Introduction 

Nigeria’s democratic landscape, while progressing, faces challenges, including those associated with political parties, such as weak party structures, lack of internal democracy, inadequate compliance with legal frameworks, and ineffective public outreach. These issues impede the ability of political parties to function effectively and inclusively, thereby undermining democratic processes. The 2023 general elections in Nigeria highlighted significant disparities in political participation, particularly for women, young persons, and persons with disabilities. These groups faced substantial barriers to entry and representation, emphasising the need for a comprehensive assessment of political party performance in promoting inclusivity.

In response to these challenges, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) has developed the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI) tool. This tool is designed to evaluate and enhance the performance and accountability of political parties in Nigeria. Drawing inspiration from established tools such as the Western Balkans Political Parties Transparency Index, the International Corruption Perception Index, the African Peer Review Mechanism, the United Nations Human Development Index, and the Electoral Integrity Project, the PPPI focuses on three key dimensions, which includes: legal compliance, inclusivity, and public outreach. It serves as a performance audit to hold parties accountable for their performance or otherwise and provides valuable insights for improvement.

As mentioned above, the PPPI aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the parties based on three core dimensions: Political Parties Inclusivity and Participation (PPIP), Political Parties Legal Compliance (PPLC), and Political Parties Public Outreach (PPPO). The piloting of this index is crucial for promoting transparent and accountable political party practices, fostering increased public trust in parties as institutions, and enhancing democratic governance in Nigeria.

Objectives 

The primary objective of this assignment is to pilot the PPPI in Nigeria, focusing on the three core dimensions. 

The specific objectives include:

1. Evaluating the performance of selected political parties based on the PPPI criteria.
2. Identifying areas of strength and weakness in party operations concerning inclusivity, legal compliance, and public outreach.
3. Providing actionable recommendations for political parties to enhance their performance and accountability.
4. Testing the effectiveness and applicability of the PPPI tool in the Nigerian context as a new and evidence-based way of working with political parties for results and suggesting any necessary recommendations for adjustments.

Scope of the consultancy

This consultancy will cover the following activities as listed below:

1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of political parties in Nigeria using the PPPI tool.
2. Engage with key stakeholders, including political party representatives, civil society organisations, and relevant government agencies, to gather data and insights.
3. Analyse the findings to assess the current state of political party performance in Nigeria.
4. Develop and finalise reports that include detailed findings, recommendations, and a framework for the continued use of the PPPI tool.
5. Participate in the presentation of the findings and recommendations to WFD and relevant stakeholders.

Timeline

The research team/firm engaged for this assignment will be responsible for the comprehensive piloting of the PPPI in Nigeria. This involves designing and implementing a rigorous methodology that combines desk research with the collection and analysis of primary data. The project will unfold across three phases: preparation, data collection and analysis, and dissemination. 

This assignment is proposed to be realised over a period of approximately four months, beginning before the end of September 2024 and concluding in the third week of January 2025. Each phase has specific tasks and timelines, detailed in the table below.

Please note that these timelines are indicative and subject to change. 

Deliverables

In accordance with the global aim of the NOPP project, the research team and/or firm is expected to deliver the following:

• Assemble a qualified team of experts and enumerators with the capacity to effectively implement the PPPI pilot and ensure high-quality execution of all tasks.
• Design and finalise standardised data collection tools, such as questionnaires and interview guides, utilising digital platforms (e.g.Kobo Collect) to gather relevant information from political parties, election management bodies, the public, and desktop reviews.
• Compile a comprehensive dataset reflecting the performance of political parties in Nigeria, based on the PPPI framework.
• Conduct a detailed analysis of the collected data, presenting insights into political party performance with the use of graphs, diagrams, and other visual aids to enhance understanding.
• Develop a ranking of political parties based on their overall performance as measured by the PPPI tool, ensuring transparency and objectivity.
• Production of two sets of reports: 

1. Political party specific reports, itemising the data on each of the 19 political parties to be measured with the Index. The reports will be used by WFD to engage with individual political parties on their performance level and recommended areas of improvement. 
2. A generic report to be made public, which would make use of graphic and generic terms, graphs, percentages, etc. This will show the trends, level and nature of the issues, and proffer general-purpose recommendations that could be applied across board. 

Qualifications and experience

Interested parties should possess the following qualifications and competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in political analysis, governance assessments, or similar research projects in Nigeria or similar contexts.
• Strong understanding of political party dynamics, legal frameworks, and issues related to inclusivity in political participation.
• Proven ability to conduct comprehensive assessments, analyse data, and present findings clearly and effectively.
• Experience in engaging with political parties, civil society, and government agencies.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is essential.
• The experts will have a minimum of a master's degree in related fields, while a Ph.D in related fields will be an advantage. The designated team leader must be a Ph.D holder in a related field and with relevant experience. 

Application and bid process

Interested research teams and/or firms are invited to submit their applications, which must include:

• A technical proposal that outlines the proposed methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• A competitive financial proposal ranging from 15 million to 17 million Naira. The proposal should detail all estimated costs for the assignment, including professional fees, expenses, taxes, and any discounts reflecting WFD’s not-for-profit status. The financial proposal must include a breakdown of costs by task, specifying the number of days per team member, individual day rates, and any applicable travel costs.
• Curriculum vitae for the consultant(s), and your organisational profile if relevant, highlighting previous research experience and essential criteria outlined above. CVs should not be longer than three pages. Proposals are expected to clearly nominate a Team Leader or Lead Consultant who will act as the primary point of contact with WFD. If including other roles, proposals should describe how the roles and experience of the team are relevant to this assignment.  
• Please include details of two references relating to similar services provided in the past three years. Please note – referees will only be contacted once Preferred Bidder status is assigned.  
• Examples of previous similar work or research conducted by the consultant/team.

Submission deadline

• All applications must be submitted electronically by 13 September 2024, 11:59pm (GMT+1) to procurement@wfd.org  
• Questions related to this call for bids should be expressed in writing to the email above by 10 September 2024. 
• Please include "Nigeria-Application for PPPI Piloting Consultancy" in the subject line of your submission.

Selection process

Applications will be evaluated based on the technical quality, relevant experience, and cost-effectiveness of the proposal. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview or further discussion.

Ethical considerations and risk mitigations

Regardless of the approach and methodology chosen, bids are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the sensitivities of the type of work WFD carries out and clearly outline how the project will adhere to international ethical standards.

The interested parties must treat all information received during the assignment as strictly confidential, including data, documents, and communications provided by WFD or obtained during the project. This information must not be disclosed or used for any purpose other than the tasks outlined in these Terms of Reference without WFD's prior written consent. Any unauthorised disclosure or misuse will be considered a breach of this agreement and may lead to legal action under UK law, including the UK Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which could result in contract termination and legal liabilities.

Quality assurance

Proposals should outline quality assurance measures and how they will be integrated into the research. If the researcher nominates a Quality Assurer, the proposals should clearly describe their role in the research.