PROLONGATED: Consultant Request for developing and conducting of Cultural Heritage Protection Communication Campaign

A. Introduction

Pact is an international development nonprofit that works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to end poverty and marginalization. We partner with local organizations, businesses, and governments to build lasting solutions for thriving, resilient communities. Our vision is a world where everyone owns their future.

External threats to Ukraine’s cultural heritage have emerged since the beginning of Russia’s aggression in 2014 and have increased in terms of their gravity, frequency, and geographical scope after Russia’s full-fledged invasion in 2022. Documenting Russia’s massive physical damage to Ukraine’s tangible cultural heritage and countering the Kremlin’s propaganda strategy to wipe out any manifestations of the Ukrainian intangible cultural heritage remains a challenge. As of February 15, 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) confirmed damage to 240 objects in Ukraine, including 105 religious’ sites, 18 museums, 86 buildings of historical and artistic interest, 19 monuments, and 12 libraries. There are countless other artifacts, including paintings, engravings, textiles, manuscripts, and sculptures, that have been destroyed without a trace.

Protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage from Russia’s military and information warfare, safeguarding it against internal challenges, and promoting it abroad are critical for achieving Ukraine’s victory and preservation of sovereignty. Equally crucial is the need to raise awareness within the Ukrainian and global communities about the crimes committed by the Russian army.

At the same time, documentation of war crimes is a huge challenge for both the state and civil society. Ukrainian civil society plays a significant role in documenting war crimes, as a lack of cross-sectoral coordination and synchronization between various stakeholders negatively impacts programs directed at the protection and preservation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage. There is a lack of information, particularly visual evidence, concerning these crimes for later analysis and prosecution. Furthermore, the assessment of losses is complicated by the absence of a unified Ukrainian governmental register of immovable cultural heritage.

This Consultant request (CR) is a part of the Activity to Enhance Non-Governmental Actors and Grassroots Engagement (ENGAGE). The purpose of ENGAGE is to increase citizen awareness of and engagement in civic activities at the national, subnational, and local level.

The goal of this CR is to hire a Ukrainian consultant to develop and run awareness raising communication campaign for domestic audiences on cultural heritage protection during the wartime.

B. Scope of Work

ENGAGE developed a comprehensive approach to cultural heritage protection in Ukraine. This approach includes:

1. documentation of damages to cultural heritage using the digital tool;
2. establishment of a platform for GOU and civil society groups to discuss challenges in cultural heritage protection and legislation gaps.

• networking and advocacy activities for stakeholders as well as promotion of Ukrainian cultural heritage abroad.

Purpose: to raise awareness among domestic audiences about the need to safeguard and document the crimes of the Russian army against the cultural heritage of Ukraine fostering a sense of urgency and commitment to preserving cultural heritage amidst conflict. Communication campaign is an integral part of ENGAGE’s wider approach to cultural heritage protection and communication around this issue including the Miniature Ukraine traveling exhibition, Cultural Heritage Forum, and the Proud to be Ukrainian festival. The geographic coverage should include all of Ukraine, with specific cities indicated during the research phase.

Objectives of the Communication Campaign:

1. Educate Ukrainian citizens about the cultural significance of Ukrainian heritage sites and the ongoing threats posed by the Russia’s invasion.
2. Enhance comprehension among citizens regarding the impact of cultural destruction on national identity, historical legacy, and international heritage.
3. Galvanize internal support for initiatives aimed at protecting and documenting Ukrainian cultural heritage by emphasizing the moral obligation and urgency to preserve these assets amidst conflict.
4. Empower internal advocates to effectively communicate the importance of preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage and to mobilize support for relevant advocacy efforts at local, national, and international levels.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Together with ENGAGE develop a comprehensive concept for the interactive information campaign on Ukrainian cultural heritage.
2. Conduct comprehensive research on Ukrainian cultural heritage. Engage with local communities to ensure their voices and perspectives are represented in the campaign.
3. Conceptualize ways to translate complex datasets, collect information into interactive formats to build interaction with citizens.
4. Lead the development process, overseeing the design and production of interactive objects.
5. Ensure placement of interactive objects in public spaces, including Miniature Ukraine traveling exhibition, Cultural Heritage Forum, and the Proud to be Ukrainian festival.
6. Develop and implement a clear call to action strategy for the local audience to support the restoration and protection efforts.
7. Develop and launch a media campaign including online/offline outlets.
8. Together with ENGAGE establish key performance indicators to measure the success of the campaign in terms of audience engagement, participation in the call to action, and media coverage.
9. Prepare reports documenting campaign outcomes and lessons learned.

