Institutional Contract

Transcription

1 Florence, 2 Dec 2014 UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti Institutional Contract Producing digital multi-media (video, photo and text) documentation of innovative cash transfer social protection programmes in Ghana Background: December 2014 to July 2015 A key goal of the UNICEF Office of Research (OoR) communication section is to produce visual multimedia content documenting research and evaluation partnerships with UNICEF country offices in the field. The aim of this work is to help a broad audience better visualize and understand the current and potential impact on children of OoR s main strategic research priorities in the context of country level programme implementation. To achieve this there is no better major strategic research initiative than our cash transfer impact evaluation work (Transfer Project) being conducted by the social and economic policy (SEP) section. OoR s cash transfer research focuses on using the most rigorous impact evaluation strategies to establish concrete evidence of impact. It endeavors to use randomized control trials to establish this evidence wherever possible. The Transfer Project is an innovative research and learning initiative which supports improved knowledge and practice on social transfers in Africa in several key areas: Support to national longitudinal quantitative and qualitative impact evaluation in the region to help us understand not only what impacts cash transfers are achieving, but also how and why. Cross-regional analysis to draw thematic and operational lessons based on the diversity of social transfer programmes in the region. Creating mechanisms for regional learning & exchange among regional policy makers, implementers, researchers and civil society through workshops, web resources, public data availability, and publications. The Government of Ghana has been implementing and studying cash transfer social protection programmes for its poorest and most vulnerable families since The UNICEF Ghana social policy section has been playing a central supporting role in this effort. While Social Protection in Ghana has the potential to significantly impact incomes, equity, and access to social services for the extreme poor and vulnerable, the lack of rigorous research and studies on social protection may hinder achieving its potential. Developing a social protection system needs to be driven by up-to-date evidence-based research as well as comparative research that can support actions and strategies in the realm of legal frameworks, policy processes, coordination and system approach, to shape the present and future models for social protection for Ghana. UNICEF Ghana country office (GCO) and the Office of Research - Innocenti (OoR) have embarked on an innovative collaboration to capitalize on a new unconventional social cash transfer programme, LEAP expected to be rolled out in Ghana in 2015, with the research expertise of the OoR to undertake and manage an Impact Evaluation (IE) and provide targeted research on social protection and child poverty (e.g. nutrition, child protection) that will inform UNICEF country programming and policy dialogue with the Government of Ghana (GoG). OoR currently has a wealth of experience in designing and implementing IEs, all of which are UNICEF supported programmes. Beyond the depth in quantitative research, the OoR also has a strong Child 1 The Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) Program is a social cash transfer program which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households across Ghana to alleviate short-term poverty and encourage long term human capital development. 1

2 Protection Unit with three full-time research staff that can be brought in at strategic moments to inform research topics and provide comment on outputs. OoR is also in a position to provide tailored research specific to the needs of UNICEF-Ghana since such research is already within the mandate of OoR and it is expected that evidence generated from this project can inform UNICEF programming and policy dialogue more generally. This is in fact one of the main reasons the UNICEF-Ghana proposal is of interest to OoR, because it allows the possibility of both providing technical support to the country office while also addressing research topics that are of interest globally. Between 2015 and 2018 GCO and OoR will collaborate on an innovative and rigorous programme of evaluation of the new LEAP1000 expansion of Ghana s cash transfer programme to pregnant women and infants in very poor households. Impact evaluation strategies, in-depth documentation and knowledge sharing activities will be deeply woven into the fabric of the roll out of the LEAP1000 project. This represents an unusual opportunity to visually record the unfoldment of both the social protection intervention for pregnant and lactating women and the in-depth impact evaluation strategies being deployed. A key component of the collaboration is to use LEAP 1000 as a learning tool to understand the determinants of child health and nutrition in Ghana, and the role of combination interventions such as cash, health insurance and other public health interventions in reducing stunting. Results from this research agenda will inform programme and policy design in Ghana and also contribute to a wider Pan- African knowledge gap on the role of cash+ in addressing child malnutrition. A key concern with the rapid adoption and scale-up of cash transfer programs in sub-saharan Africa is that they are not embedded within a coherent social protection framework that addresses the range of vulnerabilities existing within a country, especially for children. Scope of work Under the supervision of the OoR (Communication section) several innovative communication and learning products on the LEAP 1000 project and evaluation will be developed. Over the course of three multi-media documentation missions to Ghana (Jan/Feb 2015; June/July 2015; Nov/Dec 2015) the contractor will produce a series of three short (4-6 minute) video documentaries, 100 still images and 2-3 text human interest stories which revolve around 2-3 selected households involved in the LEAP1000 project. The successive missions will document implementation and evaluation efforts carried out in the first year of a three year social protection programme. Funds permitting the documentation may be carried on in the second year (2016). The contractor is expected to produce content that can be used separately, installment-by-installment, as well as in a combined retrospective fashion at the end of the project. Depending on funding, the video, photo and text content may form the basis of an interactive digital portal which will complement broader knowledge sharing, capacity building, programme replication and policy uptake in other countries of the region. Details of Production Tentative dates Mission One (Jan/Feb 2015; 5 7 days): This is when the first phase of the programme/evaluation roll out gets underway. The activities revolve around extensive field based work to identify and recruit households with pregnant women and infants in poor rural communities. During the recruitment phase households contacted cannot be informed whether or not they will be included in the project. The focus of the documentation is on innovative strategies for community based outreach. The emphasis of the laying down a solid foundation for rolling out the cash transfer intervention combined with its in-built impact measurement strategies. Interviews and narratives will revolve around the complexities and challenges of embedding scientific evidence gathering methods in programme implementation. Village community conditions and context will form an important component of the media work in this mission. This is when the story of prevailing conditions prior to intervention in the targeted communities, the visual baseline. 2

