NOTICE: REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA

development OF A NATIONAL land use policy AND A NATIONAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - commonwealth of dominica

CONSULTANCY SERVICES - PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY CONSULTANT

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica (GOCD) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of consultancy services for the ddevelopment of a National Land Use Policy (NLUP) and a National Physical Development Plan (NPDP)   and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued.  Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOCD and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement.  The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.  No party other than GOCD shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Fisheries, the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure consultancy services for a Public Education and Communication Strategy Consultant to support the development of a NLUP and a NPDP – Commonwealth of Dominica.

The objective of the consultancy is an improved capacity of the Physical Planning Department to engage the public and other government agencies to sustain support for the preparation and subsequent implementation of the NLUP and the NDPD.

Scope of Services

Under the general supervision of the Chief Physical Planner, the main tasks for the consultant shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1)       Formulate a public education and communication programme to support the NLUP and NDPD.

2)      Conduct a profile of the target audiences to determine the most effective and efficient media for ensuring maximum reach and impact regarding the NLUP and NPDP formulation, and subsequent implementation and identify the key messages to be communicated through a public education and communication strategy (PECS).

3)      Create an implementation plan for the strategy which should be detailed, including costs; responsibilities; appropriate systems to support effective and efficient implementation of the Strategy and mechanisms for ensuring sustainability of the strategy implementation on completion of the consultancy. The strategy should also include mechanisms to allow for feedback from, and response to, the target audiences.

4)      Prepare a monitoring and reporting framework including appropriate indicators and targets to support effective implementation of the PECS.

5)      Prepare simplified and illustrative educational information and communication materials on the main requirements outlined in the NLUP and NPDP, as well as significant issues outlined in the PECS as an Information Toolkit.

Qualifications and Experience

The Consultant should have the following skills and competencies:

(a)                A Masters degree in knowledge management communications with at least 10 years of experience in public communications.

(b)               Competency to produce brochures, news monitoring and analysis, and expertise in facilitating consultations and or conflict mediation skills.

(c)                A strong track record in the development of effective national communication strategies, media relations with experience in electronic and print media in the Caribbean.

(d)               Ability to write concise analytical reports and sound understanding of public communications.

(e)                Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of fifteen (15) months.

The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Fisheries now invites interested eligible individual consultants to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services.

Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

(a)          the persons are citizens or bona fide resident or residents of an eligible country; and

(b)         in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.

Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.

In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience on similar assignments, and existing commitments.  All information must be submitted in English.  Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 08:00hrs and 17:00hrs on Mondays and between 08:00hrs and 16:00hrs Tuesday to Friday.

Three (3) hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than 16:00hrs on Monday September 9, 2013 and one (1) hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below.  The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest – Consultancy Services Public Education and Communication Strategy Consultant for the Development of a National Land Use Policy and a National Physical Development Plan – Commonwealth of Dominica”

Following the assessment of submissions, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to negotiate a contract to provide the consultancy services. GOCD reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety.  It will not be bound to assign any reason for not short-listing any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.