Request for Proposals for Survey Companies to Conduct Baseline Data Collection for Piloting Alternative Fertilizer Subsidy Schemes in Kenya
1. Objectives
The survey seeks to collect data from households and agrodealers to serve as a baseline for a pilot program evaluating alternative fertilizer subsidy models. The pilot aims to promote inclusive, sustainable, and market-aligned approaches that improve soil health, enhance smallholder productivity, and strengthen public–private partnerships within Kenya’s agricultural input systems.
2. Overall Approach
The survey would cover about 3060 households spread in three counties: Nakuru, Kakamega, and Bungoma. Within each county, 68 villages will be randomly selected to participate in the study, resulting in a total of 204 villages. In each selected village, 15 households will be randomly sampled from the list of farmers who have participated in the National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (NFSP) during recent agricultural seasons. Sampling will be stratified by gender, age, and landholding size to ensure adequate representation across key demographic groups.
The household questionnaire will be designed to take approximately 1:30 hours on average and will be addressed to the main decision maker of the household. The survey is envisaged to take place in October 2025.
3. Specific Tasks
The selected firm will be expected to conduct the following tasks:
Obtain local administrative approvals for conducting all fieldwork activities (including pre-test, pilot, and main survey).
The questionnaires will be developed in English and the survey firm will translate to Kiswahili and local languages.
Develop a CAPI program for the questionnaire in a CAPI program of choice, based on the draft versions of the questionnaire in word.
Ensure translations are in CAPI.
Make revisions to the CAPI as needed.
Include basic consistency checks in CAPI program
Use a CAPI program for data-entry and procure all supplies for the data collection including tablets for administering the survey.
Recruit enumerators, supervisors and quality controllers and train them on the questionnaires.
The training and pilot will be led by the survey firm, with support from IFPRI.
Training will be conducted over 3 days
Pilot will be conducted over 2 days, with the second day including a debriefing session. The pilot will be conducted to provide a final check on the questionnaire’s design and CAPI programming, as well as length of the interview.
Survey firm is responsible for transporting/lodging of enumerators and supervisors and coordinating and managing related logistical field operations.
Prepare field manuals to document field procedures, details on administering the surveys, data capture process, and code of conduct in line with ethical standards and respect for the wider study communities.
Develop and implement a system for data quality checks. Conduct call-backs and quality checks. Contact respondents again to fix any missing or erroneous data.
Develop a protocol for data capture and secure data storage to assure that data can be downloaded to a project Dropbox folder, that is secure, and password protected, at least every other day; ensure timely delivery of the data collected.
Report any issues or questions that arise during the survey to the IFPRI contact person and documented in the fieldwork report.
Submit the raw data (as originally entered into CAPI at the time of the interview), a cleaned and labeled dataset, and full documentation (including do files) of how the raw data was processed.
Within 1 month after the fieldwork completion and data delivery, the survey firm will be available on a continuous basis to discuss with IFPRI initial findings from the data analysis.
Perform any other tasks related to making the survey a success. Laison with government officials as needed to ensure coordination on the timing of the data collection.
Prepare final field reports for the household, mentor and enterprise surveys with detailed information on number of households/mentors/enterprises surveyed and any challenges encountered.
Regular meetings (weekly or biweekly) with research teams.
4. Timeframe
The data collection will be conducted in November 2025 to January 2026. The survey is envisaged to take place in Nov/Dec 2025
5. PROPOSAL
With this announcement, interested companies are requested to submit a technical and financial proposal to be considered by IFPRI.
The Tender Dossier must include:
A proposal that describes the tenderer’s:
Questionnaire translation services and samplesRecruitment processes and procedures for supervisors, interviewers, and quality controllers.The type of tablets and survey programming used.Trainings plan and designPretest plan and designMain data collection plan and designQuality control standards and procedures for data collectionData cleaning and tabulation processes, standards, and proceduresA detailed timeline, with a mention of the firm’s exact availability during the contracting periodAll facilities and equipment to be provided by the tenderer (e.g., venue for training, tablets, etc.)Financial proposal, including a detailed budget describing cost across various items.
6. SELECTION CRITERIA
The survey firm selection will be based on IFPRI assessment of potential to deliver high quality data at a reasonable cost, as indicated by survey firm elaboration of their data quality procedures, experience, and references.
Required qualifications:
Demonstrated experience in conducting large quantitative household and community surveysDemonstrated experience in effective interaction and coordination with collaborators and project partners.Experience in managing livelihood, agriculture, rural development, nutrition, and/or food security surveys.Experience in administering experiments and randomized control trials (RCTs)Experience with programing surveys and data entry and CAPI software packagesDemonstrated experience with obtaining appropriate local administrative permits and approvalsDemonstrated local presence and existing networks in the different counties in Kenya.Experience in collecting data in fragile and conflict-affected settings.Strong project management skillsValue for money
7. REQUIREMENTS
List of referees that may be contactedCV of authorized individuals