Background
The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is a €13.1 million capacity building program that aims to build the profile, and improve the management, of Neglected Development Minerals (industrial minerals; construction materials; dimension stones; and semi-precious stones). The program is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, financed by the European Union and UNDP, and implemented by UNDP. The mining of Neglected Development Minerals has important implications for sustainable development, however, they have not to date received adequate attention for their potential to impact livelihoods and few development programmes have provided support for this mining sub-sector. Often referred to as Low Value Minerals and Materials (LVMM) due to their low price as a function of their weight, and their relatively low value to international commodity markets, Neglected Development Minerals provide crucial inputs for domestic economic development (infrastructure, manufacturing, construction and agriculture to name a few) and have the potential to be high value in terms of domestic development.
Programme implementation and management
The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme will build the capacity of key stakeholders in the sector, including public stakeholders such as regulatory agencies and local governments; private stakeholders such as small-scale mining enterprises, intermediaries, transportation and logistics service providers, construction companies; business development stakeholders such as mining and quarrying associations, chambers of mines, training centres, universities, consulting companies; and social stakeholders such as civil society organizations and community groups.
The programme is being implemented at both regional and country levels. Regional level activities such as training will involve forty (40) countries from the 6 ACP regions; while in-depth support at country level will be provided for 6 countries namely: Cameroon, Fiji, Guinea (Conakry), Jamaica, Uganda and Zambia. Training and support will be provided in the following thematic areas of importance to the sector: 1) mine and quarry management; 2) environment, health and safety; 3) entrepreneurship skills; 4) market analysis and investment promotion; 5) geo-data and maps design; 6) community relations and addressing grievances.
Scope of communication and media outreach undertakings
The programme is seeking a communication and media outreach consultant to support the implementation of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme’s Communication and Visibility strategy through wide-spread and effective communication of the activities, outputs and outcomes of the ACP/EU/UNDP partnership. This will entail ensuring that full visibility for the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is provided through print, audio-visual, social media and other innovative communication channels.
Duties and Responsibilities
The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme requires a Communication and Media outreach consultant to support the implementation of its Communication and Visibility Strategy by providing adequate and effective visibility of the transformative impact of the program at local, national, regional and global levels. This enhancement of visibility will include support in the wide-spread dissemination of the program’s communication and knowledge products to targeted audiences in the form of bi-monthly newsletters, leaflets, pamphlets, calendars, communiqués, press releases, brochures, policy briefs, working papers, reports, factsheets, snapshots, banners, display panels, audio-visual productions such as short video pieces etc.
The Communication and Media outreach consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Specialist while also collaborating with the UNDP programme implementation team; the country coordinators and communication officers at country-level in the focus countries; and communication officers at the regional level in Addis Ababa and Brussels.
In this regard, the Communication and Media outreach consultant will:
- Enhance the visibility of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme through effectively communicating the program’s activities, outputs and outcomes to diverse audiences using print, audio-visual, and social media platforms;
- Ensure the adherence to, and implementation of the Communication and visibility strategy of the ACP-EU development minerals programme to all media and outreach undertakings.
Functions/key results expected:
Summary of key functions:
The Communication and Media outreach consultant will undertake the following functions:
- Coordinate media relations with focal points at national and regional levels including through:
- Setting up and coordinating interviews for programme beneficiaries as well as the ACP-EU programme implementation team with influential media outlets at regional and national levels; monitoring media coverage of programme events at regional and national levels; responding to journalists’ inquiries and media requests in close collaboration with the programme implementation team;
- Reaching out to journalists, media outlets and broadcast entities to create awareness of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme and secure prime visibility of the programme through coverage in influential print, audio-visual and social media channels;
- Identifying and prioritizing critical programme activities/events, outputs, outcomes and knowledge products that will command higher media visibility and coordinating the achievement of the said visibility with media networks;
2. Support the development and dissemination of strategic messaging on the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme as outlined in the Communication and Visibility strategy through technical support and advice on communication and promotional materials that create and raise awareness on regional and in-country activities of the program;
3. Monitor and provide reports on the results and impacts of the communication/visibility activities undertaken;
4. Any other relevant duties assigned by the Programme Manager.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
- Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.
- Act as a team player while also taking individual initiative to complete outlined tasks;
- Sharing knowledge - across the programme in particular and the organization in general -through supporting the building of a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
- Building programme staff competence through creating an environment of creativity and innovation.
Functional Competencies:
- Highly-skilled practical background in effective utilization of diverse communication and visibility tools;
- Proven track-record in engaging influential players in print, audio-visual and social media networks in relation to the extractives industry, particularly the mining sector;
- Proven experience in establishment of formal and informal media networks;
- Good understanding of social media platforms as well as new and evolving digital technologies;
- Commitment to excellence in producing quality work;
- Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions;
- Demonstrates professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work; and
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to create and nurture networks and partnerships.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Bachelors’ degree (or higher) in Media and communication; Journalism or related discipline.
Experience
- At least 4 years' experience in implementation of targeted communication and visibility activities for a wide range of clients (corporate, UN, NGOs) is required;
- Established track record in communications and media outreach;
- Proven experience in generation and dissemination of communication outputs for technical assistance and/or capacity building programs in the extractives industry – particularly the mining sector;
- Excellent verbal and communication skills;
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently;
Language
- Fluency in English;
- Knowledge of French and Spanish an asset.
Application Submission Process
The application submission is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications:
Step 1: Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job shop (Please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all docs in one file):
- Personal History Form (P11), indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
- An updated curriculum vitae.
- A proposed work plan prepared by the candidate that details their consultancy plan
Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal
Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.be@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780. The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal/LVMM- Communication consultant latest by July 24th , 2016. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal. No travel expenses will be involved as this is a home-based assignment.
Application Evaluation Process
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
Technical Criteria weight: [70%]
Financial Criteria weight: [30%]
Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 100 points:
- Candidate holds a Bachelors’ degree (or higher) in Media and communication; Journalism or related discipline – 5 points;
- Candidate has at least 4 years' experience in implementation of targeted communication and visibility activities for a wide range of clients (corporate, UN, NGOs) – 20 points;
- Candidate has proven experience in generation and dissemination of communication outputs for technical assistance and/or capacity building programs in the extractives industry – particularly the mining sector– 20 points;
- Candidate has established track record in communications and media outreach - 10 points;
- Interview inclusive of written sample of previous communication/visibility materials developed by the candidate in the extractives industry – particularly the mining sector – 20 points;
- Proposed work plan prepared by the candidate that details their consultancy plan – 15 points;
- English and Spanish/French languages proficiency – 10 points.
Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – maximum 30 points:
The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
p = y (µ/z), where
p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
z = price of the proposal being evaluated
UNDP will apply a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores. Please go the following link for the General Conditions of Individual Contracts: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf
UNDP retains the right to contact references directly.
Payments will be made only upon confirmation by UNDP that contract obligations have been delivered in a satisfactory manner.
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.