REQUEST FOR TENDER
Open Tender – Communications Specialist (Pacific Quality Infrastructure Project)
Background
Quality Infrastructure (QI), also called Standards & Conformance, is the system of public and private organisations, policies, the legal and regulatory framework, and practices which are needed to support and enhance the quality, safety, and environmental impact of goods, services, and processes. The main QI components are Standardisation, Metrology, Accreditation and Conformity Assessment (Inspection, Certification and Testing) as well as Quality Promotion.
Forum Island Countries (FIC) have limited access to Quality Infrastructure (QI) institutions and services. This affects the countries’ economic competitiveness, the safety of their goods and services and ultimately the quality of life of their citizens. Limited access to QI compromises the capacity of the productive sector in meeting regulatory and normative requirements and hampers value addition and innovation. The quality of goods and services is low, and companies struggle to access and compete in foreign markets.
QI has been identified as one of the priorities of the Pacific Aid-for-Trade Strategy 2020- 2025 (PAfTS) due to its significance in promoting and sustaining trade development. QI can also play an important role in mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19 and supporting post-COVID recovery, as well as supporting sustainable development and climate change mitigation.
The Pacific Quality Infrastructure Initiative
The PQI Initiative provides a framework to enhance regionalism in the Pacific in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2022. By implementing regional coordination mechanisms for QI, the PQI Initiative establishes a framework for regional cooperation in line with international best practice, which addresses the quality related requirements of countries in the Pacific. PIFS has been implementing the PQI Initiative since end of 2020, with the aim of strengthening QI institutions and services, increasing accessibility to stakeholders in the region and improving the trade competitiveness of local companies. The PQI Initiative is currently funded by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), the European Union through the Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade (SPIRIT) Project, DFAT Australia, BMZ Germany, and Japan.
To promote the profile of the PQI Initiative, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is looking for a communication consultant to prepare an overarching communications plan to promote the PQI Initiative.
Purpose
The purpose of this open tender is to recruit an experienced part-time communications consultant for a period of eight (8) months to promote the profile of the Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Initiative, to help mobilise further resources and ensure the sustainability of the workstream.
Scope of Work
The scope of the project comprises of promoting the profile and the achievements of the Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Project and to help mobilise further resources to ensure the sustainability of the workstream. It geographically covers eighteen countries in the Pacific Islands Forum – Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu as well as Timor Leste. The target group comprises stakeholders and beneficiaries of the PQI Initiative including government officials, QI organisations, the private sector, academia, and civil society, as well as development and implementation partners.
Mode of Work
The Communications Specialist role is a part-time position, operating remotely.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) document can be downloaded from www.tenders.net/forumsec.
Academic Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields required such as journalism (advanced degree preferred).
• At least (5) years of experience working with international donors in reporting and external communication.
• Excellent communication skills and editing experience.
• Basic IT skills, i.e., editing PQI meeting recordings.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously and strong time management ability.
• Pacific experience highly desirable.
HOW TO APPLY
Submissions should be entitled:
REQUEST FOR TENDER
Open Tender – Communications Specialist (Pacific Quality Infrastructure Project)
Method of Submissions:
Submissions must be forwarded in PDF format following the instructions at www.tenders.net/forumsec
Note: Tenders must be submitted with clear labelling of the technical offer and the financial offer. The Technical Offer documents must be saved and submitted clearly labelled T.17.23 – Response Template
The electronically submitted documents should be converted to the PDF format.
Deadline for Submissions:
Submissions need to reach the Secretariat by 4.30pm, Tuesday 25 April 2023.
Late or incomplete tenders will not be considered.
Questions and Answers
All queries or request for information must be submitted via the Question-and-Answer Forum at www.tenders.net/forumsec . Tenderers may submit questions in writing to the mentioned Question and Answer Forum before the stated “deadline for requesting clarifications” by 4.30pm, MOnday 25 April 2023. The Secretariat has no obligation to provide clarification after this date.
Note: The Secretariat will not be responsible for non-receipt/non-delivery of the Bid documents due to any reason whatsoever.
Any complaints regarding the Secretariat’s tender must be directed to the following email: Tender.Complaints@forumsec.org. This email address will forward your complaint to a person that is independent and removed from the tender process. Complaints must be well founded and should not be used as a mechanism for notifying displeasure with the outcome of a tender award. Further information on making a complaint can be found on the Policies & Information page at http://tenders.forumsec.org.
In the event that further information is required by the Secretariat in relation to the tender for consultancy, the Secretariat reserves the right to seek the required information without the need for calling for resubmission of proposals.
TENDERS.NET – http://www.tenders.net