REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
SAINT LUCIA
OECS DATA FOR DECISION MAKING PROJECT
Assignment Title: Communications and Publicity Consultant
Reference No.: SLU-DDM-CS-CPC-24
The OECS Data for Decision Making (DDM) Project is a regional project that seeks to improve the capacity of participating Eastern Caribbean countries to produce and publicly disseminate statistical data for country and regional level analytics. It will be implemented by Saint Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS Commission. The project seeks to achieve its objective by strengthening both national and regional level capacities and fostering regional coordination. At the national level, Component 1 and Component 2 of the project will strengthen national statistical systems through (i) statistical modernization and capacity building, and (ii) data production, analysis, and dissemination, with a focus on the population and housing census, living conditions surveys, labor market surveys, and agricultural census. At the regional level, Component 3 of the project will support the OECS Commission’s mandate for regional integration and the strengthening of the regional statistical system. Component 4 will support project implementation, and Component 5 will provide a contingency option for immediate surge funding in the event of a national emergency. The project is to be implemented over a five-year period commencing in 2022.
The Project aims to produce quality data to inform policy decisions. Under Component 2; Data Production, and Analysis, and Dissemination, the data collection for the Population and Housing Census (PHC) and the Enterprise Census (EC) have been completed, and the Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF) and the Survey of Living Conditions Household Budget Survey (SLC-HBS) are planned for the 3rd to 4th fiscal quarter 2024-2025. The dissemination of the PHC and EC is expected to take place in July/August 2024. These activities, among others, will require advocacy and publicity support, public awareness campaigns to promote participation, and the communication of results to policymakers and the citizens of Saint Lucia.
The Project is seeking the services of an individual consultant to support the CSO in the Department of Economic Development with the communication, advocacy and publicity of Project activities.
The Communications and Publicity Consultant will assist the Project Coordinator and Deputy Project Coordinator in all communications-related matters of the Saint Lucia portion of the DDM Project. The consultant will report to the Project Coordinator in the execution of the following tasks listed below:
a. Develop and implement a project level Communication Strategy for Saint Lucia that aims to increase the effectiveness of the project; foster relationships of trust between stakeholders; provide the basis and opportunity to systematically share information amongst the stakeholders involved in the DDM Project, especially project beneficiaries to enhance effectiveness, accountability and transparency; mitigate risk and build consensus across project activities; and build capacity for staff and counterparts in the use of strategic communication especially with project beneficiaries;
b. Prepare an Outreach Strategy for the Saint Lucia community to raise awareness of the Project’s client feedback and Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) ;
c. Develop a Work Plan in collaboration with the Project Coordinator, other members of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), and key stakeholders to formulate the “key messages” for the Project.
d. Develop and coordinate Awareness Campaigns before and during data collection activities. Campaigns should utilize various communication channels, which may include radio, print, megaphone delivery, television, social media, billboards, advertising spots on the various media outlets, infomercials, jingles etc;
e. Develop/produce publication layouts or relevant instruments and other material for public information (e.g., Reports, Posters, press releases, brochures, website contents, speeches, briefing notes, tweets, Facebook posts, etc.) ;
f. Capture relevant images of project implementation, dissemination events, workshops and other events related to the DDM project for use in media, website and social media;
g. Conduct and facilitate community sessions/stakeholder engagement across the island in collaboration with the Environmental and Social Specialist of the PIU, and facilitate dissemination via various communication channels such as radio programmes;
h. Manage the social media presence through postings, periodic web updates, email blasts, etc. for the purposes of interaction with and provision of relevant information for stakeholders;
i. Prepare and disseminate monthly news stories about project deliverables, important milestones and events, impacts and outcomes or organize press briefings and news conferences to do same;
j. Serve as the principal point of contact for the communications related to the project, including the development of press releases, organization of press conferences and responding to media questions related to the Project;
k. Collaborate with communications partners and service providers including advertising agencies, and publishing houses;
l. Undertake media monitoring and analysis and provide timely feedback, including quarterly reports/presentations to the PIU of the public’s perceptions, expectations and concerns about the Project;
m. Prepare and submit reports of works undertaken and other reporting obligations as specified by the Project Coordinator.
The initial duration of the consultancy service rendered will be 12 months in the first instance with the provision for renewal subject to performance evaluation.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be requested from the following email address: vernecia.badal@govt.lc
The Department of Economic Development now invites eligible individual consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Individual Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services; (Curriculum Vitae with supporting certified copies of qualifications, description of similar assignments, etc).
Interested Consultants should have the following requisite minimum qualifications and professional experiences listed below for undertaking the assignment.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT ARE:
Mandatory
• At least a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Mass Communication, Public Affairs, Marketing, or a related field;
• At least five (5) years’ experience in designing, developing and managing public communication programmes including experience working with a variety of communication tools and approaches;
• At least three (3) years’ experience conceptualizing, preparing and maintaining multimedia and interactive content (such as press releases, websites, success stories, audio, video, targeting a variety of audiences);
• Five (5) or more assignments demonstrating strong communication skills including the ability to speak and effectively utilize various platforms, such as newsletters, blogs and social media to strengthen outreach efforts;
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft productivity applications (Word, Excel, Power-Point and Publishing etc.);
• Previous census/survey communication experience as well as stakeholder engagement experience is an asset.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.16 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations) fifth edition, September 2023, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
The consultant will be selected through the “Individual Consultant Selection method” in accordance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations), September 2023.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (0800 to 1600 hours).
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by Friday August 16, 2024.
OECS Data for Decision Making Project
Department of Economic Development
Attn: Project Coordinator, OECS Data for Decision-Making Project
2nd Floor, Finance Administrative Centre
Trou Garnier, Pointe Seraphine
Castries
Tel: 758-468-5817
E-mail: oecsddmproject@gmail.com
Subject Line: SLU-DDM-CS-CPC-24