Design of A Communication Strategy For The Elsah Project At Norwegian Refugee Council

BACKGROUND

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international, independent, humanitarian non-governmental organization. It was established in 1946, is based in Oslo, and currently operates in more than 33 countries worldwide. NRC has been present in Colombia since 1991, as well as offices in Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. This operation implements the programs of Information, Orientation and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Education, Shelter, Protection, Water and Sanitation, and Livelihoods and Food Security, as well as emergency care activities developed through the Rapid Response Unit – URR.

The Logistics Strategy on Humanitarian Aid (ELSAH) project, funded by the European Union (ECHO), arises from the need to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of humanitarian logistics processes in Colombia, both for international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their suppliers. The initiative focuses on the development and launch of a digital platform for NGOs and suppliers. The objective of this platform is to provide a reliable tool to publish and obtain more varied and competitive offers from the local market, and to keep suppliers’ contact information up to date.

Ultimately, the project seeks to achieve a more efficient allocation of resources, increase the availability of humanitarian aid to populations in need, improve accountability and mitigate corruption risks. Therefore, this initiative aims to improve the humanitarian response of international and national NGOs in Colombia by optimizing their logistical processes. This will contribute to a more effective and timely humanitarian response, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most quickly and efficiently.

Consulting to analyze the environment and define a communication strategy is crucial to ensure that the platform is widely known and effectively used by the target audience.

The elsah project has a digital platform and has established communications with several suppliers and NGOs; however, to maximize the impact of the platform, it is essential to implement a comprehensive communication campaign to ensure its adoption and proper use by organizations and suppliers.

Taking into account the above, this consultant will have to design a strategic communication campaign that guarantees the desired reach through an audience analysis. The consultancy will include the conceptualization and design of the campaign, as well as the validation of the proposal through focus groups and virtual interviews with the people of interest to the project (NGOs and suppliers). The campaign should focus on the dissemination of the project and the registration of new participants on the elsah platform, ensuring that the information is clear and accessible to all potential users.

 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK

Objectives
The main objective of this consultancy is to design a strategic communication campaign so that the information on the elsah platform is known to the service providers required by humanitarian actors in the country and so that these providers mobilize by registering on the platform and offering their services.

Specific Objectives

1. Conduct a prior analysis through focus groups and virtual interviews to identify the communication channels most used by the parties, their needs in terms of information, preferences and behaviors of the target audience (international NGOs, national NGOs and suppliers) that serve as input for the design of an effective communication strategy aligned with their expectations.

2. Design and draft a strategic communication campaign proposal that integrates at least objectives, target audience, key messages, campaign products, dissemination channels, schedule, indicators, goals, monitoring and evaluation of the campaign aligned with the findings of the analysis of the target audience.

3. Transfer knowledge and skills to the project team to implement the strategy and lessons learned during the design and conceptualization of the campaign.

Scope of work

This scope of work sets out the key activities and responsibilities that consultants are expected to undertake during strategic communications consulting. This document aims to provide a clear and detailed description of the requirements and expectations for campaign design.

• Definition, scope and limits of the service: the consultancy will have to work on the conceptualization, design, and drafting of the campaign strategy.
• Desired level of detail: a high-quality strategy is expected with the necessary details and precision in the description of the investment of the resources that will be used for the dissemination and production of products for the campaign, taking into account the budget that will be communicated to the selected provider by NRC.
• Place of execution: the consultancy will be carried out both in person and remotely. Face-to-face meetings may be held, depending on the location of the consultants.
• Interviews and focus group discussions: the consultant is expected to interview key actors and conduct focus group discussions with organizations and suppliers, virtually. Organizations, as well as the elsah project partners, will provide information and possible contacts for this work.
• Duration of the campaign design: these ToR must be implemented and executed within a time horizon of one (1) month, which will be counted from the signing of the contract with the selected provider.
• Key issues to be addressed: include conducting an initial audience analysis to ensure the effectiveness of the campaign, presenting the strategy (the strategy should include, among other things, SMART indicators to measure the reach and impact of the communication action), proposing materials or products for the campaign, proposing to disseminate the campaign and its products in the identified communication channels, and proposing to monitor and evaluate the campaign to measure its reach and impact. All of the above is based on the provider’s expertise and the needs identified during the audience analysis.
• Transfer of knowledge, objectives and scope: the consultancy is expected to transfer knowledge and skills to the elsah project team for the implementation of the communication strategy.
• Language requirements: materials must be delivered in Spanish.
• Format requirements: the analysis and strategy report must be presented in Microsoft Word format, without formatting, and graphics must be editable. All references must be cited according to convention and detailed in a bibliography, using the Harvard system.
• Quality management requirements: The consultant is expected to ensure the high quality of all delivered products.

