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Terms of Reference (ToR) for Developing the Communication Strategy

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1. Introduction

 

Community Building Mitrovica (CBM) is a local non-governmental organization (NGO) operating in the field of peace and community building in the wider region of Mitrovica, northern municipalities of Kosovo. The overall aim of CBM is to facilitate contact and dialogue between citizens in the whole of Mitrovica municipality. CBMs staff consists of devoted citizens – both Serbs and Albanians – who grew up in this region and want to restore the previous confidence and even friendship that war and politics have destroyed.

By supporting many concrete projects which address the direct needs of the local communities, CBM contributes in a modest way to this aim. The work of the past years has gained the organization a strong reputation on both sides of the Iber. Fields in which CBM works are: media, culture, youth, women, minorities, dialogue, and return of refugees and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons).

CBMs projects are open to members of all communities living in Mitrovica and wider. CBM often cooperates with other NGOs, helps out with local initiatives, and works with local governmental institutions and international organizations in order to initiate, to develop, and to implement activities, for the benefit of the communities, in Mitrovica, and wider.

 

2. Background

 

The strategy aims to structurize and develop relevant information related to the way the RCT team will outreach in their alm of positive messaging. Namely, it will contain details on preparing the RCT staff on how to communicate with different stakeholders and prepare the staff to communicate sharing positive messages related to the reconciliation and positive stories initiated by the communities. The RCT team will focus its outreach in the Municipality of Mitrovica South and Municipality of Mitrovica North, with the extension to other parts of Kosovo in the later stages of the RCT implementation. The RCT team will ensure equal opportunity, as well as mitigate any risks of stigmatization of one community or ethnicity over others. The activities will include different population groups from all ethnic communities in rural and urban areas within these municipalities – this includes Albanian, Serb, Bosniak, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, and others.

 

3. Purpose and Coverage

 

The overall objective of the project “Reconciliation and Conflict Transformation” of help in the aims to transform existing conflicts and build peace, predominantly among majority ethnic Albanians and minority ethnic Serbs in Kosovo. The project will help communities on the individual level as it will assist in better mutual understanding of the differences and emphasize joint strengths, as well as on the policy level, where the impact of the project will influence amending policies that will address the reconciliation process among divided communities.

 The RCT project will contribute to increased community engagement by creating a network of relatable role models closest to the population groups, such as influence people, community leaders, and others that they share the same value.

Project activities will cover Mitrovica North & Mitrovica South Municipalities and after that, it will expand to the whole of Kosovo.

The purpose of this contract is to engage an expert to develop a communication strategy and messaging for reconciliation and conflict transformation, create a solid foundation of information related to the project to use while developing the project communication plan which should strongly determine the direction of the communications strategy, In addition, the document should contain understanding the factors that may affect the project/effort communications project including financial, political, and timing issues as well as how the project/effort may integrate with other efforts.

Other objectives of the communication strategy are:

• Providing actions for people to understand a positive view of their future together for two communities and raise awareness on reconciliation and conflict transformation
• Perceived local solutions to promote peace and to transform the conflict
• Perceptions, Attitudes, and Practice about the peace, reconciliation and good examples of conflict transformation

 

4. Methodology and Scope of work

 

This section will identify the proposed methods for developing the communication strategy. Under the supervision and in close co-operation with the CBM the expert will implement the following tasks:

• Set the communication goals and objectives;
• Develop key messages that effectively speak to the target audience;
• Identify effective communication techniques and tools;
• Plan available communication resources;
• Write up a communication strategy document;
• Train the RCT staff members on how to implement the strategy and communicate with different stakeholders

The expert will develop communication strategy by creating a solid foundation of information related to the project, to use it while developing the project communication plan, understand and validate the purpose of the project/effort to determine the direction of the communications strategy, understand and validate the purpose of the project/effort to determine the direction of the communications strategy, understand the factors that may affect the project/effort communications project including financial, political, and timing issues as well as how the project/effort may integrate with other efforts. The expert will be engaged for a total of 20 days to develop the communication strategy.

 

5. Expert deliverables

 

The following will be the expected deliverables of the expert:

• Work plan for developing the communication strategy, including strategy and methodologies, as well as quality assurance plan;
• The draft report, summarizing the methodology of the study and specifying limits and changes to the working plan;
• Recommendations and conclusions for developing the communication strategy;
• Final report on the implementation of the tasks after finishing the development of the communication strategy.

 

6. Duration and time frame

 

The communication strategy shall be expected to be completed by the end of March 2021 COB at info@cbmitrovica.org

Three (3) days after signing of the contract the expert will have to provide CBM with an inception report that will articulate the overall requirements of the ToR including proposed methodology, work plan with clear timelines, and division of labor.

 

 

7. Expert Competencies, Experience, and Skill Requirements:

 

• Preferably advanced degree in the field of Mass Communications, or other relevant fields.

• Strong experience track record of development and delivery of creative internal and external communications;
• Extensive experience (at least 2 years) in developing, designing, production and publishing communication products;
• Proven experience in developing communication strategies, evaluations in the areas of Peace Building;

• Demonstrated a high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high-pressure situations under tight deadlines;
• Excellent communication and written skills in English

 

8. Deadline and submission of expression of interest

 

CBM invites interested teams to submit the following documents by November 20^th, 2020. The interested parties should submit the following documentation:

 

• Expression of interest (EoI) outlining how the expert meets the selection criteria and their understanding of the ToR. 
• A summarized description of the scope of work and the intended methodology to be used including sampling methods, data collection tools as well as a tentative work plan including activities and time frames. 
• Names and contacts of three recent professional referees (previous clients) for whom similar work has been conducted. 
• An example of similar pieces of work completed recently. 
• Curriculum vitae outlining relevant qualifications and experience,
• Itemized financial proposal.

 

     9. Evaluation and Selection Process

 

This application is open to experts who are specialized in developing, designing, producing, and publishing communication products. The selected contractor will be responsible for designing and executing all the activities described in this TOR in collaboration with CBM.

The selection process of the expert will be based on the set of criteria developed by the CBM Evaluation Committee to evaluate the proposals. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the proposals by using the combined scoring method. The technical proposal will be evaluated on 60%; whereas financial proposals will be evaluated on 40%. The short-listed bidding consultant or firm may be asked for a formal presentation prior to the final selection.

 

10.   Final report

 

This section outlines expectations in terms of inception and final reporting, as well as interim process updates.

 

The final report will document the context in which the developing communication strategy took place. Changes in the socio-economic or political environment are likely to influence the type of data collected and responses received. Below is a structure of a communication strategy (not more than 40 pages):

1. Title Page
2. Executive Summary (max 2 pages)
3. Acronyms
4. Table of Contents
5. Purpose, Coverage, and Scope
6. Methodology
7. Annexes

Please note that CBM will share a draft report of developing the communication strategy to USAID for approval. An expert needs to be available for making changes in order for the strategy to be conducted as per project needs.

The contractor will prepare the final report on the implementation of the tasks after finishing the development of the communication strategy. The deadline for sending the report is 5 days after the competition of communication strategy. Approval of the final report by the Contracting Authority will be the basis for issuing the final payment as indicated in the Special Conditions.

 

11. Conditions

 

Gender Integration: As CBM with the partners will target an equal number of young men and women, from the expert it is expected to collect data considering both genders. Also, it is expected to interview the same number of men and women.

 

Child safeguard policy: As the population group will be also15 to 18 years old, the engaged expert will have to follow the Child Safeguard Policy that will become part of the contract.

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