Team Leader

1. Introduction
The Avian and Pandemic Influenza Initiative (APII) is a three-year project awarded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to Abt Associates Inc. (Abt) and its partners in October 2009.  The project aims to build the capacity of the Government of Vietnam (GVN) and its counterparts to identify, prevent and control avian influenza outbreaks in both animals and humans.  The project builds on previous successful activities of USAID’s Avian and Pandemic Influenza (API) partners in Vietnam, including the Abt implemented AI Mekong Initiative, and introduce these successes to five focus provinces: Can Tho, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Kien Giang, and Quang Tri. And it will implement activities through four components: (1) National coordination and policy dialogue; (2) Human health; (3) Animal health and (4) Behavior change communication.

Under APII project, Abt, managing agency, is requested to continue BCC activities on avian influenza of the AI Mekong Initiative implemented in Can Tho and Hung Yen and take over BCC activities of the AI BCC project implemented with support from AED (Academy for Educational Development) in Ha Nam, Kien Giang and Quang Tri.

The project is conducting a qualitative assessment of these campaigns and requires the services of research consultants to help plan and complete research activities. The project is recruiting a team leader and up to 4 additional team members to accomplish this work.

Messages
Both these two projects focus their BCC activities on three key messages/good things as follows:
1) Wash hands with soap before and after handling poultry
2) Only buy and sell healthy poultry
3) Immediately report sick or dead poultry to veterinary officials

Campaign Target Audiences and Intended Research Participants
Small commercial and backyard farmers
Different actors in the poultry supply chain
Animal health and agriculture extension workers and their supervisors
Local leaders

Communication channels
AI Mekong Initiative: Community event, small group discussion, hanging posters, airing radio spots through commune loudspeakers.
With a role model: Mr. Mau for Hung Yen and Mr. Ba for Can Tho
AI BCC: Kiosques at market, billboard, leaflets, airing radio sports through loudspeakers, road show, one-day training for sector three farmers.
With a role model: couple of Mr. Nam

Communication materials
AI Mekong Initiative: Flipchart, posters, booklet, radio spots, drama scripts, BCC training curriculum for target audiences, T-shirt, cap, key chains.
AI BCC: Posters, Billboard, leaflets, stickers, caps, apron, T-shirt, bag, radio spots, BCC training materials for target audiences

2. Purpose of the work
The selected team of consultants are to work with technical directors of BCC and Human Health and M&E with back-up support from Abt home office to conduct a qualitative assessment on BCC Campaigns run by both projects. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the most effective activities, materials, messages and target audiences from the behavior change communication (BCC) campaigns of both projects. This evidence will be used to inform the design of a single new BCC campaign as part of the USAID Avian and Pandemic Influenza Initiative.

3. Activities required:
Submit a full research proposal (including methodology, target subjects, selection sites, proposed research tools, detail plan and timelines …) (3 Days)
Conduct literature review of existing and recent research pertaining to the activities and materials targeted to the 5 project provinces (5 days)
Co-facilitate workshop to introduce the review and analysis process, and include counterparts in process (3 days including prep time)
Lead the design of research instruments - focus group discussion guides and in-depth interview guides (5 Days)
Conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews as designed in the five project provinces (15 Days excluding travel time) – May need two two-people teams!
Transcribe all discussions and interviews for analysis (20 Days)
Analyze all transcriptions for themes and major findings (5 Days)
Draft report of research findings (English) (7 Days including two revisions)

4. Travels during this SOW
2 districts each from 5 provinces: Can Tho, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Kien Giang, Quang Tri

5. Duration:
63 days (person days) from March to May 2010

6. Deliverables
Research proposal
Focus group discussion guides and in-depth interview guides (English and Vietnamese)
Transcription of all discussions and interviews for analysis (Vietnamese)
Draft report of research findings (English)

Interested research team/candidates can send CVs of the principle investigator and suggested team members with an outline of research proposal attached with draft budget, no later than Feb 26, 2010, to:

Ms. Hoang Bich Thuy
Technical Director for Behavior Change Communication
USAID | Avian and Pandemic Influenza Initiative
Abt Associates Inc.
2nd floor, 72 Xuan Dieu St., Tay Ho Dist., Ha Noi
Tel: (84.4) 3719 3139, ext 113
Email: [email protected]

Job Details
Organisation Name: 
Abt Associates Inc.
Location: 
Ha Noi
Application Deadline: 
Fri, 2010-02-26