REQUEST FOR TENDER

Evaluation of Thriving Together Programme

14th July 2026

Introduction

Tribli CLG invites suitably qualified consultants (an Individual or agency) to tender for the provision of evaluation services to Exchange House Thriving Together Programme, to produce a report with completed findings and recommendations arising from the evaluation.

About us

Our Organisation

Tribli CLG t/a Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service is an organisation of Traveller and non-Travellers and leading provider of front line and support services to some of the most marginalised Travellers in Ireland since 1980.

Our Vision, Mission, Core Principles

Our vision is “To live in an Ireland where Travellers are fully valued as a distinct ethnic minority receiving equitable treatment and access to all supports and services without barriers.”

Our mission statement states that “Exchange House Ireland is an organisation of Travellers and non-Travellers working together to provide frontline services of excellence to the community. We also strive to collaborate with partner agencies to improve service standards and accessibility for the Traveller community to all services.”

Our core principles, which guide all areas of our work, are professionalism, equality, diversity, and excellence.

Our aim is to break down barriers and discrimination to facilitate Travellers to access the range of services they need in an equitable way. 

We are a multi-disciplinary frontline service provider offering Education and Training Services, Children and Young People Services, Family Support and Crisis Intervention Services, Addiction Services, Mental Health, and suicide Prevention services to members of the Traveller Community.

The National Traveller Mental Health Service

The National Traveller Mental Health Service is a Traveller specific mental health and suicide prevention service. We provide these services to Travellers to improve mental health and overall wellbeing and reduce suicide. We deliver mental health supports and suicide prevention by engaging and consulting with Travellers and others to provide education, training, individual support, and group work to the community.

The Thriving Together Project

The Thriving Together Traveller Youth Mental Health Project is a community-led mental health initiative designed to improve mental health outcomes for Traveller children, young people, and families by fostering resilience through peer-led support and crisis intervention. This project arose from the Traveller Youth Mental Health Co Production Pilot project, of which the report was published in 2025 https://www.exchangehouse.ie/publications_tymh.php This report demonstrates the urgent need for a culturally competent and community-led response to the mental health crisis among young Travellers.

Legal Status

Tribli CLG t/a Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service is a registered company limited by guarantee, company number 230850, a registered charity with the Charity Regulator (RCN 20038472) and with Revenue (CHY12835).

Scope of Work

In 2021 Exchange House Ireland was awarded funding from the Community Foundation Ireland/RTE Toy Show appeal fund to co-produce a design for a National Traveller Youth Mental Health service. Over 20 months, a dedicated team engaged with young Travellers across Ireland to develop a model for a national service aimed at supporting and promoting the wellbeing of those aged between 10 and 20 years.

Following the publication of the “Co-Production of the Design of Traveller Youth Mental Health Service,” funding was received to deliver a programme which has now bene named as the “Thriving Together Traveller Youth Mental Health Project.” The three key objectives of this project are as follows:

Objective 1: To design, develop, and evaluate a crisis intervention programme for Traveller parents and adults, while also expanding the existing 6-week Traveller Youth Mental Health Programme. These programmes will be guided by the Traveller Youth Mental Health Co-Production Report, which emphasises three key pillars: Help-Seeking, Confidence Building, and Hope for the Future. The programme has been named “Thriving Together

Objective 2: A team of eight professionals will be employed, including a full-time Coordinator and a part time Clinical Lead, and six Peer Mental Health Workers (PMHWs) based in three key areas in Ireland (Louth, Limerick, Laois). The PMHWs will be inducted and trained to deliver the 6–8-week Traveller Youth Mental Health programme over three semesters to various age groups (10-20 years). The PMHW’s will collaborate closely with local Traveller and other partner organisations to recruit participants for the programme and to address any local mental health service gaps, while ensuring culturally appropriate support. They will receive training, support and supervision from the Clinical lead and co-ordinator.

Objective 3: A national steering group will be established to provide strategic oversight of the project (ensuring deliverables align with the project objectives and approve any scope changes), governance (identifying, monitoring and mitigating potential risks to the project), accountability (ensuring the team meet key deliverables within agreed timelines). The national steering group will also help to foster local and national partnerships and provide ongoing feedback throughout the project’s implementation. This collaborative structure will ensure that the project remains responsive to the needs of the Traveller community and maintains a high standard of service delivery.

The Evaluation

This evaluation tender sets out a plan to formally evaluate the “Thriving Together Traveller Youth Mental Health project.”

The core areas of the project to be evaluated are:

• Impact and experiences of the peer facilitator model of programme delivery and the supports provided.
• Capacity of parents and adults to respond to mental health crises among Traveller Youth in their communities.
• The efficacy of the programme to meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of the young Traveller participants, in the domains of help seeking, confidence building, and hope for the future.

