RFP - Public Opinion Research Services Consultant

Scope of Works for Public Opinion Research

RFP Milestone
Deadline
RFP Question Period EndsAugust 22, 2025RFP Close DateSeptember 4, 2025Conduct Contractor Evaluations September 19, 2025Award Contract to ContractorSeptember 26, 2025

As part of its 50th anniversary commemoration in 2026, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is launching the Global Housing Index (GHI) – designed to be an annual publication that ignites a conversation around housing opportunity by quantifying and exploring how far out of reach access to a decent affordable home is for different communities around the world. The deliverables of this RFP will contribute to the narrative report and depending on the results could also be used to create other assets focused on public opinion related to housing.

The GHI seeks to address critical evidence gaps by providing a globally comprehensive, unified housing dataset, ensuring representation of marginalized populations, and offering long-term data and policy analyses. This publication will monitor collective progress and advance solutions by informing civil society and policymakers, empowering their advocacy efforts.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) seeks a partner (or coalition of organizations) to conduct original, global public opinion research on housing opportunity that will comprise part of the inaugural GHI narrative report.
HFHI is open to applicants proposing the best methodology, but expect that this public opinion research may take the form of traditional public polling or a more novel participatory polling (Wiki surveys, Deliberative Polling, Polis conversations, etc.). In addition, HFHI is open to reviewing alternative proposed methodologies of applicants not mentioned here. As HFHI aims to generate interest with top-tier global media, donors, policymakers, and other target public audiences through this product, the applicant should demonstrate experience earning reputable media attention for their research results and insights, including any partnerships with media organizations.

**Scope of Work Solicited

2.1 Global public opinion research**
The selected organization(s) will design and administer a nationally representative public opinion polling in ideally five (5) to nine (9) countries globally.

Geographic Scope
HFHI suggests the following priority countries, with back up options:

Required:
The United States. Please include pricing for two statistical representative options: (1) only nationally representative; or (2) state and major metro area statistical representation.

At least one country from each of the following regions, ideally two:

Europe and the Middle East: (MENA)
Great Britain (alternative: Germany)

Egypt (alternative: Jordan)

Africa (AFR)
Ethiopia (alternative: Kenya)

South Africa (alternative: Malawi)

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
Mexico

Brazil (alternatives: Guatemala or Honduras)

Asia and the Pacific (AP)
India (alternative: Nepal)

South Korea (alternative: Philippines)

Applications should aim to cover as many countries as possible, while still maintaining technical soundness. Applications should outline the cost for achieving national representation versus statistical representation of primary cities / within the country. Habitat for Humanity has staff presence and program operations in all of the countries named above, which could be leveraged in support of this research.

*Sampling:*
Applicants should describe their proposed sampling methodology they will use to ensure nationally-representative results. This should include information such as:

• proposed sampling methodology approach
• rough estimate of number of surveys
• challenges to achieving representation (e.g. access to poor or informal communities, illiteracy)
• measures taken to address sampling challenges
• any identified local partners that will support sampling

Sampling should be able to capture differences in major demographic groups (e.g. generational groups, ethnicities, income level).

*Public Opinion Polling:*
The public opinion polling should capture public perceptions of equity in relation to (1) personal access to adequate housing, as well as (2) how fellow citizens access adequate housing. HFHI will provide global and nationally-relevant housing expertise during the survey drafting process. However, the selected organization(s) should guarantee appropriate question formulation and survey design. The precise questions and topics of the public opinion polling will be determined collaboratively between the selected organization(s) and HFHI. However, the approach and methodology should be formulated with an expectation of earning media attention (as discussed later in the RFP). Some examples of topics include, but are not limited to:

• perceptions of discrimination in lending or rental practices
• perceptions of appropriateness of formalizing informal settlements
• perceptions of public subsidies for affordable housing

HFHI expects that approximately 75% of the survey content to be consistent across all countries, with a 25% allowance for questions tailored to the specific country. In addition, the US survey would include a higher proportion of nationally specific questions (approximately 50/50 split).

As described in further detail later in this RFP, HFHI aims to identify new and breakthrough statistics, insights and stories arising from this research that earn media coverage and public interest. While HFHI asks applicants to propose their public opinion research methodology to best achieve this, one possibility would be Wiki surveys. Wiki surveys have the additional benefit of effective, open, and deep collaboration of large groups of people (within the thousands) with the possibility of prompting conversations and discovering consensus on open-ended questions.

Given the objective of the GHI, HFHI expects that samples will credibly represent opinions of important target groups like the poor, people living in informal settlements, youth and women. This will require that surveys be administered in formats accessible to these populations (e.g. in local languages).

*Key Responsibilities Include:*
In summary, the selected organization(s) will be responsible for the following related to public opinion polling:

• Survey Design: Developing a robust survey instrument capable of capturing nuanced insights into perceptions of individual and public housing opportunity. The survey should be designed to be culturally sensitive and appropriate for diverse populations.
• Survey Administration: Conducting the survey across the selected countries and ensuring nationally representative sampling. This includes a demonstrated capacity for reaching particularly poor and/or illiterate populations, potentially through adapted methodologies (e.g., in-person interviews, visual aids).
• Data Collection: Executing the survey fieldwork, managing enumerators, and ensuring data quality and integrity.
• Data Synthesis and Analysis: Cleaning, processing, and analyzing the collected quantitative data. This includes statistical analysis to identify key trends, disparities, and correlations related to housing equity and technical documentation of data.
• Summarized Technical Report: Preparing a technical report detailing the methodology, data documentation, and analysis of the quantitative research. This report will be for only HFHI technical staff and no more than 15 pages.

