Terms of Reference (ToR) Development of a Sustainable Communication and National Media Engagement Strategy

Job Description

Job description
Title of Consultancy

Terms of Reference (ToR) Development of a Sustainable Communication and National Media Engagement Strategy

SCI Contracting Office

Save the Children Somalia Country Office

Period of Consultancy

The assignment will be 15 days inclusive of travel.

Consultant type required

Consultancy Firm.

Responsibility for Logistics arrangements and Costs

Save the children will pay the consultant fee in a lump sum and will not reimburse any incurred costs during the assignment. The consultant will cover their own Logistical arrangements,costs; including food, accommodation, local transport and all cost associated with data collection work and whole activities.

Taxation Provisions

The consultancy firm shall be responsible for all taxes arising from the consultancy in line with the local Tax regulations applicable at the SCI contracting office, Mogadishu.

Travel requirements

The consultancy firm will cover all travel costs (tickets) and arrange local travel to field sites.

Security requirements

The consultant will adhere to standard Save the Children security procedures, which include completing the SCI online security training before travelling to Somalia/land

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Development of a Sustainable Communication and National Media Engagement Strategy

Project Background

Somalia/Somaliland are just emerging from the impact of protracted drought following five failed rainy seasons, leaving over 8 million people (5.1 million children, including 1.5 million under the age of 5 and 1.3 million women) in need of humanitarian assistance. The impact of the drought was widespread, affecting all regions of Somalia, with the worst hit being Gedo, Bay, Bakol, Lower Jubba, Galgadud, Mudug, parts of Bari, Nugaal, Sool, Sanaag, Togdheer, and Hiraan regions. By the end of 2022, the drought also displaced approximately 1.3 million people. Although drought conditions largely ended after the Deyr season, the onset of the Gu season resulted in severe floods that impacted at least 468,000 people, displacing 247,000 of them in southern and central regions of Somalia.

Seasonal forecasts indicate that the country is at risk of El Niño impacts by mid-October 2023, potentially affecting nearly 1.8 million people until February 2024. Weather-related shocks have increased in both frequency and magnitude, deviating from historical norms. Fortunately, advancements in weather prediction, particularly through the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center (ICPAC), provide an opportunity to enhance community resilience against natural disasters. However, it is essential to ensure that risk information reaches communities promptly, enabling them to take informed and timely action. However, Save the Children is implementing a project aiming to Reduce Impacts of Disasters Using the Anticipatory Action Framework funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO). The outcome of the project is expected to improve existing Anticipatory Action systems and structures in Somalia are improved and further developed, building on lessons learned in disaster risk reduction. They are being tested and strengthened, providing a robust and proven platform from which to request additional funding for the implementation of anticipatory actions. This will contribute to mitigating the projected drought-related impacts on the nutritional status of children in target communities.

On the other hand, the project has 4 outputs:

Output 1: Communities across the target districts of Somalia have access to relevant impact-based forecast information to adopt risk-informed choices.
Output 2: For vulnerable households at risk of drought and flooding, community-led mechanisms and Early Action Protocols (EAPs) for the greatest identified hazards will be developed with them to mitigate the risk of future hunger and food crises.
Output 3: Local leadership of Anticipatory Action is improved.
Output 4: Anticipatory Action best practices are demonstrated and disseminated locally, nationally, and internationally through recognized platforms such as the Anticipatory Action Hub.

Therefore, Save the Children is seeking a qualified consultant to develop a sustainable communication and national media engagement strategy to ensure inclusive reach, particularly to marginalized and hard-to-reach groups, and to increase media reporting on issues related to humanitarian crises, such as climate change, droughts, and other shocks.

Objective of the Assignment

The primary objective of this consultancy service is to develop a sustainable communication and national media engagement strategy. This strategy aims to ensure inclusive communication reach, particularly to marginalized and hard-to-reach groups, while increasing media reporting on humanitarian crises, such as climate change, droughts, and other shocks.

