ATTACHMENT_J.2_Branding_Implementation_Plan_Template.docx

Branding Implementation Plan (BIP) (for contracts)

Instructions: (delete this section from your final version).

Please consult closely with USAID ADS320, USAID’s Graphic Standards Manual and Partners Co-Branding Guide, and other resources available via USAID’s Branding page as you prepare your BIP and consult these resources regularly as you plan for and implement the public outreach components of your activity. ADS 320 applies to all programs, projects, activities, public communications and commodities funded by USAID under any direct contract or subcontract.

The overall purpose of a BIP is to lay out how existing or prospective contractors will promote activity accomplishments and impacts to beneficiaries and host-country citizens and how you will connect these back to the American people. It will serve as the “road-map” for how your activity will coordinate communications activities with your Contracts’ Office Representative (COR) and the Mission’s Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) team. The BIP outlines the events (press conferences, site visits, etc.) and materials (success stories, media materials, etc.) the contractor will organize and produce in order to carry out the activity’s communications objectives. USAID’s Central Asia DOC team can be reached by email at: carusaiddoc@usaid.gov.

BIPs specifically address the following:

· How to incorporate “This assistance is from the American people” in communications and materials directed to beneficiaries. How to publicize the program, projector activity in the host-country and a description of the communications tools to be used.

· The key milestones or opportunities anticipated to generate awareness that the program, project or activity is from the American people. Such milestones may be linked to specific points in time, such as the beginning or end of an activity, or to an opportunity to showcase publications or other materials, research findings or activity success.

The text below serves as a framework to help you think through branding and marking issues related to your activity. USAID places great importance on communication that conveys the impact or results of an activity. Please think through the information presented below carefully and provide detailed responses. If there are additional communications opportunities or issues not covered below, please add them to your submission. Please be sure that this document addresses all of your communications needs and aspirations.

USAID policy requires exclusive branding and marking in USAID direct acquisitions. “Exclusive Branding” means that the activity is positioned as belonging to USAID, as demonstrated by the activity name (e.g., “The USAID Basic Education Program”). “Exclusive Marking” means contractors must mark the public communications of a USAID-funded activity and commodities with the USAID Standard Graphic Identity (the logo) and may only use, where applicable, the host-country government or ministry symbol or another U.S. Government logo. It is USAID’s policy that contractors’ and subcontractors’ corporate identities must not be used on USAID-funded materials.

In line with USAID guidance in ADS 200 and elsewhere, your award is referred to in this document as an “activity” that contributes to higher level Mission “programs” or “projects.” This does not prevent you from using other preferred terms in your public communications. For USAID communications, “branding” refers to the overall communications experience and how the activity is connected to USAID and the American people; and “marking” refers to the use of the USAID graphic identity or logo.

Please note: all text in italics is for your guidance only; please delete it from your final version. This text aims to give you some guidance about your Branding Implementation Plan submission. It does not, however aim to cover all possible situations relevant to your activity. Feel free to add additional text or sections to accommodate your ideas or needs. Also, feel free to change our standard text (i.e. text not in italics), within reason, as required. It is not our aim to receive formulaic responses; rather, we are interested in hearing your ideas on how to maximize public recognition for your accomplishments.

Activity Title: (please complete all sections) Contract Number:

Period of Activity:

Implementing organization:

Date:

“Branding” refers to how this activity is named and positioned, what it does and who funding organization is. Branding helps to identify activity interventions with the activities’ sponsor. This Branding Implementation Plan outlines how the (activity name) will brand its public communications for the purpose of: 1) telling the activity’s “story” and its achievements and 2) telling why that story and those achievements are possible – i.e., highlighting the support of the American people. This document lays out the range of communication materials that will be used to advance activity communications.

The main point of contact between the activity and USAID will be the COR. Additionally, the activity may call upon USAID’s regional Development Outreach and Communications (DOCs) team as appropriate.

1. Activity Name

In English: insert activity title here

In Russian: insert activity title here

(include any other relevant translations)

Guidelines: If the activity name is long and you intend to use a short version for public communications, please include it with translations into all applicable languages. This document identifies how the activity will be referred to for public communications purposes; it does not necessarily need to be the same as the officially given title in the contracting mechanism. Note: we prefer NOT to use long activity names or activity acronyms unless they benefit activity communications. Acronyms dilute attention away from USAID and can be confusing, especially when used in multiple languages.

USAID policy requires exclusive branding and marking for contracts. It means that the program should be positioned as USAID’s by including the agency as part of the overall activity name. For example: "The USAID Quality Health Care Project." Please note the creation of separate activity logos is not permitted.

Please think through how activity titles and/or acronyms will sound translated in local languages. When specifying the activity’s public name, please consider how you will use it and how it will be perceived among target audiences: Will it make sense? Will it be meaningful and identifiable with the purpose of the activity? Convenient to use in speeches, at events and on banners? While you may translate the U.S. Agency for International Development and the “from the American people” tagline into local languages, do not translate USAID into Cyrillic or other scripts. USAID must always be written in English.

