Background

NOTE: Signed Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and availability - https://www.ba.undp.org/content/dam/bosnia_and_herzegovina/docs/Operations/Jobs/Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx - Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.docx - to be sent to e-mail ba.shared.hr@undp.org with Subject: Job ID 99255.

Prevention and Illicit Arms Reduction in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Project PILLAR) seeks to implement a comprehensive awareness raising regarding the dangers of illegal possession of firearms and to educate targeted audiences on how to recognize individual and collective threats to security. Furthermore, the project aims to contribute to behavioral change and comprehensive understanding of the threats posed by SALW within families, community and society in general.  These shall be achieved through the following project results/outputs:

Associations of women police officers capacitated to act as 'agents of change' in raising awareness and increasing understanding of SALW threats by the general population:

• Raised awareness through structured countrywide campaigns, outreach activities and advocacy addressing the devastating impact and threats posed by illicit SALW to general public, especially vulnerable groups (women, children, young men).

Completed and ongoing projects in the field have been focusing on building policy, institutional and operational frameworks and capacities resulting in improved preparedness and efficiency of the law enforcement community in BiH to monitor, track, seize and investigate illicit SALW trade. However, it becomes apparent that without enhanced cooperation with the communities with an emphasis on the awareness of responsible ownership, risks that SALW poses and mobilization of the relevant stakeholders within the communities, successful control might be difficult to establish.

Therefore, the PILLAR Project and proposed project activities have been designed in such a manner to be fully aligned and contribute to the achievement of goals of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control Strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina[1] (BIH SALW Strategy) and Regional Roadmap for SALW Control in the Western Balkans (Roadmap)[2].  Implementation of the project and its envisaged activities directly contribute to the achievement of several goals and activities envisaged by the BiH SALW Strategy and the Roadmap action plans. Furthermore, the project shall build on the previous and ongoing interventions within the UNDP’s CIAT and HALT projects. 

The main partner in the implementation of the project shall therefore be Coordination Board for Small Arms and Light Weapons in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SALW CB BiH) as an overall coordination body for all project activities.  Beneficiaries of the project are all cantonal, entity and national level law enforcement agencies along with two formal Networks gathering women police officers in BiH.

Overall objective of the assignment is divided in two, mutually correlated phases:

• Phase 1 - to conduct needs assessment and analysis focusing on gender balanced approach to SALW control and awareness.
• Phase 2 – to develop concept for the awareness raising campaign and support the Project Team in developing a concept and public call for a comprehensive awareness raising campaign targeting audiences identified in Phase 1.

The selected consultant will support development of Request for Proposal / Request for Quotation, which UNDP will advertise to select an external company to implement awareness raising and advocacy campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  As a major activity of the project, the campaign shall represent the main tool for outreach activities with public that should generate, as an outcome, increased awareness of the devastating impact and threats posed by illicit SALW to general public, especially vulnerable groups (women, children, young men).  Furthermore, the purpose of the campaign shall be to promote responsible ownership of SALW and raise awareness in the public and targeted groups on devastating impact of SALW. The awareness raising campaign shall be conducted in accordance with relevant ISACS module for awareness raising[3]. The campaign is planned to have three phases that will be conducted following the time schedule: Phase I – within 2021, Phase II – within 2022 and Phase III – within 2023. Campaign phases shall be delivered in cooperation with relevant national partners (SALW CB and law enforcement agencies) and around other relevant activities and important international days.   

With conducted SALW awareness raising campaigns, the beneficiaries of the project will be equipped with techniques for improved and effective communication and outreach with general population, with particular focus on vulnerable groups most affected with SALW misuse.

The overall assignment will encompass the following activities:

1. Conducting needs assessment in the field of SALW control,
2. Supporting the Project Team in developing a concept and a public call for a comprehensive awareness raising campaign.

[1] http://www.msb.gov.ba/PDF/SALW_ENG%20FINAL_web.pdf

[2] http://www.seesac.org/f/docs/News-SALW/Roadmap-for-sustainable-solution.pdf

[3] http://www.smallarmsstandards.org/isacs/0430-en.pdf

Duties and Responsibilities

Under this assignment, the Consultant will be responsible for delivering the following, within a given timeframe of up to 24 working days.   

1. Conducting needs assessment in the field of SALW control analyzing the gaps, recognizing the needs, and formulating the actions for improved SALW awareness in the country.

1.1 Desk research focusing on legal, institutional, and regulatory frameworks identifying gaps, available resources within the institutions to engage in awareness raising activities, protection of vulnerable categories of the population, existing up-to-date statistics on illicit SALW related incidents, especially domestic and gender-based violence including illegal disposal of the illicit SALW to the environment,

1.2 Identification of relevant institutions and community groups (schools, NGOs, social protection services etc.) and factfinding interviews to collect information necessary for needs assessment.

2. Conceptualization of SALW awareness campaign aiming to promote responsible ownership of the weapons and threat it may represent and support to the Project Team in developing a Request for Quotation / Request for Proposal for engagement of an external company to develop and execute the campaign Awareness raising campaigns.  The consultant shall utilize all available communication channels and tools to ensure achievement of the set results, including but not limited to:

• Online communication – (this task includes development of key messages, online channels, and tools to effectively and efficiently reach and engage different targeted groups,
• Outreach (open air) events – identify appropriate locations across the country based on the findings pertinent to areas with pronounced and recognized SALW related incidences.

Deliverables/outputs

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;

Functional competencies:

Professionalism:

• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; 
• Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; 
• Motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

Planning and Organizing:

• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies;
• Identifies priority activities and assignments;
• Adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; uses time efficiently;
• Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary.

Client Orientation:

• Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view;
• Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions;
• Monitors on-going developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems;
• Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• University degree in Communications, Journalism, public relations, marketing or other closely related field;
• MSc degree will be considered as an asset.

Experience:

• At least 6 years of professional experience working in PR and/or communications.
• Experience in developing and implementing Communications and Advocacy Strategies and Visibility Plans (to be proven by provision of at least three (3) references for which the Strategy/Plan was developed and implemented in the last five years – the role in the process, client, supervisor, contact details)
• Experience in awareness raising / advocacy campaigns related to prevention of violence and prevention of illicit arms trafficking will be considered an asset

Languages Requirements:

• Fluency in English and one of the official languages in BIH, with excellent drafting and presentation skills.

Longlisting/Shortlisting Criteria

Qualifications as stated in the ToR

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation

Individual  will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• * Technical Criteria weight-70%
• * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Interested candidated must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
• Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work;

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.