Specific Objectives of the assignment:

The specific objectives of the Assignment are as follows:

1. To develop sustainable communication strategy to ensure inclusive reach, particularly to marginalized and hard to reach groups

2. To develop National media engagement strategy to increase media reporting in issues related to humanitarian crisis (Climate change, droughts and other shocks)

Assignment Tasks

Under the guidance of Save the Children ACCM team, the specific tasks of this assignment include:

Conduct a desk review of available data and existing communication strategies, and identify gaps and opportunities for enhancing inclusive communication on humanitarian crises.
Develop a comprehensive communication strategy to enhance awareness, understanding, and engagement with marginalized and hard-to-reach communities.
Design a national media engagement strategy that strengthens media coverage of issues related to humanitarian crises, including climate change, droughts, and other shocks.
Specify appropriate communication channels and dissemination methods to ensure key messages effectively reach the target audiences through continuous two-way dialogue and monitoring via effective communication channels to ensure continuous service improvement and evaluation.
Develop a costed implementation plan for the communication and media engagement strategies, including an annual work plan and budget.
Organize and facilitate a strategy validation workshop to gather feedback from key stakeholders, incorporate inputs, and finalize the strategy.

Scope of Work:

Target communities of project locations

· Burco (5 communities)

· Beletweyne (8 communities)

· Banderbayla (14 communities)

Government bodies target

· Somalia: Somali Disaster Management Agency (SODMA)

· Puntland: Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management

· Somaliland: The Somaliland National Disaster Preparedness and Food Reserve Authority (NADFOR)

Expected Deliverables

The following are the expected deliverables from the consultant:

1) The communication strategy is to be tailored with the need of vulnerable/risk people (women, boys, girls, elderly) meaning that strategy should specify communication/broadcast channels and methods tailored to these groups, as their needs differ (e.g., non-digital platforms for elders, child-friendly messaging, radios).

2) To guarantee the community receives sufficient warnings about potential risks, the communication strategy should consider the following questions:

i. Which communication channels ensuring that warnings communications/dissemination reach everyone at risk?

ii. Do people at risk understand the risks and warnings provided?

iii. Are communication channels presenting the information in a clear and practical manner to people at risk?

3) It should highlight the need for localized messaging using indigenous languages, systems, and relevant community channels to reach people at risk as well as identify culturally relevant channels and trusted messengers within these communities.

4) The communication strategy should highlight how risk-informed messaging will integrate with EAPs, ensuring communities understand when and how to act based on triggers.

5) The communication strategy should highlight how communities and local institutions are well-equipped with risk-informed EAP’s to foster child-centred anticipatory action for reducing loss and damage.

6) An inception report detailing the process, methodology, and timeline for developing the strategy.

7) An outline of the communication and media engagement strategy that includes key sections and components.

8) A first draft of the strategy and a costed implementation plan for review.

9) Validation workshop to present and discuss the draft strategy with stakeholders and incorporate feedback.

10) A finalized version of the communication strategy and a costed action plan, incorporating all feedback.

11) A monitoring and evaluation framework for assessing the implementation and effectiveness of the strategy.

Required Experience

The company/consultant(s) should possess the following qualifications:

Proven experience in developing communication strategies, particularly within humanitarian and development contexts including Somalia/Somaliland.
Demonstrated expertise in media engagement strategies, especially in crisis or emergency situations.
At least five (5) years of progressively advanced experience in strategic communications, public advocacy, and developing communication materials for diverse audiences.
Familiarity with humanitarian issues, especially climate change, droughts, and other shocks in Somalia or similar contexts.
Experience working with government agencies, international organizations, or NGOs on similar consultancy assignments.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proven capacity to produce high-quality communication materials.

Timing and Duration

The assignment will last for 15 working days from the start date of the contract.

