Communications and Knowledge Management Consultant

Consultant Solicitation

Background

FHI 360 is a non-profit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research and technology; creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories.

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) is a five-year, global project funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). EpiC Vietnam’s goal is to deliver efficient, affordable, results-based technical assistance and direct services while closing remaining gaps in Vietnam’s efforts to meet HIV epidemic control targets, combat trafficking in persons, and address emerging needs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. EpiC is currently seeking a consultant to support the project’s communications, events, and knowledge management needs. Consultants should be based in HCMC or Hanoi.

Scope of Work

The successful consultant will help celebrate EpiC successes, share beneficiary stories, and contribute to global knowledge of HIV interventions through the development of explanatory documents. They will also lead the management of events including pre-event documentation and planning, working with the media, and documenting events across social media and other channels.

Knowledge management

• Develop one-page success stories that provide technical information told through a personal story. Drafting will include interviewing clients, outreach workers, doctors, or other project beneficiaries and working with technical experts to contextualize those personal stories within project data and technical background. Deliverable will be in English.
• Gathering photos, videos, and other materials to support reporting requirements.
• Identifying gaps in existing photo stock, working with technical monitor to fill gaps via photoshoots.
• Project manage the development of technical briefs in English and Vietnamese; working alongside existing technical experts that work for EpiC to draft approachable briefs using an established template. Deliverable will be in English, Vietnamese, or both.
• Work alongside project teams to ensure visual documentation of project successes as part of a weekly newsletter prepared for USAID.
• Coordinate with project’s graphic designer to ensure deliverables are well-formatted and have appropriate graphics and/or photos and meet branding and marking requirements.

Events

• Developing briefing documents and minute-by-minute agendas for events that engage the U.S. Embassy or other high-level stakeholders.
• Develop press releases or media briefs for events involving media outlets and high-profile stakeholders and coordinate with USAID’s Development Outreach Communication (DOC) team to get clearance.
• Recruit, brief, and manage press at EpiC events.
• Develop media coverage reports after each event in a format/template ready to share with the donor, partners, and FHI 360 HQ.
• Provide supplemental support to events hosted for project beneficiaries.
• Document events or arrange professional photographers to document events, manage the collection of consent forms for photo subjects.

Branding and Marking

• Work with project teams to ensure that all events, knowledge products, and communications deliverables have the appropriate branding and marking.

Deliverables (assumes 5-month contract)

• Preparation, interviews, drafting, and revision of 3 success stories
• Project management surrounding the development of 5 technical briefs
• Develop social media posts for various platforms (USAID, PEPFAR, FHI 360, EpiC) as appropriate based on the event
• Preparation and delivery of 3 events involving the US Embassy or Consular General (estimated)
• Support to 3 events targeting project beneficiaries (estimated)
• Weekly support for the EpiC weekly newsletter

EpiC anticipates that the required deliverables will take about 20 hours per week.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, research, public health, or related field
• Excellent English and Vietnamese skills, and the ability to proofread in both languages
• Existing relationships with the media
• Experience working for international donors and familiarity with branding and marking requirements
• Independent problem solver with proactive communications style
• Photography skills an advantage
• Ability to tailor content to specific audiences
• Ability to take well-composed photographs and provide guidance to professional photographers

Timetable and Address for Submission

Responses are due no later than 23:59 EST 12 October 2021. Required documentation listed below must be e-mailed to [email protected] [2].

Required Documentation

Proposals must include the following components:

• Letter of interest that describes relevant working experience, availability, and daily rate
• Recent CV
• Two personal or professional references
• At least two writing samples, one each in English and Vietnamese
• FHI 360 Biodata form [3]

FHI 360 Disclaimers

• FHI 360 may perform a background check on any selected Consultant candidates
• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow solicitation instructions
• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition
• FHI 360’s supplier terms and conditions can be found here [4] while our consultant terms and conditions can be found here [5]