This call for concept notes is part of Eko-Konnect’s 5-year strategic plan to use ICT to support public health education and promotion in West Africa’s largest markets. This initiative seeks to engage new or existing public health projects in collaborative efforts to help to transition such projects to the next level.

The collaboration will include leveraging, for project development and success, a myriad of resources available to Eko-Konnect such as high-level access to research education networks; access to a global network of public health professionals; institutional support in most of West Africa as well as expertise in applying for and accessing funding.

Submission
You must submit your application via the Submission Page before the deadline. If you are applying on behalf of a group of organisations that would sign the collaboration agreement with Eko-Konnect, please ensure that each organisation is duly registered in your country of origin. We will not accept any late submissions.  Kindly plan to submit your application at least three business days in advance of the call deadline to ensure that technical difficulties do not prevent you from submitting your concept note by October 31, 2020, 12 p.m. (noon) WAT.

Objective of This Call
Under this call, your proposed project must contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Eko-Konnect, which seeks to use ICT and Research and Education Networks (REN) to support public health education and promotion in West Africa’s largest markets. Eko-Konnect wishes to broaden access to public health opportunities while strengthening the public health knowledge base in West Africa.

Eligibility: All projects within the public health domain are welcome. 

Duration: Your proposed project should be able to produce a demonstrator by October 31, 2020 through collaboration with Eko-Konnect. 
A detailed action plan with timing should accompany the concept note.
Note: A demonstrator may or may not be a finished product.  A testable prototype will suffice.

Geographic Alignment: Your proposed project would take place in one or more West African countries. 
Language of Concept Note: Your application package documents are complete and presented in either English or French.
Note: If your proposed project does not conform to the above statements, it will not be assessed because it cannot be considered under this call.

How We Assess Your Concept Note
Concept notes that meet the requirements for submission will be assessment based on the following assessment criteria:

• The public health issues that the project is planning to address are clearly described, along with the expected impact on the country(ies) it is based in.
• The project is aligned with Eko-Konnect strategic objectives as outlined above.
• The project shows sign of short-term feasibility.
• There is a description of how the intermediaries, beneficiaries (rights-holders) and other stakeholders (e.g., local authorities) will be meaningfully engaged in the design, development and implementation of the project.
• The description of strategies and efforts for ensuring sustainability of results are practical, realistic and comprehensive.
• Any innovative elements in the project design are identified, and an explanation is provided regarding what the innovation is, how it differs from existing approaches and why the innovative element should lead to better results or effectiveness than an existing approach.