Request for Proposal (RFP)
Agency Partner for the Development & Implementation of an
Omni-Channel, Pan-African Anti-Poaching & Wildlife Trafficking
Awareness Campaign
Contents
Confidentiality
3
Introduction
3
Process and Procedures
4
Timeline
4
Submission Instructions
5
Contacts
5
Objective
6
Strategic Goals of the Campaign
6
Scope of Work
6
Key Deliverables
7
Budget
8
Qualifications
9
Agency Overview
9
Campaign Strategy
9
Expertise and Methodology
9
Confidentiality
All information included in this RFP is confidential and only for the recipient's knowledge. No information included in this document or in discussions connected to it may be disclosed with any other party.
Introduction
The international demand for illegal wildlife parts, especially ivory and rhino horn, has led to
unprecedented escalation of poaching across sub-Saharan Africa that threatens to erase and destroy years of well-planned and implemented conservation efforts throughout the continent. This demand is rapidly wearing away at the natural and international heritage of all Africans, and the killing, if not stopped, could have unspeakable impact on the social and economic development of Africa’s people, communities, and future.
In response to this, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is launching a pan-African awareness and advocacy campaign under the title African Voices for Wildlife (African Voices) that will provoke an accelerated public response from a broad array of Africans across the continent to the crisis facing Africa’s wildlife.
AWF’s plan is to make sure that the voices of Africa’s people are heard regarding the devastating issue of wildlife poaching. This is not just an advertising campaign. It is what we believe can be a catalyst for inspiring governments, businesses, and communities—in Africa and elsewhere—to take a stand against the illegal wildlife trade. It is also a concerted effort to strengthen civil society and raise awareness in the most threatened of communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
African Voices will feature Africans from different backgrounds (age, ethnicity, etc.), and start by placing ads in a combination of targeted urban and rural areas. Urban areas will reach mass markets and high-traffic/visibility, while rural areas will connect more with individuals. Our hope is that ads in the rural areas can have local appeal by featuring someone from a local village, while urban ads may leverage a popular African celebrity or well-known personality. Based on the fact there are little or no similar or wildlife-focused campaigns outside Africa’s urban markets, we anticipate much attention, awareness, and community discussion to result from this effort.
While many wildlife conservation organizations are launching campaigns in international markets outside of Africa, some to change mentalities and some to raise dollars, AWF is uniquely positioned to shepherd a rising voice amongst Africa’s people. AWF is an Africa-based organization with an African-led staff and an exclusive focus on Africa. We are likewise the ideal partner for helping to deliver a loud and
unmistakably clear message from the African people to poachers and those who support their unlawful and immoral activities: you are not welcome.
As a result, AWF would like to request proposals from African-based agencies to partner with us to develop and implement a comprehensive and omni-channel marketing, communications, and advertising strategy to support African Voices’ awareness, engagement, and advocacy objectives.
The agency or agencies’ responsibilities should include, but are not limited to:
• Establishment of program goals and measurements tactics; • Campaign target audience, creative, and production development; • Deliverable and execution support;
• Budget development, program reporting, and financial analysis; and • Project management.
Process and Procedures
This is an open and competitive process designed to bring forward some of the brightest, most talented, most passionate, and creative minds the African continent has to offer.
There will be a review period for questions pertaining to the RFP to ensure as much clarification on expectations is provided to interested parties. Please submit all questions in writing to Beatrice Karanja by January 20, 2014 at 5PM UTC. Any questions submitted after this time may not be included in the response. All questions raised will be answered collectively, anonymously, and distributed to all parties. Proposals must be received by February 11, 2014 5PM UTC. Those received after this time will not be considered.
While we want all contenders to “think out of the box” and present a wide array of exciting options to demonstrate their creative edge and thinking, all proposals must specifically outline a plan tailored to AWF and that aligns with an estimated budget. The budget you present must also be all-inclusive. If your price excludes certain fees or charges, you must provide a detailed list of excluded fees with a complete explanation of the nature of those fees.
If the execution of work to be performed by your company requires the hiring of sub-contractors, partners, alliances, or third-party consultants you must clearly state this in your proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. Multi-agency collaboration is an option and encouraged. In your proposal please provide the name, address, and certificate of
compliance/registration number of the sub-contractor. The African Wildlife Foundation will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of sub-contractors; however we retain the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
If a contender feels they have strong skills or talent in a specific area/s, but not all listed within the proposal requirements, AWF will accept abbreviated proposals that focus on specific skillsets. AWF may decide to sub-contract the overall scope of work for the entire campaign in order to recruit the best talent within each skillset.
Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful responses are considered available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.
