Greetings from HelpAge India!
Please see below the Briefing Note:
Technical and Financial Proposal for Research Project on Age Care in India
Background
The number of older persons is increasing in India at a rapid pace. In the next few decades, it is likely to overtake the increase in the population growth in the age group of 0-15 years. The other major trends that will impact this population pattern are, ageing of aged, feminisation, urbanization, decreasing size of the family, increasing participation of women in workforce. All these factors will intersect with longevity and pose challenges for the society that is till now heavily reliant on informal care.
NITI Aayog’s position paper entitled Senior Care reforms in India: Reimaging the Senior Care Paradigm is insightful. The paper examines the current trends in the care system. It highlights the need to shift the focus of health care system to geriatrics and in that factor for universal access, financing, nutrition, specific geriatric services, and climate change. It discusses that weakening of informal ‘family’ care structures and related factors like dependency, feminization, living arrangements, educational attainment, urban-rural divide, access to social security measures such as IGNOAPS and awareness of Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act. Economically, it acknowledges the trend of population ageing leading to increased expenditure on health and long-term care, shortages in the labour force, economic dependence, old-age income insecurity, limited coverage of old-age pensions, and an increased need for social protection. It also states the loss of employment opportunities and lack of adequate social security measures pushing the elderly population into poverty, further limiting their capacity to avail healthcare services.
In addition, it highlights the exclusion of elderly from the digitalization process due to lack of access to digital devices, lack of digital skills, and deteriorating vision and its far-reaching implications.
While clearly defining these issues, the section highlights the market potential of this population segment, in terms of home care services, health technology, insurance, and silver economy. The senior care industry is valued at USD 7 billion, with anticipated rapid growth, particularly in home-based care, health technology, health insurance, Ayush-based services, coupled with the recent COVID-19 pandemic experience has accelerated the demand for tech-based solutions for the elderly.
The paper outlines a multifaceted approach to senior care reforms in India, covering health, social, economic, and digital dimensions. It recognizes the significance of collaboration between the government, private sector, and community for effective implementation.
It emphasizes integrating healthcare services, increasing awareness, early detection of diseases, and preventive measures. It also underscores the importance of promoting physical activity, nutritional guidance, and mental health services for seniors.
In the social realm, it advocates for legal awareness, community-based support, and infrastructure changes to enhance seniors’ engagement. Economic empowerment suggestions include creating alternative employment opportunities, financial literacy campaigns, and a comprehensive public pension system. The digital empowerment section highlights the need for a digital literacy campaign, user-friendly infrastructure, and safety mechanisms.
The paper emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in senior care, calling for comprehensive reforms that address the diverse needs of senior citizens. It stresses the importance of involving various stakeholders, both public and private sectors, to deliver quality care and support holistic wellness. It advocates for regulatory and policy reforms, including clear evaluation frameworks, to strengthen elderly care programs and ensure outcome-oriented results.
Taking a cue from this position paper, HelpAge India wants to commission a survey to assess the care needs of older persons in terms of:
- Access to health care: Preventive care, awareness on NCDs (Hypertension and Diabetes), independent access to health care delivery services, geriatric services available at PHC/CHC level, outreach services including tele consultations, treatment costs, contribution of family and government, subscription of health insurance and its relevance in old age, mental wellbeing, diseases like dementia
- Social care: role of family members in taking care of general and special needs of older parsons; need for assistance by family or self in care, paid care facilities (knowledge, trust, appropriateness, affordability, grievance redress), role of community actors like youth groups, neighbors and seniors’ associations, role of Maintenance and Welfare of parents and Senior citizens Act, old age homes, day care centres; care of older persons with severe disabilities including diseases like Alzheimer’s.
- Capacity of self to take care of ones needs in old age: financially, physically, enabling factors and disabling factors (technology, government schemes, community support, NGO programs, opportunity for employment, reskilling, loans, self-help groups)
- Inadequacy felt in terms of health care, social care services healthy ageing, preventive health care, social integration due to non-availability of smart devices and inability to use them. Role of family, government, private companies, and non-profit organizations in providing digital devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy training to seniors.
- Participation in civic process to articulate demands for an age friendly society.
