REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL- QUANTITATIVE BASELINE SURVEY Full Time NEW

BBC Media Action plans to conduct a survey in Uganda that aims to understand media consumption habits, exposure to particular mis/disinformation narratives, their impact and how this shapes trust and information-seeking behaviours.

Interested and qualified research agencies are invited to submit their technical and financial application in English, on Power Point or Microsoft Word format highlighting the detailed research methodology, relevant experience and confirming ability to meet the schedule and required deliverables.

Interested research agencies should send their proposals to [email protected] by 5 PM (EAT) on 14th March 2025. Please submit your proposal in PDF format and put “[Agency Name] Baseline survey proposal to BBC Media Action” as the title of the email. Only shortlisted agency will be notified.

For any enquiries, please email: Caroline Mwende, Research Manager – [email protected]

Please see the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for further information.

1. BACKGROUND

1.1 BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action is an independent international charity established by the BBC with the aim of using media to support international development. It operates globally to raise awareness, influence attitudes and behaviour in communities, and enhance the capacity of media sectors in transitional countries. In partnership with civil society, local media, and other organisations, we produce communication programmes and trusted media to inform and engage communities. This helps to give people a voice, enabling them to understand their rights, responsibilities, and one another. In 2023, our reach extended to over 100 million people through local broadcast partners as well as online, mobile, and printed platforms along with interpersonal communication.

1.2 Project Background

The spread of information that is false or misleading – whether by word-of-mouth, media, or otherwise – is an age-old phenomenon. Advances in technology, increasing access to both traditional and social media, and changes in how people interact with information are propelling the spread of false information at a speed and scale not seen before. Whether it is mis/disinformation, rumours or simple misinterpretations, ‘information disorder’ is dividing people and undermining democracy. BBC Media Action is planning a survey to understand misinformation and disinformation in Uganda.

It is against this background that research agencies are invited to submit a proposal to conduct the quantitative survey in accordance with the guidelines outlined below. The proposal deadline is 14th March 2025.

1. Survey Design

2.1 Research Objectives

BBC Media Action plans to conduct a survey in Uganda that aims to understand media consumption habits, exposure to mis/disinformation narratives, their impact and how this shapes trust and information-seeking behaviours.

The specific objectives of this research will be to:

• Quantify people’s media use, information-seeking behaviour, frequency of coming across information that people doubt/question, and perceptions of mis-disinformation
• Build an understanding of the knowledge, perceptions and responses to mis- and disinformation, as well as reported actions, including fact-checking efforts, if any
• Explore vulnerability to mis- and disinformation and how ‘at risk’ groups navigate their media environment
• Test a selection of key disinformation narratives to understand the audience response and perspective, trust in different channels and narratives

2.2 Expected use of findings

This data will provide a strong understanding of who is most vulnerable to mis- and disinformation in Uganda, their communication needs and gaps in understanding, for media practitioners to prioritise.

2.3 Permission to Conduct Research

BBC Media Action will work with the successful research agency to obtain relevant permission from the appropriate ethics body or government ministry. It is expected that relevant permission would have been obtained at least two weeks before the commencement of fieldwork. Agency should outline approach to seeking ethical approval.

The agency will be responsible for obtaining appropriate local authority approval to conduct fieldwork in each study district.

2.4 Research Methodology and Sampling

BBC Media Action proposes the use of quantitative research for this study. Please outline what data collection method(s) you propose and articulate any challenges and risks for the chosen methodology, and any suggestions you have to address these.

The target audience for this research focuses primarily on people who have access to and use the internet and traditional media (including radio). Please outline how this can be achieved.

The agency will specify their preferred sampling approach and a justification as to why that approach is the most appropriate. The agency will also indicate its proposed sample size and outline which population data will be used. The proposed sample size should be powerful enough to represent different demographic groups (including marginalised groups like people with disabilities) and locations.

The sampling frame should be based on detailed 2024 Uganda census data. If this is not the case, please explain why. Proposals should state clearly any districts/counties/municipalities where the agency does not have capacity to conduct fieldwork, or expects to exclude for security, accessibility, or other reasons. The agency should also include any weighting considerations and how this will be done. Please note that the final sampling strategy will be decided upon after discussions between BBC Media Action and the selected agency.

2.5 Instrument

The survey questionnaire will be designed by BBC Media Action, in consultation with the successful agency. The survey will be designed depending on the data collection method chosen; please state any maximum survey length accordingly. It is envisaged that this questionnaire will mainly include closed questions, agreement statements and a few open-ended questions, mostly with detailed code lists. We will, however, take learnings from the chosen agency on which types of questions work best according to the method chosen.

