Terms of Reference
for
Audio-Visual Documentary 
on
“Civic Engagement Program in Bangladesh”

  1. Background

ICCO Cooperation is a leading INGO working for securing sustainable livelihoods and justice & dignity for all in Bangladesh since 1972 and also has innovative interventions in more than 42 countries since 1965. In Bangladesh, ICCO is implementing comprehensive development program, disaster management and climate change, food and nutrition security, responsible business, inclusive market and value chain development related projects for the poor and vulnerable community.

Civic Engagement Alliance (CEA) program focuses on lobby and advocacy (L&A) for access to khas land & water bodies, right to adequate food and nutrition, and small producers’ empowerment & inclusive markets. ICCO Cooperation in Bangladesh is implementing the CEA program with the support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) the Netherlands, aiming to contribute to improve inequality and injustice in Bangladesh. The CEA program developed in with the analysis of socio economic and political context, implementing partners’ track record on lobby and advocacy in Bangladesh. The program has developed the theory of change, implementation plan, and lobby and advocacy plan in 2016. The consortium members of CEA program are Wilde Ganzen, Kerk in Actie, Prisma, ICCO Cooperation. The implementing partner in Bangladesh are Nijera Kori, CSA for SUN, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh (TLMIB) and Right to Food Bangladesh. CEA Program has been implementing in Bangladesh in following three pathways:

  • Political Space for CSOs on land: Many civil society organizations are increasingly confronted with less space to speak out or even doing their work. In sometimes very politically sensitive circumstances. Civic Engagement Alliance members strengthen the position of CSOs, CBOs, self-help groups, and farmer organizations.
  • Realizing the right to adequate food and nutrition: Marginalized farmers and groups face difficulties in securing access to sufficient and nutritious food. Alliance supports capacity development of CSO's in lobby and advocacy for the right to adequate food as well as for access to and control over land and natural resources.
  • Small-producers empowerment and inclusive markets: Members of the Civic Engagement Alliance enlarge access to means of production, such as seed, finance and skills training so these people can be more self-sufficient in sustainable farming. The program focuses primarily on smallholder farmers and workers in the agri-food sector as the main beneficiaries. Within this broader group, we focus in particular on inclusion of women, people living with disabilities and (more and more) children and youth.

During the last two years of implementation, CEA worked on various L&A strategies, where the level of inclusiveness of policies and policy implementation and the specific obstacles certain marginalized groups face are central issues. Several researches and initiatives were carried out which shows the gaps and barriers of entitlements availing processes, policy limitation and the role of local and national level GOB agencies.  This will be a large scale initiative of the program intended to sensitize the policy maker towards the marginalized and socially excluded people to have better access to essential service and social safety net program.

  1.   Rationale of Work

This assignment will create a space for citizens, development practitioners, private sector and relevant Government counterparts to reflect on issues related to poverty eradication, addressing gender discrimination and marginalization and its effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 7th five year plan and Delta Plan 2100 of Bangladesh Government.

Documentary focus on:

