Terms of Reference: Project Visibility

Stories of Change

1.       Background and Context:

The Market and Employment Project (MEP) is a 5-year project (2017-2021) which aims to sustain the income-generating and livelihood opportunities that have been created in a context sensitive manner, leading to jobs, income and more resilient communities’. The Project is being implemented in the three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa i.e. Charsadda and two newly merged districts Bajaur and Mohmand. It has following three outcomes

-          Outcome 1: Women and men from vulnerable groups (youth, women heading households, disabled, conflict affected, displaced persons and host communities) enter into gainful employment

-          Outcome 2: Entrepreneurs / SMEs are strengthened to use business opportunities for job creation and income generation

-          Outcome 3: The market environment is conducive to inclusive business growth

The activities under these outcomes have gained full support and positive responses from all key stakeholders at provincial, district and community level. As part of the knowledge management platform, project has planned to produce story booklet depicting change in the lives of programme beneficiaries. Based on the evidences collected during internal mid term review, effect studies, field visits, case studies, significant changes are observed in the lives of the programme beneficiaries in the sectors of skills and value chain. The communities were also facilitated to benefit from the Government Institutions and public and private partnerships by applying different approaches and strategies which have brought systemic changes. These IEC materials will be developed and shared with a large number of audiences (donors, communities, programme beneficiaries, public and private partners, and alike projects). MEP is planning to produce and publish story booklet of 30 programme beneficiries in a period of two months.

2.       Purpose:

This assignment aims to document MEP success stories in print as told by the programme beneficiaries on skills and value chain. The outputs from this story booklet shall highlight the achievements during the five years of operation. These will be shared with various target groups that include stakeholders – communities, donors and potential donors to showcase impact of the project implementation in three districts (Bajaur, Mohmand and Charsadda) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

As mentioned above, the Project is moving towards its completion (2017-2021) of implementation and in its 5th year (2021), plans to assess the impact of its intervention on the lives of its programme beneficiaries through various IEC materials. It mainly focuses on the changes brought in the lives of programme beneficiaries by the skills and value chain sectors. The project wants to see reflections of impact and outcome level indicators through recording the changes in life of beneficiaries through enhancing employment opportunities, contributing in peacebuilding, reduced illegal migration or changing perspective of migration, minimizing societal divides and grievances towards system.

3.       Scope of the Work:

MEP is seeking the services of consultant(s) firm to document the projects achievements through stories in print to showcase the project interventions contributing towards its impact and outcomes. MEP is looking forward to contract the services of a story writer into a final high quality printed communication material which amplify the key messages to the relevant audiences.

The stories will cover the various interventions / activities under the outcomes (such as skills training, capacity building of TVET institutes, employability, digitalization, value chain activities, expanding businesses of entrepreneurs /SMEs), public-private partnerships and capacity building of stakeholders, social inclusion (PwDs and gender participation). Documentation of the achievements should be told by the programme beneficiaries whose lives are impacted by the project interventions. The outputs from these success stories shall highlight the achievements of MEP.

4.       Objectives:

The general objective of this assignment is to prepare a story booklet of about 30 stories of change representing the changes brought in the lives of programme beneficiaries through different interventions undertaken by the sectors of skills and value chains. These changes have contributed in enhancing employment opportunities, peacebuilding, reduced irregular migration, minimizing societal divides and grievances towards system. The story booklet will be action or persuasive messages for the community to raise public awareness about different ways to generate income. The specific objectives are;

-          Document stories of change of selected programme beneficiaries focusing on the most significant changes that has impacted their lives.

-          Story booklet will be used to market the project and feed into future programme evaluation efforts.

-          To provide a ready source of materials for knowledge management, accountability, resource mobilization and up-scaling of proven interventions.

Key tasks:

-          Document 22 new stories and revise 8 previously documented stories of change (in English) with relevant pictures to showcase the impact of project interventions on the lives of programme beneficiaries. These include youth, women, men, people with disabilities (PwDs), conflict affected from the defined vulnerable groups. It will be in the form of a story booklet. These representative of 30 stories of change will have reflections of the impact and outcome indicators along with important elements of the result framework. (Themes mentioned in Annex-1).

