BACKGROUND:
Created in 1979, Action Against Hunger is a non-governmental organisation that aims to provide solutions to hunger. Our mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through the prevention, detection and treatment of under-nutrition, particularly during and after emergency situations linked to conflicts or natural disasters. We focus on nutrition, health and healthcare practices; food security and livelihoods; water, sanitation and hygiene and advocacy.
Since 2007, Action Against Hunger Canada has led on the development and implementation of one of the world’s leading nutrition and mortality survey methodologies: SMART (Standardized Monitoring Assessment in Relief and Transition).
Action Against Hunger Canada is the official SMART project convener for the Global Nutrition Cluster and works closely with its members to ensure that member agencies and their partners can access tools and learning on the methodology. All SMART activities are targeted towards humanitarian and development stakeholders, including government bodies conducting surveys and using the methodology.
As the Global SMART Initiative Convenor, the SMART Project Team at Action Against Hunger Canada has supported key nutrition stakeholders by enhancing response capacity in emergencies, high-risk contexts with an absence of reliable data, interventions with displaced populations, and in development settings for 15 years. SMART also provides support by ensuring coordination and dissemination of information around the methodology and advancing technical capacity to conduct SMART surveys.
Since SMART Survey Manager trainings began in 2007, to date, over 2400 people have participated in the course. These trainings equip participants with the knowledge and skill set to plan, implement, and manage surveys.
The SMART Methodology is an improved survey method that is based on the assessment of the magnitude and severity of a humanitarian crisis by determining the nutritional status of children under-five and mortality rate of the population.
The high-quality data collected through SMART surveys is used for key decision-making on the type of nutrition programming relevant for a given population. The results are also used to verify nutrition emergencies and respond appropriately, and to track progress of nutrition programs.
The SMART initiative at Action Against Hunger Canada has launched SMART+ in April 2023, which is an all-in-one digital infrastructure designed to revolutionize the way nutrition data is collected, analyzed and shared. SMART+ builds on the foundation of the SMART methodology, bringing today’s manual nutrition survey processes into the digital realm. It provides a real-time global view of malnutrition on the ground, allowing governments, public health organizations and NGOs to identify where malnutrition is occurring so they can respond in a targeted, timely manner.
SMART+ streamlines today’s fragmented and time-consuming survey methods into an easy-to-use tool that incorporates the nutrition survey and reporting process from start to finish. It has an advantage of being climate smart (paperless), improving data quality, analysis and reporting, data access and visualization.
Country programs are looking to embrace the innovation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of conducting SMART surveys in their areas of operation. To date, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria,
Papua New Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan and Zambia have initiated the use of SMART+ in their 2023-2024 SMART surveys. Up to date visualization of SMART+ in action can be accessed here:
https://aggregator.smartplusapp.org/
The success of the SMART+ surveys in those eight countries has prompted interest from many countries and partners to scale up and roll-out the innovation. To advance the SMART+ rollout in the West Africa region, the SMART team is planning to conduct several SMART+ training in 2025 to build the capacity of experienced SMART survey managers in using the SMART+ innovation.
OBJECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Translation service provider:
The SMART initiative is seeking the services of a translation service provider to support in developing the SMART+ training package in French and in organizing the SMART+ training in West and Central Africa region.
The overall responsibilities of the translation service provider are as follows:
1- Working closely with the SMART specialist in charge of organizing the SMART+ regional training in West and Central Africa region to support organization of the SMART+ training and to grasp the full scope of SMART+ features.
2- Support in translating the SMART+ training package into French (2 Power Point presentations).
3-Support in incorporating the SMART+ Platform and SMARTCollect screen shots in French into the SMART+ training package.
4- Support in identifying and documenting incorrect translations in French within the SMART+ Platform and when applying the French settings into SMARTCollect.
5- Support in translating the SMART+ Platform and SMARTCollect user manuals in French (~100 pages).
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The service provider will directly report to the Nutrition Information and Assessment Specialist and will keep updating the SMART Senior Project Manager also on progress of work assignments during regular meetings.
• Fanny Cassard, Nutrition Information and Assessment Specialist, fcassard@actioncontrelafaim.ca
• Hailu Wondim, SMART Senior Project Manager, hwondim@actioncontrelafaim.ca
Together with the Nutrition Information and Assessment Specialist, a monthly work plan will be developed, which will indicate key activities and deliverables which clearly specify deadlines.
The service provider will be required to submit monthly reports to the Nutrition Information and Assessment Specialist copied to the SMART Senior Project Manager which will also be shared with respective sections to which he/she is assigned to support. The monthly report will summarize the learning objectives achieved in conformity to the duties and responsibilities given.
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
In alignment with the scope of work as described above, the service provider will be expected to perform the following activities and deliverables. A workplan and schedule will be agreed upon at the beginning of the consultancy as well as on a monthly basis.
Deliverables and Timeline:
1- SMART+ training slides (182 slides) translated into French and screen shots of SMART+ Platform and SMARTCollect included (settings in French).15 days
2- SMARTCollect Walkthrough (43 slides) translated into French and screen shots of SMARTCollect included (settings in French). 4 days
3- Contribute to identification of incorrect translations in French and bugs in the SMART+ platform and in SMARTCollect when applying French settings and document them. 6 days
4- SMART+ Platform and SMARTCollect user manuals (~100 pages) translated into French. 25 days
5- SMART Technical support) – Monthly report.Up to 30 days depending on needs
Total days is 50 days (Up to 80 days)
TIMELINE
The SMART Initiative is seeking the support of a translation service provider and nutrition services for up to 80 days of work, starting mid of October 2024 and finishing on 31st of January 2025.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
At the end of each month, the service provider will fill out an invoice template attached to the monthly report and payment will be made as soon as the invoice is approved by the Nutrition Information and Assessment Specialist and the SMART Senior Project Manager.
LOCATION OF WORK
- Remote, home-based.
The service provider is expected to use own tools/technology to complete the work.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Proven ability to clearly communicate and collaborate with both technical and non-technical team members as well as strong communications skills, planning and organization.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
- Ability to work independently and under tight deadlines.
- Fluency in English and French is required – both verbal and written.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)
- Commitment to comply to our policies related to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and child safeguarding.
- Rigor and attention to details.
- Commitment to humanitarian principles and core standards.
- Commitment to values of gender equality and diversity.
How to apply
Interested consultants should provide the following:
- Name, address, phone and contact person.
- Updated CV highlighting relevant experience.
- Three references for which you have conducted similar work.
- Detailed rates for remote/home-based technical support with number of days allocated for this support, validity of the quotation (minimum 1 month). Please provide quotation in US Dollars (USD).
Submit your application before Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 11:59 EST to procurement@actionagainsthunger.ca
Please highlight “Translation service provider & SMART Technical support in the subject line.