PK-RFP-0125 - Hiring of Firm for Endline Evaluation of Health Systems, Policy and Community Engagement Interventions

Organization Introduction:Ipas is an international non-government organization (INGO) that works to assist the Government of Pakistan in achieving the country’s commitment towards Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well-being). It seeks to reduce maternal mortality associated with complications due to unsafe practices. We collaborate with the provincial government to provide technical assistance and support for strengthening the public and private healthcare system. We improve the provision of maternal healthcare services based on nationally approved guidelines and recommended technologies such as uterine evacuation and healthy spacing methods. We help to upgrade government-run hospitals and medical facilities by providing need-based equipment, supplies, and training to health care practitioners.Introduction/Background:Unsafe abortion remains a significant public health challenge in Pakistan, contributing substantially to maternal morbidity and mortality . The number of abortions has increased from approximately 2.2 million in 2012 to an estimated 3.8 million in 2023 annually . Despite this high burden, access to quality post-abortion care (PAC) and post-abortion family planning (PAFP) services remains limited, with notable gaps in counselling, availability of contraceptive methods, and service delivery standards. A large proportion of abortions are managed by midwives and traditional birth attendants who often lack training in safe, WHO recommended, evidence-based technologies such as misoprostol and Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) . Consequently, unsafe methods, including dilation and curettage (D&C), continue to be widely used, contributing to an estimated 6–13% of maternal deaths associated with abortion-related complications .Access barriers, including stigma, misinformation, provider bias, and limited availability of trained facility-based providers, further restrict women and girls from seeking timely and appropriate care. It is estimated that only around 35% of women experiencing abortion-related complications seek care at public health facilities, while the majority remain underserved due to social, geographic, and systemic constraints . Additionally, persistent myths and misconceptions among healthcare providers, particularly regarding the role of mid-level providers, have hindered efforts to expand access to safe PAC services.To address these challenges, since 2023, Ipas has been implementing a four-year project (January 2023 – December 2026) across selected intervention districts in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The project aimed to improve access to and utilization of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services especially PAC and FP for women, particularly focusing on strengthening health systems, enhancing provider capacity, and increasing community awareness and engagement. Key interventions included provider training on PAC and contraceptive service provision, facility strengthening through provision of essential equipment and supplies, supportive supervision, and community-based awareness and referral mechanisms through trained community health workers.With the project moving towards the completion of its implementation period, Ipas seeks to conduct an endline evaluation to comprehensively assess the overall performance, effectiveness, outcomes and sustainability of the project. The endline evaluation will build on findings from the baseline and midterm assessments (where available) to measure changes over time, evaluate the quality and utilization of services, assess provider competency retention, and examine community-level outcomes. It will also focus on identifying lessons learned, best practices, and gaps, as well as assessing the sustainability and scalability of the interventions within the broader health system context.The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to engage a qualified research/evaluation firm to conduct the endline evaluation. Detailed requirements for the evaluation are outlined in the sections below.

Events & Timeline

Requested Information

Note: Template files for the items below (BidTables, Questionnaires) are available in the Attachments section of this opportunity.

Attachments

• ToRs_-_Endline_Evaluation_of_Health_Systems__Policy_and_Community_Engagement_Interventions.docx