EJAF/ELMA Programme Phase II Endline Evaluation in Uganda

BACKGROUND OF THE PROGRAMMEAdolescents and Young People (AYP) aged 15–24 years in Uganda face multiple, interrelated health challenges that significantly affect their wellbeing and life outcomes. These challenges are driven by structural and socio-cultural factors, including limited access to youth-friendly health services, gender inequality, stigma, and gaps in comprehensive health information. As a result, many young people experience barriers in accessing essential services across sexual and reproductive health (SRH), HIV prevention and care, and mental health support.Within this broader context, HIV/AIDS remains a major public health concern among AYP in Uganda. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are disproportionately affected by new HIV infections: evidence shows that two-thirds of new HIV infections among adolescents occur in girls, and HIV prevalence among AGYW is significantly higher than among their male counterparts. Further studies confirm that HIV incidence among young women aged 15–24 remains consistently higher than among males of the same age group .Unintended pregnancies and high adolescent fertility rates remain a critical challenge. According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (2022), approximately 24% of girls aged 15–19 have begun childbearing , and national estimates place teenage pregnancy rates at around 24–25%, among the highest in East Africa. These outcomes are closely linked to limited access to contraception, social stigma, early marriage, and gaps in youth-friendly SRH services, contributing to poor health, education, and economic outcomes for young people.Mental health challenges are also increasingly recognized as a significant concern among AYP in Uganda and are closely linked to SRH and HIV outcomes. Although national data on adolescent mental health burden remain limited, available evidence highlights strong associations between psychosocial wellbeing, HIV risk behaviours, and SRH outcomes. However, stigma, low awareness, and limited availability of youth-responsive mental health services continue to prevent many young people from seeking care, further exacerbating vulnerabilities.In response to these interconnected challenges, Tiko has been operating in Kampala since August 2023, utilizing its digital platform to deliver integrated SRH, HIV, and mental health services for AYP. The platform empowers young people to access services, make informed choices, and provide feedback on service quality, thereby strengthening accountability among service providers. It also leverages private sector providers to complement public sector service delivery.Building on lessons from Phase I, Tiko’s Phase II programme aims to expand both the reach and impact of its interventions. The programme seeks to contribute to Uganda’s HIV reduction targets, improve access to mental health services for AYP, and address the unmet need for family planning and broader SRH services.PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATIONThis endline evaluation aims to assess the effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the Tiko programme in Kampala over the implementation period (August 2023 to endline). The evaluation will generate robust evidence on programme performance while also providing deeper insights into how and why observed outcomes occur, to inform future programme design and scale-up.Specific objectives, their research questions, and proposed evaluation methods and sources of data include:1.Objective: Determine not only whether, but how and why, the Tiko platform improves the satisfaction, performance, and retention of Young Adolescent Peer Supporters (YAPS), with particular attention to incentive mechanisms and motivation.Research Questions* To what extent does the Tiko approach improve the satisfaction of YAPs with the Tiko platform? * Which specific Tiko platform components (training, reminders, incentives, supervision) contribute most to sustained YAPS engagement? * How do YAPS perceive Pay-for-Performance (P4P) nudges within the Tiko platform, and what is the relationship between these perceptions, motivation, and retention over time? * How do peer engagement and retention outcomes among YAPS compare with those achieved through other community mobilization models supporting AYP?2. Objective: Assess the extent to which Tiko’s KP Navigators improve access to and continuation of HIV services among hard-to-reach AYP.Research Questions1. To what extent do KP Navigators improve knowledge and attitudes toward HIV testing, HIV self-testing, ART, and PrEP? 2. To what extent do KP Navigators improve initial access versus sustained retention in HIV services? 3. What barriers persist for hard-to-reach AYP even after engagement with KP Navigators? 4. Are there differential effects by age, gender, vulnerability status, or KP typology?3. Objective: Understand the quality, continuity, and perceived value of integrated SRH, HIV, and mental health services accessed through Tiko.Research Questions1. To what extent does the Tiko platform improve access to integrated SRH, HIV, and mental health services? 2. To what extent do users report improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and agency? 3. To what extent does the platform support continuation and follow-up care, not just service initiation? 4. What factors limit uptake, disclosure, or continuation of mental health services despite digital integration? 5. How do stigma, confidentiality concerns, and provider responsiveness affect mental health service use?4. Objective: Understand the mechanisms through which Tiko’s digital and peer-led components influence behavior change, service continuation, and system-level outcomes.Research Questions1. What are the primary pathways through which Tiko influences service uptake and retention? 2. Which components are necessary versus complementary? 3. How do digital nudges interact with human support (YAPS, KP Navigators, providers)?5. Objective: Examine the depth, sustainability, and unintended effects of Tiko’s influence on non-integrated facilities.Research Questions1. How do non-integrated facilities respond over time to the presence of Tiko-supported facilities? 