Main tasks and responsibilities

1. Audience analysis:
o Define instruments and methodology for information gathering for strategy development, especially for focus groups, bilateral meetings with elsah partners and other relevant stakeholders proposed by the consultancy and NRC.
o Conduct an audience analysis to identify the needs and preferences of the target audience.
o Ensure information is collected with at least 5 focus groups that are related to the campaign’s target audience.
o Analyze the context and collect data on the target audience’s behavior and their preferred communication channels, to validate the campaign strategy.
o Validate the proposed strategy with the focus groups.
2. Strategic communication campaign proposal:
o Design a communication campaign proposal based on the results of the audience analysis and the provider’s expertise in developing communication campaigns.
o Define the campaign’s objectives, indicators and goals.
o Define the geographic scope of the campaign according to the target audience.
o Clearly define the products and description of the proposed content to be delivered during the campaign.
o Define the key messages, communication channels, and tactics to be used to disseminate the campaign and its products.
o Define a detailed dissemination plan that includes at least the indicators, goals, communication channels, and implementation schedule.
o Identify possible strategic alliances with NGO platforms or media outlets to amplify the reach of the campaign.
o Develop a section that allows monitoring and evaluating the campaign based on the indicators, goals, and budget that the organization will communicate to the selected provider.
o The campaign strategy must be designed so that it can be implemented in municipalities, departments at a national level, or even in the region, which is why its content and language must and can be replicated in any other country in the region.

3. Knowledge transfer:
o Train the elsah project team on best practices in strategic communication for the project to achieve its implementation.
o Ensure knowledge transfer to ensure proper implementation and sustainability of the campaign.

 EXPECTED PRODUCTS

1. Audience analysis.

1.1 Documents of information collection instruments and methodologies for the analyses described in bullets 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 below.

1.2 Analysis of the communication channels most used by the parties, their needs in terms of information, preferences, behaviors and specific communication expectations of international and national NGOs and suppliers, in order to ensure that the communication campaign is effective.

o NGO communication perceptions: information on how NGOs prefer to receive and transmit information related to the logistical needs of humanitarian and/or cooperation projects.
o Supplier communication preferences: identification of the most effective communication channels for suppliers.
o Content and format requirements: types of messages, visual content and resources that NGOs and suppliers find most attractive and effective.
o Communication barriers: identification of potential communication barriers, difficulties in cultural understanding or technical problems, and strategies to overcome them.

1.3 Analysis of the elsah project communication context.
Evaluate the environment in which the communication campaign will be developed to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

o Communication environment of NGOs: study of the communication practices and approaches used by NGOs.
o Communication competence: analysis of other communication campaigns related to the purpose of these terms of reference, identifying which strategies have been successful and which have not, to ensure the implementation of good practices.
o Digitalisation and media trends: identify how NGOs and providers are using digital platforms, social media and other channels to disseminate messages, and how to incorporate these tools into the campaign.

1.4 Analysis of NGO and supplier behaviour in relation to communication
Collect data on how NGOs and suppliers interact with communication and the most effective channels.

o Preferred communication channels: analysis of the most used and preferred channels by NGOs and suppliers to communicate with each other (email, digital platforms, events, etc.).
o Frequency of interaction: information on how often NGOs and suppliers exchange information and the most appropriate times to do so.
o Visual communication appeal: identify which types of visual resources (graphics, videos, infographics, etc.) are most effective in capturing their attention and encouraging participation.
o Communication impact: assessment of how receptive NGOs and suppliers are to communication about the elsah project and their willingness to participate in the campaign.

1.5 Analysis of cultural and regional factors in communication
Ensure that campaign messages are culturally relevant and appropriate.

o Cultural and regional considerations: identification of cultural factors that need to be considered when creating messages and visual content, to ensure they are appropriate and effective in different contexts.
o Regional sensitivity: identification of regional and local differences that may influence the reception of messages and what strategies to use to adapt to these differences.

