The contractor will analyze the BFS research division's portfolio to assess the extent and nature of gender integration in investments and to capture good approaches and lessons. The synthesis will be…

The scope of this contract awarded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to Encompass LLC under the Professional Services Schedule (PSS) master contract involves analyzing the gender integration of USAID's Bureau for Food Security (BFS) research division's portfolio from June to November 2019. Encompass LLC will coordinate with BFS, the BFS Human and Institutional Capacity Development team, and the BFS Senior Gender Advisor to document gender approaches in research programming, identify effective and ineffective approaches, and exchange lessons learned. ACDI/VOCA was awarded a subcontract to lead tasks involving mapping gendered research activities, collecting data and reporting on gender integration practices and lessons, conducting a peer exchange session, and developing an external communications product. The final deliverables will include a session at an Innovation Lab meeting in September 2019 in Washington D.C. and an online communications product articulating progress on gender integration in BFS research.

The contractor will analyze the BFS research division's portfolio to assess the extent and nature of gender integration in investments and to capture good approaches and lessons. The synthesis will be completed during june - september 2019, including delivery of a session at the innovation lab meeting planned for september 2019 in washington, DC. The work is anticipated to be remote/HQ-based with 1-2 domestic trips and potentially 1 international trip to partners as relevant and feasible. The work will be done in coordination with the BFS research division, BFS human and institutional capacity development (hicd) team, and the BFS senior gender advisor. BFS will assist in coordinating and contacting implementing partners to be involved and will approve the 3-4 selected activities in task 1. BFS will also review and approve deliverables. The contractor will report to the BFS senior gender advisor and an activity manager to be assigned from the BFS research division. Goals of the analysis are to 1. Document and synthesize gendered approaches in research programming in terms of (1) institutional processes, personnel, responsibilities, budget, sub-award criteria and management etc., (2) research design, methods, questions, findings, etc., and (3) other themes that arise. 2. Identify approaches that have worked well, approaches that have not worked as expected, and areas where support is needed to foster gender-responsive research 3. Exchange experiences, lessons, challenges, successes among research partners (at september 2019 innovation lab meeting) 4. Articulate progress, approaches, achievements in an online communications product