1. Background

Since its establishment in 2009, Together for Life Association has been engaged in identifying and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups in Albania, including women, youth, elderly, patients, families facing socio-economic issues, etc about their rights based on the Albanian legislation, as well as advocating and raising awareness among responsible institutions and relevant professionals to guarantee the protection of these rights.

Since September 2023, Together for Life has been implementing the project Local Engagement for Local Solutions to Promote Community Participation in Vau i Dejes”, with the financial support of the Small Grants Program of the Commission for Democracy of the US Embassy in Tirana. The overall objective of the project is to increase the communication between Vau i Dejes Municipality Council and community members, to back community needs requests for good governance. This will be achieved through various initiatives and communication channels that encourage active participation, information sharing, and open dialogue between the local government and the community.

The project will begin with a comprehensive needs assessment to identify the community’s key priorities and challenges in terms of good governance. By understanding these specific needs, the project aims to design targeted strategies that address the most pressing concerns of the residents. To facilitate community engagement and participation in Vau i Dejes decision-making processes, the project will organize regular municipality council meetings, public forums, and other community engagements. These platforms will offer opportunities for community members to voice their opinions, share insights, and actively contribute to the decision-making process.

Moreover, the project aims to introduce local initiatives to the government’s working agenda, providing a dedicated platform for these initiatives to be heard and considered during decision-making processes.

Two experts, one specialized in media and the other in advocacy, will be engaged in development of an advocacy and awareness campaign to promote transparency and accountability in the municipality council’s decision-making processes, and to effectively convey the project’s outcomes and engage the broader community, using various media channels and producing engaging materials. The Advocacy Expert’s engagement will play a crucial role for the development of the advocacy and awareness campaign, by promoting transparency and accountability through effective communication of the project’s outcomes. The campaign will aim at engaging the broader community and foster active participation in good-governance and decision-making. During the development of the campaign, compelling materials will be distributed through various channels, such as Together for Life’s website and social media networks, Vau i Dejes Municipality’s website and social media networks, local media and Mail chimp. 10 thousand citizens in total, are foreseen to be reached through this media campaign.

  1. Description of the assignment

TFL is seeking for an Advocacy expert for the awareness campaign in Vau i Dejes, who in overall terms (in cooperation of the Media Expert) will be responsible for the development of an advocacy and awareness campaign to promote transparency and accountability in the municipality council’s decision-making processes, and to effectively convey the project’s outcomes and engage the broader community, using various media channels to disseminate engaging materials.

More details on the assignment:

  • Develop an advocacy and awareness campaign to promote transparency and accountability in the decision-making processes of Vau i Dejes Municipality Council.
  • In cooperation with the Media Expert, create engaging materials and content for various media channels to effectively convey project outcomes and engage the broader community.
  • Collaborate with the Media Expert, understand key messages, findings, and suggestions related to transparency and accountability in the municipality council’s decision-making processes.
  • Create engaging and informative content, including one compelling video and nine informative infographics, presenting the findings and suggestions gathered from the municipality council’s meetings, public forums, and other community engagements.
  • Prepare qualitative reports and materials focused on good governance, the role of local communities, and their participation in decision-making processes.
  • Enhance transparency and inclusiveness by fostering an active role for the local community in governance processes.
  • The produced materials will serve to inform and educate the community to enhance their understanding of the importance of transparency and accountability in governance.
  • In cooperation with the Media Expert, ensure that the materials are accessible on Together for Life’s website, Vau i Dejes Municipality’s website, and social media networks, and that local media outlets and Mail chimp platform are properly utilized, aligning with the goal to reach a minimum of 10 thousand citizens.
  1. Qualifications and Expertise:
  • Proven experience in developing and implementing awareness campaigns.
  • Preferred to have a familiarity with issues related to transparency, accountability, and local governance.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
  1. Roles and responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the contracted expert are:

  • Collaborate with the Media Expert to develop a comprehensive advocacy and awareness campaign strategy.
  • Develop a strategy for creating compelling and informative materials, including a video and nine informative infographics, presenting findings and suggestions gathered from municipality council meetings, public forums, and other community engagements, and also key finding from the project’s outcomes.
  • Meet the agreed deadlines and expected quality standards, based on the above-mentioned assignments.
  • Close collaboration with the Media Expert and staff engaged in the project from the contracting authority.

Key responsibilities of the contracting authority are:

  • Provide necessary support to the contracted expert.
  • Inform the contracted expert duly on any potential changes and deviations from the initial plan.
  • Hold the contracted expert accountable to the agreed terms.
  1. Duration

The expected service will include 8 working days and begins on the day the contract is signed, but always no later than January 19, 2024 and will last until August 31, 2024.

  1. Required documentation

The applicants must submit the following documents:

✓ CV

✓ Financial Proposal (Financial offer template_Advocacy expert, US Embassy)

The detailed financial proposal includes the total financial expected implications to carry out the required assignment, in Dollars ($).

  1. How to apply?

All the required documents listed above, should be delivered in English or Albanian language at the postal address:

Together for Life

Rruga Brigada VIII, Pallati Jeshil, Tekno-Projekt, Ap,14, Tirana, Albania

  1. Deadline for submission of the applications

The deadline for submitting the applications is January 15, 2024.

  1. Evaluation of applicants

The applicants will be evaluated based on conformity with the requirements of this Terms of reference. A technical and financial evaluation will be performed by the evaluation committee on the technical and financial admissibility of the applicants.

  1. Notification of award

The contracting authority will inform the winner applicant individually, on the award decision.