Calls for Applications

RfP: Production of Documentary Films to visually promote UNCDF

  • October 25, 2017

  • Calls for Applications

Summary

Instructions for submitting a proposal:

Proposals may be submitted on or before November 05, 2017 and via email to the address below:

Ms. Maxime Allonce
Procurement Associate
uncdf.procurement@uncdf.org
Fax: +1 (212) 906-6479 — Tel: +1 (212) 906-6565

Your Proposal must be expressed in the English, and valid for a minimum period of 120 days

Language of proposal: Proposals must be submitted in English.

Deadline for submission: The deadline for submission of proposals is November 05, 2017 (23:59 EST).

Please note: Applicants who do not submit the submission form in their original formats within the deadline will not be considered, and only successful applicants will be contacted after the deadline.


Overall Objective

The objective of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to select and identify vendors to provide video production services for the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in various locations where the organization has/had activities, programmes or interest in developing future work.

By identifying success stories, the service provider will be called to produce documentary style videos aimed at raising the visibility of UNCDF. Videos will shed light into UNCDF’s work, through the prism of the beneficiaries, its partners and stakeholders, the results achieved to create a consistent and unique style that can bear a clear message: UNCDF makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs).

The films will include graphics and narration with a similar quality to previous UNCDF’s videos. The pace and style will be aimed primarily at donors and their constituents, but with the intent of being widely shared through social media platforms and beyond the target audience. The footage will draw from footage already produced.

The films will include interviews with beneficiaries, programme managers, experts and officials from institutions that work with UNCDF, such as the UN Development Programme, and financial institutions, participating governments or major donor partners.

Scope of Services, Expected Outputs and Target Completion

The following scope of work is envisaged for the successful completion of each assignment under the long‐ term agreement framework:

  1. Review relevant literature, documents and materials provided by UNCDF and undertake consultations with select UNCDF staff.

  2. Deliver draft scripts and documentary outlines for UNCDF’s comments and review.

  3. Consult and interview identified partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries.

  4. Produce short, medium and long documentary films.

  5. Present the documentary films to the UNCDF project team for review and feedback.

  6. Finalize the documentary films after incorporating feedback from the team.

The provider will deliver the following:

  1. An inception report that includes an implementation strategy, plus a detailed production and post‐ production schedule for the filming process, as well as a draft script including proposed interview questions for comments by UNCDF project team.

  2. Raw footage from interviews and projects.

  3. First cut of the documentaries for comments.

  4. The documentary films.

  5. The products should be available in English and HD broadcast quality. Subtitles in French are also to be added on separate versions.

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Questions and Answers

Q: This project will be awarded to the top 3 bidders. Can you let us know how projects will be approached in next stage after awarding this contact? With mini-bids for instance?

For the subsequent projects, terms of reference will be prepared and quotes will be requested to the three companies.

Q: At the project description it says that the videos will be made with graphics and narration, and interviews furthermore. Looking at the previously created videos it is more a cinematic approach, with relevant B-roll imagery that illustrates countries. Can you tell us a bit more on how you envisage the results?

Some of our previous video production have included infographics and voiceover, in the format of an explainer/animated video. For example: https://youtu.be/z3smASKv_s8

Q: Should we create a financial proposal according to the sketched draft timeline?

The timeline is indicative and serves as a guide. You are free to adjust or recommend a different timeline.

Q: At the duration of work it states that projects won't take up more than 75 days. This would be per video? Or all projects combined in 1 year?

Per video.

Q: In the financial proposal form we see that we already need to quote for 6 documentary films, and travel. But there is no reference to where, how logistics will be arranged, which languages will be spoken etc... All these (and other) elements together will decide what price will be quoted. Please clarify how to interpret this part. If we'd have to quote for 'anywhere', we'd have to put a big margin to ensure we can cover to the most remote locations on the planet. This will make the financial quote not realistic. The same goes for a better insight into what type of documentary...

Your financial proposal should be based on the sample terms of reference in Section 8, where the project description, scope of services, expected outputs and target completion, timeline, institutional arrangement, duration of the work, the location of work are defined. You will need to submit a financial proposal based on the sample.

Q: The rough timeline you present in the ToR does not account for a preliminary phase for developing scripts, storyboards, and questions for the interviews. How much time would you envision roughly attributing to that task?

The rough timeline is an estimate of the work required to produce the videos. In this case, you are welcome to adjust and propose additional timing for these tasks. Keeping in mind that the total number of days cannot go beyond 75 days per assignment/video.

Q: Will UNCDF support the identification of possible interviewees for the video?

Yes, UNCDF will provide support in country to facilitate the identification of interviewees and other stakeholders.

