WorldFish is seeking a contractor or independent consultant to develop, write, design and produce the corporate 2021 WorldFish Annual Report in print and digital formats. Contractors responding to this Request for Proposal (RFP) should have experience in marketing and/or public relations, communications, designing and creating high-quality reports, with visual appeal and information graphics, for research and development organizations and other not-for-profit institutions whose work supports the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Actual printing and binding of the report is not a part of this project’s scope of work. Proposal must be submitted by no later than 25 March 2022.
About the assignment:
The print and digital 2021 WorldFish Annual Report (AR) is an important corporate publication to showcase the programmatic and financial operations and significant achievements of WorldFish to all of its stakeholders. The report, published in English, is WorldFish’s calling card and is used to outreach and advocacy purposes and to provide information and visibility on the impact of WorldFish’s research and innovation at different levels throughout the period. Journalists use the report to cull statistics and development success stories. WorldFish’s leadership team, project leaders and researchers at country and global levels use the report for showcasing our value partners, including national governments, donors and civil society representatives.
The 2021 AR must reflect the WorldFish narrative(s) stemming from the new 2030 WorldFish Research and Innovation Strategy: Aquatic Foods for Healthy People and Planet (see link here) as well as the 2030 CGIAR Research and Innovation Strategy: Transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis (see link here). It must also highlight demonstrable evidence-based results of the impact of our research in different global and national arenas.
Special emphasis must be placed on illustrating WorldFish’s added value and specific contribution to the global call to action for a sustainable food systems transformation and to One CGIAR, including the organization’s work with partners on various aspects and dimensions of aquatic food systems. The contractor will work closely with the WorldFish Communications and Marketing team to gather relevant information for the writing, design and production of the 2021 AR in print and digital formats.
Scope and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Global Lead Communications and Marketing, and in consultation with the Outreach and Strategic Communications Specialist, and the Digital Communications and Marketing Specialist, the contractor will undertake and ensure the following:
I. Required Content for both Print and Digital Versions of the 2021 AR
To ensure structure, message and brand consistency, the 2021 AR must reflect more or less the report outline and length from previous years (2018 AR and 2019 AR and 2020 AR) – in print and digital versions – with adjustments as necessary to make space for new and innovative ways of presenting messages and stories. The report design must be professional and easy to read, and design elements should have visual appeal and flow throughout the document.
II. Information Organization, Writing and Editing
Before beginning the assignment, the contractor will deliver to WorldFish, with maximum time allowed for comments and revisions, a detailed outline of the report structure and content organization.
The contractor or independent consultant will be responsible for:
Reviewing source materials, repurposing/synthesizing language from the new 2030 WorldFish Strategy for specific sections that convey our standard narrative identity as an organization (i.e. WorldFish at a glance, who are, where we work, our values, etc.) and synthesizing and writing content that conveys 2021 activities and achievements.
Designing and creating two-three distinct types of information graphics that meet WorldFish visual and other branding standards.
Editing and proofreading all text and data provided to the contractor by WorldFish.
Compiling, revising and editing the text of the entire annual report as WorldFish requests, so as to create a well-written and well-organized document that reflects a logical flow of ideas and compelling presentation of information.
The text of the digital version of the 2021 AR must be synthesized from the print version.
WorldFish will provide to the contractor or independent consultant:
Relevant source materials such as blogs, publications, multimedia, knowledge products, awards, special initiative, etc.
Full data sets for relevant sections (i.e. big numbers, project information etc.)
Still photographs
Updated list of Board and leadership members
Other relevant information as deemed necessary
III. Graphic Design, Layout and Production
The contractor or independent consultant will:
Develop two (2) graphic design concepts for the annual report, incorporating color palettes, rough prototype cover designs, typographic design, rough page layouts, etc.,
Meet with WorldFish staff to present and review graphic design concepts and make up to two rounds of revisions to one selected concept,
Deliver to WorldFish documentation of the final graphic design concept as comprehensive page layouts for an initial page and a subsequent page for principal content elements,
Implement the design and layout of the production of the print version of the 2021 AR, and
Coordinate with the WorldFish digital team for the implementation of the digital version of the report.
WorldFish will:
Research and share with contractor the visual images to be used in the report, and/or pay for the purchasing of additional stock images or photo rights that maybe required, and
The WorldFish digital team will be responsible for the implementation of the digital version of the report.
Key Deliverables
The contractor or independent consultant and WorldFish will work together until the final print and digital versions of the 2021 AR are realized according to an agreed timeline and a final report launch deadline of no later than 31 May 2022.
The contractor or independent consultant will be required to provide the following key deliverables, which may be unpacked into a set of intermediate deliverables/milestones in the contractor’s proposal:
Detailed outline of structure and content of report, as well as production timeline;
Final Print 2021 WorldFish Annual Report; and
Final Digital version of 2021 WorldFish Annual report.
The contractor or independent consultant will collect, confirm or clarify information as needed from the main WorldFish contact point(s) for this assignment.
The contractor or independent consultant will revise, edit, adjust design and proofread—subject to approval and acceptance by WorldFish— all verbal copy and alphanumeric data to be included in the report, whether written by the contractor or supplied to the contractor by WorldFish.
Contractor or independent consultant responding to this RFP should describe how they propose to manage the iterative editorial process including tracking changes, adjusting design, final proofreading, coordination, etc.
Contractor or independent consultant should allow sufficient time for WorldFish’s response to and approval of revisions of content.
All deliverables must be of high quality as determined by WorldFish and at a minimum, conform to the specifications outlined in this RFP.
Proposal Submission
Interested parties must submit their proposal and supporting materials here no later than 25 March 2022:
WorldFish may request offerors for a virtual meet up to present their proposal to the Selection Team. The final decision will be communicated to the winning offerors by email. WorldFish reserves the right not to communicate further with those who do not make it past the shortlisting process.
All questions related to this RFP must be addressed by email to Florine Lim atworldfishcenter@cgiar.org with the subject RFP – Print & Digital.