Proposal Submission Guidelines

Interested consultants should submit a detailed technical and financial proposal that includes the following:

A letter of interest stating the consultant’s eligibility for the assignment.
A technical and financial proposal that outlines the methodology to be used and a schedule of planned activities.
A detailed budget including professional fees (in USD).
The CV of the professional(s) undertaking the assignment
At least three references from previous relevant assignments.
Samples of communication strategies developed.

Duration of Assignment:

It is expected that this assignment will last about 15 days.

Qualified Consultancy Firms/individual consultants are requested to submit their technical and financial proposals and Lead consultant and associated personnel CVs and other relevant documentation to Somalia.sstenderbox2@savethechildren.org.

Deadline for proposal submission is 09th November 2024.

Skills and qualifications
Professional quality and Expertise

The following are minimum requirements for the Consultant Firm to be considered for carrying out the assignment.

· Proven experience in developing communication strategies, particularly within humanitarian and development contexts including Somalia/Somaliland.

· Demonstrated expertise in media engagement strategies, especially in crisis or emergency situations.

· At least five (5) years of progressively advanced experience in strategic communications, public advocacy, and developing communication materials for diverse audiences.

· Familiarity with humanitarian issues, especially climate change, droughts, and other shocks in Somalia or similar contexts.

· Experience working with government agencies, international organizations, or NGOs on similar consultancy assignments.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proven capacity to produce high-quality communication materials.

KEY PROFESSIONAL STAFF REQUIREMENT

Communication Expert:

A communication expert in Communication and National Engagement designs and implements strategic initiatives to engage a national audience. Responsibilities include identifying stakeholders, tailoring messages for various demographics, utilizing diverse communication channels, forming media and community partnerships, and evaluating communication effectiveness.

· A minimum of a Master’s degree in Communication and Media, Social Sciences, Development studies, or a related field. A PhD degree is often preferred

· Minimum of 5 years’ experience in communication stratgey field experience or knowledge of international comms and assessment standards and practices, as well as a solid grasp of Somali’s educational assessment context.

· Proven experience in conducting communications and national media engagement strategic developments and studies.

· Strong analytical and report-writing skills.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage with diverse stakeholders

Communication Research Expert:

A Communication Research expert which analyzes communication strategies and audience behavior to improve messaging effectiveness and inform decision-making.

· Should have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in communication research and data analysis, preferably in the communication and media sector.

· Master degree in Communications, Media Studies, Sociology, Marketing, or a related field, with a focus on research methods.

· Proven experience in communication research, data analysis, and applying research insights to improve communication strategies.

· Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and media content analysis.

· Strong analytical skills in interpreting data and using tools like SPSS, R, or Excel for statistical analysis.

· Expertise in identifying audience behaviors, preferences, and media consumption patterns.

· Ability to translate research findings into actionable recommendations to optimize messaging and communication efforts.

· Innovative thinking to address communication challenges through research-driven solutions.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The proposals submitted by consulting companies will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Attachments

ToR for Communication and Media Engagement Strategy Development (GFFO)

.docx
How to apply
Application Procedure

· Interested consultant (s) who meet the consultancy requirements are requested to submit their bid and each application package should include the above required minimum requirements.

Applications can be submitted by:

Electronic Submission via Protected Email box (Optional)

· Email should be addressed to Somalia.sstenderbox2@savethechildren.org.

· Note – this is a sealed tender box which will not be opened until the tender has closed. Therefore, do not send tender related questions to this email address as they will not be answered.

The subject of the email should be Development of a Sustainable Communication and National Media Engagement Strategy

· All attached documents should be clearly labelled so it is clear to understand what each file relates to.

· Emails should not exceed 15mb – if the file sizes are large, please split the submission into two emails.

· Do not copy other SCI email addresses into the email when you submit it as this will invalidate your bid.

Applicants should also indicate the date they are available to start working on the consultancy

All applications MUST be submitted on or before the closing date below to be considered for the assignment.

Only shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for Applications

Interested consultants shall submit their applications through the above procedures on or before 09th November 2024.