areas (LGAs) in each of two states: Akwa Ibom and Osun. This will result in a total of either (1) ten or (2) twenty LGAs. The specific LGAs are to be determined in conversation with local partners. Surveys will be conducted with 100 individuals in each LGA to understand perceptions of corruption and experience with budget tracking.
Task 4: Endline survey
Six months following the baseline survey, an endline survey will be conducted (tentatively, November 2020). Surveys will take place with the same individuals in the same LGAs in the same states that were included in the baseline sample described in Task 3. The data collection firm is responsible for tracking and follow-up of baseline survey participants.
Broadly, the survey will be conducted with individuals to understand how perceptions of corruption have changed as a result of our intervention and their experiences with the budget tracking activities that form our intervention.
Task 5: Endline focus groups (tentative)
Structured group discussions will be conducted with endline survey respondents to provide more context to survey results and gain a deeper understanding of citizen engagement outcomes and perceptions of social trust.
Please cost this activity separately as it may or may not be conducted as part of the final scope of work.
Sample
LGAs to be determined in conversation with local partners in Nigeria will be sampled from two states: Akwa Ibom and Osun. Baseline and endline data will be collected for 100 individuals in each of the (1) five or (2) ten communities within each state, for a total of (1) ten or (2) twenty communities. Data will be collected for the two rounds six months apart.
Tentative data collection timeline
Piloting and data collection for baseline will begin in May 2020; endline data collection will begin in November 2020.
3. Data collection partner qualifications
The minimum qualifications for the data collection partner:
· Prior experience conducting household and individual surveys within communities.
· Prior experience conducting surveys in Nigeria.
· Prior experience conducting large-scale surveys (minimum of 1600 observations).
· Prior experience with mixed methods data collection
· Project supervisors fluent in English and local languages in targeted communities.
4. Proposal response structure
Please include the following sections in your written response to this Request for Proposal:
A. Description of prior experience: A description of the data collection partner’s past experience conducting household and individual surveys and experience conducting surveys in Nigeria. This should include the proposed electronic survey software for data collection, as well as the data collection partner’s capacity for programming and troubleshooting in this software.
B. Proposed field team structure: A chart laying out the hierarchy of enumerator teams, including the number of enumerators at every level of the hierarchy. This chart should clearly lay out reporting structures to the designated R4D team member who will be overseeing field activities.
C. Budget for data collection activities: A detailed estimate of costs for conducting surveys for two options: (1) 10 LGAs and (2) 20 LGAs in the sample described above. The estimate should be inclusive of all costs associated with data collection activities, including salaries, food, lodging, and transport stipends for the survey team. The estimate should be broken into costs associated with piloting and implementation of surveys in baseline and endline. The attached template (“Vendor Budget Template_vf.xlsx”) may be used for the budget submission.
D. CVs of core team members
For any questions regarding this Request for Proposal, please contact [email protected] by January 3, 2020.
Please keep the response to this Request for Proposal to a maximum of 5 pages (excluding annexes). Send your response and any accompanying materials to [email protected]and [email protected] by January 15, 2020.
How to Apply
Please click here to apply.