Research Projects: Tender Documentation for Scoping study for a Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour Survey toward relationships, sexual and reproductive health among young people in Ireland
DEADLINE EXTENDED
28 June 2004

TENDER DEADLINE EXTENDED

Crisis Pregnancy Programme Research Brief

The Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPA) will soon put for public tender a knowledge, attitudes and behaviours survey of young people in Ireland in relation to sexual and reproductive health. Set up for this project is being progressed by the CPA with the cooperation of the Directors of Public Health and health promotion managers within Health Boards.

To inform the development of this research the CPA wishes to commission a scoping study that will address technical and procedural issues in consultation with key stakeholders and research partners. A consultation or facilitation process will form an integral component of the final scoping report.

It is envisaged that this scoping study will involve:
1.A facilitation process with key stakeholders and research partners to address the set up and administration of the project.
2.A comprehensive review of procedural and operational issues that require consideration in the planning and administration of a survey of this nature.
3.A comprehensive review of methodological issues. This relates specifically to sampling issues at a number of levels and the cost implications of this.

Note that none of these aspects of the scoping exercise are mutually exclusive and it is likely that these elements will overlap with one another.

Tenderers need to describe in detail how they will address these aspects, outlined in more detail below.

1. Facilitation:
This involves bringing together partners that will share in managing and agreeing the terms of reference of the research. It is envisaged that Directors of Public Health (DPH) for participating Health Boards (HB), or their deputies/nominees, will, at a macro level, work with the CPA to manage the research. It is hoped that a senior representative from the Department of Health and Children (DoHC) and Department of Education and Science (DoES) will be available to work in cooperation with the partnership at this level.
DPHs are expected to nominate representatives within Health Promotion (HP) departments to steer the research and work more closely with the research team to complete the research. Participating DPHs (or nominees), identified by the CPA, need to be consulted before the major study begins. Ideally a meeting of these DPHs will be facilitated (by the successful tenderer), to discuss and agree the following issues in relation to the survey with the CPA:

•Expectations of the data in terms of representativeness
•Expectations of the report itself, deliverables and dissemination
•Representation – who is nominated to do what
•Clarification of the process and research procedure – has everything been covered
•Clarification of ethical and consent related issues.

It will be helpful for all those involved in the consultation/facilitation process to have a copy of a draft report on procedural and sampling issues (discussed below) that can be revised as a result of feedback and discussion.

2. Procedure:
This would involve an understanding of the relevant structures and processes within the education system and an understanding of how this kind of research has been conducted previously in other countries. The scoping report will:

•Identify issues that need to be borne in mind in terms of access negotiation with schools, and outline best practice
•Address how parental consent will be acquired at school level, and outline best practice procedures for the same
•Identify issues that need to be addressed in terms of administering questionnaires in a school setting bearing in mind the methodological literature recommendations in relation to group administration; who administers; size of group; in what setting; instruction to pupils; clarification for pupils; literacy issues when administering questionnaire etc.
•Identify factors that may that may facilitate/hinder the project in relation to boards of management, principles, teachers, students themselves, parents and representative groups of each of these.
•Identify issues that need to be considered in the management of the project, from management group, to steering group, to fieldwork. This will involve considering who needs to be involved at what stage of the process and in what capacity.
•Examine how the procedure can best maximse response rates, by facilitating ‘buy-in’ from key stakeholders and ensuring that people benefit from the research in terms of process and final output.

3. Sampling
The key question in relation to information required is the number of schools and pupils within schools, required for a representative sample, so that findings can be generalised. The cost implications of these decisions also needs to be reviewed.

Issues such as geographical spread and participation criteria will need to be considered. Three areas require specific focus:

•regional sampling issues (within participating HBs)
•school sampling issues within regions (e.g. SES, gender and school ‘type’ i.e. non/secular)
•within-school sampling issues (class levels and student numbers)

Response rates require consideration. The scoping study will:
•Outline the levels of response required on all levels with respect to their acceptability and generalisability of findings (regional level, within-school level)
•Outline contingency arrangements that would be required should levels of participation that are anticipated, fail to materialize
•Suggest options for monitoring and analysing non-response and factoring non-response into findings

Deliverables
1.The facilitation process will produce an agreed structure and process for how this study will be conducted among its partners (CPA and HBs) and an agreed plan for utilisation of study outputs.

2.In terms of operational issues, the study will provide a comprehensive guide to the procedural issues involved in conducting the research and maximizing participation at all levels

3.Methodologically, the study will provide a ‘research template’ for sampling considerations at a regional, school and student level; and details regarding acceptable response rates at all levels

Timeframe:
A three month timeframe is envisaged, beginning as soon as possible. Tenderers should state explicitly when they can begin work on this project and provide a project schedule.

Budget Guidance:
The budget available for this project is €25,000 - €30,000.

Skills required:
Step 1 requires an individual with good facilitation/interpersonal skills and research background.
Step 2 requires individuals with experience and expertise around conducting surveys in schools
Step 3 above requires an individual with a statistical and sampling expertise.

Closing date for receipt of tenders is 5pm Thursday September 30th 2004.