It may also include specific pieces of media content or mis/disinformation narratives that audiences would be exposed to in order to seek their views. For those who use the internet, this may be in the form of social media posts, or copies of this content to mimic what they might encounter online, for others it may be sufficient to state the narrative. To ensure ethical principles are applied, audiences will be told at the end of the questions whether the information they have seen was true or not. Please see ‘Ethical Control, Risks and Mitigation strategies’ for more information.

The agency will need to translate the questionnaire into various local languages. The agency will advise on the appropriate local languages to translate to. It is very important that the translations are carried out by native speakers, ensuring that the translated questionnaires are both easy to comprehend for the respondents as well as consistent with the original English version. BBC Media Action will thoroughly check the translated questionnaires.

The agency will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive pilot in order to adjust the questionnaire to ensure clarity and comprehension amongst research respondents. A pilot study should be conducted in a systematic manner, carefully investigating understanding and suitability of the questions in the questionnaire. BBC Media Action expects that the agency will demonstrate how it will ensure that the questionnaire is appropriate to the survey context, using the pilot to test this.

Agencies should outline their approach to conducting cognitive testing prior to the rollout of the fieldwork. BBC Media Action would provide the specific questions/concepts to be tested to evaluate the quality of the questions, and to understand whether the question gathers the intended information.

Sufficient time should be allowed between the pilot and launch of full fieldwork to enable feedback discussions and any revisions to the survey instrument or accompanying fieldworker guidelines as well as printing of questionnaires or edits to scripted questionnaires for CAPI (dependent on data collection approach).

2.6 Fieldwork

The agency will carry out fieldwork to a high standard within the agreed timeframe. In the proposal, the agency will provide a detailed timeline for fieldwork. The fieldwork is expected to have been completed by the 30th of April 2025. The proposal should also include how fieldwork will be overseen and quality controlled.

The agency will specify their preferred data collection approaches which can include but not limited to via Pen and Paper, electronic/CAPI, telephone or online. The agency should include details of the preferred data collection approaches as well as a detailed outline of agency’s expertise in this regard, including plans for quality control and staff training.

The agency will also provide appropriately timed updates as well as field reports with a breakdown of interviews completed by demographic and geographic criteria.

2.7 Quality Assurance

BBC Media Action is committed to undertaking research that is of the highest standard. BBC Media Action researchers will conduct a training session with the local agents who will carry out fieldwork. Where fieldwork is conducted face-to-face, BBC Media Action researchers will also travel to the areas where data is being collected to carry out regular spot checks and monitor the quality control of the data collection. This is standard practice for all surveys that BBC Media Action commissions and the agency and fieldwork staff should be aware of and comfortable with this degree of involvement.

The agency will also send the first 100 cases entered as an SPSS or MS Excel file to BBC Media Action for quality control not later than 3 days after fieldwork has commenced for checks and pause fieldwork for at least 2-3 days until the data is checked and approved (and corrected where need be) to ensure fieldwork is going as expected and data quality is good.

The agency will include in the proposal, its own plan for further quality control which will ensure the delivery of high-quality data.

2.8 Data Management and Analysis

BBC Media Action will provide a data entry protocol/codebook to the agency to clarify expectations for set-up of the SPSS file and approach to data entry. The agency will be responsible for translation of any open code responses into English. The agency will provide a clean and labelled (according to our specifications) dataset in Excel and SPSS format. We request that data entry occurs simultaneously with data collection.

The agency will provide a log report of how the data was cleaned alongside the clean dataset. The SPSS dataset will also contain labelled variables detailing all levels of cluster sampling. If any variables are derived by the agency, the agency will provide the syntax file to BBC Media Action. BBC Media Action will be responsible for constructing weights.

With the proposal, the agency will provide a data entry plan, outlining how many people will be allocated to this task, how quality control will be implemented and whether data will be processed locally or sent to an external data processor.

With the proposal, the agency will also provide a detailed data management plan, outlining how data collected will be moved or shared between field and agency office and BBC Media Action, the duration of data storage and process, how quality control will be implemented to ensure ethical compliance of confidentiality of respondents’ data etc.

The agency will also be expected to provide data tables, with cross breaks defined by BBC Media Action and a detailed methodological report.

After analysing these, BBC Media Action will talk to agency to agree on analysis/reporting areas. The agency will be responsible for this data analysis and presentation of key findings. However, the successful agency will do this after discussions with BBC Media Action to agree of key analysis areas in line with project objectives. The agency should include in the proposal its capacity and timeline to conduct this data analysis and reporting.

