Home-based: Youth Centredness Global Survey and Analysis

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 75 countries.

Read more about Plan International's Global Strategy: Girls Standing Strong at https://plan-international.org/strategy

About the Commissioning Office: 

The Girl and Youth Power and Action (GYPA) Hub is situated within the Global Hub of Plan International, with a headquarters office in Woking, England. The Global Hub is comprised of over 300 staff employed globally.

Our vision is that young people, particularly girls and young women in all their diversity, are active drivers of systemic change, leading feminist movements and campaigns, with the support and collaboration of allies across the world.​ The GYPA Hub exists to engage and connect people and partners - inside and outside PII - and to be an engine for driving youth voice and engagement across all areas.

2. Background/Context: 

Plan International is on a journey towards becoming youth centered. The new Global Strategy, Girls Standing Strong, sets a clear ambition to work with young people as equal partners and meaningfully include them in decision making at all levels. In the next strategic period, this approach will be mainstreamed towards a consistent and coherent approach applied across all programming and influencing, so that young people and girls at all stages of the life course are equipped with the skills and tools towards their political consciousness, self-esteem and agency to lead change in their communities and countries. For Plan International to become youth-centered, this also requires internal and external shifts in how we work with young people.

A global annual survey on youth centredness was launched in 2022. The primary purpose of this tool is to measure progress against the key benchmarks of progress that the organisation has set itself over the next five years to achieve the youth centred ambition. The annual survey is disseminated to all offices across the Plan Federation, and in addition to mapping progress, it is also an opportunity to surface best practice, innovations, identify gaps and to establish key priorities for the coming years.

3. Description & Objectives: 

Purpose: 

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop, administer and analyse Plan’s global survey on youth centredness; undertake both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the responses including by region and other meaningful points of disaggregation, present on some of key trends and defining themes of 2023, and to produce a number of communication assets that highlight these trends including infographics and 3-4 case studies capturing good practice.

The consultant/consultancy team will also propose a simplified survey tool for young people to provide feedback on how Plan is tracking against its commitments.

4. Deliverables and Timeline: 

Key Deliverables: 

• Build on and strengthen the existing 2022 survey tool, based on the feedback of the previous data collection round, whilst aligning it with relevant indicators and conceptual frameworks.
• Develop a guidance sheet to accompany offices to complete the survey.
• Set up and administer the survey in multiple languages (English, French, Spanish).
• Process and clean data identifying and rectifying any inconsistencies.
• Code the data drawing on key concepts for youth centredness.
• Undertake both quantitative and qualitative analysis and summarize this analysis into a summary presentation.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis to recognise and visualise regional and global trends that impact the organisation.
• Prepare a range of visualizations communicating key findings including graphs.
• Develop a series of 3-4 case studies that highlight good practice/key topical themes of the 2023 survey.

The surveying tool used is Sogolytics. The consutant/consultancy team will be provided access to Plan’s Sogolytics account.

5. Budget: 

We anticipate that this contract will be 20 days in total and will commence as soon as possible. Ideally this work will commence on December 18th 2023 and with a number of staggered deliverables across the months of January and February 2024. The work is anticipated to be completed by mid-February.

Activity: Survey Setup: 

• By: December 18th – January 5th
• Estimated Days: 8
• Details:
  • Consult key staff to understand survey goals
  • Refresh the survey tool to align with organizational indicator frameworks and priorities.
  • Translate survey into French and Spanish
  • Set the survey up in Sogolytics.
  • Develop survey guidance sheet to guide offices on questions.

Activity: Clean and Analyse Data: 

• By: 22nd January – 2nd February 2024
• Estimated Days: 5
• Details:
  • Translation of survey responses into English.
  • Clean and analyse data overall and by key trends including:
    • By region
    • Key emerging themes
    • Age range and gender
    • Other
  • Initial presentation with core team on survey finding.

Activity: Development of Deck, Infographics and Case Studies: 

• By: 05th Feb - 16th Feb 2024
• Estimated Days: 5
• Details:
  • Develop compelling graphs and infographics that communicate trends effectively.
  • Coordinate the development of 3-4 case studies that spotlight good practice.

Activity: Development of Simplified Youth-Friendly Survey Tool: 

• By: 16th Feb 2024
• Estimated Days: 2
• Details:
  • Proposal of indicators and survey questions for youth-friendly survey tool.

