South Sudan: To develop communication strategy and associated tools for Education sector

Background

The Ministry of Education Science Technology (MoEST) is mandated to provide policy direction and oversight on education services and activities throughout South Sudan. The State Ministries of Education are responsible to provide education services in line with national policies and strategies. The General Education Strategic Plan (GESP, 2012-2017) articulates the key sector strategic priorities, activities and anticipated results. There are a number of development partners contributing to sector priorities. In particular there are four main sector programmes which are complementary - Improved Management of Education (IMED), Girls Education South Sudan (GESS), Room to Learn (RTL) and Global Partnership for Education Programme (GPEP). These programmes contribute to efforts on system strengthening at all levels of decentralization and also models good practices on equity focused service delivery. The GPEP, as the overarching programme, is required to contribute to the participatory development of an Education Sector Communication Strategy.

The GPEP has three main objectives:

· To strengthen school national systems fundamentals to providing equitable access to quality education.

· To assist a small number of schools and their support services in improving their performance, and in so doing offer models for school strengthening.

· To attract other support to South Sudan’s schools by evidencing success.

The Communication Strategy will strengthen and institutionalize mechanisms for effective communication to different audiences on sector goals, policies, priorities and strategies. The Strategy will also be used for sharing of progress as well as good practices in different aspects of education service delivery, including in emergencies.

On behalf of the MoEST, UNICEF seeks to procure the services of a small team of consultants with complementary skills to engage relevant MoEST officials to develop the Communication Strategy and Action Plan as well as provide basic capacity development activities to enable the MoEST to effectively implement the Strategy.

The Consultants will work closely with designated MoEST staff throughout the process and a Reference Group, comprised of representatives of relevant MoEST Directorates, a state MoE representative (CES), EDOG, PEG and the Education Cluster, will provide oversight on this consultancy.

The Consultancy will contribute to the following objectives:

· Increased and strategic visibility and understanding of Education priorities in South Sudan

· Effective dissemination of good practice initiatives at national, state, county, payam and school levels.

· Effective advocacy to identified audiences including donors, government, politicians, partners, communities and children (girls and boys).

· Support mobilization of target groups with special focus on Out of School Children.

· Develop an implementation mechanism of the Communication Strategy

· Build capacity of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to implement the Communication Strategy.

Specific Tasks

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop the Communication Strategy for the Education Sector of South Sudan. In line with the outlined objectives the consultancy will be undertaken in four main stages:

I. Communication Strategy development

• Desk review of existing and relevant National and MoEST policy documents, sector strategies and reports including of IMED, GESS, RTL and GPEP as well as key research reports.
• Carry out consultations with key MoEST stakeholders and draw up an inventory of similar or complementary Education Programmes as well as communications tools developed by sector partners.
• Develop a communication strategy, that will include:
• main education priorities;
• target audiences;
• key messages for each target audience;
• channels of communication (including digital media and traditional media and non-media channels);
• types/prototypes of communication materials to be used for each audience, channel of communication
• digital presence (web site, social media channels etc.)
• mapping of stakeholders, potential roles they could or should play in the implementation;
• specific campaigns that need to be rolled out in support of the identified priorities (e.g. School Grants, Girls’ Education, Back to Learning and others);

II. Implementation mechanism and work plan

• An implementation mechanism is to be designed for the Communication Strategy implementation. This should include detailed TORs of Specialist(s) within the Ministry that will be implementing Communication Strategy as well as clearly articulated roles and responsibilities of education partners and stakeholders.
• A detailed work/implementation plan to guide the implementation of the Communication Strategy.
• A costed implementation plan will be developed.

III. Capacity building

Taking into account challenges in capacity, particularly in designing and implementation of communication strategies and initiatives, a Capacity Needs Assessment will be developed. This will be followed by the development of a Capacity Development Plan. Both are required as part of this consultancy. Modality for future (beyond in country time) on-going support for the Communication Strategy implementation to be proposed by the contractor.

IV. Monitoring and Evaluation

A monitoring and evaluation framework and tools must be developed and used as a guide for future modifications, adjustments of the Communication Strategy and the implementation plan.

Methodology

The participatory methodologies that will be used to develop the Communication Strategy are to be outlined in a proposal which includes a workplan with timelines for this consultancy. Upon approval of the proposal, the Strategy can be elaborated after a desk review has been conducted.

It is expected that the consultancy will involve:

1. Desk review of the existing policies, strategies, programme reports, research reports and other relevant documentation.
2. Consultations with the MoEST and education partners to ensure local ownership of the Strategy design, Implementation mechanism, work plan, capacity needs assessment, capacity development plan and M&E plan.

Expected Deliverables

Deliverables must clearly contribute to the objective and should consist of:

1- Communication Strategy, which recommends a set of key messages to be promoted among target audiences at the central and local levels; define the means necessary for implementation (media and communication tools), indirect and direct target groups (especially intermediate target groups such as journalists and decision makers) and ultimate target groups (such as inspectors, supervisors, teachers, head teachers, learners, out of school children particularly girls and children with special needs); map of stakeholders and partners; digital presence concept (web site, social media); special campaigns.

2- Implementation mechanism and work plan, detailing the necessary staff and other requirements for strategy implementation. Detailed work plan (and budget) that will be carried out to implement the strategy. Specific materials to be shared with target audiences, stakeholders, and partners.

3- Capacity Needs Assessment, undertaken to consider organizational and individual capacity needs to plan and implement the education sector communication strategy.

4- Capacity Building plan, detailing the capacity building needs and schedule of capacity building activities to be carried out.

