Expression of Interest (EOI)

Consultancy services for the design and Implementation of the Digital Transfromation Center Rwanda podcast program

Reference Number: 83447346

Publication date: 01.09.2023

Introduction

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The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development, Good Governance, Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development, Digitalization and Digital Economy, Mineral Governance, Peace, and Security in the Great Lakes Region.

      1. Background

The Digital Transformation Center is a Rwandan-German initiative aimed at developing impact-driven digital solutions at regional and continental level in Africa. Therefore, it not only provides advisory services and training for government institutions and local tech companies, but also a modern space to boost creativity and collaboration.

The digital transformation Center is now comprised of 4 GIZ projects as components that constitute the digital cluster “Digi-cluster”. This contract is to facilitate communication support per the highlighted packages of all projects within the Cluster. The cluster is comprised of the following projects.

The Digital Transformation Center Rwanda

The Digital Transformation Centre is a Rwandan-German initiative aimed at developing impact-driven digital solutions at regional and continental levels in Africa. Therefore, it not only provides advisory services and training for government institutions and local tech companies, but also a modern space to boost creativity and collaboration.

The Digital Transformation Center is a space dedicated to delivering impact-driven digital solutions, developing the capacities of the local innovation ecosystem, and replicating and scaling up digital solutions at the regional and continental level. The implementation of innovation at the Digital Transformation Center is in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT’s implementing agency, the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA). The Digital Transformation Center supports both the public and the private sector in transferring knowledge and skills as well as in developing organizational, structural, and technological capacities.

The Digital Transformation Center is now organized in diverse topics called Verticals for orientation and proper collaboration with partners and the Rwandan ICT ecosystem and these verticals are collectively known as the GIZ Digital Cluster. Some of these verticals are listed below:

Public sector Innovation

The Public sector innovation vertical is where the government, civil society and private sector all intersect to work together in developing digital solutions and innovation around the challenges experience in the public sector. In this vertical, the demand is set through a series of collaborations from the government, mainly from the Chief Digital Officers of every sector, The Rwanda Information Society Authority RISA and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation and many other implementing agencies to work together. The solutions developed under the Public Sector innovation vertical revolve around digitization, change management, ICT building blocks, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Smart cities, and efficient delivery of Government services.

Digital Inclusion & Literacy

The Digital Cluster is actively involved in capacity-building and digital literacy, targeting people in rural areas, women and people with disabilities, ICT professionals, tech startups and employees of political partner agencies. The Digital Inclusion and Literacy vertical works together with several civil society organizations, The Ministry of ICT and Rwanda Information Society Authority RISA to implement joint programs that bridge the skills gap for both public servants and citizens to create an environment conducive to digital transformation and adoption of digital skills for economic development and improved livelihoods.

Start-up Ecosystem Support

The Digital Cluster supports young entrepreneurs and start-ups through incubator and accelerator programs to build and expand their businesses. These programs provide access to mentorship, funding, and resources to help young entrepreneurs overcome the challenges of starting a business. By fostering collaboration and innovation, these initiatives are helping to create a thriving ecosystem for young entrepreneurs to succeed in today's competitive marketplace.

Artificial Intelligence Hub (AI Hub) and data

Most of the digitalization efforts both private and public rely on data and insights of that data. The AI hub vertical works around Improve access to training data and AI technologies for local open innovation, strengthening local technical know-how on AI in Rwanda, Develop Policy Frameworks Ready for AI - Ethical AI, Data Protection and Privacy and one of the biggest topics in AI under the AI hub is Machine translation.

      2. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide comprehensive technical support to a group of podcasters, enabling them to produce exceptional podcasts that are both engaging and aligned with the program's objectives.

