REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
(RESEARCH AND MARKET EXPLORATION)
Background:
Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India (FRHS India) is a registered not-for-profit organization operating since 2009. FRHS India is an affiliate of MSI Reproductive Choices (MSI), a global organization providing personalized contraception and safe abortion services to women and girls. MSI’s local teams of professionals are passionate about the work they do in communities across 37 countries. The high-quality services we provide, give a woman the power to choose if and when she has children so that she’s free to pursue her plans and dreams for herself and her family.
Our mission is “Your Body, Your Choice, Your Future”. FRHS India is the No. 1 non-governmental provider of Clinical Family Planning services. We provide quality family planning and safe and legal abortion services to women in need, through multiple channels that comprise of our own clinics, clinical outreach teams and public sector support to Government facilities. We are currently working in the states of Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh in Public Private Partnership with state governments. In 2022, our teams directly provided family planning choices and quality services to over 179,239 clients that delivered a Couple Year Protection (CYP) of over 2.17 million. A large number of women in India are unable to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights due a number of barriers – social, cultural, policy, and access to information and services. Thus, we work in partnership with stakeholders to improve the policy environment towards enabling women to exercise their reproductive rights and choices. FRHS India also implements advocacy projects to advance sexual and reproductive rights in the country.
Purpose of Consultancy
FRHS India invites proposals from qualified and experienced Business Development Agencies to lead a feasibility scoping project in designated geographies throughout India. The primary emphasis will be on Rajasthan, accompanied by an overarching analysis of the current pan-India situation. The chosen agency will be responsible for pinpointing potential opportunities to establish new clinics and introducing innovative health services to cater to the distinctive healthcare needs of the local population. The selected agency will play a crucial role in advancing our growth and diversification strategy, ensuring our clinics offer comprehensive and cutting-edge healthcare services.
SCOPE OF WORK:
Market Research and Analysis:
- Assess the current healthcare infrastructure, including government and private facilities, in Rajasthan and across India.
- Identify key health indicators, demographics, and prevalent health issues in the target geographies.
- Analyze the competitive landscape and potential collaborators/partners in the healthcare sector.
Feasibility Study:
- Evaluate the feasibility of establishing new clinics, considering factors such as demand, accessibility, regulatory requirements, and potential challenges.
- Explore opportunities for introducing innovative health services that address the specific healthcare needs of the local population.
Strategic Recommendations:
- Propose a strategic plan for growth and diversification based on the findings of the feasibility study.
- Provide recommendations for the types of clinics and health services that would be most successful in each identified geography.
Implementation Plan:
- Develop a detailed implementation plan outlining the steps and timelines for establishing new clinics and introducing innovative health services.
- Provide a budget estimate for the proposed activities.
Objectives and deliverables are detailed as under:
Objective 1: Lead on audience profiling and understanding FRHSI’s priority segments
Through a mix of in person and online and in person interviews with FRHSI CSO teams and clinic staff, as well as market research, making use of MSI’s audience profiling tools, the consultant will work with FRHSI to review and define the priority segments which our new flagship clinics will be seeking to serve. This will help to narrow down the localities within which the consultant will focus its work, by determining a set of socio-economic parameters for the clinics’ catchment areas. These client segments will also inform the marketing strategy (to be developed by FRHSI in a separate consultancy), as well as our brand positioning. Objectives will include:
- Understanding the healthcare-seeking behavior of local women, including preferences for healthcare services and channels for information consumption.
- Identifying emerging health trends that align with our organisational vision and mission.
- Identifying factors influencing healthcare decision-making among the target audience.
Deliverables:
- Detailed audience profiling completed capturing consumer habits, attitudes and services interested in.
Objective 2: Map out current market for SRH and Well Woman services
Using a mix of methods for information gathering such as staff interviews, client interviews, mystery clients or existing studies, as well as the MSI Competitor Walkthrough Checklist, the consultant will provide an understanding of market alternatives providing SRH and Well Woman services and products in the geographies identified. This will inform our strategy by showing how we can differentiate ourselves and build brand loyalty among our clients. Analysis will identify gap as well as opportunities to grow and improve the sector, by turning unsafe services into safe ones, or providing access where non or no affordable one exists, and extending client choice. This will include:
- Conducting in-depth research to identify potential markets and locations within specific geographies with high demand for healthcare services in India.
- Analysing market trends, demographics, competition, and regulatory factors to assess the viability and potential of new clinic ventures in targeted areas.
- Identifying gaps in the existing healthcare services landscape and propose innovative solutions to address these gaps.
- Evaluating healthcare trends, regulatory environment, and economic factors that may impact the success of new clinics.