1.6 Analysis report document with findings and recommendations for the strategy

Summarize key findings and present a set of clear recommendations for the implementation of the communication campaign.

o Executive summary: a concise summary of the most important findings of the study.
o Key findings: key findings that inform the most effective way to develop and disseminate the campaign.
o Specific recommendations: detailed strategies to improve the effectiveness of communication with NGOs, suppliers and other stakeholders.
o Pre-identification of target audiences for the campaign.
o Possible geographic scope of the campaign.
o Possible messaging for the target audience: proposals on how to tailor messages and content to the needs and preferences of NGOs and suppliers, based on the findings of the study.
o Identification of communication channels: recommendations on the most effective channels for each segment of the target audience, and how to use them optimally.
o Pre-identification of campaign products: suggestions on the type of audiovisual material that will best resonate with the target audience, ensuring clear and engaging communication.

2 Strategic communication campaign design:

2.1 Strategic document defining at least the communication objectives, geographic scope, target audience, clear and measurable indicators and goals of the campaign’s reach and impact, key messages, communication channels, products and description of their contents that will be used to inform and mobilize the target audience, tactics for disseminating the messages, a dissemination schedule and plan, and a campaign monitoring and evaluation plan.

Proposed contents:
o Scope: based on the audience analysis, the consultancy must define and present the geographic scope of the campaign.
o Objectives: the consultancy must develop the objectives of the campaign taking into account the ToR of this consultancy and the findings of the audience analysis.
o Target audiences: taking into account the audience analysis, the strategy must specify the audiences that will be reached with communicative action and products.
o Definition of key indicators and goals.
o Key messages: definition of the main messages to be transmitted to the target audience, aligned with the objectives of the elsah project.
o Communication channels: identification of the most effective channels to reach the target audience, including traditional, digital and social media, considering the communication preferences and behaviors identified in the audience analysis.
o Communication tactics: specific strategies for the creation and dissemination of messages, including the use of audiovisual materials, media publications, among others.
o Products: The strategy should describe the products to be used (including POP material) for distribution to the target audience and include a description of the contents of the proposed products.
o Dissemination plan: A disaggregated dissemination plan will be developed that includes marketing strategies, based on the results of the audience analysis. This plan should detail the communication channels to be used (e.g. social media, digital media, traditional media such as radio, press or television stations, among others, based on the results of the audience analysis), specifying the dissemination media, territorial coverage, and the broadcast time of the pieces. In addition, digital marketing tactics will be established, such as paid publications, advertisements and organic content adapted to social platforms to maximize the reach of the campaign.
o Broadcast schedule: A detailed broadcast schedule will be created for all pieces in the media identified in the audience analysis, ensuring their dissemination within the established deadlines. Additionally, the timeline will include digital marketing actions, such as social media posts, paid ad campaigns, and engagement strategies, with dates for each action.
o Monitoring and evaluation: establish a campaign monitoring and evaluation plan.

 DELIVERABLES

The products and results expected from the consultancy are detailed below, which will be delivered in accordance with the established terms of reference. These deliverables respond to the needs identified in the audience analysis and are aligned with the specific objectives of the project.

It is important to note that the deliverables may be subject to adjustments or modifications derived from the findings obtained during the audience analysis and the validation process, in order to ensure their relevance, applicability and effectiveness.

Each product must meet high quality standards, be aligned with the project’s visual identity and be delivered in accessible formats that facilitate its use and distribution by the project team and its partners.

Deliverable number Deliverable specification Deliverable
No. 1 • Detailed document of instruments, tools and methodology for collecting the information expected in the analysis.
• Analysis document.
Deliverable No. 2 • Detailed strategic document with the elements mentioned in these terms of reference.

 INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROVISIONS

Duties of the consultant

1 Provide the services described in these terms of reference.
2 Comply with each of the deliverables, activities and products defined in this document.
3 Execute the contracted service, in accordance with the requirements of the Norwegian Refugee Council under the designated contract or by the person delegated by it.
4 Address any observations or suggestions made as long as they are within the scope of the contract and are relevant to its execution, within the applicable regulations in its matter.
5 Adhere to the information security policies of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
6 Establish spaces for accompaniment, field work, planning and delivery of results in spaces agreed with NRC.
7 Ensure the technological equipment necessary to carry out the provision of the contracted service.
8 Carry out at its own expense and risk all the tasks necessary to fulfill the entrusted task, including providing insurance if necessary.
9 Comply with the assigned tasks and commitments arising from the work plan and schedule of activities proposed and approved by NRC.
10 Comply with all obligations relating to affiliation and timely payment of the respective contributions to the general comprehensive social security scheme, and payment of support staff required for the service, this being a condition precedent for the Norwegian Refugee Council – NRC to issue payment obligations, therefore supporting documents must be submitted.
11 Any others that are necessary to fulfil the purpose of this document.

