Request for Proposal (RfP)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is looking for Communication Agency for developing a campaign strategy and awareness raising materials as per below Terms of Reference (ToR):

1. Project background   

Global trends of human mobility in and across borders have been changing due to rapid political, economic and social transformation of our world. Migration is a complex but essential force of development. While orderly migration creates hopes for people but generate miseries for those who fall victims of human smuggling and trafficking, two negative outcomes of migration. Growing concern over security issues including terrorism has added significance for international community in promoting safe migration and to combat human trafficking.

Bangladesh is considered primarily as a source and to a lesser extent, a transit and destination of human trafficking. Quite a large number of Bangladeshi men and women who migrate to the Middle East to work in the construction, garments and domestic service sectors are subjected to forced labour. Many migrant workers have to pay exorbitant recruitment fees imposed by unscrupulous labour recruitment agencies and their sub-agents. Before their departure, many migrant workers either sale their inherited lands and properties in low price or borrow money from neighbours, friends, family members and even from money lenders with high interest rate to pay recruitment fees. Those migrants who have to pay debts to members of their family, friends, and neighbours back home usually feel that they have no alternatives as they cannot return home without the money they owe.

The human trafficking networks in the South East region are well organized and ruthless. Victims, primarily Rohingya people from Myanmar along with aspirant migrants of Bangladesh were forced on overcrowded ships that set sail in the Bay of Bengal on a perilous journey. Several hundred died from starvation, disease and abuse before reaching their promised destination. Moreover, instead of being released when they reached the Thai-Malaysian border, the refugees from Myanmar and migrants from Bangladesh were held captive in inhumane detained camps in the jungles. The traffickers then demanded ransoms from their families back home. They often demand exorbitant fees for transportation and then extract even more by threatening them of physical torture or death. Even then safe arrival in promised destination is also not guaranteed.

Apart from this, nearly one million Rohingya live in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh in vulnerable conditions as part of a protracted humanitarian crisis taking place since the 1990s. This population has long been the victim of trafficking in persons and is dangerously exposed to the risk of smuggling of migrants. The Andaman Sea Crisis brought to light the ongoing tragedy of thousands of Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationals trying to migrate via irregular channels, mainly towards Malaysia, and falling into the hands of local syndicates involved in migrant smuggling, human trafficking and a range of associated crimes and abuses. The routes for this migration included movement across the inadequately controlled border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, from boats in Bangladeshi waters and via land routes across the Indian border. IOM provided support to 2,830 returnees being returned from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.

In this regard, IOM will work with the Government of Bangladesh to contribute to prevent trafficking in persons and its associated abuses, protecting victims, and facilitating investigations with more effective border management and law enforcement capacity and practices in Cox’s Bazar district.

2. Objectives of study 

The objective of the assignment is to develop awareness raising materials and campaign strategy on reducing the risk of Rohingya people being trafficked and improving access to border management mechanisms (CT case lodging, grievance mechanisms).

3. IOM Project to Which the Services are Contributing

Contributing to Outcome 1 under the IOM project ‘Bangladesh: Addressing Trafficking and Smuggling through improved border management and Counter Trafficking Responses in Cox’s Bazar’, supported by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), U.S. Department of State.

Outcome 1: Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar increasingly avoid high risk behaviors associated with irregular migration, smuggling and TIP, and an increasingly engage with GoB agencies.

4. Description of Assignment

In close collaboration with the IOM project team, the community partner shall perform the following:

Pre-Production Phase:

• Review available communication strategy materials and story collection from field
• Conduct a workshop to develop communication strategy and story/script for the awareness campaign
• Draft the outline of the communication strategy
• Design the awareness campaign and finalize concept, stories and characters in consultation with IOM
• Select the cast and develop the campaign in close consultation with IOM

Main Production Phase:

• Share the final draft of the communication strategy and storyline
• Conduct field test of the developed campaign materials – Interactive Popular Theatre (IPT) show
• Share the field test report/findings especially comments from the audiences
• Print 250 copies of the campaign strategy
• Carry out the campaign in the community (refugee camps and surroundings of Cox’s Bazar)

5. Deliverables

• An inception outline/report which includes the implementation strategy
• Detailed campaign schedule
• Final version of the script both in Bangla and English
• One soft copy of the drama
• Final report after completion of the assignment (report should contain total number of population reached, male & female, feedback from the audiences, pictures, case story and certification of IPT shows from the local administration).

6. Important considerations

• Should provide weekly updates (through email) on work progress
• All work submitted must be in line with the programme communication guidelines including IOM spelling list: 2013 and IOM House Style Manual
• Timely submission of deliverables
• Level of adherence to the comments/inputs suggested by the relevant stakeholders

7. Required Qualifications & Competencies

• Team must be headed by an expert who has significant experience on the issue of human trafficking and human smuggling and also Rohingya issue.
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• Sound knowledge about the tools and methodology to strategy and campaign materials
• Proven experience in developing similar materials and engaging with wide range of stakeholders
• Proficiency in English and Bangla

8. Timeline

The total duration for this assignment is scheduled for October to December (12 weeks) of 2019

9. Submission of Proposal

Please mention the reference code CT/CO-631/2019/026: Developing Campaign Strategy and awareness Raising Materials in subject line during application. Interested Organizations are invited to submit required documents by September 30, 2019, via e-mail to: faahmed@iom.int. Please submit following three separate pdf files (attachment size should be less than 9 MB in total)

• Technical proposal
  • It should include Cover page, Table of content, understand of the assignment (Please do not copy & paste), methodology, a work-plan, team composition (including CV).
  • Previous experience in handling similar assignments (as per below mentioned format).

• Organization Profile: A brief summary of the firm and CV of the experts including records on past experience in similar assignments and name of the references.
• Financial Proposal listing all costs (including VAT) associated with the assignment. Firms will be responsible for any tax or vat issues, if applicable and need to submit the original bank challan copy at the time of final settlement.

Please Note the Following:

• Travel to and from Dhaka and field accommodation should be arranged by the agency.
• The costs for story/script development workshop will be borne by the agency.
• The proposals will be evaluated by the evaluation committee comprising of programme and financial staff of IOM Dhaka.

Any attempt for persuasion will be considered as a disqualification
ONLY SHORT-LISTED ORGANIZATIONS/INDIVIDUAL WILL BE NOTIFIED

IOM is an equal opportunity employer and women are encouraged to apply.
IOM Offices and vehicles have smoke-free work environment.