Timeline
• January 6, 2014 RFP released/advertised
• January 15, 2014 Submissions/receipts of intention to bid
• January 23, 2014 All questions responded to by AWF
• February 11, 2014 All proposals received by 5PM UTC and reviewed by AWF • February 14, 2014 AWF notifies select partners to arrange in-person presentations
• March 3-5, 2014 In-person pitch presentations/interviews conducted at AWF HQ in Nairobi • March 7, 2014 AWF notifies top finalists to arrange final interview
• March 13, 2014 Final in-person interviews conducted with finalists • March 17, 2014 AWF notifies candidates of final selection status • March 18, 2014 Contract/scope of work development begins • March 26, 2014 All agreements in place
• April 1, 2014 Formal agency partnership commences
Submission Instructions
Parties interested in submitting proposals should do so through one of the following ways:
• Electronically (preferred): Please compile all proposal components in an organization fashion and
ensure that all components are within ONE folder that is labeled with your agency’s name and the date of submission. Then via web, please visit http://dbinbox.com/awf_voices. When prompted, enter the Access Code “voicesrfp.” You will then have the ability to drag your files into the upload area of the site or manually choose files. We will notify you that we have received your proposal.
• Hard Copy: If you choose to submit you proposal via hard copy, please mail/courier TWO
COPIES of all proposal components to African Wildlife Foundation, Attn. Beatrice Karanja, Ngong Road, Karen, P.O. Box 310, 00502, NAIROBI, KENYA. Packaging/envelope must be labeled “VOICESRFP”. Please also keep deliver method and timing in mind as all proposals must be received by 5:00PM UTC, 11 February, 2014.
Contacts
For questions regarding this RFP, please contact: African Wildlife Foundation
Beatrice Karanja
Public Relations & Awareness Campaign Manager Direct: +254 202 765 231
Mobile: +254 735 632 811 Email: [email protected]
Objective
The purpose of this RFP is to enter into a contractual agreement with a successful bidder or bidders and select a suitable contractor or series of sub-contractors to develop and implement a pan-African marketing, communications, and advertising strategy that will support the advocacy, awareness, and engagement goals of the African Voices campaign.
Strategic Goals of the Campaign
The African Voices campaign, with the support of a variety of both financial and in-kind partners, aspires to achieve the following goals:
• Embed and amplify the African voice at the core of the conversation on conservation in Africa; • Ensure that conservation is positioned high on the African and global agenda;
• Promote behavior and policy change among African stakeholders towards wildlife protection; • Build strong international and transboundary partnerships to fight wildlife trafficking and poaching; • Increase name recognition and enhanced public appreciation and support of AWF’s mandate and
strategies;
• Unlock new resources from the African continent to invest in wildlife protection;
• Collaborate and advocate–using real and authentic African voices–with key stakeholders across Africa to curb participation or the enabling of wildlife trafficking activities and poaching;
• Leverage other AWF partnerships and programs to enhance the overall African Voices campaign; • Develop a core base of Africans who support and want to be engaged in and contribute to the
conservation of Africa’s species;
• Educate and cultivate a wide range of audiences across Africa on the status of wildlife trafficking and poaching on the continent and the impact it has and will have on the future of Africa’s people; • Develop compelling and very memorable creative and messages that will truly resonate with
Africans of a variety of walks of life to instill a shift in civil society towards Africa’s wildlife; • Provide real and impactful actions people in Africa can take to help stop poaching; and
• Harness the voice of the people of Africa to influence top officials and governments to enhance security and protection measures, as well as change laws and penalties to strongly deter wildlife trafficking and poaching in Africa.
Scope of Work
This RFP is to solicit proposals from strategic communications consultancies/agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive initial 5-year marketing and communications strategy for the African Voices campaign, which will include, but not be limited to the following:
-‐ Suggested approach and strategy that will include core marketing and communication elements (i.e. fundraising, advertising, advocacy, and other related tactics envisaged); -‐ Overall messaging and tone for the campaign including slogans and calls to action; and -‐ Proposed visual concepts that will be used across the various target audiences and
communications/events.
While there would be an obvious connections to other communication campaigns underway across the continent on illegal wildlife crime, this campaign would not only use specific media like video, TV, radio, web, social media, posters, etc. it would also be based on communications/advocacy by engaged
supporters to key decision makers via tactics such as letters, texts, face-to-face contact, and events/meetings.
The launch of the African Voices campaign is scheduled to start in April 2014 and will have an initial phase of five years with ongoing measurements delivered regularly on the implementation and success of such a campaign. Pending the proven success of the initial 5-year phase of the campaign an extension, perhaps an indefinite one, that results in a very long-term campaign. In order to meet the intended goals of the campaign it will be important to connect with audiences through a variety of ways over a long period of time.
While AWF has no specific budget planned for the use of mass media, the submitting agency should suggest in their strategy and approach how most effectively to use wider communication channels (i.e. documentaries, social media, etc.) whose applicability would be verified later in relation to available resources and funds.
