REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) 

       Baseline Epidemiological Study on WASH and Child Health in Moga, Patiala, and Ludhiana Districts of Punjab 

Project Title: A School Accelerator Program for Health, Hygiene and Sanitation of Children

Issuing Organization: Sesame Workshop India Trust (SWIT)

RFP Issue Date: [17-04-2025]

Proposal Submission Deadline: [25-04-2025]

1. About Sesame Workshop India Trust

Sesame Workshop India (SWI) is the Indian arm of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian adaptation of Sesame Street. SWIT mission is to help children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder through innovative early childhood education programs. We leverage the power of media, play, and outreach to promote learning, equity, and wellbeing among children and caregivers, especially in underserved communities.

Our initiatives focus on early childhood education, health, hygiene, nutrition, gender equity, and resilience— especially for children from disadvantaged communities. We work through community engagement, partnerships with NGOs, government institutions, and schools to make measurable impact.

2. Project Background

Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is fundamental to human health and well-being. In many underserved communities, inadequate WASH practices contribute significantly to the high prevalence of waterborne diseases such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), diarrhoea, and other related health conditions.

To address this challenge, Sesame Workshop India (SWI), with support from Reckitt and in consultation with a Project Steering Committee, is implementing a multi-year WASH program aimed at improving hygiene behaviours and reducing waterborne illnesses in 600 schools.

Under its flagship initiative, “A School Accelerator Program for Health, Hygiene and Sanitation of Children,” SWI seeks to enhance children’s health and well-being by promoting improved hygiene behaviours and increasing access to WASH services in schools and communities.

As part of this program, SWI plans to conduct a baseline epidemiological study in Moga, Patiala, and Ludhiana districts of Punjab to assess the health and hygiene status of school-going children aged 6–14 years and to inform evidence-based interventions.

3. Call for Proposals

SWI invites proposals from medical colleges or academic institutions or organizations with demonstrated expertise in public health research, epidemiology, and disease surveillance. The selected partner will be responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive baseline study before project interventions begin.

4. Objectives of the Study

The key objectives of the baseline epidemiological study

• To document the current health status and prevalence of UTIs, diarrhoea, and other waterborne diseases among schoolchildren aged 6–14 years.
• To assess existing hygiene and sanitation practices at school level.
• To identify environmental and behavioural risk factors contributing to waterborne diseases.
• To evaluate knowledge, behaviours, and health-seeking practices related to hygiene and sanitation among children and teachers.
• To provide actionable insights and recommendations to strengthen school and community-based health promotion efforts.

       5. Study Coverage

The baseline epidemiological study will cover 600 schools across three districts in Punjab: 

• Ludhiana: 300 schools
• Moga: 150 schools
• Patiala: 150 schools

Target participants include children aged 6–14 years, teachers, and relevant school personnel. 

6. Proposed Methodology (To be included by applicants in their proposal)

• Applicants must propose a sound, ethical, and contextually appropriate methodology. Key components should include:
• Study Design: Type of study (e.g., mixed method), sampling approach, and rationale.
• Define the areas of enquiry to assess disease prevalence, hygiene behaviours, and WASH-related knowledge.
• Sampling Strategy: Sampling method, sample size calculation, school and participant selection.
• Data Collection Tools: Questionnaires, clinical checklists, observation formats.
• Field Implementation: Enumerator recruitment, training, consent/assent protocols, and field coordination.
• Data Management: Entry, cleaning, and storage using appropriate software (SPSS, STATA, etc.).
• Analysis Plan: Analytical techniques for prevalence and risk factor identification.
• Ethical Considerations: Safeguards for working with children and data confidentiality.
• Timeline: Clear milestones from approval to reporting. 

Note: The selected partner will be responsible for obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Ethics Committee approval before data collection. Proof of approval must be shared with SWI.

7. Scope of Work

The selected institution, organization will undertake the following:

• Finalize study design and tools in consultation with SWI.
• Secure IRB approval before initiating fieldwork.
• Coordinate with district authorities and schools.
• Recruit and train field investigators.

• Conduct data collection from children, teachers, and school environments.
• Ensure ethical and informed participation.
• Manage data entry, analysis, and reporting.
• Submit draft and final reports, and present findings to SWI.

     8. Deliverables
 

9. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria: 

• Be a recognized medical college, research institute, or Organization working on WASH and Public health and organizations having experience of conducting epidemiological study.
• Have experience in public health research, particularly in WASH, child health, or disease surveillance.
• Possess a qualified team including epidemiologists, statisticians, public health professionals, and trained field staff.
• Have operational access to project areas in Ludhiana, Moga, and Patiala or familiarity with working in Punjab
• Experienced team versed with local language
• Be able to obtain and manage IRB/Ethics Committee clearance independently.
• Ability to comply with ethical standards in working with children.

      10. Proposal Submission Guidelines

Interested College/ institutions/organizations are requested to submit the following documents:

Technical Proposal:

• Understanding of the TOR and objectives
• Organization profile, experience and legal status
• Methodology, sampling framework, and data collection tools
• Work plan and timeline
• Team composition with CVs
• Past experience and relevant case studies

        Financial Proposal:

• Detailed budget with breakup of costs (including taxes)
• Payment terms and conditions 

All proposals must be submitted by [25-04-2025] in PDF format to: Shobha.kapoor@sesame.org   Narmada.Purohit@sesame.org

Subject line should read: “Proposal – Baseline Epidemiological Study – SWI WASH Program”

Proposals should not exceed 20 pages (excluding annexures). Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

11. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

      12. Terms and Conditions

• SWIT reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal without assigning reasons.
• All data collected under this engagement shall remain the property of SWIT.
• The selected agency will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and comply with child safeguarding policies.
• Payment will be made in phases linked to deliverables. 

For any queries, please write to:Narmada.Purohit@sesame.org;   Sanjay.Kumar@sesame.org before [22- 04-2025].

We look forward to receiving your proposal and partnering with you to improve children’s health and wellbeing in Punjab.

Download Attachment: RFP_Epidemiological_Study_Punjab_SWIT (1).pdf