Engagement of Consultant for Video Documentary on the COVID-19 Mitigation Response Intervention at Mercy Corps Nigeria / Gte

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

The Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity (RRA) is a 5-year USAID-funded program being implemented by a consortium led by Mercy Corps with support from IFDC and Save the Children primarily across the states of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, and Yobe in Northeast Nigeria. The value chains supported by the Activity include maize, cowpea, groundnuts, rice, and small ruminants. The Activity seeks to facilitate economic recovery and growth in vulnerable, conflict-affected areas by promoting systemic change in market systems. This will ensure long-term improvements to markets that will sustainably move over 600,000 individuals out of chronic poverty. Through the COVID-19 Mitigation Response intervention, the Activity’s operational areas was extended to Benue, Kebbi, Niger, and Ebonyi states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Applications are invited for:

Title: Engagement of Consultant for Video Documentary on the COVID-19 Mitigation Response Intervention

Locations: Abuja (FCT), Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Gombe and Kebbi
Timeframe / Schedule: 1 month (March 1st - 31st, 2023)
The Consultant will report to: RRA Communications Manager / any assigned staff
The Consultant will work closely with: RRA Communications team members, and the RRA Intervention Officers/Leads.

Overview

• The COVID-19 Mitigation Response intervention is an additional fund awarded by USAID to the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity to deliver well-targeted cash and capital support to foster food security, strengthen food supply chains, and facilitate recovery of participants (smallholder farmers, livestock producers, and members of Agric collectives; women-owned cowpea processing small enterprises; microenterprises, and small and medium size agribusinesses) in targeted communities to prevent further backsliding and economic meltdown due to the secondary impact of COVID-19 shocks and stresses.
• At the end of April 2022, the Activity reached 106% of the targeted participants, generated evidence of the impact and usage of the funds by participants through Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) survey, and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) conducted towards the end of the intervention.
• See below the breakdown of the implementation status at the end of April, 2022:
  • 52,947 of 50,000 farmers and microenterprises received individual cash transfers (farmers: 47,387; microenterprises: 5,560).
  • 56% of female participants reached, versus 44% of male participants reached.
  • 10,761 female youth participants were reached, versus 7,798 male youth participants were reached.
  • Cowpea processing equipment were distributed to 40 women cowpea processors across all implementation states.
• This documentary is focused on documenting and showcasing the impacts of the COVID-19 Mitigation Response intervention on the targeted participants.

Purpose / Project Description

• This project is aimed at producing a 25 mins (max) video documentary to showcase the impact of the COVID-19 Mitigation Response intervention on the livelihoods of the targeted participants across Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Kebbi, and Benue states and the FCT. The category of participants to be interviewed include farmers, microenterprise owners, small and medium size agribusiness owners (lead firms), and women cowpea processors.
• The successful consultant shall also interview selected staff members of organizations that collaborated with the Rural Resilience Activity to implement such a successful program. Specifically, staff and participants of the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity (AgInvest), the Feed the Future Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity, and Mercy Corps’ Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) project shall be interviewed.

Consultant Objectives

• The Activity, through the Communications team, will engage a consultant who shall work with the relevant team members in RRA to produce a maximum of 25 mins video documentary, highlighting the impacts of the COVID-19 Mitigation Response intervention on the targeted participants.

Consultant Activities:

• The consultant shall carry out the following activities and any other activities necessary for the success of the production.

Pre-production:

• Initiation meeting with RRA team: The consultant shall hold an initial meeting with relevant staff in RRA to discuss further the assignment and plan the travels and interviews.
• Production brief by the consultant: The consultant shall submit to Mercy Corps (RRA) the step-by-step plan with a timeline of how the task will be achieved. At this stage, the consultant must demonstrate a clear understanding of the work before he can progress.

Production:

• Travel to locations: The documentary shall be shot in Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Kebbi, and Benue states and the FCT (Mercy Corps Offices and field locations). The consultant must be willing to travel to remote communities in RRA field locations.

Interviews and Shooting:

• Interviews shall be held with RRA participants (farmers, MSMEs, Lead firms, Women Cowpea Processors, AgInvest, and CIPP participants), RRA partners (including other USAID-funded Activities indicated under the project description) as well as RRA team members.
• The Activity will only work with experienced, competent, creative, and highly technical video production consultant with the best equipment and motivated crew members.

Post-production:

• Editing: The consultant shall adopt the best editing tools and equipment in the production and post-production of the documentary. The chosen consultant shall prove his/her experience in producing quality video through the submission of recent works.
• Handover of materials (products): All interviews and shots used in the documentary shall be shared with Mercy Corps (RRA Communications team) with the full consent (preferably written) of the participants.

Consultant Deliverables:

• Maximum 25 mins video documentary
• Four (4) short videos of impact on Farmers, Microenterprise owners, Women cowpea processors, and Lead Firms (small and medium sized-agribusinesses)
• A hard drive containing all shots and raw interviews.
• Timeframe / Schedule: 1 month (March 1st - 31st, 2023)
• The Consultant will report to: RRA Communications Manager / any assigned staff
• The Consultant will work closely with: RRA Communications team members, and the RRA Intervention Officers/Leads.

Required Experience & Skills
Evaluation Criteria:

• Tax Identification number and/or Tax certification
• Track record of the consultant/organization in producing documentaries (Company profile)
• Previous contracts, references, and/or appreciation letters and any other documents from other organizations worked for
• Samples of documentary videos, communication products, and other relevant previous work done.
• Detailed proposal /task breakdown demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the task.

Benefit

• Mercy Corps Nigeria will be responsible for travel, hotel accommodation, and feeding expenses.

Application Closing Date
31st January, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: [email protected] using the Engagement Title as the subject of the mail.

Note: Mercy Corps Nigeria will be responsible for travel, hotel accommodation, and feeding expenses.