The Key Deliverables throughout the Evaluation period will be:

1. Initial meeting with EHI, to present a Project Initiation Document (PID) outlining core objectives, the approach  (Quantitative data collection) and (Qualitative (Most Significant Change*) or similar participatory approach, to gather the lived experience feedback from Peer Mental Health Facilitators on the Peer process, parents and adult participants on the crisis intervention modules, youth participants on the 6–8-week programme and feedback from steering group members), the scope, and clarifying roles and responsibilities throughout the project. Identify the potential domains for change for all stakeholders (direct and indirect) of the project (empowerment, community capacity, changes in Traveller lives, lessons learnt and so on). Include the replication and arrangement of the administration of the surveys and questionnaires from the initial pilot project to the participants on the project with a view to compare and contrast results.
2. Quarterly meetings with EHI providing written status reports including a slide deck on the collection and analysis of experiences /stories from all three areas (Louth, Laois, Limerick) and from different stakeholders (PMHF’s, Traveller youth participating in programmes, Traveller parents and adults participating in crisis intervention modules, steering group members, and local Traveller organisations). Include the outcome of surveys and questionnaires collected within the quarter along with commenting on how these compare or contrast with those collected during the pilot project. A total of Three youth groups and one adult’s crisis intervention group per quarter per location.
3. Mid stage report- Present to EHI documented secondary analysis of the process such as who participated, how they affected the content of the project and any reported changes (intended or unintended) that came about from the project and the evaluation process. Include relevant literature and best practice in Traveller specific Youth Mental Health.
4. Draft final Report- Present to EHI a draft final report documenting the outcomes of the project, all data collected and analysed throughout the project, collated results of the surveys and questionnaires and how these have compared to those included in the pilot phase. Include  discussions and conclusions regarding the sustainability and /or expansion across Ireland of the project.
5. Final Report- Present to EHI the final report including key findings, recommendations, literature review, methodology employed, all data gathered and the associated analysis, discussions arising from themes emerging from the data, conclusions, appendices and references.

Deliverables and Deadlines

The timeframe of the evaluation – the contract will commence in August 2026 and should be completed by July 2027. The evaluator will be expected to deliver the following within the stated key dates:

Tender Submission Requirements

The tender proposal must include:

Evaluators Information

• Legal name, address, and contact person.
• Full details of the team to be involved in this work, including their proposed roles, qualifications, and experience.
• EHI will remain the sole and exclusive owner of all end products and of all intellectual property rights in the products supplied to and from EHI during the contract, irrespective of whether the contract is terminated prior to its completion.
• The successful tenderer must hold adequate insurance to undertake consultancy services on behalf of EHI. EHI will accept no liability for any loss or damage incurred during the performance of the contract.

Relevant Experience

• Demonstrated experience of evaluating Non-Governmental Organisations or charities using a Most Significant Change (MSC) approach.
• Examples of similar engagements in the last 1-3 years
• References from at least two previous clients most closely aligned to the evaluation methodology and ethos of Exchange House Ireland.

Methodology & Approach

• Proposed methodology clearly outlined.
• Evidence of understanding of the Client Group and the work of Exchange House Ireland.
• Engagement and communication plan.
• Proposed schedule and Timeline of work.

Fee Proposal (in euro and include VAT totals). This Request for Tender is subject to an overall contract value of not greater than €12,000, including VAT.

• Full breakdown of proposed costs, inclusive of VAT
• Any additional or optional costs
• Confirmation that fees include any attendance at EHI Mental Health team meetings or Board meetings.

Legal & Compliance

• Ethical Considerations. The evaluation will be conducted in full accordance with ethical principles for research involving vulnerable populations. All participation will be entirely voluntary and based on informed consent. Participants will be made aware that their engagement with EHI services will not be affected in any way by their decision to participate or not participate in the evaluation.
• All data will be anonymised and stored securely in line with GDPR requirements.
• Interviews and focus groups will be conducted in a trauma-informed manner, with appropriate supports in place.
• Participants will have the right to withdraw at any time without consequence. The evaluation team will include Travellers, where possible, in a co-design or advisory role.
• Confirmation of absence of conflicts of interest.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluations of Tender submissions will be based on criteria specified in the Tender requirements, using the following award criteria:

Tenderers must achieve a minimum score of 60% of the total marks available for each of the individual qualitative criteria. Any Tender which does not meet this minimum threshold shall be excluded from further consideration.

Shortlisting

A shortlist of applicants may be invited to present or provide further information on their bid prior to selection. An invitation to interview will not be an indication that a contract has been awarded. Applicants attending such interviews will do so at their own cost.

Terms & Conditions

• A Tender assessment panel will assess the applications and to award the contract to the successful tenderer.
• The panel will have to be satisfied that the method and programme of work meet the requirements outlined and are cost effective.
• The panel does not commit itself to accepting the lowest Tender.
• The panel may cancel the process at any time.
• Tribli CLG will not accept any responsibility for any expenses incurred in the preparation and submission of a Tender.
• Tribli CLG will not engage in any discussions or negotiations in advance of adjudication.
• Successful tenders are subject to Board approval and contract.
• Following completion of the Tender evaluation, the successful tenderer will be notified in writing by email.
• Once the offer is accepted, emails will be issued to the unsuccessful tenderer/s notifying them of the result.
• Tribli CLG cannot provide feedback on unsuccessful tenders.
• Confidentiality obligations apply to all documents and information provided.

Submission Instructions

Tenders must be submitted by: 5pm, Monday 3rd August 2026

To: John O Brien, Manager, National Traveller Mental Health Service, john.obrien@exchangehouse.ie, with the subject title: Tender for Evaluation of Thriving Together Programme – Tribli CLG

Key Dates

Here are the key dates for the tendering process:

Contact for Queries

Name: Majella Darcy

Role:    Clinical Lead Thriving Together Programme

Email:  majella.darcy@exchangehouse.ie

Phone: 087 456 5631

Notes

*Most Significant Change (MSC) approach is a participatory, qualitative evaluation methodology that collects and analyses personal stories of change from program participants. MSC is widely used in social research, community development, and capacity building.

Download Tender Document

Tender Document