3 Mission Two (June/July 2015; 4 6 days): Several months into the project pregnant women with infants who have now been selected will become the focus of the documentation. The storyline is to record how the cash transfer intervention is affecting a group of 2-3 households that will be visited repeatedly over the course of the project. Interviews and narratives will revolve around the mothers and caregivers participating in the cash transfer project, the frontline social protection personnel administering the project, the evaluation team-members. Mission Three (Nov/Dec 2015; 4 6 days): After another intervening period of project implementation the third mission will go back to the selected families/households in the LEAP1000 project and document changes taking place. This mission will record a more advanced look at how the cash transfer intervention is affecting the selected households that have been receiving social protection interventions. Interviews and narratives will revolve around the mothers and caregivers participating in the cash transfer project, the frontline social protection personnel administering the project, the evaluation team-members. The outputs of this contract are intended to function in two ways: 1. The videos, images and stories can be posted on various digital formats and websites (OoR, GCO, UNICEF HQ, other LEAP1000 stakeholders) following each media documentation mission. The outputs will build understanding of the project and disseminate real time learning as it rolls out. 2. When completed the various media outputs will be posted on a digital platform collectively to provide a varied, interactive presentation of the first year of the project. Specific actions to be completed to achieve the objectives: The selected consultant company must provide the following for each of the three missions: Equipment: Digital HD video, digital audio and hi-resolution still image recording gear (Canon C100, Sony NX5, Panasonic GH4, Canon 5D or similar); professional audio recording equipment for manual microphone level monitoring; tripod and camera support equipment; lighting kit and portable power supply. Video Production: Complete raw HD footage (1920x fps or better) for all interviews and other images in an external drive in digital high definition format. All file structures need to be in one place in the external drive segmented by day/subject of shooting. Raw Footage Logging, Transcription and Translation: Provide a detailed time coded transcription of all interview and sound narrative material, together with parallel translation in English of all material in the local language. Editing: Fully exported HD versions in DVD and digital file, as well as MP4 versions of the three outputs for online use. Transcribing and Subtitling: Transcribe and subtitle the draft/final video(s) when the audio is not in English. Opening title and credits: A simple opening UNICEF branded title/sequence will be added for each video and simple, abbreviated credit roll at the end. Still Images: Edited, color corrected hi-resolution images with full captions and precise description, names and locations. Human Interest Stories: Engaging, high quality human interest stories in English, documenting various key players in the project: pregnant and lactating mothers in the programme, husbands/partners, local government social protection workers, UNICEF social policy staff, Government of Ghana partners, research and evaluation coordinators, etc. 3

4 The final deliverables are: a) Mission One (Mobile targeting units): a. 1 x 5-7 minute video w/ English sub-titles (where needed); b. 50 hi-res still photographs; c. 1 x 1000 word feature story; b) Mission Two (Baseline): a. 2-3 x 3-4 minute videos on selected pregnant and lactating mothers; b. 100 hi-res images in the 2-3 selected households with detailed captions; c. 2-3 x 500 word human interest stories of selected households, service providers or c) Mission Three (Follow-up): a. 2-3 x 3-4 minute videos on selected pregnant and lactating mothers; b. 100 hi-res images in the 2-3 selected households with detailed captions; c. 2-3 x 500 word human interest stories of selected households, service providers or This contract will not involve building the digital platform/website to host the content. Travel: The cost of travel and per diem should be added to the final quote/proposal and organized by the consultant/company. Constant discussions will be held between the consultant and the Office of Research s Communication Unit. OoR will sign-off on all ideas, concepts and data before production commences. Specific outputs/products/results with specific delivery dates: Date Product/Deliverable 30 April x 5-7 minute video w/ English sub-titles (where needed); 50 hi-res still photographs; 1 x 1000 word feature story; 15 Oct x 3-4 minute videos on selected pregnant and lactating mothers; 100 hi-res images in the 2-3 selected households with detailed captions; 2-3 x 500 word human interest stories of selected households, service providers or 31 Dec x 3-4 minute videos on selected pregnant and lactating mothers; 100 hi-res images in the 2-3 selected households with detailed captions; 2-3 x 500 word human interest stories of selected households, service providers or Qualifications and/or specialized knowledge/experience required and desirable for undertaking the assignment: Requirements: - At least 5 years experience in producing digital multi-media (video, photo, text) content for international clients including in the non-profit sector; - At least 5 years experience in producing digital multi-media content in foreign languages; - Familiarity with latest techniques in digital media image and sound editing, mixing, correcting; - Previous collaboration producing digital media content for UNICEF is an asset 4

5 Duration of the consultancy: 22 December December 2015 Supervision and work arrangements: The supervisors of the contract are Dale Rutstein and Ricardo Pires, UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti. Deliverables will be assessed in close consultation with UNICEF Ghana s Social Protection Technical Assistance Unit. OoR and GCO will have the rights to use freely the products delivered in official website or other media and advocacy campaigns Special Comments and Notes: Bidders are welcome to contribute some or all of the video production costs for this project on a pro-bono basis and receive special recognition in line with the value of the pro bono contribution. 5