2.2 Media engagement and positioning
This qualitative public opinion research will inform a global thought leadership product aiming to reach global decision makers, civil society, partners and the development sector with data that has never been available before; and to highlight breakthrough insights that shape the conversation around equitable housing with target audiences including in media, donor, and the development sector. Generating earned media is critically important to reach and influence these target audiences and the broader housing agenda. Therefore, HFHI is seeking an organization(s) with experience designing approaches and analyses that earn media attention. Extra consideration will be given to applicants who partner with a US-focused media outlet. Applicants should describe how they would account for media interest, angles, and engagement as part of their proposed approach. Please include any potential media partnership connections/recommendations, media integration with the research approach, or media-oriented events (i.e. involving media in polling; follow-up interviews with participants).

*Key Responsibilities Include:*

• Identify Breakthrough Research Outcomes for Media: Identify data points and stories from the public opinion research that have the greatest potential for earned media coverage. This would include media angles that connect the public opinion survey to the quantitative scoring index of countries globally.
• Communication of Technical Content: Translating complex findings into accessible, engaging, and impactful prose or graphics. This includes creating compelling data visualizations and storytelling elements. HFHI does not expect a report of technical findings, but rather a compilation of data through other means (e.g. data visualizations, web pages, data portal, PPT slides, bullet points, etc.). It should include:

Major talking points: This would be a synthesis of major compelling research findings, seen through the lens of earned media coverage.

Multiple data cuts / points: This should allow HFHI to pitch to different audiences or with different angles.

• Content Strategy: Proposing and implementing content strategies for the report that are designed to garner significant earned media coverage and foster public engagement around global housing equity. An analysis of current trending conversations around housing equity and white space available to serve as a leading voice should inform polling questions, research methodologies, and report content.
• Project Constraints and Proposed Alternatives Budget: The total budget for this contract must not exceed $200,000 USD. This budget is inclusive of all fees, expenses, and taxes. As described below, applicants may propose different scopes of work (e.g. selection of countries, number of countries, level of representative sampling, level of polling intensity, etc.). However, applications must stay within this budget amount. Habitat for Humanity International will not accept applications with overhead costs greater than 15%.

Timeline:
Finalization of questions, sampling methodologies, etc., should be completed in 2025. Public opinion polling should occur in January of 2026. The entire contract, including final deliverables, must be completed by February 2026. HFHI expects the contract to begin in early to mid-October.

Feasibility and Alternatives
: HFHI encourages applicants to review the proposed scope of work within the stated budget and timeline constraints. Applicants should propose an alternative scope of work that is achievable within the $200,000 budget and this timeline, assuming contract signature in mid-October. This alternative proposal should outline what could be accomplished, specifying any tradeoffs in countries, sample size, polling methodology, scope of work, and caliber of research insights. While the budget and timeline remain non-negotiable, HFHI will consider different methodologies, number of countries targeted, media strategies, etc.

• Proposal Submission Format

Applicants Are Requested To Submit a Comprehensive Proposal Addressing All Aspects Of This RFP. The Proposal Should Be Structured As Follows:

• Narrative Submission (Max 15 pages, excluding appendices):
• Executive Summary: A brief overview of your understanding of the project, your proposed approach, and why your organization is the best fit.
• Understanding of the Assignment: Demonstrate your comprehension of the project background, objectives, and the specific needs outlined in this RFP.
• Proposed Approach:
• Public opinion research: Detail your proposed methodology for survey design, sampling strategy, data collection tools, data quality assurance, and analytical approach. Specify the countries you propose to survey and your rationale for selection. Explain the connections and synergies you see between your proposed survey and the quantitative scoring index of countries globally.
• Media engagement: Outline your approach to audience listening, the tools you will use (e.g., social listening platforms, media monitoring tools), how you will identify resonant narratives, and your strategy for synthesizing findings into compelling report content designed for media impact.
• Project Management Plan: Describe your proposed work plan, including key phases, activities, and deliverables with associated timelines.
• Feasibility Assessment and Alternatives (if applicable): A clear statement on whether you believe the proposed scope is feasible within the budget and timeline. If not, provide your alternative proposal as outlined in Section 3.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks to project success and outline your mitigation strategies.
• Roles and Responsibilities of HFHI: Clearly articulate any expected roles and responsibilities of HFHI at a global or national level.
• Organizational background and key staff: Summary of your organization(s) relevant experience. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of key staff within the project team. Supporting materials can be included as an annex:
• CVs/resumes for all key personnel who will be assigned to this project, highlighting their relevant experience and qualifications.
• A brief overview of your organization(s), including legal status, mission, and core competencies.
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative research, particularly multi-country household surveys.
• Demonstrated experience in audience analysis, strategic communications, and developing impactful thought leadership content.
• Provide examples of relevant past projects, including links to published reports or media coverage where possible.
• References from previous clients for similar work.
• Detailed Budget:
• A comprehensive breakdown of all costs associated with the proposed work, categorized by activity (e.g., staffing, sampling, survey design, data analysis, media engagement).
• Include personnel costs, travel (if any), data collection expenses, software/tool licenses, and any other relevant expenditures.
• The budget must clearly show how it aligns with the $200,000 USD maximum.
• Timeline:
• A detailed project timeline (e.g., Gantt chart) outlining all key activities, milestones, and deliverables within the 4-month contract period.
• Include three (3) milestones that could be linked to tranched payment of a contract.

Inquiries And Proposals Should Be Directed To:
Anna Konotchick

Sr. Director, Research and Learning