Initial requirements for this RFP are limited to the items mentioned above; the bidders should include an estimated 5-year budget broken out year-over-year inclusive of all production costs and all other costs related to successfully deploying the campaign.
Proposals will be carefully reviewed based on the following key elements: 1. Advertising and Creative Services
a. Concept creative design across multiple channels b. Advertising and media buying/placement management c. Production of communication materials
d. Specialist copy writing
e. Successful history of securing free or deeply discounted advertising rates 2. Strategic Public Relations and Stakeholder Engagement
a. Media management
b. Issues appraisal and analysis
c. Stakeholder/audience mapping and monitoring d. Stakeholder/audience engagement planning 3. TV Advertising Production
a. Script writing and story development b. Onsite production management services c. High level post-production experience d. Packaging and distribution
4. Online Audience Development and Engagement 5. Special Talent Management and Integration
6. International and Transboundary Experience Throughout Africa 7. Media Monitoring and Engagement Analysis
a. Digital media reports and repository services b. Monthly media analysis
c. Social media monitoring
Key Deliverables
In addition to the development and implementation of a comprehensive 5-year marketing,
and agreed upon key performance indicators prior to contract signature, the following criteria will be duly considered:
• Establishment of a solid, traceable, and engaged AWF base of supporters through African Voices
across Africa by implementing comprehensive and sustainable action plans that present new ideas, regularly recommended communications and advocacy enhancements, and has an equal investment in ensuring the program is continuously innovative and progressive.
• Maximize stakeholder value through the implementation of a robust multi-channel communications
strategy, bringing together online and offline supporter communications and interactions.
• Develop holistic and comprehensive metrics and insight across the entire program, thereby
allowing us to identify and measure overall program successes.
• Better understand our current African supporter profile (demographics, interests, and
communication preferences) for improved segmentation, marketing, and new supporter cultivation and acquisition.
• Engage new and unrealized prospective audiences, including younger audiences, thereby
broadening AWF’s base and ensuring future generations of conservationists and people passionate about Africa’s wildlife, AWF’s mission, and the need to stop illegal wildlife trafficking and poaching.
• Create a dialogue with key stakeholders and enable them to communicate and support AWF
through their preferred communications channels.
• Establish consistent, innovative, and creative messaging and branding across all communications
channels.
• Implement strategic support for online communications with regard to planning, segmentation,
copywriting, art development, email execution, and social media engagement strategies.
• Utilize a combination of tried-and-true best practices, the latest technology, and forward-thinking
ideas and innovations to enhance AWF’s overall approach to advocacy and awareness development across Africa.
• Develop sustainable and scalable growth models, both short-term and long-term, to ensure the
Department realizes real-time outcomes while maintaining a focus on aggressive future goals.
Budget
Please provide technical and financial cost proposals to accomplish the scope outlined above based on a 5-year contract term. The budget must encompass all strategy counsel and agency fees, printing and production, copywriting, design, media buying and planning, event management fees, promotional materials, and third-party fees as necessary.
The bidder is expected to submit a proposed schedule of payments per the project milestones agreed upon and must provide itemized detail of charges in each deliverable completed.
Qualifications
In order for AWF to gain understanding of your agency’s expertise and strengths, please provide insight into your operations and perspectives as they relate to marketing, communications, advertising, and supporter/membership strategy development. If there is any additional information you would like to include for consideration, please be sure to do so.
Agency Overview
• Please provide a company profile, length of time in business, and core competencies. • Briefly describe the roles, responsibilities, and background of key employees that would be
associated with the AWF account.
• Describe your experience in serving as marketing and communications strategic counsel for other
clients producing innovative results-driven international campaigns.
Campaign Strategy
• Describe the services you offer around the development and support of a multi-channel campaign
planning and execution.
• Share a minimum of 3 examples of successful case studies involving a multi-channel campaign. • Outline what methods you use to audit current programs and to develop change
recommendations.
Expertise and Methodology
• Please outline your approach to the discovery, development, and execution process. • Explain your approach to project management and communication with clients. • Describe your approach to ongoing growth and management support.
• Define how you measure program success and what tools you use for such reporting.
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will form the basis upon which AWF will evaluate proposals. Your proposal must include the following:
• Suitability of Proposal – The proposed solution meets the needs and criteria set forth in the RFP. • Agency Experience – The agency has successfully managed similar programs and has the
qualifications and capacity necessary to undertake this account.
• Creative Ability – Prior work and proposed concept creative demonstrates artistic and innovative
• Staff Expertise and Capabilities – The agency will have the appropriate staff, knowledge, and
capacity to manage our current program and provide ongoing counsel to improve AWF’s campaign efforts in a broad array of omni-channel marketing efforts.
• Pricing – The price is commensurate with the services offered by the proposer and is market
competitive.
• Prior Work – Comparable campaign samples completed by the agency demonstrate fundraising