Sub-goals:

• Ensure High-Quality Podcasts; The primary objective is to equip the podcasters with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to create high-quality podcasts. This includes training them in various aspects of podcast production, such as recording techniques, audio editing, and post-production, to ensure that the podcasts are of professional quality.
• Alignment with Program Objectives: The assignment seeks to ensure that the podcasts produced by the podcasters are closely aligned with the objectives of the program. This involves providing guidance and support to help them develop content that effectively communicates the program's key messages, promotes innovation, and reflects the local tech and digital industry.
• Promote Knowledge Sharing and Networking; By promoting the use of podcasting as a tool for knowledge sharing, the assignment aims to facilitate the dissemination of valuable information within the target audience. The podcasts will serve as a platform to share insights, experiences, and expertise, fostering networking and collaboration among stakeholders in the tech and digital industry.
• Comprehensive Training and Support; The assignment intends to provide the podcasters with comprehensive training and ongoing support throughout the podcast production process. This includes assisting with equipment setup, refining recording techniques, offering guidance on audio editing, and providing post-production support. The goal is to enhance the podcasters' skills and confidence in creating impactful and professional podcasts.

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

The contractor will be responsible for providing technical support to the podcasters to ensure the production of high-quality podcasts that align with the objectives of the program. This includes developing and delivering a comprehensive and customized training program that covers all aspects of podcast production. This will include developing and delivering training sessions on all aspects of podcast production, including equipment setup, recording techniques, audio editing, and post-production.

Additionally, the contractor will offer ongoing technical support to the podcasters throughout the podcast production process. This support will include providing guidance on equipment selection, setup, and troubleshooting any technical issues that may arise during recording or post-production.

Quality assurance is a crucial aspect of the contractor's responsibilities. They will review and assess the quality of the podcasts produced by the podcasters. Factors such as audio quality, content structure, storytelling, and alignment with the program's objectives will be evaluated.

Accurate documentation of the training sessions conducted, technical support provided, and feedback given to the podcasters will be maintained. Regular reports will be prepared to highlight the podcasters' progress, challenges faced, and recommendations for further improvement. A final report will summarize the overall outcomes and achievements of the technical support provided by the contractor.

Work package 1: Develop a Comprehensive Training Program (20 Expert Days)

The contractor will develop a comprehensive training curriculum for podcast production.

• The contractor will Conduct a needs assessment to identify the podcasters' current skill levels and training requirements in podcast production.
• The contractor will Analyze the program objectives and podcasting goals to determine the specific topics and areas to be covered in the training program.
• The contractor will develop a comprehensive and detailed curriculum for the training program, encompassing various aspects of podcast production, including equipment setup, recording techniques, audio editing software, post-production processes, equipment maintenance, and best practices for producing high-quality podcasts. Additionally, it is important to dedicate a significant portion of the curriculum to communication training, which will cover essential skills such as effective questioning techniques, storytelling, online searching, and marketing strategies. The curriculum should also include assistance and guidance in choosing the podcast concept, helping podcasters identify their target audience, define their unique value proposition, and refine their content strategy.
• The Contractor will Structure the training program to include theoretical sessions, practical exercises, and hands-on activities to facilitate active learning and skill application.
• The contractor will design and provide comprehensive training materials, including presentations, handouts, reference guides, and additional resources, to support the delivery of the training program. In addition, it is highly recommended to include a podcast concept template and a podcast planner template in the training materials. These templates will serve as valuable tools for the podcasters, guiding them in developing their podcast concept, outlining their episode structure, and organizing their content effectively. The podcast concept template will assist podcasters in clearly defining their target audience, podcast format, and content themes, while the podcast planner template will help them plan and organize their episodes, ensuring a cohesive and engaging podcast series.
• The contractor will customize the training program content and delivery based on the individual needs, skill levels, and podcasting goals of the podcasters. Considering that we are planning on selecting 10 teams of podcasters, with each team expected to produce 10 episodes, making it a total of 100 episodes, it is crucial to tailor the training program to accommodate this scale of production. The customization will involve providing guidance and support specific to each team, addressing their unique challenges and goals throughout the podcasting journey. The training program will be designed to equip the podcasters with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to successfully produce and deliver high-quality episodes for their respective series.
• Offer personalized guidance and support to address specific challenges or areas requiring further development for each podcaster.
• Provide additional resources and recommendations for self-study and ongoing skill enhancement beyond the training program.
• The Contractor will provide a Needs assessment report, outlining the podcasters' skill levels and training requirements.