- Identifying competitors in the healthcare industry within the target geographies. Competitors in the healthcare industry within the target geographies.
- Evaluating competitor strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to inform strategic decisionmaking;
- Reviewing legal, health and regulatory frameworks which could either constrain or support growth and expansion plans.
Deliverables:
- Develop a detailed report including photos to evidence findings, mapping out market alternatives, including :
- Provider types, services offered, price charged and packages available, provider cadre;
- Reflections on branding, environment, confidentiality, client appeal and promotion/communication and client segments;
- Reflections on what this tells us about services FRHSI should focus on, about our audience segments, how we should position our brand, how we should benchmark our pricing, anything else which the data highlights.
- Facilitate a workshop/brainstorming activity with FRHSI to identify and develop brand positioning, ideal location and potential service packages.
Objective 3: Identify viable opportunities for growth and expansion
Using the findings of the detailed report and workshop produced under Objective 2, using a range of methods to facilitate decision making, and in collaboration with FRHSI, the consultant will lead on the development of a growth and expansion plan. This will include:
- Identifying and assessing potential opportunities for establishing new clinics based on gaps in healthcare services and unmet need in the local market.
- Engaging with key stakeholders, including local healthcare professionals, community leaders, and government officials, to build relationships and gather insights.
- Identifying and assessing opportunities for introduction of new services based on target segment health seeking behaviours, potential gaps in market, client’s capacity to pay.
- Exploring partnerships or collaborations that can enhance the organization’s service offerings.
- Exploring opportunities for accreditation with PM-JAY.
- Exploring growth opportunities to leverage the contact centre.
Deliverables:
- Complete SWOT analysis.
- Recommend a list of locations for the growth/expansion of FRHSI’s clinic network, with completed Business Case templates for each location.
- Completed Service Diversification Planning toolkit, services launch plan and pricing tool.
Objective 5: Develop operational plan for expansion and service diversification
Working closely with the FRHSI leadership team, the consultant will develop clinic launch plans including detailed budgets and workplans. The consultant will leverage his networks to facilitate successful entry into new markets, supporting with required legal and administrative tasks as required.
Deliverables:
- Detailed operational plan outlining specific initiatives, timelines, and success metrics.
Relevant Experience:
- Previous experience in the healthcare sector, either through employment or educational background, is highly valued. It provides context and understanding of the unique challenges and dynamics in the healthcare industry.
- Prior experience in market research, preferably in healthcare, is beneficial. This could include roles where the individual conducted market assessments, competitive analyses, or customer surveys.
- Strong experience in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data is crucial. This includes experience with statistical analysis and data visualization tools.
- Experience in managing research projects from conception to completion, including budgeting and timeline management.
- Familiarity with healthcare regulations and compliance standards is an asset, as it ensures that the market research aligns with legal and ethical considerations in the healthcare sector.
Skills & Competencies:
- Familiarity with various research methodologies, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches, is crucial. This includes surveys, focus groups, interviews, and data analysis.
- Strong analytical skills are crucial for interpreting complex data and drawing meaningful conclusions from market research findings.
- Proficiency in statistical analysis tools and techniques is valuable for quantitative research, which is common in healthcare market analysis.
- Effective communication skills are essential for conveying research findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. This includes writing reports, creating presentations, and articulating insights clearly.
- A deep understanding of the healthcare industry, including regulatory frameworks, healthcare systems, and the latest trends, is essential for accurate and insightful market research.
- Proficiency in using market research tools, statistical software, and data visualization tools is often required.
- Experience working in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders including operations, finance, and clinical services, ensuring alignment and buy-in from relevant parties to ensure smooth seamless execution of expansion plans.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Interested agencies are required to submit a letter of intent covering the following:
- A brief understanding of the assignment.
- Company profile and experience in healthcare business development.
- Details of the proposed methodology for the feasibility study.
- Team qualifications and relevant experience.
- A sample of a similar project successfully completed by the agency.
- Proposed timeline and budget for the project.
- Relevant certifications in market research, data analysis, or healthcare management.
- Capability statement detailing – previous experience, brief CVs of team members, team that will work on this assignment and samples of work/portfolio (digital)
- Expected time of delivery should be included in the proposal submissions. Further, deadlines for the drafts will be set in consultation with FRHS India staff.
- Send indicative financial and business development proposal.
Interested agencies are invited to submit their proposals to the Head of HR, Admin, Procurement/IT,
Foundation of Reproductive Health Services, located at B-37 Gulmohar Park, New Delhi 110049. Additionally, proposals can be sent via email to admindelhi@frhsi.org.in, with a deadline of 10 January 2024.