Final RFP No. 72048220R00003_IIM _signed.pdf

Issue Date: April 8, 2020 Questions Due Date and time: April 27, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Burma Local Time (GMT +6:30) Closing Date and time: May 25, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Burma Local Time (GMT +6:30) Geographic Code: 937 NAICS: 541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 72048220R00003

USAID/Burma Investing in Independent Media Activity

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking proposals from non-profit or for-profit organizations, to provide technical and support services for the USAID/Burma Investing in Independent Media (IIM) Activity as described in the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) IIM is a new activity.

USAID anticipates awarding a single cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) completion type contract with a period of performance of four years. The maximum amount of the contract (including costs and fee) is estimated to fall within the range of $16 million to $18 million. This procurement will be conducted under full and open competition procedures as described in Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

If your organization decides to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, it must be submitted in accordance with Section L – Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offeror or Respondents – of this RFP. Offerors must also carefully review Section M – Evaluation Factors for Award. Sections B through I of the solicitation will become a substantive part of the anticipated contract with blanks to be completed by the Contracting Officer upon award. Section K – Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of the Offeror must be completed in full.

Only electronic submissions will be accepted at the following address burmaoaa@usaid.gov. No other forms of submission will be accepted.

This RFP in no way obligates USAID to award a contract nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Award of a Contract under this RFP is subject to availability of funds and other internal USAID approvals. This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from https://beta.sam.gov/. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, please be aware that amendments to this solicitation may be issued and will be posted on the same website from which you downloaded this solicitation. USAID advises interested parties to regularly check the above website for amendments.

Sincerely, Adam J. Walsh Contracting Officer Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID/Burma mailto:burmaoaa@usaid.gov https://beta.sam.gov/

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Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72048220R00003 Investing in Independent Media Activity

Table of Contents

PART I – THE SCHEDULE 4

SECTION B - SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS 4

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS 6

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING 24

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 25

SECTION F– DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 26

SECTION G– CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 39

SECTION H– SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 43

PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES 56

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES 56

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS 74

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 74

SECTION K– REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATION, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERERS 75

SECTION L– INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 85

SECTION M– EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 102

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance and other services as described in detail in Section C for the implementation of USAID/Burma’s Investing in Independent Media (IIM) Activity.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the Contractor must achieve the performance objectives and deliverables or outputs described in this contract.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee is

$[TBD]. The fixed fee is $[TBD]. The total estimated cost plus fixed fes is $[TBD].

b) Within the estimated cost plus fee specified in paragraph a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $[TBD]. The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount nor will the U.S. Government (USG) be responsible for costs incurred should the Contractor do so.

c) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [TBD]. Funding for this contract will be on an incremental basis, subject to the availability of funds.

B.4 CONTRACT BUDGET

The total cost (including all fees) stated below may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. No amounts in excess of the amounts specified for each line item below shall be billed against the Contract.

Description Amount

Direct Activity Costs TBD

Grants Under Contracts (GUC) $4,000,000.00

Indirect Costs TBD

Total Estimated Cost TBD Fixed Fee TBD

Total Estimated Costs plus Fixed Fee TBD

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (MAR 2000)”, FAR 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates shall be established for each of the Contractor’s accounting periods that apply to this contract. Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

___________ 1/ 1/ 1/ TBD

B.6 CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES

(1) Reimbursement for allowable indirect costs shall be at final negotiated rates but not in excess of the following ceiling rates:

Description Rate Base Type Period

___________ 1/ 1/ 1/ TBD

(2) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

(3) The Government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract.

(4) This understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

B.8 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

This contract is considered non-severable, and is therefore a multi-year contract as defined in FAR

17.103. Consequently, this contract is subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106.

This is a CPFF completion type contract where the Contractor is authorized to be reimbursed for all costs which are allowable in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Costs and Payment.” The Contractor will not incur any costs which would have been amortized over the life of the contract should the contract be cancelled in accordance with FAR 52.217-2. Therefore, the cancellation ceiling established pursuant to FAR 17.106-1(c)(1) for each program year is $0.00.

- END OF SECTION B –

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 Goal

The United States Agency for International Development’s Investing in Independent Media (IIM) activity aims to ensure the viability of independent, public interest, and accountability-oriented media as a critical element of Myanmar’s emerging democracy. The availability of news and information is central to countering disinformation and misinformation in Myanmar. The Activity will support public interest journalism originating from local and national media houses and independent journalists. The activity recognizes that media outlets are committed to long-term sustainability but must confront an uncertain and underdeveloped business environment requiring ongoing assistance to holds political and economic actors accountable in a democratic society

The performance objectives of the activity are to: (1) Increase the use of research and audience analysis in operational decision-making by public interest oriented independent media; (2) Enhance the ability of public interest and accountability-oriented media houses to respond to ongoing and future political and legal pressures; and, (3) Increase the financial independence and viability of local and national media. IIM will expand on USAID/Burma’s current and past investments in the media sector, while working closely to align activities with other donor support that follow similar priorities.

IIM will be managed by USAID/Burma’s Office for Democracy, Governance, and Humanitarian Assistance (DGHA) as part of a broader portfolio supporting democracy, governance, and conflict mitigation activities designed to protect human rights, advance the democratic transition, and support peace in Myanmar.

C 2. Background

Independent media in Myanmar faces economic hardship and uncertainty; struggles to maintain independence; and must resist multi-faceted political pressure that leads to self-censorship.