Work package 2: Training Sessions (25 Expert days)

This work package involves conducting 10 training sessions to impart knowledge and skills related to podcast production.

• The contractor will Conduct training sessions on each topic identified in the curriculum, ensuring clear and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of podcast production.
• The contactor will Develop a detailed plan for each training session, outlining the topics, learning objectives, and the sequence of activities.
• The contactor will Deliver training sessions through workshops, webinars, or one-on-one sessions.
• The contactor will Provide training materials for each session, including presentations, handouts, and reference guides, to support the training sessions and serve as ongoing resources for the podcasters.
• The Contactor will Recommend additional resources, such as online tutorials or industry publications, for further self-study and skill enhancement.
• The Contractor will prepare a detailed schedule that includes dates, times, and locations of the training sessions.
• The Contactor will collect and submit Documentation of training session attendance and participant engagement.

Work package 3:  Technical Support and Guidance (89 expert days)

This work package focuses on providing continuous technical support to the podcasters, ensuring smooth podcast production, and addressing any technical challenges that may arise during the process.

• The contractor will Offer continuous technical assistance to podcasters throughout the production of 100 podcast episodes.
• The contactor will need to Maintain regular communication channels, such as email, phone, or online messaging platforms, to be accessible to the podcasters for technical support.
• The contractor will Establish response time expectations and ensure timely responses to inquiries and support requests.
• The contractor will Assist with equipment setup, including microphone placement, soundproofing techniques, and recording environment optimization.
• The contractor will Advise on audio editing software, plugins, and post-production techniques to enhance the quality of the podcasts.
• The contractor will Offer prompt troubleshooting assistance to address any technical issues encountered by the podcasters during recording, editing, or post-production stages.
• The contractor will Identify and resolve common challenges related to audio quality, file formats, syncing, equipment malfunction, audio glitch or any other technical concerns.
• The contractor will Provide guidelines on equipment maintenance, cleaning, and storage to ensure the longevity and optimal performance of recording gear.
• The contractor will not only advise on software updates and upgrades to keep the podcasters informed about the latest features and improvements but also provide additional support and guidance in various aspects of podcast production. This includes services such as script proofreading, reviewing interview questions, proofreading show notes, suggesting potential guests for interviews, and helping with digital marketing strategies. By offering these additional services, the contractor aims to enhance the overall quality and impact of the podcasts, ensuring that they effectively engage the target audience and achieve the desired goals.

Work package 4:  Quality Assurance (12 expert days)

The objective of this work package is to ensure the production of high-quality podcasts that align with the program's objectives. It involves reviewing and assessing the podcasts produced by the podcasters, providing constructive feedback, and offering recommendations for improvement.

• The contractor will Evaluate the overall quality of the podcasts based on predefined criteria, including audio clarity, content structure, storytelling techniques, and alignment with the program's objectives.
• The contractor will Listen to the podcasts attentively, taking note of strengths and areas that require improvement.
• The contractor will Offer individual based specific recommendations and techniques to improve audio quality, content delivery, engagement, and overall production value.
• The Contractor will Engage in one-on-one or group sessions with the podcasters to discuss the feedback, address questions, and provide further guidance on implementing the recommended improvements.
• The contactor will coach podcaster on storytelling techniques, script development, interview skills, and other aspects of podcast production.
• Detailed quality assessment reports for each podcast, outlining strengths, areas for improvement and Provide data-based advice (if the publishing platforms allow it).

Work Package 5: Advisory (14 expert days)

This work package focuses on providing advisory services to the client in two key areas: equipment/materials acquisition and the selection process for the podcasters.

