Call for Proposals: CATI Study on Public Perceptions of Energy Transition and Economic Diversification in Kazakhstan

The University of Central Asia (UCA) is pleased to invite project proposals to conduct data collection for an individual survey, using a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI).

Candidate: The selected provider will plan, coordinate, and collect an individual survey data of 1,000 respondents through CATI in three cities of national significance, five monotowns, and ten other mining and non-mining cities.

Background

The research aims to capture public perspectives on the energy transition and sustainable economic growth in Kazakhstan, with a focus on mining and non-mining regions as well as diverse demographic groups. The findings will inform policymakers at the national level, support local communities in achieving sustainable futures, and offer insights into the dynamics of economic diversification and energy transition. The study is funded through a Grant Agreement established between the CEE Bankwatch Network and the University of Central Asia for the implementation of the project titled "Research of Decarbonisation, Just Transition, and Economic Diversification in Kazakhstan."

Timeline: The expected time of engagement for the individual survey, from the award of the contract in January through February 2025. The consultant should prepare an appropriately detailed timeline of expected data collection as part of their submission.

Details of the individual survey research: The individual survey sample of 1,000 individuals will combine three strata – three cities of national significance (390 respondents), five monotowns (110 respondents) and ten other mining and non-mining towns (500 respondents). The study must ensure gender balance (50% male and 50% female), covering households with different income levels and age distribution aligned with Kazakhstan's demographic statistics.

Company qualifications:

• Proven experience in conducting CATI surveys in Kazakhstan or similar contexts.
• Proficiency in local languages (Kazakh and Russian).
• Expertise in statistical analysis and reporting.
• Ability to follow good ethical conduct and ensure entrusted information is safeguarded from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, modification, loss, or theft.

Expected Results:

• Questionnaire Administration:

• Conduct training for remunerators to explain how to work with the questionnaire.
• Conduct a pilot survey to test the questionnaires among randomly selected 5-10 individuals from mining towns and provide evidence-based suggestions for improving it.
• Conduct interviews using a standardized questionnaire with built-in prompts, instructions, and ethical guidelines, ensuring the survey is completed within 30 minutes.
• Obtain informed consent and ensure confidentiality following internationally accepted data protection laws.

• Preparation and Quality Control:

• Develop a detailed operational plan, including quotas for gender, different income groups and age representation and a stratified sampling methodology.
• Conduct interviews at convenient times for respondents (9:00–21:00) and attempt a maximum of three calls per respondent at different times of the day.
• Document reasons for refusals and provide 10% of interviews for verification.
• Record interviews with respondent consent, ensuring proper storage and backup of data.

• Data Management and Deliverables:

• Transcribe all open-ended responses and deliver transcriptions alongside audio recordings.
• Process and prepare quantitative data for statistical analysis.
• Submit a cleaned-up dataset with interview results and a comprehensive final report, including:  
• Methodological details.
• Descriptive statistics segmented by age, gender, city type, economic situation, education level, and language of the interview.
• Transcriptions of open-ended responses.

• Reporting and Monitoring:

• Submit a preliminary progress report upon request.
• Track quotas and ensure a balanced representation of genders and demographic groups during data collection.
• Use specialized CATI software for secure data collection and upload data to an aggregate server daily.

• Timeline and Responsibility:

• Piloting is scheduled in January 2025 and completion of the survey by 10^th of February 2025.
• Coordinate the survey process from contract award to final deliverables.
• Ensure strict adherence to ethical and methodological standards throughout the engagement.

Submission of Proposals

How to Apply: All the appropriate candidates should send their commercial proposals, outlining the consultant qualification, expertise, and budget by 20 January 2025 to madina.junussova@ucentralasia.org  

The commercial proposal should contain:

• Short description of the experience in conducting similar surveys in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
• Evidence on the availability of phone numbers dataset (including mining towns) or ways of its generation,
• Qualifications of the survey team members.
• Detailed methodology, including sampling and data collection strategies.
• Draft budget for proposed sampling strategy (1000 respondents divided into three strata).
• Short description of the suggested remuneration methods for the study interviewees/respondents and incentives to improve response rates, especially among underrepresented demographics.
• Quality assurance and risk mitigation plans.

Evaluation of proposals:

The contractor will be selected based on a combination of criteria, including price (40%), experience (30%), and proposed methodology, including risk mitigation strategies and incentives to improve response rates, especially among underrepresented demographics (30%).

We will notify shortlisted candidates for further details and procedures.