2.9 Project Management

The agency willprovide one point of contact for BBC Media Action, as well as a detailed description of the proposed project management structure and team to include project manager, recruiters, supervisors, translators, interviewers (clearly detailing gender and languages spoken) and data processor. Please provide CVs of key personnel (no more than one page per person).

2.10 Ethical Control, Risks and Mitigation strategies

All submitted proposals should include a section describing how the agency plans to meet and adhere to ethical protocols and quality control standards, including:

• How informed consent will be gathered and recorded during piloting and fieldwork
• How respondents will be assured of their confidentiality and anonymity of data
• Procedures relating to how data will be transported securely during fieldwork and how it will be stored both in hard and soft copy in agency offices
• Systems and processes in place to ensure compliance with the existing legal and regulatory framework for conducting such research in Uganda, including details of any licenses held
• Details of how data will be securely transferred to BBC Media Action

Researchers and agencies working with BBC Media Action need to adhere to a strict code of ethics and endeavour to address major concerns around consent, confidentiality, anonymity and the potential impact of the research on both those researched and researchers. When submitting the proposal, the agency needs to address the potential risks that could affect the overall operation of this research.

These potential risks include, but are not limited to, factors such as unfamiliarity and discomfort with the research format by the respondents (particularly if participatory methods are employed), potential harm to researchers and respondents during fieldwork, security risks to researchers and respondents during fieldwork, potential language barriers between the researchers and participants, etc. For each risk identified, the agency needs to state a clear mitigation strategy in the proposal.

Please note that this research is likely to involve exposing respondents to items of ‘news’ or information, some of which may be inaccurate, in order to understand the prevalence and effect of rumours and information disorder on audiences. This method requires that any and all such items, statements or narratives be ‘corrected’ at the end of every research engagement, with a clear, unambiguous and unbiased explanation so as not to leave the respondent with any false belief. BBC Media Action will provide all such stimulus material, as well as the necessary explanation and correction, however, agencies must be mindful of this method, ensuring that staff engaging with respondents are well-trained and experienced to deploy this method safely and ethically.

1. Deliverables

Deliverables from BBC Media Action will include:

• A questionnaire and discussion guide, including any information disorder narratives to be tested and the necessary explanation to accompany each
• Feedback and changes from cognitive testing/pilot
• Feedback on cleaning and data checking errors from soft launch interviews (during pause in fieldwork) and subsequent checks
• Data processing specification/guidelines for data tables, and any data entry protocol/codebook as required
• Data analysis and reporting guidelines

Deliverables from the agency will include:

• Design of sampling approach according to BBC Media Action specifications
• The sampling frame used for each level of clustered selection (where available)
• A fully briefed and trained interview team; there should be back-up interviewers who are trained together with the rest of the team and can step in if interviewers drop out before conclusion of fieldwork
• Final research instruments (questionnaires and prompt cards) translated into local languages and then back translated into English
• A full pilot and cognitive testing of key questions/concepts with a short pilot report detailing feedback
• Detailed fieldwork timetable covering district, location, date and expected number of interviews in each locality.
• Field interviews nationally with a total sample as agreed with BBC Media Action
• Timely updates and field reports with a breakdown of interviews completed per district
• First 100 cases in SPSS file for preliminary data quality check by BBC Media Action
• Quality control of all aspects of fieldwork and all study related processes including data entry and cleaning.
• Detailed log report of how data was cleaned
• Interim dataset in SPSS at least twice during fieldwork upon request
• Excel spreadsheet with defined cross-breaks (examples include gender, age, location). BBC Media Action will advise on specific cross-breaks required
• Cleaned and properly labelled dataset (weighted and unweighted) in English and in SPSS format – plus a syntax file to show any variables that have been derived as well as a log of the data cleaning process employed. Dataset MUST follow the codebook provided by BBC Media Action.
• 2024 census data on the population sizes and demographics nationally and at district level (including urban-rural locations), for the purposes of data weighting.
• Data tables, with cross breaks defined by BBC Media Action and a detailed methodological report.
• Data analysis and presentation of key findings. The successful agency will do this after discussions with BBC Media Action to agree on key analysis areas in line with project objectives.

1. Proposals

Each proposal should include:

• A one-page summary of the proposal;
• A detailed plan of how the research will be carried out, including:

– The process of obtaining any permissions necessary to carry out the research;

– The sampling strategy;

– Field interviewer training, supervision and fieldwork management;

– A description of deliverables.