• The contractor will provide recommendations and advice to the client on the necessary equipment and materials for setting up a podcast production studio. This includes suggesting appropriate microphones, audio interfaces, headphones, recording software, and other essential tools.
• The contractor will assess the requirements, considering factors such as audio quality, scalability, and ease of use, to recommend suitable options for equipment and materials.
• The contractor will research and stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in podcasting equipment and materials, providing the client with informed guidance on emerging technologies and industry standards.
• The contractor will assist and advise the client on designing and implementing a comprehensive selection process for choosing the 10 team members who will be the beneficiaries of the podcasting program.
• The contractor will assist in developing a clear and well-defined call for applications, including the necessary criteria and requirements for applicants.
• The contractor will support the client in reviewing the submitted applications, ensuring a fair and unbiased evaluation process.
• The contractor will provide guidance on conducting interviews with shortlisted applicants, helping the client develop appropriate interview questions and assessment criteria.
• The contractor will participate in the interview process, either as an observer or an active participant, to provide their expertise and recommendations during the selection discussions.
• The contractor will assist in making the final selections, considering factors such as the applicants' skills, experience, passion for podcasting, and their potential alignment with the program's objectives.
• Consultation and guidance on the design and layout of the podcast recording studio, taking into consideration acoustic treatments, soundproofing, and optimal equipment placement.
• Recommendations for construction materials, such as sound-absorbing panels, diffusers, and acoustic foam, to create an acoustically optimized environment.

Period of assignment: from 25 - September - 2023 to 30 - June - 2024

At the beginning of the assignment period, the Client and the Contractor will hold an assignment clarification meeting.

Data protection

Within the framework of the contract, GIZ processes person-related data exclusively in accordance with the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection regulations. Such data are processed and stored by GIZ only to the extent necessitated by this contract. The contractor shall have the right to view, delete or rectify the data and can approach GIZ (datenschutzbeauftragter@giz.de) or the responsible government authorities to assert this right.

The contractor shall comply with the requirements of applicable data protection regulations and take measures to ensure such compliance by its employees.

      3. Concept

In the tender, the bidder is required to show how the objectives defined in Chapter 2 (work packages) are to be achieved, if applicable under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). In addition, the tenderer must describe the project management system for service provision.

Note: The numbers in parentheses correspond to the lines of the technical assessment grid.

Technical-methodological concept

Strategy (1.1): The bidder is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services put out to tender (see Chapter 1 Context) (1.1.1). Following this, the tenderer presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (see Chapter 2 Tasks to be performed) (1.1.2).

The tenderer is required to describe its contribution to knowledge management for the partner (1.5.1) and GIZ and to promote scaling-up effects (1.5.2) under learning and innovation.

Project management of the contractor (1.6)

The tenderer is required to explain its approach to coordination with the GIZ project. In particular, the project management requirements specified in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) must be explained in detail.

As a bidder, you are required to explain your approach to coordination (1.6.1) with the GIZ project. GIZ will provide one contact person for the contractor. The explanations of the bidder shall consider the following minimum standards to be met by the contractor:

• The provision of at least one contact person for GIZ
• Adhere to agile project management principles.
• Daily availability by phone (on workdays)
• The response to emails within 24 hours
• Weekly availability for a physical or virtual meeting
• Weekly progress reporting (verbal or written)
• The submission of quality-assured deliverables at least three workdays before the approval are due to be made (all deliverables need approval from GIZ)
• The selection, preparation, training and steering of the experts assigned to perform the advisory tasks.
• The management of costs and expenditures, accounting processes and invoicing in line with the requirements of GIZ.