Deliverables:

• Campaign concept and strategy provided;

• Research provided and presented;

• Interactive information campaign developed;

• Interactive conducted;

• Media campaign developed and implemented;

• Indicators developed.
• Report with campaign results provided.

C. Qualifications

• Demonstrated proficiency in conceptualizing and implementing large-scale communication campaigns, exhibitions, and citizen engagement initiatives.
• Experience engaging diverse audiences through digital platforms, events, and workshops.
• Understanding of cultural heritage issues.
• Strong research skills.
• Proficiency in using innovative technologies for impactful storytelling.
• Strong project management abilities, including budget and timeline adherence.
• Commitment to ethical practices and cultural sensitivity.

D. Eligibility

All proposals which fail to comply with the basic minimum requirements outlined in the solicitation shall be eliminated. See Sections C and E.

E. Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted to kbondar@pactworld.org and must be received no later than 12:00 on April 5, 2024 (Kyiv time). Applications expected to be submitted from an individual consultant as an individual/private entrepreneur.

Documentation required for application:

• Resume/CV: A short profile of an applicant featuring expertise and experience relative to the goals and objectives of this Consultant Request. Resume/CV of a consultant or all experts engaged into the implementation the task if it is more than one person.
• Portfolio with cases
• Technical Proposal: Detailed technical proposal outlining the approach to the project. The proposal should describe your vision of cultural heritage protection, the creative concept, and the digital tools/communication means/technologies to be included in the campaign. This is not a final concept but a creative vision that will be modified and developed later. The concept can take various forms, including interactive exhibitions, digital engagement, creative storytelling, immersive experiences, data visualization, interactive mapping, and so on.
• Financial proposal (budget) in Excel file (in UAH currency).

Questions: All questions or clarifications regarding this Consultant Request must be in writing and submitted to kbondar@pactworld.org no later than 12:00 on March 25, 2024 (Kyiv time). The subject line should contain: “Questions to Consultant Request P4767-2024-12” Questions and requests for clarification, and the responses thereto, will be circulated to all Consultant Request recipients who indicate an interest in this Consultant.

F. Evaluation Criteria

Pact will evaluate applicants using the follow criteria:

• Qualifications (Expertise of an applicant and ability to perform tasks) – 40 points
• Technical Proposal (Comprehensiveness, consistency, relevancy) – 40 points
• Financial Proposal (Cost effectiveness) – 20 points

G. Terms and Conditions

Disclaimers

• Pact reserves the right to modify by written notice the terms of this solicitation at any time in its sole discretion. Pact may cancel the solicitation at any time.
• Pact may reject any or all proposals received.
• Issuance of solicitation does not constitute award commitment by Pact.
• Pact reserves the right to disqualify any quotation based on applicant’s failure to follow solicitation instructions.
• Pact will not compensate applicants for their response to the solicitation.
• Pact reserves the right to issue an award based on initial evaluation of applications without further discussion.
• Pact may choose to award only part of the scope of work in the solicitation or to issue multiple awards the scope of work.
• Pact reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition.
• Pact may contact applicants to confirm information and that the proposal was submitted for this solicitation.
• Pact may contact listed past performance references without notice to the applicant. Pact also reserves the right to contact other past performance information sources that the applicant did not list in the proposal.
• By submitting a proposal, the applicant confirms they understand the terms and conditions.
• Information pertaining to and obtained from the applicant as a result of participation in this solicitation is confidential. The applicant consents to the disclosure of the documents submitted by the applicants to the reviewers involved in the selection process. Please note that all reviewers are bound by non-disclosure agreements.