Social and Behavior Change (SBC) communication and strategic media engagement _@Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center for Communication Programs, Ethiopia

Expected Duration: Four Months

Target Coverage: Amhara, Oromia, Central Ethiopia, and Southwest Ethiopia Operational Clusters

1.         Project Background and Objective

The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP), in partnership with the Youth Network for Sustainable Development (YNSD), implements the Community Service as a Pathway to Work (CSPW) program. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation under its Young Africa Works strategy, CSPW engages unemployed and vulnerable youth, targeting 70% young women and 10% disadvantaged groups, in structured community service, soft skills training, and pathways into dignified and fulfilling work (enterprise formation and wage employment).

Social and Behavior Change (SBC) communication and strategic media engagement serve as foundational pillars under CSPW. Through mass and community media, the program transforms community mindsets regarding youth capabilities, elevates the social perception of volunteerism, and promotes equitable economic participation.

To operationalize this strategy across regional media channels, CCP is soliciting proposals from legally registered, established Media Production, Communications, and Creative Agencies (hereafter referred to as the “Firm”). The Firm will provide technical execution across broadcast documentary video production, hands-on field mentoring/coaching for trained community radio producers, and nationwide broadcast tracking and verification.

2.         Scope of Work (SOW)

The contracted Firm will be responsible for three core operational workstreams:

Workstream 1: Direct Video Success Story Production (Firm-Led)

The Firm will manage the end-to-end creative conceptualization, field scripting, filming, and post-production of ten broadcast-standard video success stories (3–5 minutes each).

Content Focus: Documenting compelling youth transformation journeys, civic impact, and sustainable micro-enterprise growth reflecting the four markers of dignified work: Reliable Income, Sense of Purpose, Reputation, and Respect.

Geographic Distribution: Filming missions distributed across CSPW operational clusters: Amhara, Oromia, Central Ethiopia, and Southwest Ethiopia.

Technical Standards: Full HD broadcast quality (1080p, 50/60fps, broadcast color grading, sound design, and audio mastering) delivered with English subtitles as well as relevant regional language subtitles (Amharic, Afaan Oromoo).

 Workstream 2: On-the-Job Mentoring & Co-Production of Radio Programs & PSAs (Community Radio-Led)

CCP program staff will independently conduct an initial formal classroom training for community radio producers. The Firm is responsible for on-the-job technical accompaniment, mentoring, and quality control during the actual production cycle:

Collaborative Format Determination: Coordinate with community radio station leadership and trained producers to determine contextually appropriate program formats (e.g., magazine shows, interactive listener talk shows, docudramas) tailored to local listening habits.

·    Implement a Hybrid Mentoring Modality:

Phase 1 (Field Accompaniment & Scripting): Deploy senior audio producers/mentors on-site to regional community radio stations to review concept notes, refine radio scripts, and shadow producers during field interviews and audio capture.

Phase 2 (Task Delegation & Remote Review): Guide community producers as they construct rough cuts and edits, providing structured editorial feedback.

Phase 3 (Supervisory Post-Production & Mixing): Conduct follow-up visits or dedicated supervisory sessions to assist community producers in multi-track mixing, equalization, and audio mastering, ensuring broadcast audio quality.

Production Volume: Support the co-production of ten distinct youth-focused radio program episodes and six audio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in Amharic and Afaan Oromoo across target community stations.

Editorial Bridging: Serve as the technical bridge between community radio teams and CCP, reviewing scripts and audio mixes for technical quality and alignment before submitting them to CCP, who retains final editorial review and broadcast sign-off.

Workstream 3: Broadcast Tracking, Airplay Verification & Compliance Auditing

Airtime procurement fees with partner community radio stations will be negotiated and funded directly by CCP. The Firm is responsible for rigorous, objective broadcast monitoring, proof-of-performance verification, and transmission compliance auditing:

Airplay Scheduling & Station Liaison: Coordinate with station program managers to align transmission schedules for all produced PSAs and radio programs.

• Broadcast Verification Packages: For every scheduled broadcast, obtain and verify:
• Signed and officially stamped station broadcast log sheets.
• Formal confirmation letters on station letterhead signed by station managers.
• High-quality digital air-check audio recordings (sample broadcast off-air recordings verifying actual transmission).

Branding & Safeguarding Compliance: Audit broadcasts and field filming for strict adherence to donor visibility guidelines and mandatory written informed consent protocols.

Budget Legend:

Unit: The billing unit (day, week, month, episode, etc)

Number: The number of people

Quantity: The number of units (days, weeks, months, episodes, etc).

Instruction note: Budgets should be inclusive of all costs outlined in the Financial Proposal Requirements listed above.

Required Deliverables & Milestone Schedule

The contract will operate as a four-month, deliverables-based institutional agreement structured across six sequential milestones:

Minimum Organizational & Key Personnel Requirements

Organizational Eligibility

• Legally registered Ethiopian media production firm, communications agency, or creative enterprise holding an active business license, tax identification number (TIN), and VAT registration.
• Minimum of five years of verifiable corporate experience executing broadcast television production, audio/radio development, and development communication
• for international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) or bilateral/multilateral agencies in Ethiopia. Include campaigns and dates in proposal.
• Demonstrated corporate infrastructure, including state-of-the-art camera systems, professional field audio recording equipment, drone/aerial capabilities (with flight permits where required), and in-house multi-track digital audio/video editing suites.

Key Personnel Composition & Qualifications

The bidding Firm must deploy a multi-disciplinary core technical team

Team Leader / Creative Director

Senior Audio Producers / Community Media Mentors

Lead Cinematographer & Senior Video Editor

Broadcast Tracking, Safeguarding & Compliance Officer

Evaluation Criteria

Technical evaluation will focus on the following:

• Organizational experience and proven track record
• Technical approach and implementation methodology
• Key personnel and linguistic competency
• Work Plan, Logistics & Field Deployment Plan
• Technical Equipment & Infrastructure Capacity

Financial Proposal Requirements: Fixed Lump-Sum Model

• The financial proposal must be submitted as an all-inclusive, fixed lump-sum budget in Ethiopian Birr (ETB), broken down by deliverable milestones.
• Mandatory Cost Inclusions (Covered by the Firm):
• All professional fees and remuneration for key personnel, camera operators, sound recordists, assistants, and production crews.
• All production and post-production equipment costs, studio rental, editing suites, software licensing, and hardware depreciation.

All travel-related logistics and operational costs: round-trip vehicle rentals, fuel, driver allowances, commercial flights (where applicable), hotel accommodations, meal allowances, and field per diems for the Firm’s team across all target regions and woredas.

Local administrative and communications expenses required to interface with community radio stations.

Applicable government taxes (VAT, withholding).

• Specific Exclusion (Covered Directly by CCP):

Broadcasting/airtime transmission fees paid directly to community radio stations. The Firm is not required to budget for airtime purchase.

The Financial proposal should include the following documents

A renewed business license

VAT registration

• The business owner name and/or bank signatory and
• The bank name with swift code to be used if award is given.

Financial Evaluation

The company should provide the proposed budget for the activity as per the template below:

Budget Legend:

Unit: The billing unit (day, week, month, episode, etc)

Number: The number of people

Quantity: The number of units (days, weeks, months, episodes, etc).

Instruction note: Budgets should be inclusive of all costs outlined in the Financial Proposal

Requirements listed above.