2. Which adaptations are sustained versus short-term reactions? 3. How do non-integrated health service providers become aware of the Tiko-supported facilities and the services they offer, and how do they incorporate this information into their own service delivery?SCOPE OF WORKThe Consultant will design and implement a mixed-methods endline evaluation to be conducted in Kampala City, commencing June 2026. The evaluation will assess programme performance over the full implementation period (Apr 2025 – May 2026), ensuring alignment between programme exposure and outcome measurement.METHODOLOGYTiko expects to adopt a similar methodological approach used in phase 1 baseline and endline studies, that is, a mixed-methods approach based on a cross-sectional study design. The applicant will apply these methods:1. A quantitative survey conducted with AYP aged 15-24, who accessed FP, HIV, mental health (MH), and family planning (FP) services at health facilities in Kampala. 2. Analysis of CEIs data for the programme period. 3. Analysis of service data from facilities (sourced from DHIS2 and Tiko platform). 4. A facility assessment survey to track commodity stocking. 5. Qualitative data collected from FGDs with AYP; in-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with YAPS, KP Navigators, and AYP; and KIIs with service providers and other stakeholders.Applicants are expected to expound on how they will operationalise the proposed methods and the questions these will answer. Applications should also include proposed analytical approaches to use.DELIVERABLESThe successful bidder is responsible for ensuring timely submission of the following deliverables:1.Activity: Protocol development. Time Frame: May 2026. Deliverable: Study protocol, methodology, tools2.Activity: Inception report & work plan. Time Frame: May 2026. Deliverable: Inception report3.Activity: Tool scripting and piloting. Time Frame May-Jun 2026. Deliverable: Final data collection tools4.Activity: Data collection. Time Frame: July 2026. Deliverable: Raw dataset (quantitative & qualitative)5.Activity: Data cleaning and analysis. Time Frame: Jul-Aug 2026. Deliverable: Clean dataset, codebook6.Activity: Draft report. Time Frame: August 2026. Deliverable: Draft evaluation report7.Activity: Final report. Time Frame: August 2026. Deliverable: Final evaluation reportREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCEWe are looking for a bidder with the following skills and qualifications:* Demonstrable expertise in Adolescent and Young People related SRH, HIV (HIV testing, PrEP, ART) and mental health research and evaluation in Uganda * Demonstrable expertise in public health policy and service delivery in Uganda * A team with a track record of designing, implementing and reporting on programme research/evaluations in Uganda * Demonstrable ability to co-design impact evaluations with multiple stakeholders in a highly adaptable environment * The team leader and members with the following skills and expertise: * A postgraduate degree in a research-oriented social science or a related discipline with extensive knowledge of and experience in leading (designing and undertaking) large scale quantitative and qualitative research * A team leader/team member with global standing in the public health space, specifically in AYP SRH, experience in digital health technologies is an added advantage * A history of publication on AYP SRH, HIV and mental health in peer-refereed, high impact journals, preferably in high impact journals * Track record of managing and coordinating evaluation/research exercises, and delivering agreed outputs on-time and on-budget * Strong proficiency in data collection tools (SurveyCTO and KoboCollect) and statistical analysis tools (e.g., Stata, SPSS, Excel). * Experience in data collection and analysis using participatory methodologies * Excellent and demonstrated understanding of ethical issues in research, including in child protection and safeguarding of research participants * Ability to respond to comments and questions in a timely, appropriate manner * Capacity to use mobile data collection for data collection, and analysis of survey results * Excellent verbal and written communication in English and Luganda required.EVALUATION CRITERIAProposals will be assessed against the following criteria:CriteriaWeightingTeam expertise, experience, and composition:* Expertise and experience in undertaking similar research activities in UgandaWeight : 40Strength of the technical proposal:* Overall strength of proposed methodology, including to address the specific tasks outlined above within the anticipated timelinesWeight: 40Budget:* Value for money * We will consider strongly competitive proposals to deliver the engagement within our set limitWeight: 20HOW TO APPLYFirms are invited to submit proposals for this assignment. Proposals should follow the structure below and should not exceed 10 pages, excluding annexes (budget and CVs of proposed personnel).Each submission should include:* Cover Page: A summary page including the name of the firm/consultant, contact details, proposed team lead, and total proposed budget. * Capacity Statement: A brief statement outlining the firm’s experience and why the proposed team is well positioned to undertake this assignment. * Proposed Approach and Methodology: A clear description of their understanding of the assignment, the methodology and approach to delivering the assignment. * Work Plan: A detailed proposed work plan outlining key tasks, responsible team members, and timelines. * Budget: A detailed budget (in Euros) including the total cost, itemised direct costs, and overheads.Submissions should be clear, concise, and complete, and include only information necessary to respond to this RFP. Additional promotional or marketing materials are not required.Proposal should be submitted electronically to: [email protected] no later than end of day, 4 May 2026 With the Subject Name: EJAF/ELMA Programme Phase II Endline Evaluation in Uganda . Late submissions will not be considered. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further steps.