TERMS OF REFERENCE TO RECRUIT A CONSULTANT FIRM FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THREE VISUAL MESSAGES FOR WHOLEGRAIN CONSUMPTION AWARNESS

INTRODUCTION

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people. At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious and safe food. We work to understand and deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food insecurity faced by poor people. By understanding that there is no “one-size-fits-all” model, we develop alliances and build tailored programs, using a variety of flexible models and approaches. We build alliances between governments, local and global businesses, and civil society to deliver sustainable improvements on scale. We are part of a global network of partners working together to create sustainable solutions to malnutrition. Through alliances, we provide technical, financial and policy support to key participants in the food system. We use specific learning, evidence of impact, and results of projects and programs to shape and influence the actions of others.

GAIN will leverage its established partnerships in Ethiopia—including processors, government ministries, and private-sector actors through the Scale-up Nutrition Business Network and the AGRA consortium including Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) and International Development Enterprises (iDE), Precise consulting , Lersha (Green Ago Solution)  and Farm radio, to  strengthen value-chain linkages between farmers, cooperatives, unions, and processors by scaling wholegrain(teff and wheat) processing as a solution to post-harvest loss and poor diets; the project will strengthen SMEs and cooperative unions (with priority for women,  and youth), build market linkages across farmers, cooperatives, and processors, and promote consumption through demand generation and institutional procurement in schools,

universities, hospitals, bakeries, and cooperatives, while advancing policy advocacy, regulatory capacity, and gender and youth inclusion to ensure sustainable supply and demand for wheat and teff  wholegrain products.

This Termes of reference developed for the development of Develop three visual messages, contextualizing for the three regions for wholegrain demand generation campaigns, to address smallholder farmers, including women and youth.

OBJECTIVE

General Objective

To design and develop three visually compelling informational messages for a consumer awareness campaign in the three target regions, aimed the sustainable consumption of wholegrain teff and wheat with a particular focus on to address smallholder farmers, including women and youth.

Specific Objectives

• To develop high-quality, visually appealing awareness posters that communicate the health and nutritional benefits of consuming wholegrain teff and wheat among smallholder farmers.
• To develop culturally and contextually appropriate awareness materials targeting women and youth in Amhara, Oromia, and Central Ethiopia, incorporating local languages, cultural practices, food preferences, and consumption behaviors.
• To develop engaging, memorable, and culturally relevant taglines and slogans that motivate increased awareness and consumption of wholegrain wheat and teff products.
• To develop clear and actionable calls to action (CTAs) that encourage consumers, particularly smallholder farmers, women, and youth, to increase their awareness, acceptance, and consumption of wholegrain products.
• To conduct consumer testing of the draft awareness posters and materials with representative target groups and incorporate the findings to improve their clarity, attractiveness, cultural appropriateness, and effectiveness in promoting wholegrain consumption.
• To facilitate stakeholder review and validation of the draft awareness materials and incorporate relevant feedback from government institutions, technical partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the accuracy, relevance, and acceptability of the final materials.
• To develop a practical community engagement toolkit for agricultural and health extension workers, including key messages, activity guides, facilitation tips, and practical approaches for promoting wholegrain consumption at the community level.
• To develop a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework with appropriate indicators, data collection tools, and reporting templates to assess the reach, quality, and effectiveness of wholegrain consumption awareness and community engagement activities.

For more and detailed information refer:  >>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n9eX8PoJ4HN7dqzOBuXWaa1UpZxjAjb-/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114900261187250094336&rtpof=true&sd=true

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

The consultant or consulting firm should possess the following qualifications and experience:

1. An advanced university degree (master’s preferred) in relevant fields such as health education and promotion, communication, development studies, agricultural extension, behavioral change communication, human-centered design, graphic and visual communication design, or related disciplines.
2. At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in developing nutrition, food, health, and consumer-focused communication materials, with proven expertise in designing and producing evidence-based Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and Behavior Change Communication (BCC) materials that promote healthy diets and increase the consumption of nutritious foods, preferably within the context of whole grains, food systems, and nutrition-sensitive programming.
3. ability to translate technical nutrition information into simple, appealing, culturally appropriate, and actionable messages in Amharic, Afan Oromo, Silti, Hadiya languages.
4. Experience conducting consumer research, formative research, audience analysis, focus group discussions, interviews, or message testing to inform the design and refinement of nutrition or food promotion materials.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The selection of the translation service providers will be based on the following criteria:

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINE

Interested consulting firms are invited to submit a complete proposal in accordance with the requirements of these Terms of Reference (ToR). The proposal shall consist of two separate components: a Technical Proposal and a Financial Proposal.

 9.1. Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal should clearly demonstrate the consulting firm’s understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, relevant experience, qualifications, and capacity to deliver the required outputs.

The Technical Proposal shall include, at a minimum, the following:

• Company profile and brief introduction of the consulting firm.
• Understanding of the assignment and proposed approach/methodology.
• Relevant experience in similar assignments.
• Proposed work plan and implementation schedule.
• Composition and qualifications of the proposed team, including CVs of key experts.
• Samples/portfolio of previous relevant work. Submission of relevant work samples is mandatory.
• Renewed Trade License.
• VAT Certificate; and
• TIN Certificate.

9.2. Financial Proposal

The Financial Proposal shall be prepared separately from the Technical Proposal and presented in Ethiopian Birr (ETB).

The Financial Proposal should provide a clear and detailed breakdown of all costs associated with the assignment, including professional fees and any other applicable costs.

The consulting firm shall clearly indicate the total proposed cost, including all applicable taxes.