Anything submitted to the NRC must be the consultant’s original work. Any plagiarism in any form, or any other violation of intellectual property rights, will automatically disqualify the consultant from receiving any further payment under the contract entered into by the NRC, and the NRC will seek to recover any payments already made.

The consultant will follow the Ethical Research Involving Children guidance regarding the ethical participation of children. In addition, all study participants or other interaction will be fully informed about the nature and purpose of the interaction and their requested participation. Informed consent must be obtained for any photography, audio or video recording, etc., in accordance with the NRC consent policy.

The NRC will own the intellectual property rights, proprietary rights, and distribution rights to all materials submitted by consultants under the contract. Consultants must therefore ensure that they own any materials provided to the NRC as part of the deliverable. Reproduction rights to the reports will be granted to the NRC and its contracted agents. The NRC will be free to reproduce the materials at will and to grant reproduction rights.

All audiovisual, testimonial and photographic material collected as a result of the NRC action is the property of NRC and its funders. Under no circumstances may the material (whether delivered as final or not by the provider) be disseminated, used or distributed by the provider without prior consent. This responds to the data protection policy of the population established by the NRC organizations and the personal protection of the people participating in the actions.

NRC Duties
The NRC will provide the necessary materials for the production of the campaign, including the Elsah project brand manual, the brand manuals of NRC, the donor and the implementing partners participating in the project, the design of POP material and others that the consultants need for the correct development of the service to be contracted.

 EXECUTION SCHEDULE AND ESTIMATION OF INPUTS

Within the technical proposal, the proponent must share an execution schedule as described in these terms of reference, taking into account that the time considered for the execution of the consultancy is one (1) month, from the signing of the contract.

It should be noted that the schedule presented must consider the stages described in the “main tasks and responsibilities” and “expected products” and “deliverables” sections of these terms of reference.

 DURATION AND TYPE OF CONTRACT

The contract that is being sought to be assigned will be a consulting contract and will have a duration of one (1) month from the date of signing the contract. This contract will not have the possibility of extension.

OWNERSHIP RIGHTS and RELIABILITY: Ownership rights will remain with the Norwegian Refugee Council, NRC partner organisations and their funders.

The reliability of the information collected is essential and dissemination of the material without authorization from the organization could put the safety of participants at risk.
Any dissemination or reproduction of the collected material – whether delivered as final or not to NRC – must have the authorization of the organization.

 QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PERSON / CONSULTING COMPANY

The company assigned to this consultancy is required to have the following minimum qualifications:

• Experience: Minimum five (5) years of experience in strategic communication consulting, marketing or related areas. This experience must be demonstrable through certifications and work already completed.
• Key knowledge:
o Knowledge of communication and marketing strategies.
o Understanding of current trends in communication.
• Skills:
o Ability to develop and execute comprehensive communication campaigns.
o Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Spanish.
• Attitudes:
o Results-orientation and ability to work under pressure.
o Proactivity and ability to innovate and propose creative solutions.
o Commitment to quality and excellence in project execution.
• Other skills:
o Knowledge of campaign monitoring and evaluation tools.
o Ability to transfer knowledge and skills to internal teams.
o Experience in the implementation of communication campaigns.
• Relevant experience, send a portfolio that includes active links that allow observing:
o Evidence of communication campaigns designed.
o Evidence of communication campaigns implemented.
o Evidence and concrete information on the scope and impact of the communication strategies designed and/or implemented, with results or impact metrics achieved.

 PAYMENT METHOD
Payment Schedule per Deliverable
This consultancy has a maximum total value estimate of $15,000,000 (fifteen million Colombian pesos), at all costs and including applicable rates, levies and withholdings, which will be distributed in a single (1) payment at the end of the consultancy, that is, upon satisfactory receipt of the deliverables described in these Terms of Reference.

Important notes:

1. Taxes: For this particular project, NRC has been granted a VAT exemption by the Colombian government, which is why we request that your economic proposal does not include this item. If you are the selected supplier, at the time of signing the contract you will be provided with the supporting documents to make the exemption from this tax valid.
2. Review and approval: Payment will be subject to review, feedback and approval of the delivered products by NRC.
3. Economic proposal: Please note that this is a competitive process and bidders are encouraged to submit their best technical and economic offer; the maximum estimated value for the execution of the contract is a reference.

PROPERTY RIGHTS and RELIABILITY: Property rights remain with the Norwegian Refugee Council, NRC partner organisations and their funders. The reliability of the information collected is essential and dissemination of the material without authorisation from the organisation could put the safety of participants at risk.

Any dissemination or reproduction of the collected material must have the authorization of the organization.