Q: Will interviewees be identified and selected during the scriptwriting phase, or at least before traveling? Since there will be a very short time on the field in each country, interviews must be on lock once the team is there, to make sure they happen at the day and time they’re scheduled.

Yes, the selection will be done before traveling. The agenda will include interviews and other logistics.

Q: In your Table A from the Financial Proposal Form, it’s is mentioned that the deliverables are 6 HD documentaries. However, in other places of the ToR, 5 HD documentaries are mentioned as deliverables instead (matching the 5 countries that the successful bidder is expected to travel to). Could you please confirm what’s the correct final number of videos and, in case it’s 6 videos, which is the 6th country?

The number of documentaries is 5. Please refer to page 39 of the RfP documentation.

Q: How many interviews do you envision including per video? A 3-minute video doesn’t allow a lot of time for interviews, and since we know there are a few representatives and beneficiaries to be interviewed, we were wondering if there is a reasonable limit for each video.

The number of interviews will be fixed against the script and bearing in mind the overall objective of the video. It will be limited, but interviews could be repurposed and used for other videos or purposes.

Q: Should editing for all the videos be made simultaneously? Also, would you like to receive the rough cuts of the videos all at the same time?

Editing should be done subsequently, one after the other. To make reviews easier and faster.

Q: Is the length of the shooting expected to increase? It seems like two weeks (more or less 15 days) is not a very significant amount of time to film in 5 (or 6, depending on your answer above) countries. It would give an average of 3 days per country if there are 5 countries, and this would have to include travelling times from one to the other countries, which can be lengthy (particularly when going to Asia from Africa, Europe to Asia or Africa, etc.) Often, travelling can slice one or more days from the shooting period for each country, which seems like a lot.

The timeline laid out in the RfP is indicative, hence, the number of days for traveling could be extended or reduced.

Q: Due to the short time for filming, are you expecting any location scouting period to take place beforehand?

Locations will be identified prior to departure and set the agenda.

Q: To what extent do you expect to use footage that has previously been recorded? Is this footage of landscapes, people or other kinds of footage? Is it general footage, or is it country-specific?

We anticipate reusing all recorded footage for other purposes. We require that you think the documentary with a creative approach.

Q: Your rough timeline also includes an entry on “re-editing/formatting of UNCDF owned video materials”. Is this meant for splicing previous footage into the collected footage for the purposes of the current set of videos, or is this re-editing process meant for something else? If you could clarify this task, it would be great.

Any previous footage is susceptible to be re-purposed for any of the assignments, whenever there is a specific need or to complement messaging.

Q: Will the successful bidder be responsible for using a voice-over actor and for selecting/purchasing the necessary music tracks for each of the videos?

Yes. The successful bidder will be responsible to cast the actor for voiceover and propose and purchase the music/audio tracks for each video.

Q: On the Terms of Reference (TOR), regarding the duration of work, in the Rough Timeline you consider 2 weeks for the “video documentation (shooting in locations and interviews), of activities, events and any other happenings upon request from the PPC Unit based on UNCDF’s guidelines for video production and multimedia documentation”. Would you please clarify what do you mean for “each assignment”, on item F) Duration of the Work?

This solicitation is for a long‐term agreement (LTA) for one year and renewable up to three years. "LTA" refers to a mutual arrangement whereby the consultant firms will provide services as required, over a specific period of time. An LTA specifies the unit price, allowing for a framework agreement to be used when the firms' services are needed or specific assignments.

Whenever UNCDF requires video production services (= assignment) we will ask you to quote the service, based on specific terms of reference, and make a selection based on your overall quote and past experiences. An assignment is defined, in this case, as a project for video production services. Each assignment needs to be completed within 75 days.

Q: In the financial proposal we see that we'd need to propose for 6 documentary films. The sample ToR shows a briefing for 5. Can you please clarify what to follow?

The number of documentaries is 5. Please refer to page 39 of the RfP documentation.

Q: Can you let us know where in those countries work would take place? The sample ToR doesn't mention anything about this... For now, we'd assume just in the capitals unless stated otherwise.

Please refer to page 39 of the RfP documentation.

Q: Will this quote only be used for the contracting phase (once awarded, we quote per project)?

Yes, that is correct.

Section 7 - Financial Proposal Form: Point A Cost Breakdown per Deliverables means the global costs for the 5 documentaries, or do we have to fill the form for 1 documentary each by each (country)?

For the 5 documentaries.

Section 7 - Financial Proposal Form: Point B Cost Breakdown by Cost Component, could we describe the expertise/services in each of the lines and then modify the document?

Yes. You can describe the expertise in each of the lines and then modify the document.

In General, are the different Section forms are available in "editing" format as a word or excel? I only found the noneditable pdf’s, and it will be helpful for documents such as Sections 5, 6, 7 and 9 to get them editable to fill them properly.

Please download forms from this link.

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