Sample
5000 older persons in Tier I (1) and tier II (1) cities in 10 states (ensuring adequate regional representation) with established and functioning NPHCE and geriatric care health facilities, SPOP, old age homes, helplines, Tribunals, more than Rs 1500 pension under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, above average literacy rates.
Older persons to be sub-stratified according to SEC category B and C, living arrangements, dependence on others (financial and physical) gender, age, membership of associations, clubs etc.
Duration: April 15th to June 10th 2024
Tasks to be completed:
- Sampling
- Questionnaire
- Data collection
- Data Analysis
- Report Writing
- PPT
Request you all to send the quote based on the attached briefing note by Friday, April 12th, 2024, 5:00 PM only at below mentioned mail id: [email protected]
Share your proposal in two attachments mentioning a) Technical Proposal and b) Financial proposal.
Please note: Quotation sent to any other e-mail id other than the one advised above, are liable to be rejected.
About HelpAge India
HelpAge India is a secular, not-for-profit organisation in India, registered under the Societies’ Registration Act of 1860. Set up in 1978, the organisation works for ‘the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life’. The organisation’s programmes are focused on direct interventions in the areas of Healthcare (mobile healthcare units, cataract surgeries), Agecare (helplines, senior citizen care homes and day care centres, physiotherapy), Livelihoods (Elder-Self-Help-Groups; linkages with government schemes), Disaster Response (e.g. Covid-19 relief response), as well as being a strong voice on Advocacy and Awareness issues on rights and policies relating to elders. It also conducts research on elder related issues, which gives a strong base to the work done on-ground. It is spread across 26 states and 245 project locations, pan India, from Leh in the North to Villathi in the South, and Mandvi in the West to Guwahati in the East. For more details, visit: www.helpageindia.org
Key Objectives
Given the higher engagement rates on whatsapp with personalized messaging, HelpAge India would like to focus its efforts, so as to grow online fundraising exponentially through whatsapp marketing and social media efforts. HelpAge seeks an agency to:
- Provide whatsapp marketing platform.
- Build journeys on the platform.
- Adding our programs, Donor servicing & driving donations on whatsapp platform only (From new acquisition & retention perspective).
- Building a journey for users who want to interact with us on whatsapp.
- Chatbot integration on the website.
- Work on Bots/Automations for Helpage India.
- Providing Excellent Analytics and Report for Whatsapp Marketing.
- Providing excellent after sales support.
Overall scope of work
The scope of work includes following main areas of work:
- Implementing strategies to grow our WhatsApp subscriber list.
- Assist in getting green tick for Helpage India.
- Enable Click To Whatsapp (CTW) for Helpage India.
- Build user journeys.
- Bot/Automation setup in order to drive donations on whatsapp.
- Platform training assistance.
- Provide reporting Module.
- Ensuring compliance with WhatsApp’s policies and regulations.
- Driving direct donations on whatsapp itself (Within meta ecosystem).
Selection Criteria
The company should have:
- Proven experience of providing whatsapp marketing services to non-profit sector is desirable.
- Authorized Business Service Partner will be a plus.
- Having Click to whatsapp module.
- 3-4 references.
Selection Process
The proposal should:
- Clearly establish an understanding of the services required and separate out activities according to the areas of work.
- Describe how the company engages with its clients: what processes they follow and requirements they have regarding timelines, rates, requests, sign-off and payments.
- Provide a standard SLA.
The budget should be broken down by activities.
Interested agencies may apply by April 21st, 2024 with a detailed proposal and cost breakdown. We expect the partner agency to give suggestions across various points in the RFP. Presentations on credentials with case studies and approaches for us need to be done sectoral benchmarks with focus on constant support. Shortlisted agencies may be requested for a detailed presentation.
The proposals received will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Profile and experience of the company 30%.
- Platform capabilities like – Modules, Reporting, Data management 40%.
- Pricing 30%.
Note: We would be happy to fill questionnaire/requests to understand current architecture if need be, only after signing a full Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Contact Information
Our Address: HelpAge India, C-14, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110016. Or email details to [email protected]. Please submit your quotation – Technical and Financial in different attachments only at [email protected] by 21st April 2024.