Communications Consultants – Two

The USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Activity, being implemented by Winrock International, is partnering with micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and key market actors to test, replicate, and scale models of smallholder-oriented service delivery that will rapidly, effectively, and sustainably provide access to agro-inputs and services and disseminate extension messaging to two million smallholder farmers in Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger states. This approach is underpinned by 1) a focus on building on-farm efficiencies, ensuring that farmers’ limited resources are invested in the products, services, and technologies that yield the most value, and 2) integrating adaptive management and peer learning in business development assistance for MSMEs to ensure the replication, scale-up, and sustainability of successful service provision models.

1.0 Justification: Four years into implementation, Extension Activity has recorded various successes and impact stories from its engagement with MSMEs and smallholder farmers. It has used several innovations to bring successfully enhanced the capacity of MSMEs to assume the role of extension agents. There is also the establishment of structures that drive sustainability and scale for increased productivity, sales, and income of smallholder farmers as the final beneficiaries of the intervention. The Activity’s current rate of producing quality documentation to demonstrate its success to the stakeholders, advance knowledge, and further enhance its visibility is presently limited. In this context, Extension Activity desires to improve its communication including enhancing the number and quality of success stories, learning briefs, knowledge products, in both textual and visual forms to demonstrate its performance for better visibility. The success stories, video clips, media appearances, and other publicity products will also serve as reference materials and knowledge products to share experiences, and lessons of implementation on the innovative private sector extension delivery system with key stakeholders such as financial service providers, government at all levels, and private sector operators.
2. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF WORK
2.1 Objective:
The objective of this Consultancy is to document, produce, and disseminate Extension Activity implementation successes. This will involve the production of knowledge products such as success story texts, videos, as well as mainstream media presence and guest appearances, social media integration (content and posting), and the production of knowledge products, for dissemination to stakeholders.

2.2 Scope of Work
The Extension Activity wishes to engage the services of a team of two short-term Consultants – Senior communication expert and assistant communication consultant, to work with the Research, Learning, and Communications Coordinator to develop quality activity and success (impact) stories. It will cover production of pictures and videos, creating and implementing media strategy including mainstream and Social Media plans. The consultant will participate in learning events and impact workshops being organized by Extension Activity. The Consultant will prepare and post content three times per week and engage in field visits to generate resources for video production and production of high-quality knowledge products. The Consultant will prepare Strategy Documents for delivering the assignment.

2.3 TASKS:
The Consultants positions are:
1. Senior communication expert – Team Lead
2. Assistant communication consultant
The consultants will perform the following tasks:
1. Develop and share the Communications Delivery Strategy for implementation.
2. Participate in events and produce reports and social media support
3. Provide 12 well-written Activity stories and Newsletters per quarter.
4. Provide three (3) 120 seconds, 180 seconds and 300 seconds field-based Success Story video clips with explanatory texts/ prose, and Voice-Over, in the first quarter and 3 (three) field-based success story video clips per quarter subsequently.
5. Media Engagement: (1) The Consultant will provide the media Engagement Strategy and deliver at least one media engagement with print, electronic Radio, and television) platforms each quarter.
(2) The Consultants will provide a New (social) media Engagement Strategy, develop content, and publish on Twitter, and other social media platforms.
6. Events Coverage: The Consultant will participate in the planning of workshops being organized by Extension Activity and provide event coverage for all key communication events including knowledge/learning events like workshops, roundtables, and conferences.
7. Production of knowledge products/material including SOPs on some innovative solutions created by Extension Activity (Technical Team Leads will provide the innovations and inputs), Success Stories, etc .
8. Provide opportunities to expose the Extension Activity’s events, outcomes, and impacts to the public through the mainstream media using news releases, media appearances, and syndications.

2.4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.
The ideal consultants will have the following qualifications.
Senior Communications Expert
• Minimum of a Master of Science (M. Sc) degree in mass communications, social sciences, and the arts/ humanities
• Experience working at the communications desk of a development agency activity/ project.
• Minimum of 10 years cumulative experience in development activity communication materials production – print and electronic.
• Minimum of 5 years cumulative experience in social media content creation and publication.
• Strong writing, communication, and IT management skills.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in providing communication support to USAID projects is an advantage.

Assistant Communications Consultant
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in mass communications, social sciences, and the arts/humanities
• Experience working at the communications desk of a development agency activity/ project.
• Minimum of 5 years cumulative experience in development communication materials preparation.
• Minimum of 5 years cumulative experience in social media content creation and publication.
• Strong writing, communication, and IT management skills.
• Experience in providing communication support to USAID projects is an advantage.

2.5 TIMELINE AND DURATION OF CONSULTANCY:
This consultancy will be for 20 working days per month for 3 months in the first instance, subject to extension for another 3 months, based on acceptable performance by management of the Extension Activity

2. 6 REPORTING
The Communication Consultants reports directly to the Research, Learning, and Communications Coordinator.

The consultants will submit outputs on the deliverables listed in Section 3 below through the Research, Learning, and Communications Coordinator to the Winrock field office in Abuja.

3. DELIVERABLES
Each consultant will deliver the following deliverables to the Extension Activity:

Deliverable #1: Work Plan/ Communication Strategy (including media strategy)
The Consultants will provide the Work plan (Communication and Media Strategy), for the activity. Each consultant will submit a communications strategy that shows an understanding of the work, deliverables, and timelines. The strategy will be submitted for review and concurrence by the Extension Activity within one week of signing a contract. The consultant will obtain concurrence from the Extension Activity for any modifications made to the work plan.

Deliverable #2: Submission of success stories, success story texts, video clips, and Social Media post content (Twitter)

This deliverable comprises of:
– Three (3) Extension Activity Based Success Stories
– Three 120 seconds, 150 seconds and 300 second success story video clips (2 mins, 3 mins and 5 minutes) and their explanatory texts/ prose on different Extension Activity outcomes.
– Three (3) Social Media post contents (Twitter) per month

Deliverable #3: Submission of Activity Implementation reports
– Work with the technical team to prepare and submit knowledge-sharing materials, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and training manuals (where applicable) on Innovative solutions implemented by the Extension Activity
– Detailed reports including pictures of high-impact events.
– The team will prepare and print relevant knowledge products relating to results and impacts of the Extension Activity.
Payment for each deliverable will be made upon completion and approval. Payment is subject to applicable withholding tax deductions based on Nigeria tax law.

4. EVALUATION CRITERIA
CVs, proposals, and supporting documents will be evaluated according to the degree that they satisfy the criteria set forth in this solicitation.: Submissions will be evaluated per the criteria below.

a. Technical Proposal — 40 points
The consultants will provide a detailed description of their approach to tasks and work plan with dates as listed in the Scope of Work. The technical proposal must not exceed two (2) pages. The Technical proposal should be accompanied by the consultants CV and completed bio-data form (editable and not signed). Downloaded from the link: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/Form_1420_F_21.11.10.pdf
b. Past Performance — 35 points
Evidence of similar work conducted with other organizations.
c. Financial Proposal/Daily Rate — 25 points
An itemized and detailed budget, indicating the unit costs for consultancy fees as well as other costs necessary for undertaking this assignment. each unit cost should be accompanied by detailed explanatory notes of how cost was arrived at. All Financial Proposals must be denoted in Nigerian Naira only. Winrock may provide transport, meals, and accommodation to the consultants during the consultancy period.
Winrock will evaluate complete consultants proposals to determine which proposal represents the best value to Winrock. Winrock reserves the right to negotiate with the offerors with or without discussion.