(1.6.2) Present the personal assignment of tasks to the proposed experts who, when what work steps by filling in the chapter below on personnel concept (chapter 2)

Project management of the contractor 

Digital Transformation Center will provide at least one contact person for the contractor. The explanations of the bidder shall consider the following minimum standards to be met by the contractor: 

• The provision of at least one contact person for the GIZ
• The existence of substitution management 
• Daily availability by phone (on workdays) 
• The response to emails within 24 hours 
• Weekly availability for a physical or virtual meeting 
• Weekly progress reporting (verbal or written) 

The submission of quality-assured deliverables at least three workdays before the approval is due to be made (all deliverables need the approval from Digital Transformation Center) 

The bidder's technical experience will also be assessed by evaluating specific work samples per service package (see Chapter 2). An additional link to the website/platform showcasing the samples would be taken into consideration to support the pages limit. work samples must be submitted for all the service Packages.

The evaluation of the work samples is based on the following qualitative criteria:

• Professionalism and timely delivery of tasks
• Creativity, inventiveness, and innovation
• The content presented covers topics related to innovation ecosystems.
• Visuals allow for a clear understanding of the underlying concept or communicative messages.
• Texts and visual representations enable the inference of a defined target group.
• Coherence between text modules and visual representations

      4. Personnel concept

The bidder is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described based on their CVs (see Chapter 7), the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications. 

The qualifications below represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points. 

Team leader (national/regional)

Tasks of the team leader

Overall responsibility for the Contractor's consulting packages (quality, adherence to deadlines and coordination of the project team on the part of the Contractor)

• Coordination and assurance of communication with the client, partners and others involved in the project.  
• Personnel management, identification of the need for short-term assignments within the available budget
• Budget control
• Ensure project deliverables meet required quality standards. 
• Deliver project deliverables to stakeholders in a timely manner. 
• Provide updates on individual tasks and
• Identify and communicate any issues that may arise. 
• Work collaboratively with other team members 

Qualifications of the team leader

• Education/training (2.1.1): University degree (Masters) in (visual) communication, graphic design, public relations, journalism, political sciences, business administration or another relevant field
• General professional experience (2.1.3): 7+years of professional experience communications, marketing, and public relations
• specific professional experience (2.1.4): 7+ years in project management support incl. 2 years of experience in designing and running marketing campaigns and in the creation of the needed assets.
• Leadership/management experience (2.1.5): 3 years of management/leadership experience as a project team leader or manager in a company

      5. Expert pool (4 Experts)

Tasks of key expert pool

 Creative implementation of the services requested by GIZ.

Qualifications of key expert 1 (Podcast Producer)

• Education/training (2.2.1): University qualification Diploma/Master) in (Visual) media production, journalism, broadcasting, or similar
• General professional experience (2.2.3): at least 5 years of experience in communication /media or similar
• Specific professional experience (2.2.4): at least 3 years of experience in Journalism and/or Broadcasting in the national context projects

Qualifications of key expert 2 (Audio Engineer)

• Education/training (2.3.1): University qualification Diploma/Master) in (Visual) communication, public relations, journalism, or similar
• General professional experience (2.3.3): at least 5 years of experience in broadcasting /media
• Specific professional experience (2.3.4): at least 3 years of experience in audio engineering, sound design, music production in the national context projects

Qualifications of key expert 3 (Content Strategist)

• Education/training (2.4.1): University qualification Diploma/Master) in (Visual) communications, media studies, journalism, or similar
• General professional experience (2.4.3): at least 4 years of experience in communications /media
• Specific professional experience (2.4.4): at least 3 years of experience in journalism and/or communication in the national context projects

Soft skills of team members

In addition to their specialist qualifications, the following qualifications are required of team members:

• Team skills
• Initiative
• Communication skills
• Socio-cultural skills
• Efficient, partner- and client-focused working methods
• Interdisciplinary thinking

The tenderer must provide a clear overview of all proposed experts and their individual qualifications.

      6. Costing requirements

Estimated effort for the different service packages.

• work package 1 up to 20 expert days
• work package 2 up to 25 expert days
• work package 3 up to 89 expert days
• work package 4 up to 12 expert days
• Work package 5 up to 14 expert days

Total of 160 expert days

If available, the bidder shall precisely explain specific cost-relevant conditions for the calculation of the services provided.

