Rwanda Non-Communicable Diseases Programme: call for proposals

Annex A - Eligibility and Assessment Criteria

1. Legal Personality

Applicant Organisations must have a legal personality.

Applications submitted by a consortium must include a lead organisation. There must be a named Project Manager who will liaise with the Scottish Government, as and when required.

2. Target Countries

The support provided by Scotland is also expected to reflect the health development priorities identified by Rwanda, and to complement the work of the Scottish Government and other international development programmes.

3. Knowledge & Experience

Applicants will propose a team containing an appropriate level of subject knowledge and expertise in NCDs, International Development, gender mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity and participatory grant models.

Applicants will require at least broad familiarity with wider Scottish International Development Strategy.

Applicants will be able to support and advise on technical elements/methods of delivering development outcomes and interventions in Rwanda.

Applicants must have experience of operating in Rwanda and relevant networks to enable successful delivery. Applicants must be able to demonstrate clear safeguarding polices.

Appropriately skilled staff with dedicated time to manage the evidence/ policy interface and capacity to project-manage all meetings and other interactions with SG (virtually) and with stakeholders (in person or virtually) as required.

Applicants will be able to demonstrate their own expertise in the following areas:

• proven experience in the design and delivery of palliative care, preferably with delivery experience in Rwanda.
• proven experience in gender mainstreaming and participatory grant making and MEL methods
• ability to produce accessible and effective communications, in all formats and to a range of technical and non-technical audiences.
• financial controls and budget management.
• Safeguarding and taking a participatory approach to working with and engaging marginalised communities - Local partners and any sub-grant holders must have required safeguarding credentials to work within communities and with marginalised groups. The grant holder will have overarching responsibility to ensure safeguarding throughout the programme.

4. Exit strategy for the NCD Health Programme in Rwanda

We expect the outcomes of the programme to be sustainable, and therefore expect applicants to outline an exit strategy, which may include how elements of the programme will be sustainable outwith the SG programme funding cycle where applicable.

5. Delivery & Harmonisation

We encourage the grant holder to consider good practice in delivery and expenditure of development funding, as set out in both the Paris Declaration (OECD, 2005)^[17] and SG's ID Principles (specifically on supporting partner country-led and inclusive development, to equality, to amplifying Global South voices, and to inclusion and diversity. This includes creating new and innovative ways to break down barriers, to harness a diverse range of new voices and new ideas to drive change).

6. Development Impact

The programme is expected to support attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), this should be considered when completing the application form.

7. Performance Measures and Reporting

The below outlines broad KPIs for monitoring delivery during the programme. These will be finalised as part of the inception meeting.

• Design of a suitable programme, that is developed in conjunction with the Rwandan MoH, local communities, service providers and in line with objectives of the government of Rwanda.
• Collection of data using conflict and gender sensitive lens considering intersectional elements as is feasible
• Analysis of programme data, and publication and sharing of results as appropriate. Sharing findings on the potential for the PEN and PEN Plus platforms to be expanded to include palliative care.
• Involvement of local researchers, or leadership by local researchers with support as needed.

These broad KPIs for the programme as a whole will be supplemented by proposals from the grant holder following consideration and (if appropriate) revision of the Theory of Change and programme outline.

Performance for year 1 will be measured against the agreed deliverables.

Following year 1 the grant holder will propose metrics and baselines as well as intervention level KPIs as part of the Rwanda health programme delivery plans. These will be finalised with SG ahead of year 2 as part of stop/go discussions and used to measure success in year 3.

Reporting will align with the indicative schedule. A detailed schedule will be agreed with the successful grant holder, which will form part of the discussion at the inception meeting.

During year 1 the grant holder will provide bi-annual written reports alongside summary reporting of activity, outputs and spend during meetings with SG.

8. Milestones and Timetable

An indicative timetable is provided below of key updates and milestones. A detailed programme schedule will be agreed with the successful grant holder, which will form part of the discussion at the inception meeting.

Meetings (virtual or in person as applicable).

Frequency:

• Inception meeting at the start of the programme- agreement of overarching KPIs;
• Inception report/methodology;
• Monthly check-in call with SG;
• Quarterly progress review meeting with SG to discuss details of reporting;
• MEL meeting (every 6 months) with grant holder;
• Yearly Programme review and evaluation meeting with SG

Progress updates between the grant manager and SG (usually by e-mail or video call)

Frequency:

• Check-in meetings, as and when required, between the grant holder with key SG staff in order to monitor progress, obtain feedback and agree priorities and actions required.

Reporting (Financial and Narrative)

Frequency:

• Bi-annual. Providing high-quality narrative / quantitative / qualitative (as appropriate) reporting on success and impact against agreed KPIs.
• Financial reporting against agreed budget

Indicative Timetable

July 2024

• Grant Start Date
• Introductory meeting

March 2025

• Phase 1: inception report: including detailed evaluation design, initial scoping analysis and design of the project, this includes understanding and navigating local ethical approval processes, ensuring any evaluation conducted is in line with national protocols

June 2025

• Phase 2: inception phase including seeking local ethical approval, establishment of governance arrangements including relevant stakeholders, and stakeholder engagement

July 2025

• Phase 3: delivery of the programme
• 1^st Annual programme review and evaluation meeting

July 2026

• Phase 4: analysis and write up, submission of final evaluation report, dissemination of results, including but not limited to peer-reviewed journals and relevant national and international forums (to be agreed with SG and Government of Rwanda).
• 2^nd Annual programme review and evaluation meeting

September 2026

• External evaluation

July 2027

• Final programme review and evaluation meeting.
• Project close/extension meeting

The end of the Grant will be marked through an end of programme meeting between SG, Government of Rwanda and the grant holder.