6. Expected Qualifications of Consultant(s): 

• Undergraduate degree in Political Science, International Development, Economics or other relevant studies
• Experience in one or more of the following fields: youth development, social development, meaningful youth participation, gender, and/or governance and social accountability.
• Previous experience working in an international NGO, non-profit or academic setting.
• Qualitative and qualitative research skills including skills in data processing.
• Experienced in the use and application of quantitative and qualitative data analysis software is desirable
• Ability to critically analyse data and draw conclusions.
• Experience in developing visually compelling presentations that effectively communicate data trends.
• Experience working in the global south is desirable.
• Fluency in Spanish and French is an advantage for this consultancy.
• (If applicable) Experience with working with local communities in relevant local languages

7. List of Documents to be Submitted with the RFQ: 

When responding to this RFQ, please provide the following information:

• CV with contact details (address, registered name, registered address), relevant experience
• Proposed timeline including level of effort per activity and Deliverable.
• Expression of interest including any examples of previous work
• Daily or hourly fee and preferred invoicing currency (USD, GBP, EURO)

All consultants/applicant are required to agree and adhere to Plan International’s Non-Staff Code of Conduct (Annex A)- Please request Annex A to procurement@plan-international.org.

8. Submission of Offers: 

Please send your application to Plan International procurement@plan-international.org by 1st December 2023 referencing “RFQ FY24 181 Youth Centredness Global Survey” in the subject line and including support documents as outlined. 

9. Evaluation of Offers: 

Shortlisted suppliers may be invited to discuss their proposals in more detail at Plan’s discretion.Plan International, at its sole discretion, will select the successful RFQ.

Plan international shall be free to:

• Accept the whole, or part only, of any submission
• Accept none of the proposals
• Republish this Request for Quotations

Plan International reserves the right to keep confidential the circumstances that have been considered for the selection of the offers.

Part of the evaluation process may include a presentation from the supplier.

Women-owned businesses and companies actively engaged or advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace are especially encouraged to apply

Value for money is very important to Plan International, as every additional £ saved is money that we can use on our humanitarian and development work throughout the world.

Plan International may award multiple contracts and all contracts will be non-exclusive.

10. Contract & Payment Terms: 

Please note that, if successful, Plan International’s standard terms of payment are 30 days after the end of the month of receipt of invoice, or after acceptance of the Goods/Services/Works, if later.

11. IR35 Requirements – Only applicable for UK based or connections to the UK Consultants: 

As of April 2021, all Global Hub UK-based contractors (Consultant/personal service company/agency/intermediary) employing “people” in their chain to deliver serves to Plan International must follow a strict process of IR35 determination.

Plan Limited will conduct a CES tool on all relevant shortlisted proposers as outlined above to determine whether they fall inside or outside IR35.

12. Selection Criteria: 

Evaluation : Technical Proposal

• Scoring Weight : 65%
• Criteria :
  • ****Specific Experience of the Consultant(s) relevant to the assignment. 20%
  • Adequacy of the proposed methodology to the ToR 35%
  • Consultant(s) qualification & Competence 20%

Evaluation : Financial Proposal

• Scoring Weight : 20%
• Consultant’s financial proposal delivers value for money for Plan International

Evaluation : Gender Responsiveness

• Scoring Weight : 5%
• Bidders will be allocated 5% of the overall score if they meet one or more of the following:
  • If headed up by a woman
  • If supplier is a women-owned business: A legal entity in any field that is more than 51% owned, managed, and controlled by one or more women.
  • If the % of women in management positions is over 35%
  • If % of women workers is 55% or above
  • If robust gender equality initiatives are in place and active. E.g. WEPs signed, gender equality policy, any additional gender-sensitive program implemented.

13. Plan International’s Ethical & Environmental Statement: 

The supplier should establish environmental standards and good practices that follow the principles of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, and in particular to ensure compliance with environmental legislation (as applicable).

14. Clarifications: 

The onus is on the invited individual/companies to ensure that its offer is complete and meets Plan International’s requirements. Failure to comply may lead to the offer being rejected. Please therefore ensure that you read this document carefully and answer fully all questions asked.

If you have any queries in relation to your submission, or to any requirements of this RFQ, please email procurement@plan-international.org. Thank you for your proposal.

How to Apply: 

Submission of offers to procurement@plan-international.org by 1st December 2023 (23:59 GMT)

Please include the RFQ reference” RFQ FY24 – 181 Youth Centredness Global Survey and Analysis**”** in all correspondence