Background

UN Capital Development Fund is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 49 least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives. Financial inclusion means universal access, at a reasonable cost, to a wide range of financial services, provided by a variety of sound and sustainable institutions.  The range of financial services includes savings, short and long-term credit, leasing and factoring, mortgages, insurance, pensions, payments, local money transfers and international remittances.

Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) and its funders- the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation- are committed to producing and sharing knowledge and learning for and with the partners of the programme. In Zambia, as part of this commitment, MM4P will implement several projects and host events with various DFS stakeholders including providers, regulators, agents and customers.

MM4P Zambia is seeking 2 individual consultants (experienced photographers/videographers) to support the production of quality photos and videos that capture the content and impact of our work on advancing digital financial inclusion in Zambia. In 2017, MM4P Zambia will be implementing the following projects/hosting the following events events:

  • Local Exposure Visit for DFS providers and regulators;
  • Human-Centred Design & Iteration workshop;
  • Research on insurance and DFS;
  • FINCA & 17 Triggers: Improving agent liquidity;
  • Support Kazang to implement an effective agent training and development of a strategic plan;
  • MTN Mobile Money: Developing "Go-to-market" solutions for bulk payments in Zambia;
  • Launch of Payments Diagnostic for the Government of the Republic of Zambia;
  • UNHCR Zambia: The transition to digital financial services for the persons of concern living in the Meheba Refugee Settlement area;
  • Feedback2Action workshop;
  • Research on DFS products for Zambian mothers;
  • Other events as advised.

Outcome, objective and audience:

The desired outcome is the photo coverage (and in a few instances, video coverage) of a selection of MM4P Zambia’s projects and events.

The objective of the assignment:

  • Discuss with MM4P Zambia Regional Technical Specialist, DFS Expert(s), and Knowledge Management Consultant the goals and expectations for each photo shoot at least 3-5 days prior to photo shoot and co-create an initial story MM4P would like told.
  • Reflect the content/focus of the project and workshop to ensure viewers understand the type of activities MM4P Zambia is conducting.
  • Illustrate the impact of an event or project.
  • Create a photo montage/story or video illustrating the activities carried out by MM4P Zambia and the impressions from the participants e.g. a photo-series illustrating a day in the life of a customer or agent of one of the DFS providers participating in a specific project or a photo-series at an event that can be used to tell a story on social media about who attended the event and what the reception was.
  • The photos (and videos) are to be used in knowledge products, press releases, articles and online posts for the programme’s website and blog as well as social media channels from UNCDF YouTube channel and partners’ sites.

The audience (who will watch):

  • The participants (event participants, customers, agents and DFS providers in the field)
  • DFS stakeholders participating in the project or event

Duties and Responsibilities

DELIVERABLES:

  • Photos (both portraits and contextual) from the following field visits and events in high resolution (at least 150 dpi, which corresponds approximately to width = 1280 pixel);
  • Out of the overall shooting per project/event – only a selection of the 20 to 40 best pictures will be delivered in agreement with the KM consultant in charge.

Schedule of the activities:

Activity no. 1: Field visit: Local Exposure Visit for DFS providers and regulators in June (5 working days);

Activity no. 2: Human-Centred Design & Iteration workshop in June (1 working day);

Activity no. 3: Workshop in July: Support Kazang to implement an effective agent training and development of a strategic plan (3 working days);

Activity no. 4: Field visit in July: Research on Zambian mothers (5 working days);

Activity no. 5: Field visit in September: UNHCR Zambia: The transition to digital financial services for the persons of concern living in the Meheba Refugee Settlement area (5 working days);

Activity no. 6: Field visit in October: MTN Mobile Money: "Go-to-market" solutions for bulk payments in Zambia (5 working days);

Activity no. 7: Workshop: MTN Mobile Money: "Go-to-market" solutions for bulk payments in Zambia (1 working day);

Activity no. 8: Feedback2Action Workshop in October (1 working day).

Total number of days to be worked: 26.

