Modification #2
April 15, 2013
Request for Proposals
Consultancy to Create New Model(s) for PROFILES and Provide Technical Assistance on the
Revision of PROFILES by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III Project (FANTA)
RFP Date of Issuance:
Due date for Application:
Availability:
Place of Performance:
April 2, 2013
Open Until Filled
May 1, 2013 - December 15, 2013 (total of 45 days)
Washington, DC
Interested parties should send the following completed documents via email to Lesley Oot at
loot@fhi360.org:
Curriculum Vitae
FHI 360 Biodata Form
Proposed Daily Rate for services
1. Objective
The objective of this consultancy is to provide support to FANTA’s work on PROFILES spreadsheet
models. The consultant will create at least one model reflecting the association between nutrition and
education and/or early child development, and the provision of technical assistance to review a new
approach used to develop demographic estimates for PROFILES. Also, the consultant will provide
technical assistance on revisions of current available PROFILES models.
2. Background
PROFILES is an evidence-based tool to support nutrition advocacy. PROFILES uses models and
country-specific data to project economic and health consequences of not adequately addressing a
country’s nutrition problems with no improvement in nutrition indicators over a defined time period (e.g. for
the next 10 years). It simultaneously estimates the benefits if nutrition indicators are improved over the
same time period, expressed, for example, as lives improved and saved and economic productivity gains.
Based on the projected consequences and benefits, PROFILES is used in a collaborative nutrition
advocacy process that engages government and other high-level stakeholders to identify, prioritize and
advocate for evidence-based actions to improve nutrition.
As the demand for PROFILES increases, FANTA has identified the need for additional model(s) to
support nutrition advocacy for policy development and evidence to promote and support programming for
implementation of effective nutrition interventions.
3. Specific activities
3.1 Create Version 1 of at least one model relating nutrition problems and education and/or early
childhood development; for example, an association between stunting and education, or between
micronutrient deficiencies (e.g. iron or iodine) and education/cognitive development.
The Consultant will conduct the following activities:
1) Work from selected scientific literature provided by FANTA to apprise model development.
2) Describe a conceptual framework on the likely linkage(s) the model will generate
3) Create Version 1 of at least one model that includes one or more new sheet(s) in the
PROFILES workbook, to include education (and/or young child cognitive development)
indicators/outcomes for the status quo scenario and for the scenario reflecting the improved
nutrition situation. Write a brief description of the new models(s).
Estimated LOE: 20 days
3.2 Develop Version 2 – Consultant will make a mutually agreed upon revised version of the model(s)
based on feedback provided by the FANTA team and/or suggestions by the consultant.
Estimated LOE: 5 days
3.3 The current PROFILES demographic tool does not work on present-day computer operating systems
such as Windows 2007/2010 hence a new approach to generating demographic information is under
development by FANTA staff. The consultant will provide technical assistance through a review of this
new approach and will provide feedback, comments, and/or suggestions on the draft new approach to
generating the demographic information required by the PROFILES model.
Estimated LOE: 5 days
3.4 Provide technical assistance as requested by FANTA staff on various aspects of formulas/approaches
used in the PROFILES models to assist in revisions/clarifications of the tool.
Estimated LOE: 15 days
Activity
3.1 Version 1 of model(s) relating the negative impact of
poor nutrition on educational and/or child development
outcomes
3.2 Version 2 of the same model(s) described in section 3.1
3.3 Technical assistance to review the new approach to
obtaining the PROFILES demographic information
(documented through written and/or verbal comments,
feedback, and/or technical memos)
3.4. Technical assistance on various aspects of
formulas/approaches used in the PROFILES models
(documented through written and/or verbal comments,
feedback, and/or technical memos or brief notes on the
requested materials)
Total
Date
May 1 – June
18, 2013
LOE
20
June 19 – July
15, 2013
July 16 – August
30, 2013
5
August 31 –
December 15,
2013
15
5
45 days
4. Deliverables and Schedule
Estimated Period of Performance: May 1, 2013 – December 15, 2013
The consultant shall complete and submit the deliverables by the below listed due dates. Deliverables are
to be submitted in electronic form by the consultant to the designated FANTA technical lead. Please note
that, in most cases, multiple drafts of deliverables shall need to be submitted by the consultant to FANTA
for feedback before the deliverable can be considered final and approved, fulfilling the terms of the
consultant agreement.
The consultant shall submit the following deliverables to the Technical Manager according to the following
schedule:
Deliverable
3.1 Version I of model(s) relating nutrition problems and education
and/or early childhood development
3.2 Version II of model(s) after receipt and incorporation of FANTA
feedback
3.3 Technical assistance to review the new approach to obtaining
PROFILES demographic information (documented through written
and/or verbal comments, feedback and/or technical memos or brief
notes)
3.4 Technical assistance on various aspects of formulas/ approaches
used the PROFILES models (documented through written and/or
verbal comments, feedback and/or technical memos or brief notes on
the requested materials)
Date of Submission
June 18, 2013
July 15, 2013
August 30, 2013
December 15, 2013
5. Qualifications
The PROFILES spreadsheet model is contained in a complex excel spreadsheet workbook which
contains multiple worksheets and specific knowledge of the tool is required for this consultancy.
More specific qualifications requested include:
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PHD in Nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, or related field
Working knowledge of the PROFILES models including underlying assumptions and coefficients
Experience in developing PROFILES models
Experience using PROFILES at the country level
10 years of professional experience with international public health nutrition
Expertise in applied statistics to nutrition
6. TECHNICAL DIRECTION: Elisabeth Sommerfelt (esommerfelt@fhi360.org)