-          The consultant will submit a clear methodology, time frame and final checklist according to the themes mentioned in Annex 1. Detail steps are: 

• The consultant should develop her/his detailed methodology to complete the task effectively and efficiently in reference to the given themes.
• Literature review: Review of relevant programme documents (pro-doc, annual reports, annual analytical reports, available case studies, and learning agenda) to get a clear picture of the project interventions.
• Consultation meeting with relevant project staff on discussion of the themes and discussion on the list of beneficiaries to be interviewed.
• The draft stories will be shared with a committee of peer reviewers (comprised of Skills and Value Chain Coordinators, Team Leader, Technical Advisor, Manager-MEAL) who will provide feedback for finalization.
• Submit revised version to MEP.
• Feedback collection and refinement of stories of change along with photos.
• Submit final version of success stories (English) along with high quality photos of the beneficiaries.

Key Deliverables:

The consultant(s) selected to undertake this project would be expected to deliver the following;

-          Story booklet of 30 stories of change with relevant pictures

• Develop 22 new stories of change
• Revise 8 stories of change (previously documented)

Required Qualifications and Experience of the Consultant Firm

The consultant firm will be required to have the following:

-          Having worked for projects of similar caliber in international organizations and/or government institutions is required

-          Excellent skills in writing stories (in English) (creative and innovative)

-          Knowledge of press / print process is required

-          A portfolio displaying minimum three (3) years of experience in similar design jobs is required

-          Can speak Pashto

-          Have women staff to interact with women beneficiaries (who can speak Pashto)

-          Can provide similar tasks done before

Duration of the Assignment:

The assignment is expected to take 30 working days from the date of signing of the contract. 

Contractual arrangements and supervision:

The service will be hired under MEP terms of contract and supervised by the Team Leader and MEAL-Manager, for the purpose of delivering the above outputs, within the agreed time frame. MEP as the client shall provide necessary support to the service provider in order to execute the assignment during the consultancy. These shall include:

-          Access to relevant project documents necessary for execution of the duties under this consultancy

-          Contact details of relevant people to be interviewed

-          Providing previous documented stories

-          In finalizing the stories, photos and visual representation of the story booklet.

Mode of payment:

Payment will be made in three installments through cross cheques. 20% payment will be made in advance after signing the contract, 60% in mid of the assignment and remaining 20% will be made after successful delivery of the final Videos. Payment will be made after deduction of applicable tax as per rules and regulations of Government of Pakistan.

Equipment for the Assignment:

No equipment will be purchased or provided by MEP. Any equipment needed to complete this assignment will be provided by the consultant firm. MEP will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the equipment.

Logistics:

MEP will support the Consultant and his/her team (if any) in the field. The Consultant will have their own equipment that will be used during the assignment. The boarding and lodging will be provided on actual basis out of Peshawar (Bajaur and Mohmand).

Intellectual Property:

All information pertaining to this project (stories, photos etc.) belonging to the client, under this consultancy shall remain the property of Market and Employment Project who shall have exclusive rights over their use. Except for purposes of this assignment, the information shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever form without written permission of MEP.

MEP would request interested professionals / institutions / firms to

(i)                  submit a letter of interest (1 page)

(ii)                a brief technical proposal (maximum of 3 pages focusing on objectives, methods and approach and financial proposal), along with profile of individual / firm with a list of previous clients.

(iii)               Submission of similar projects.

Proposal should reach on following address 15^th October 2021. All proposals must be submitted at  filpositions@gmail.com    

Note:

-          Ownership copy rights - Copy of all interview recordings and /or transcripts will be handed over to the Project

-          Original copies of signed consent forms filled out by selected beneficiary for being filmed.

-          MEP WILL NOT PROVIDE EQUIPMENT for this assignment.