Invitation to tender: UK-Montenegro strategic communications programme
Context and description of required services
The UK government (HMG) and the Government of Montenegro (GoM) have a shared interest in promoting stability and prosperity in Montenegro and the wider Western Balkans.
HMG is offering support to GoM to implement two campaigns in Montenegro. One concerns supporting the growth of start-ups and small businesses (SMEs). The other looks to support regional development by promoting opportunities to citizens in the north of the country. HMG support will be delivered through the Government Communications Service International (GCSI), a unit dedicated to providing strategic communications support to partner governments.
Objectives
The objective of the start-up/SME campaign is to increase the number of potential entrepreneurs and small businesses accessing government provided grants and loans across Montenegro.The objective of the regional development campaign is to increase citizen engagement with emerging opportunities, for instance new job opportunities, in the north of the country.
What we require
This is a complicated and wide-ranging project, with some overlap. Therefore, HMG and GoM require the services of a single experienced creative agency to help bring both campaigns to life through first class creative collateral, if possible. The Embassy withholds the right to partially award contracts for specific segments of this tender, if seen fit.
Though the two campaigns are separate with separate objectives and target audiences, there is a clear overlap. Therefore, it may be appropriate to host them both on a single website or unify them under a single concept and brand.
Audience insight is already under way and this will help inform our strategy for both campaigns. It will be a job of the contracted creative partner to help us deliver on these strategies effectively with our target audiences. Greater detail will be provided in a creative brief at a later stage, but this will require an agency skilled in the production of both offline and online content.
The implementing organisation for this campaign is GCSI on behalf of the British Embassy Podgorica, which forms a part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
Who we require
We require an agency that has experience producing the following, in a campaigning context:
- over-arching creative concepts
- branding and visual identity
- online platforms, such as websites or dedicated micro-sites and landing pages. This will be essential
- digital assets such as compelling social media videos and imagery
- offline assets such as billboards
- television and radio advertising
- brochures and other branded merchandise
Evidence of such experience is crucial in determining who is a successful bidder. Those who have conducted such work targeted at younger audiences will be at an advantage.
What we expect from the successful service provider
Expectations from the successful service provider are as follows:
- a unified creative concept and branding which can benefit both campaigns (e.g. logo, slogans)
- design of interactive and/or high quality online platforms, such as websites or dedicated micro-sites and landing pages. This will be essential
- design of digital assets such as compelling videos and social media imagery for both campaigns
- design of offline assets such as billboards for both campaigns
- design of television and radio advertising for both campaigns
- design of brochures and other branded merchandise
Please note that media-buying (placement of these designs) is not a part of this tender.
Other technical details
| Person to supervise the work of the service provider | Montenegro project lead – Head of Strategic Communications, GCSI |
| Person to review/inspect/approve outputs/completed services and authorise the disbursement of payments | Communications Officer, British Embassy Podgorica |
| Frequency of reporting of the service provider to the supervisor | Weekly |
| How to report | Technical progress shall be reported to the GCSI project lead in Montenegro. Reporting shall follow milestones as established in a timeline between GCSI and the creative agency at the start of the contract. |
| Location of work | Podgorica, Montenegro. Some remote working will be possible, but in-person attendance at key project team meetings would be preferable, and at times required. |
Target start and completion date
15 November 2019 – 31 January 2020.
Request for proposal (format)
Please submit an application outlining your credentials and showcasing some of your previous work. This should be done in a non-changeable format, such as PDF. Your proposal must be expressed in English, and valid for a minimum period of 90 days.
Final deadline for receipt of proposals is the 31 October 2019, at 23:59 (Montenegro local time). Proposals need to be submitted in a form of an email.
If a potential service provider wishes to submit documents by Post, these can be sent or delivered to the Embassy’s address and marked as “Response to tender: UK-Montenegro strategic communications programme”. Deadline for receipt of the documents by post is the 31 October 2019, at 17:00 (Montenegro local time).
Single email should not exceed 5MB (five megabytes) in size and should not contain cloud-based computer file transfer service links.
Other details
| Currency of proposal | Pound sterling (GBP) |
| Payment terms | Upon project completion, however some prepayment options may be available, upon request and mutual agreement. |
| Facilities provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office | All costs needed to achieve the deliverables set out in this project need to be included in the financial proposals from the service provider. |
| Cost estimation | When estimating cost, please assume that the full range of content (offline and online) will be required. |
| Budget | The maximum budget for this activity is £55,000 but it will be to the advantage of any applicant who can provide the service for less than this amount. |
Up to 3 suppliers will be invited to an informal pitch meeting with the supervisor and the reviewer where they will be asked to deliver a presentation and answer questions related to delivery.
Award
Service provider will b e considered as successful, if receives the Highest Combined Score (HCS). HCS is based on the 70% technical offer and 30% price weight distribution, where 70% is the minimum passing score for the Technical Proposal.
Contract
Any contract or purchase order that will be issued as a result of this call shall be subject to the FCO’s Contract and General Terms and Conditions (CaGTC), provided by the British Embassy Podgorica.
Criteria for Contract
Full acceptance of the FCO’s Contract General Terms and Conditions. This is a mandatory criteria. Non-acceptance of the CaGTC may be grounds for the rejection of the proposal. This should be specified in your proposal.
For any questions in regard to this invitation, please contact us by email.