2. Activity Communications and Publicity a). Primary and Secondary Audiences:

Guidelines: Please include direct beneficiaries and any special target audiences or influencers. Please remember to consider/include the audiences listed in your accompanying Branding Strategy. For example: Primary audience - schoolgirls age 8-12; secondary audience - teachers and parents.

USAID’s target audiences in Central Asia (in addition to direct beneficiaries) for public communications include people who influence public opinion, including: government officials at local and central levels (beyond direct counterparts); academics; the private sector; religious and community leaders; media outlets; and students. Please consider how you can address these groups with your communications efforts – within the limitations and restrictions related to the operating environment in each specific country.

b). Main Activity Message:

Guidelines: Include the intended message(s) of the activity – if you had to sum up the purpose of your activity in one brief statement, addressed to its key audiences, what would it be? For example: "Get tested for HIV" or "Have your child immunized." Also include secondary messages, if applicable.

c). Communications Materials:

Guidelines: This section covers what materials, communications products or tools will be used to explain or market the activity to beneficiaries, such as training materials, posters, pamphlets, public service announcements, billboards, websites (note: all websites to be created by an activity require prior approval from the USAID/Washington Website Governance Board Committee), e-invitations, or other emails sent to group lists, or any other communications channels you have in mind. Please briefly list these materials here and describe their purpose. In addition, in the table beneath section d) below, please list additional details about their dissemination, number to be used, when they will be distributed, audience, etc.

d). Promotion of the Activity among Host Country Citizens:

Guidelines: Please include a brief description of your overall approach to outreach efforts: what will the focus be, what media (online, regional or national, print or TV, or radio) you will primarily engage, etc. and then discuss specifics as suggested below.

Please describe:

· What key anticipated milestones or opportunities the activity will use to generate awareness that the activity (or a specific intervention) is “from the American people.” Such milestones may be linked to specific points in time, such as the beginning or end of an initiative, or to an opportunity to showcase publications or other materials, research findings, or activity success. These include, but are not limited to launching the activity, announcing research findings, publishing reports or studies, spotlighting trends, highlighting success stories, featuring beneficiaries as spokespeople, showcasing before-and-after photographs, marketing agricultural products or locally-produced crafts or goods, securing endorsements from a ministry or local organizations, promoting final or interim reports, and communicating activity impact/overall results. Please coordinate with the DOC team to share this content via our regional Facebook page and other social media channels.

· Explain how the public communications materials will be disseminated in each country where the activity is implemented.

You may consider conveying this information in a table such as the one that follows:

Local press invited to each, press release prepared and disseminated

e). Conveying the Message “From the American people” through Public Communications

Guidelines: Please indicate how the activity will incorporate the key USAID message “This assistance is from the American people” in communications and materials directed to beneficiaries as well as to other host country audiences.

At each public event, including (please include examples such as conferences, seminars, training events and other events), USAID branding will be appropriately displayed and support from the American people will be verbally acknowledged in the language(s) laid out in the accompanying Marking Plan. In addition, (implementing partner) will ensure that all staff can speak about the activity and explain USAID and the American people's’ role in the activity.

Please be sure to add your additional ideas about effective communications. Will you develop videos? Host road-shows? Pursue a weekly radio call in show? There is not a predetermined right answer here, just be sure to think through what will make your activity’s communications most effective given your unique circumstances.

The activity must use the USAID logo in all public communications. Additionally, all publications will include the following note in the relevant language (add other languages as appropriate):

USAID is the leading American government agency building social and economic prosperity together with the people of Central Asia.

USAID – это ведущее американское правительственное агентство, которое вместе с народами Центральной Азии содействует обеспечению социального и экономического благополучия.

When appropriate, one or more of the following sentences can be added to this sentence to provide context about work in a particular sector: (edit this section to suit your work or sector).

In partnership with governments in the region, we are:

· Health: increasing access to quality TB and HIV testing and treatment.

· Education: improving education systems and childhood literacy.

· Economic Growth and Trade: encouraging sustainable economic growth across Central Asia.

· Energy: increasing availability and access to clean energy in Central Asia.

· Agriculture: advancing agricultural policies and practices to increase farmers’ productivity and incomes.

· Water: improving the economic use of water and water resource management regionally.

· Democratic Governance: creating the foundation for accountable and inclusive governance to open doors for better health care, education, and economic conditions.

All public printed, video, and audio materials must also include a disclaimer (text included in the accompanying Marking Plan) to identify the parties responsible for the publication’s content.

f). Design of Publicity Materials and the Use of the USAID Logo:

For all printed matter, including publications, official and/or public activity communications, banners and other signs and promotional products developed to increase the visibility of the activity among its target audiences, the activity will use guidance laid out in the USAID Graphic Standards Manual and Partners Co-Branding Guide. This includes the use of the USAID logo, color palette, design and typeface for any outreach materials. Samples and logos may be found at www.usaid.gov/branding/resources

The activity will submit all public communications materials (including video concepts) to the COR for pre-production review for branding and content before costs are incurred or designs are finalized. All costs associated with branding and marking are included in the overall activity budget.