  • CEA creating space for dialogue among CSOs, public and private sector for policy influencing: CEA involve with national civil society leaders, entrepreneurs, media personnel, economists, and relevant influential actors, along with policy-makers for pro-poor development in Bangladesh. Strengthening and supporting national CSOs network formation (especially FBOs, organizations representing marginalized groups, women’s organizations, disabled people’s organizations) in a bottom-up manner, the creation and strengthening of multi-stakeholder dialogue spaces. This documentary also contributes to the legitimacy of our L&A, ensuring that our L&A objectives reflect the realities, the interests, and the needs of the beneficiaries and constituencies of our partner CSOs and Consortium members.
  • CSOs supporting each other to increase impact at more structural levels: CEA has strong representation on the ground ensures that CSOs L&A experiences of different target groups and reinforced by specific research in the contexts in which it work. Several initiatives were carried out under CEA, which shows the gaps and barriers of entitlements availing processes, policy limitation and the role of local level actors (government, private-sector, and CSOs). Audio-visual documentation will be disseminated to influence the policies and policy makers.
  • Awareness among mass people on L&A issues being undertaken: Being the most popular, easy accessible and visible mode of communication and dissemination of information, the project decides to establish partnership with one electronic media for coverage of the local level initiatives of project beneficiaries for the broad dissemination of project success and project model for replication purpose, influencing policy-making process and proper field level implementation.
  1. Key Messages of the Documentary:
  • CEA is advocating for inclusive policies and contributing to inclusive advocacy processes in a changing and challenging environment. Capacity building is important for marginalized groups, the program supports to strengthen Civil-Society Organizations (CSOs) to be vibrant and critical, through and advocacy (L&A), so that they can claim their rights and set their own priorities in the interests of the beneficiary groups they represent, from the community or beneficiary level to the global level through the work of CSO alliances. At the same time, we believe it is important to convince decision makers to include a diversity of voices and groups in decision making process.
  • L&A interventions and results contributed mainly to SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
  • ICCO Cooperation has strategy to select partners in Bangladesh that work at different levels (from grassroots to (inter)national levels) to ensure legitimacy and create linkages between the different levels of L&A. Local and global actors hence mutually reinforce each other. By using local, ‘on the ground’ experiences, global actors will be able to make a stronger case for the need to address shrinking spaces and create new spaces. Local actors will in turn benefit from improved access to knowledge and information. 
  • CEA developing the capacities of CSOs to claim political and operational spaces within their societies. This is done through i) strengthening the ability of local and national CSOs to undertake L&A to defend the interests of broader constituencies that they represent; ii) strengthening the capacity of beneficiary groups to participate at local and, where possible, national level, through empowerment, and increased voice and agency; and iii) empowering local organizations to mobilize resources locally so that they become less dependent on foreign funding, are stronger positioned in debates that limit the operational space of organizations funded internationally, and to assure a strong anchoring in local society.
  • CEA lobbying targets with regard to the importance of listening to the voices of CSOs. Local and national, governments and institutes are targets of L&A activities. In addition, traditional power structures, especially at the local level, are influential and need to be taken into account. In combination with the elected local government, they have a major say in access to land and market regulation as well as funds for infrastructural works.
  • In general, L&A efforts concentrates on improved CSO legislation (including financial regulations), improved cooperation among multiple actors (government, private sector, and CSOs), and the position of human rights defenders.
  • Markets often function imperfectly, excluding or exploiting small-scale producers and unskilled workers. The Alliance endorses that producer organizations link the interests of production for food security and production for market and income. The Alliance recognizes the importance of including poor and marginal groups in economic development processes and the importance of their empowerment, voice, and agency. For instance female producers play an essential role in the markets and value chains. Strengthening the enabling environment requires influencing policies, rules, and regulations for a good business environment for inclusive value chains and decent working conditions. Moreover, the service environment of value chains has to be developed in a pro-poor way; lobbying and advocacy for skills development is an important issue for the enabling environment by means of linking providers of skills training to private-sector and government actors and by developing policies for (vocational) skills education. Promoting and developing inclusive value chain governance, thus influencing decision-making in value chains, is key to making a sustainable impact. Furthermore, rules and regulations that promote fair and inclusive trade and investment policies are part of the enabling environment.
  • In recent years, the number of malnourished people has increased globally. The causes of malnutrition and undernourishment are not only technical, but are linked to unequal power relations across countries, value chains and gender. Food production and distribution policies are predominantly shaped by economic considerations rather than principles of human rights, equity and wellbeing. The growing tendency to link food and nutrition security with the economic growth agenda, especially in the context of a declining space for CSOs in global and national governance, opens up some troubling issues with regard to achieving the fundamental right to adequate food. The realization of the right to food is only possible if food systems are built around sustainable production, and if land grabbing because of foreign direct investment is prevented. The position of small-scale producers as entrepreneurs is central both for sustainable production as well as the link with markets to ensure income. Women, as producers and consumers as well as caretakers of their families, play an important role in building sustainable food production systems and ensuring food and nutrition security.
  1. Main Activities & Deliverables

The documentary will be (15 minutes max) and a highlights (15 minutes max) with following contents:

  • Prepare production strategy
  • Develop storyline and scripts
  • Prepare a field visit and resource person interview plan
  • shooting at the field level as well dhaka according to the storylines
  • Undertake editing works into a final product (Broadcast quality full HD video, 1920 x1080p, 50FPS)
  • Final products submitted as HD/4K quality in file format(s)
  1. Expected Outcomes:
  • National and international opinions will be built and they will work as pressure group to attend the project objective.
  • Policy planners are more sensitized, supportive and service providers are proactive in providing service as national policy framework.
  • Policy maker are more attentive on identified gap between policy and practice on social safety net and essential services.
  • Policy maker and Govt. service provider are aware on success and good practice of NSA project.
  1. Time Frame

The work will start from 01 April 2019. Individual/production house/ Electronic TV media will complete the work by 30 April 2019.

  1. Selection Criteria

The agency will be selected on the assessment of Technical & Financial proposals. Technical Proposal should highlight:

  • Three (3) and above years of experience working in a similar field;
  • Extensive experience in producing development-related documentaries for national or international organizations with the aim of reaching both local and international audiences;
  • Have national level geographical coverage;
  • Expression of interest outlining how the agency meets the assignment
  • A proposed methodology and work plan with time frame.
  • Understanding of the TOR;
  • Dedicated team members having relevant experience with names and CVs;
  • Organizational profile containing evidence of the work done in this area;

Financial Proposal will include:

  • Financial proposal detailing itemized fees, production/travelling boarding, artist fee, honorarium, etc.
  • Equipment charges as mentioned above
  • Administrative costs including all Taxes applicable
  • Valid tax exemption certificate in case of any exemption.
  1. Payment Mode

All payment will be made through bank Transfer/Account payee cheque and VAT & TAX will be deducted according to Government rules.

I. General

  • Assignment will not be subcontracted sub-contracted to anyone / other party.
  • Confidentiality of all the information will be assured at all times.
  • This assignment is being funded by ICCO Cooperation and therefore it shall be the owner of the assignment output. The individual or agency will have no right of claim to the assignment or its outputs once completed. Any reports/research reports and process documentation produced as a part of this assignment shall be deemed to be the property of ICCO Cooperation and the service provider will not have any claims / rights and will not use or reproduce the contents related documents/material without the prior written permission of ICCO Cooperation.
  1. Guideline for Proposal Submission

The respective consultant/ agency or group of consultants is requested to submit their Proposal with the brief concept of production in no more than four pages, including the names of key person with short profile (within one page in addition) and provide a list of recent clientele, credentials and constitutional documents along with the two references of the parties.

  1. Offers 

The offers, including technical and financial proposal, should be submitted by e-mail to Mr. Martin Mondol: hr.bd@icco.nl not later than on 25thth March 2019, 5pm Dhaka time. If you have query please contact here 01787681781 (During office time 9:00 am to 5:00 pm)