Consultancy -Customizing the Design of a Manual into Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, and Somali

Background

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) comprises over 175 civil society organizations operating across all regional states and the two city administrations. CECOE was established in 2019 to augment and coordinate the roles of Ethiopian CSOs in election observation, monitoring, voter education, and the prevention of post-electoral conflicts. CECOE has a proven track record of success, having observed the 6th General Election of Ethiopia, the Sidama referendum, the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region referendum, the South Ethiopia referendum, and the referendum rerun in Wolaita Zone. CECOE has also been engaged in various advocacy activities, including advocating for electoral reforms, peacebuilding, and enhancing the participation of women in Ethiopian politics.

CECOE is currently implementing a project titled “Civic Education for Better Civic Engagement and Political Participation in Ethiopia.” This project is funded by the German Government and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the “Support to Good Governance (S2GG) in Ethiopia” as part of the project has developed a comprehensive manual has been developed that has already been translated into five languages: Amharic, English, Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, and Somali. The Amharic and English versions have been professionally designed and formatted, maintaining consistent layout, visuals, and branding standards.

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to adapt the existing manual design and layout (developed in Amharic and English) into Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, and Somali, ensuring that each version mirrors the original format, style, and visual identity.

Scope of Work

The selected company will be responsible for:

1. Design Adaptation
   • Use the existing InDesign or editable design files of the manual.
   • Insert the provided translated text (Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, Somali) into the design template.
   • Maintain all visual elements, graphics, fonts, and styles consistent with the Amharic and English versions.
2. Formatting and Layout Adjustment
   • Ensure proper alignment, spacing, and readability of each language text.
   • Adjust font types and sizes where necessary to ensure compatibility with each script (e.g., Ethiopic and Latin).
   • Ensure page numbering, tables, and captions are correctly formatted.
3. Quality Assurance
   • Review and cross-check for any layout errors, missing text, or misaligned elements.
   • Conduct a visual proof with the organization’s team before finalizing.
4. Output and File Management
   • Produce both print-ready and web-optimized versions.
   • Submit editable source files (InDesign or equivalent) and final PDFs.

Deliverables and Timeline

Deliverable	Description	Timeline
Inception meeting & sample layout	Initial discussion and sample layout for one language	Within 5 days of signing the contract
Draft design layouts	First drafts of all 4 languages	Within 15 working days
Incorporation of feedback	Adjustments after review by CECOE	Within 5 working days
Final deliverables	Print-ready and editable versions for all 4 languages	Within 25 working days total

 

Deliverables

The design company will be required to submit the following items. All deliverables must be provided for each of the four languages specified (Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, and Somali), ensuring consistency with the original Amharic and English versions.

Drafts for Review

• Complete Digital Drafts: A full, PDF version of the manual for all four languages (Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Afar, and Somali). This draft is for the CECOE team to conduct the “visual proof” mentioned in the Scope of Work.

Final Production-Ready Files

Print-Ready PDFs (4 files): High-resolution, press-quality PDF files (one for each language). These files must be:

• Exported in CMYK color mode.
• Include necessary bleed and crop marks for professional printing.
• Have all fonts and high-resolution graphics embedded.

Print-Ready PDFs (4 files): High-resolution, press-quality PDF files (one for each language). These files must be:

• Exported in CMYK color mode.
• Include necessary bleed and crop marks for professional printing.
• Have all fonts and high-resolution graphics embedded.

Editable Source Files

The designer must provide all native, editable working files used to create the manuals. This package is crucial for [Name of Organization] to make future updates.

• Packaged InDesign Files (4 folders): A complete, packaged Adobe InDesign (or equivalent) project folder for each of the four languages.
• Each package must include:
• The editable design file (.INDD).
• An InDesign Markup (Interchange) file (.IDML) for backward compatibility with older software versions.
• A “Links” folder containing all placed graphics, images, and visual elements.
• A “Document Fonts” folder containing all specific font files used in the layout

Qualification Requirements

The design company should have:

• Proven experience in graphic design and publication layout.
  Experience working on multilingual publications (preferably in Ethiopian languages).
• Proficiency in Adobe InDesign or equivalent design software.
• Ability to meet deadlines and produce high-quality outputs.
• A portfolio of previous, similar work.

Supervision and Reporting

• The company will report to CECOE and work closely with CECOE’s communications team.

Duration of Assignment

• The total duration of the assignment is 25 working days from the contract signing date.

Payment Terms

Milestone	Payment Percentage
Upon submission and approval of sample layout	30%
Upon submission of draft designs for all four languages	40%
Upon submission and approval of final deliverables	30%