  • The pictures lighting quality should be of a professional level.
  • Later these pictures will be featured on UNCDF and partners’ publications, websites and blogs.
  • Besides the context, the individual contractor will capture images of the participants in discussions, workshops, field visit to ensure diversity in the images and ease editing of the photos.
  • Delivery of edited and finalized photos within 7 days after the field visit/event and edited videos within 14 days after the field visit/event.
  • The photographer will be required to show proof that consent was obtained from individuals that were photographed during field visits.

THE PHOTOS WILL ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

Before each assignment, the contact person (the Knowledge Management Specialist) will brief the contractor on the purpose of each event to ensure that the images captured addressed the following points:

  • DOES THE IMAGE TELL A STORY?                                                                
  • IS THE IMAGE DRAMATICALLY FRAMED?
  • IS THE IMAGE ACTIVE?
  • DOES THE IMAGE CONVEY OUR VALUES?

Competencies

Competencies:

  • Demonstrates commitment to the mission, vision and values of UNDP/UNCDF;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Exhibits integrity in the work place, including transparency and honesty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • A High school degree is mandatory.

Experience: 

  • At least 3 years of experience in professional photo shooting is mandatory.
  • Proficiency with traditional and modern equipment (Camera, Lenses, Lighting etc.) is mandatory.
  • Solid knowledge of Photoshop, Video Editor or other photography and videography specific software is mandatory.

Language:

  • Good written and oral English is mandatory;
  • Fluency in Bemba and/or Nyanja is mandatory.

Timeline, duration of assignment, duty station and expected places of travel:

  • Timeline: 26 June 2017 – 31 October 2017;
  • Location: Lusaka and other locations in Zambia;
  • Total Number of Working Days of the Assignment: 26 working days.

Travel:

  • Please note that as this is a national consultancy, no travel-related costs shall be quoted in the financial proposal.
  • For any travel that occurs (e.g. field trip), payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed in accordance with UNCDF travel rules and regulations.

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

  • The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Country Technical Specialist in Zambia;
  • Payment will be made on periodical basis in accordance with number of days worked and upon satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the direct supervisor;
  • Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

  • Application:

    Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions.  The best proposal that will be awarded the contract shall be selected through the following method:

    Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, which assigns the weight distribution between the technical and financial proposals as set out in the RFP.  The weight distribution shall be 70% technical and 30% financial.

    All applications must contain the following information:

  • Curriculum Vitae;
  • A portfolio with at least 10 photo samples;
  • Completed and signed P11 - Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc);
  • Signed financial proposal for the full months assignment outlining:

  • -Total professional fee;

    -Other professional expenses (such as insurance, taxes, etc.);

    The financial proposal form is available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916)

    Evaluation:

    Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

  • Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening
  • Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x (Step II: Shortlisting (20 points), Step III: Portfolio evaluation (80 points) = 100 Points)
  • Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% = Step IV.

  • Step I: Screening:

    Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

    Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review:

    UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate them.

    As applicable, only the first top 4 ranked applicants achieving 70% of the points at this stage will be considered at the next stage.

    Step III: Portfolio evaluation:

    The photo samples of the top 4 shortlisted candidates who achieved 70% of the points at the shortlisting stage will be reviewed and scored.

    Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Step II (20 points) + Step III (80 points) will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

    Step IV: Financial Evaluation:

    The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

    Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

    Award Criteria:

    The contact shall be awarded to the best two applicants whose offer have been evaluated and determined as: responsive/compliant/acceptable and having received the highest combined weight (technical proposal & portfolio evaluation) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

    Please note that UNCDF cannot guarantee residence permits or visa´s for consultants. Consultants are responsible for securing their work documentation. In the case of national consultants, applicants that are not nationals of the duty station requested will have to prove their residence status. 

    Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Please not that in such case the company institution will be asked to issue an RLA http://www.undp.org/content/dam/vietnam/docs/Legalframework/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement.doc.  

    Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

    (Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA): A legal instrument between UNCDF and a Company/institution, according to which, the latter makes available the services of an individual delivering time-bound and quantifiable outputs that are directly linked to payments. An RLA is governed by the provisions of this policy.)