• Data management – including data security measures and data entry plan outlining how many people will be allocated to this task, how you will implement quality control and whether data will be processed locally or sent to an external data processor;
• Processes to ensure the highest research ethics standards and specific ethical challenges anticipated for this study;
• Anticipated challenges and mitigation plan;
• An outline of the agency’s skills and capacity to undertake and manage the research, including quality assurance and organizational background;
• A timetable for the survey, a commitment to meeting the deadlines and a narrative of how these deadlines will be met.
• A financial proposal that describes in detail the costs to complete the work outlined in the specification, and unit costs in GBP. Please include a separate budget for fieldwork and data management only and another separate budget for fieldwork and data management plus analysis and reporting
• Examples of previous similar work;
• The names and contact details of two referees for whom your organization has carried out similar work.

Proposals should be no longer than 30 slides in PowerPoint or 20 pages in Word as a maximum. The proposal should be written in a font no smaller than 11 points. Annexes may be included with the proposal and will not count against the maximum slide/page limit; however, any attachments should contain only supporting detail as necessary.

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP should address the research objectives set out in this brief and should be written in English. Please submit your proposal in PDF format and put “[Agency Name]- Baseline survey proposal” as the title of the email.

The proposal should be emailed to: [email protected]

1. Confidentiality

All documents prepared during the study will be treated as BBC Media Action’s property. The documents or any part, therefore, cannot be sold, used and reproduced in any manner without prior written approval of BBC Media Action. The contracted agency will submit all original documents, materials and data to BBC Media Action.

1. Safeguarding

This role may involve working with groups of vulnerable children, youth, and adults. For the successful candidate, mandatory training will be provided on BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy and staff code of conduct. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy concerning all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people. A police background check may form part of the recruitment process.

1. Privacy notice

To comply with our legal obligations and the requirements of our donors, BBC Media Action is required to check that the organisations and individuals with which it does business, are not subject to international sanctions or other such legal restrictions. To do this we may need to process personal data.OurPrivacy Noticesets out how we keep your data safe and protect your privacy.

1. Decision on Tenders

We will award this contract competitively and will make our decision on the basis of the following information. Overall assessment of proposals will be concerned with value for money, taking account of the cost and quality of each research proposal. In particular, assessment will focus on:

• Provision of a data collection and sampling strategy that addresses our specifications.
• Provision of a detailed time plan of fieldwork accompanied by an explanation of how the project will be managed to deliver all stages of the research on time and to a high standard. Assessment will be concerned with the acceptability of the proposed timetable.
• Data collection process; please outline how long it will take to collect the data; how many teams you will send into the field and how this process will be overseen to ensure quality deliverables are provided.
• A data entry plan, outlining how and where the data will be entered into electronic format. Please specify how many people will be allocated to this task and how you will assure quality. We are particularly interested to find out whether your data will be processed locally or whether you intend to send it to an external data processor.
• Training plan, outlining training which interviewers will receive as standard (assuming BBC Media Action will also deliver topic/survey tool specific training).
• Quality control approaches and processes for all stages of research process.
• Complete breakdown of costs including applicable taxes etc. and unit costs. Assessment will look at proposed costs compared to the implementation plan.
• An outline of the agency’s ethical considerations/guidelines for a survey of this nature.
• An outline of risks and corresponding mitigation plans for a survey of this nature.
• Detailed data management plan.
• Relevant skills and experience of the research agency.
• Proposed methods, including sampling and quality assurance and project management.
• Ethics/safeguarding considerations
• Creativity and value added to this project.
• References and relevance to this project / study

Questions about this Request for Proposals should be addressed to: [email protected]

NOTE: This is the first stage of the bidding process; only agencies who meet expected standards from this first stage will be contacted in the second stage.

Additional Requirements:

A summary profile outlining:

1. Agency’s staff strength including a breakdown of permanent and temporary staff (both management and others). Minimum of 25 permanent staff is preferred.
2. Experience conducting large scale surveys of not less than a sample size of 3000.
3. Experience working in Uganda.
4. Experience doing media-related quantitative surveys in Uganda is preferred.
5. Experience working with international organizations (especially in Uganda).

Also note that if considered for selection:

1. The agency will be required to provide the following documents:

• Agency’s certificate of incorporation
• Last annual audit report
• Evidence of adherence to Uganda tax laws
• Evidence of professional indemnity insurance

1. BBC Media Action team is very likely to visit the agency office on a verification exercise before commissioning and/or during project implementation.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS: By 5PM (EAT) on 14th March 2025

NB: BBC Media Action has the right to cancel or amend the call for proposals if necessary

Tagged as: BBC Media Action, Uganda