Note, the activity title should not be used on prominent public branding such as banners or signage (though it may appear in text describing the activity). Neither the implementing partner’s organization nor logo may be mentioned in any public materials. This is a USAID activity.

Newspaper or other media ads recruiting staff or with administrative announcements or tenders should not include the USAID logo. Rather, they can reference the USAID-funded activity. Also, activity personnel business cards should not include the USAID logo. Rather, they can refer to “USAID-contractor.”

3. Acknowledgement of Other Organizations

Guidance: Please explain how you will acknowledge governmental partners and other cooperating organizations or partners, including those (if any) listed in the Marking Plan. It is perfectly acceptable and often desirable to “co-brand” interventions with host country ministries. Include a brief explanation why the activity feels it is necessary to acknowledge these organizations. In the event the activity wishes to use the local government brand mark and not the USAID brand mark, please follow the exceptions process outlined in ADS 320.

4. Coordination and clearance with USAID on Outreach and Communications

All public communications materials (including video concepts) must be cleared by USAID for pre-production review for both branding and content before costs are incurred or designs are finalized. This review includes final clearance from the USAID regional DOC team, through the COR. Public communication materials include but are not limited to: websites (which require USAID/Washington Website Governance Board Committee clearance), video (concepts must be approved by DOC before production can begin), press releases, success stories, briefers, fact sheets, journal articles and other publications. The activity will clear any planned media events and media interviews with USAID (COR and DOC in the relevant country office) and follow guidance set by relevant Embassy Public Affairs Sections (PAS). Note, USAID/CA mission requires prior notification of any materials related to events that will include press and/or USAID or U.S. Government senior participation four weeks before the event. Where Embassy PAS policy permits, the project is responsible for inviting and coordinating of press, placing news stories, distributing press release and providing transportation and other logistical support when needed.

Throughout activity implementation, (implementing organization) will provide USAID with:

a) Project Briefer/Fact Sheets, to be updated and submitted to USAID on a specified USAID template twice a year or at the request of USAID.

b) An updated quarterly list of public events to be organized by the activity during the coming three months, including approximate date, location and audience. The activity will coordinate with USAID about inclusion of USAID promotional materials for participants, and participation of USAID/U.S. Government representatives.

c) Two success stories per activity per year for each country where the activity is implemented. Please communicate with your COR and DOC for guidance as you prepare and submit your success stories. Note: we are interested in human impact stories that demonstrate real impact, NOT process-level stories or descriptions of trainings or conferences. A good success story can be as simple as a compelling photo and appropriate caption. Please review text submitted carefully for grammar and impact. Make sure your story touches upon the issue you’re addressing, why it’s important, your activity’s impact, and try to maintain a human focus. The DOCs can use well-written stories for public facing platforms like the Agency photo blogs, the USAID/CA Newsletter and the Central Asia and Embassy Facebook pages as well as in internal reports sent to Washington.

d) A minimum of 20 photographs per year for each country where the activity is implemented that are illustrative of the activity’s achievements. The photos can be submitted by Google Drive online sharing system agreed upon with the COR and DOC team (please specify what method will be used in your BIP). Note, USAID uses Google Docs, and prefers photo sharing via this system. The photographs must comply with guidance provided in the USAID Graphic Standards Manual and Partner Co-Branding Guide and be in JPEG format and at least 1MB in size each. Each photograph should include a brief explanation of its subject and identify the photographer and his/her organization, person(s) featured in the photograph, and the location where the photograph was taken. Be sure the project has signed concept forms when taking photos of beneficiaries.

e) Clippings of, and/or web links to, press articles that mention USAID, the activity or its interventions.

f) An electronic and/or print copy of all public communications materials produced by the activity on a quarterly basis.

g) Once a year, the activity will present to USAID a summary of all completed publicity events and received media coverage.

h) The activity will upload to USAID’s Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) all appropriate activity materials. Materials that can be uploaded to DEC include quarterly and final reports, publications, brochures, evaluations, photos, among others. The DEC serves as a searchable repository of all USAID related publications going back decades. If necessary, uploaded materials can be restricted so that they can only be accessed by USAID staff (however, to the extent possible, we hope to keep materials publicly accessible). As part of the annual work plan process, the activity will submit an annual communications plan indicating key milestones, events and communications tools and approaches to be used. This will include a communications calendar that will state the proposed timing for major events. As per USAID/Central Asia’s guidelines, the activity will try to give at least four-weeks advance notice of all public events that include the press and/or senior U.S. Government participation and inform the COR and USAID DOC team accordingly.

In the event of changed circumstances for implementation of this Branding Implementation Plan, (implementing organization) will submit to USAID via the COR a request to modify this plan and/or other related documents, such as the Marking Plan.