Assignment of personnel 

• Team leader: Assignment in the country of assignment up to 35 Expert days 
• Key expert 1- Podcast producer: deployment in the country of assignment up to 45 Expert days 
• Key expert 2- Audio Engineer: deployment in the country of assignment up to 40 Expert days 
• Key expert 3- Content Strategist: deployment in the country of assignment up to 40 Expert days 

Travel

The bidder is required to calculate the travel by the specified experts and the experts it has proposed based on the places of performance stipulated in Chapter 2 and list the expenses separately by daily allowance, accommodation expenses, flight costs and other travel expenses.

Workshops, training

The contractor implements a budget proposal for the following workshops/study trips/training courses:  4 Workshops see section 2 work Package 1 and 2

Other costs

Please calculate other costs in the proposal. Considering the following:

• giggles and voiceovers
• Budget for (online) advertisements
• Social media advertising
• Licensing and Royalties
• Transcription services

      7. Inputs of GIZ or other actors

GIZ and/or other actors are expected to make the following available:

• GIZ shall provide the Contractor with all project-relevant documents for the provision of the services.
• Guidelines and format templates for social media postings (e.g., as a template for maintenance and temporary takeover of social media channels by other teams or partners) will be provided.
• Internal factsheets and charts, and logos will be provided.

       8. Requirements on the format of the tender

The structure of the tender must correspond to the structure of the ToRs. In particular, the detailed structure of the concept (Chapter 3) should be organized in accordance with the positively weighted criteria in the assessment grid (not with zero). The tender must be legible (font size 11 or larger) and clearly formulated. It must be drawn up in English (language).

The complete tender must not exceed 35 pages (excluding CVs). If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g., links to websites) will also not be considered.

The CVs of the personnel proposed in accordance with Chapter 4 of the ToRs must be submitted using the format specified in the terms and conditions for application. The CVs shall not exceed 8 pages each. They must clearly show the position and job the proposed person held in the reference project and for how long. The CVs can also be submitted in English (language).

Please calculate your financial tender based exactly on the parameters specified in Chapter 5 Quantitative requirements. The contractor is not contractually entitled to use up the days, trips, workshops, or budgets in full. The number of days, trips and workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum limits. The specifications for pricing are defined in the price schedule.

9. Eligibility Criterion

• Average annual turnover for the last 3 financial years (last-but-four financial year can be included in case of tenders held within six months of end of last financial year).: Atleast: 8,000,000RWF
• Average number of employees and managers for the past three calender years: 3 persons
• The technical assessment will only base on reference projects with a minimum commission value of RWF 8,000,000
• Atleast 4 reference projects in the technical fields of Journalism, Media, and Audio production
• Atleats 3 reference projects in Rwanda or East Africa in the last 3 years
• A company must atleast be 3 years old (After Company Registration)

10. Annex / Attachments

Annex 1 – Grid for the technical assessment of bids

Annex 2 – Template for the Technical Proposal

11. Submission of offer: The Expression of Interest should contain the following:

1. Technical Proposal:
   • A cover letter expressing your interest in this assignment
   • Technical proposal with a brief description of why you would be considered as the most suitable for the assignment, relevant expertise, and a detailed, clear methodology, your approach to complete the assignment, template attached.
   • CV of the Consultants proposed
   • Company registration certificate (RDB)
   • VAT-Registration certificate
   • Latest tax clearance certificate if applicable
   • Proof of successful completion of related assignments.
2. Financial Proposal: indicates the all-inclusive daily rate, supported by a breakdown of all costs. The costs must be in RWF and VAT

Please submit electronically your EoI (technical & Financial offer) in 2 separated emails and should be in PDF files to this email ONLY: RW_Quotation@giz.de  until latest 17^th September 2023

Please you must write on each email subject this sentence: 

83447346 Technical/financial offer, without this sentence, your offer may not be considered

Hard copies are not allowed this time

GIZ reserves all rights