5- Monitoring and Evaluation plan, including M&E tools for monitoring and adjusting the strategy and implementation plan.

Below defines the required timeframe for achieving these deliverables in summarized form.

S/n Outputs/deliverables Deadline Payment Schedule

1 Desk review Week 1-2 1st Payment: 30%

2 Consultations with partners and stakeholders Week 2-3

3 Inception Report with Communication Strategy outline, draft implementation and capacity needs assessment Week 4

4 Communication Strategy draft and consultations Week 5 2nd Payment: 40%

5 Implementation mechanism and work plan Week 6-7

6 Consultations and approval of draft Strategy, implementation mechanism and work plan Week 8

7 Capacity building plan and budget (following capacity needs assessment) Week 9

8 M&E plan Week 10

9 Capacity building activities/trainings Week 10-11

10 Start initial implementation support on key messages, events, campaigns Week 11-14

10 Final Communications Strategy, Action Plan and M&E Plan Week 15 3rd Payment: 30%

Reporting

The Consultants will work under supervision of the GPE Manager within Education and Adolescent Development section of UNICEF with technical interface with UNICEF Communication section.

A National Reference Group comprising of representatives of relevant MoEST Directorates, a state MoE representative (CES), EDOG, PEG and the Education Cluster will provide oversight of the work and will be responsible to approve the products of this Consultancy.

Expected background and Experience

An Institution is required and must provide a small team with proven experience in developing a Communication Strategy preferably in development related sectors. Specifically the consultants are expected to have complementary skills sets with relevant work experience in addition to the following skills, knowledge and qualifications.

1. At least 5 years of experience in developing and managing Communication related Systems in development related work.
2. Team composed of Specialists with Advanced University Degree in media, journalism, marketing, international relations.
3. Demonstrated experience and clear understanding of Communication Systems and Strategies; and familiarity with development and humanitarian programmes.
4. Excellent communication skills, including report writing skills and facilitation skills.
5. Excellent writing, communication and presentation skills in English (oral and written) for at least one of the core staff on the assignment.
6. Knowledge of South Sudan Education systems and environment is an asset.
7. Experience in working with government and development partners in South Sudan or countries with significant humanitarian and development programmes.
8. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines.
9. Ability to deliver highest quality products in the allotted period of time, under the guidance and supervision of UNICEF team.

General Conditions:

· The consultants will work remotely from own office space.

· The consultants will not be provided lodging and/or meals and are expected to be responsible for these.

· The consultants should provide his/her own materials, i.e. computer, etc.

Plan for schedule of payment

The Consultancy Institution will be paid in lump sum tranches, each of which is determined by deliverables and deadlines.

· 1st payment (30%) upon approval of Inception Report which will comprise of a plan for the development of the Communication Strategy with highlights of anticipated key components of the strategy and Implementation Plan; key elements of capacity building plan based on needs assessment and overview of the M&E plan.

· 2nd payment (40%) upon submission and approval of Drafts of (1) Communication Strategy; (2) Implementation Mechanism and work plan; (3) Capacity building plan; (4) Capacity building trainings; (5) M&E plan.

· 3rd payment (30%) upon presentation of the Final Consultancy documents.

Estimated Schedule Deliverable Payment Amount

4 weeks Inception Report which will comprise of a plan for the development of the Communication Strategy with highlights of anticipated key components of the strategy and Implementation Plan; key elements of capacity building plan based on needs assessment and overview of the M&E plan. 30%

10 weeks Draft Communication Strategy including Implementation Mechanism and work plan; M&E plan and Capacity building

40%

2 weeks Final Communications Strategy, Costed Action Plan, M&E Plan and Capacity building report 30%

Budget: Bidding process to be conducted with technical and financial reviews of proposals from interested parties.

Policy both parties should be aware of:

· Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime.

· The contract commences when it is signed by both UNICEF and the consultancy institution.

· Fees are payable upon satisfactory completion of the contract. Standard UNICEF procedures will apply for invoicing and all other financial management requirements set out in the contract. Standard UNICEF penalty clauses will apply for late and poor quality deliverables. UNICEF shall provide the consulting firm with the criteria for the evaluation of the quality of each deliverable.

· The consultants will arrange for their own office and will report to UNICEF on progress on a regular basis.

· The proposal from the consultancy institution will include all costs including fees, DSAs, and printing of training materials. Consultants should provide own computers and transportation. The ownership of the Education Communication Strategy belongs to the South Sudanese Government.

SEALED Proposals should be sent to:

UNICEF Supply/Logistics Office

Request For Proposal: LRPS-2015-9121217-1

Address:

Supply & Logistics Unit

UNICEF South Sudan Country Office

Totto Chan Compound, P.O. Box, 45

Juba, South Sudan

Attention of: Supply Office

IMPORTANT – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

The reference LRPS-2015- 9121217-1 must be shown on the envelope containing the Technical Proposal and on the envelope containing the Price Proposal, as well as on the outer packaging containing both envelopes.

The bid form must be used when replying to this request for proposal.

The Proposals MUST be received by latest 3:00 PM on 01.12.2015 at UNICEF, South Sudan, Juba Office and will be publicly opened the same day at 3:30 PM at the same address.

Proposals received after the stipulated date and time will be invalidated.

It is important that you read all of the provisions of the request for proposal, to ensure that you understand UNICEF’s requirements and can submit a proposal in compliance with them. Note that failure to provide compliant proposals may result in invalidation of your proposal.

The currency of the proposal is US Dollars.

Bids that are to be submitted via email should be addressed to sssdjuba@unicef.org