Regional actors have attempted to co-opt independent media outlets, offering financing in return for not reporting on certain topics, or for favorable reporting. Additionally, the government has done little to dismantle the state media of the former military-led regime, and the affiliated, limited advertising base continues to patronize State-run publications. The political environment for independent media remains challenging, with a legal environment that discourages accountability journalism: since 2015 there has been a significant rise in criminal cases brought against journalists for reporting critical of the government, businesses, and the military.

Caught between democratic and economic transitions, the media sector across the country requires assistance to serve its primary purpose: publish news that is of interest to the diverse peoples of Myanmar. The viability of independent media is a critical component of Myanmar’s emerging democracy, and expanding the availability of credible, independent news is a necessary component of managing misinformation and disinformation.

With colonial- and junta-era laws still on the books and widespread public belief that military and government policies should not be criticized, the accountability-oriented media sector is in a fight for its survival. New laws also contribute to a challenging environment for reporting. Laws commonly used to restrict freedom of expression include: Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law (on online defamation), Sections 505(a) and 505(b) of the Penal Code;

Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law; Articles 8(f) and 10 of the Law Protecting the Privacy and Security of Citizens; Unlawful Associations Act of 1908; and the Official Secrets Act of 1923. Notably, 66(d) is used to quash a range of free-expression activities, including prosecuting civil society and artist groups that are active online.

Since 2015 there has been a significant rise in criminal cases brought against journalists, usually for reporting critical of the government, businesses, and the military. Notably, under the NLD government between 2016 and 2019, Article 66(d) was applied in more than 190 cases; the previous USDP regime, in contrast, applied the law in 11 cases. The spike in the number of cases citing Article 66(d) is partly a result of more civilians filing cases against one another, but between 2016 and June 2019 the Government deployed 66(d) on 47 separate occasions.

Laws restricting media, and an overall weak rule of law environment, contribute to punitive measures taken against the media, leading to media houses and journalists to practice self-censorship to ensure published articles do not result in a prison sentence. Article 66(d) is routinely used by the military and organizations that support the viewpoints of the (now banned) Ma Ba Tha to harass journalists, a practice that is compounded by courts which repeatedly reschedule trial dates when the plaintiff and witnesses do not appear. For example, Ma Ba Tha followers filed defamation charges against Myanmar Now’s editor Swe Win in a court located 60 miles from his home; over the course of a two-year trial, he was required to appear more than 70 times before the charges were dismissed at the local court. In another case, the military filed defamation charges in eight separate courts against the Peacock Generation Thangyat group for the same performance. Locally dubbed ‘judicial harassment,’ these court proceedings are mentally exhausting, costly, time consuming, and contribute to a climate of fear.

The current Government of Myanmar (GOM) has taken few steps to dismantle state media or expand an environment conducive to freedom of expression or recognizing any fundamental right to information. A Right to Information law has been stalled since December 2017 despite Myanmar civil society’s efforts to promote an RTI law that meets international standards providing for, among others, expanded budget transparency, anti-corruption, and improvements to natural resource governance. Media outlets and journalists are well placed to report on government information should an RTI law be passed.

Additionally, there is not a level playing field for independent media to compete with state media, as the GOM continues to underwrite state media operating and distribution costs. These disadvantages are particularly notable in the broadcast and print segments of the media market, as the government can hire an unlimited number of employees and, with its control of print distribution networks, can offer delivery of print publications at subsidized rates. State capture of the sector is further facilitated by large businesses choosing to advertise on state-run media – reportedly to maintain the government’s favor, but also because government publications have the farthest reach and greatest circulation. In 2019, the GOM eliminated electricity subsidies, increasing the operational costs of independent media outlets. In addition, timeliness is a key factor in news being commercially successful, and media houses rely on consistent electricity to be able to deliver the news on time. These challenges of access to reasonably priced electricity are more acutely felt by smaller media houses outside of Yangon.

Further, independent financial resources are scarce. Several key donors support the media sector, but since the democratic transition began, exile media has returned and as ethnic media was effectively banned prior to 2011, there has been an overdue expansion of new state and regional based media outlets. Private companies choose not to associate their products with public interest reporting, while a legacy of additional scrutiny from the Office of Tax Revenue Collection of businesses that choose to advertise with independent media continues to undermine independent media’s attractiveness for advertising. International businesses work with local firms to place ads, but do not seek out small, independent media.

Media houses compete for a limited resource pool, but considering the representation and inclusion challenges, it is too early for media sector consolidation. While each media house enjoys an individual financial composition, business income in Myanmar is a mixture of donor support, content sales to other media outlets to publish, content sales/project support by INGOs, print copy sales, print copy advertising (including classified ads), and commissioned content (advertorials). Myanmar media houses are not able to draw income from the content they place on the Facebook platform. Digital sales and subscription services are being piloted by a few outlets.

As of January 2020, social media penetration in Myanmar was 41 percent; 100 percent of social media user access from a mobile phone. Facebook reports that 58 percent of its advertising audience is male and while 41 percent of its advertising audience is female (Digital 2020:

Myanmar). Online participation in political conversations however, is gendered:

USAID/Burma’s Ad Hoc Reports: Social Media Monitoring repeatedly demonstrates that, in online discussions about key political issues, women contribute less than 13 percent of the overall commentary (see Section J for access to reports). Mobile phone ownership has driven a dramatic rise in internet access - 72 percent of Myanmar households have access to a smartphone. Urban residents are more likely to have a smartphone: 87 percent of urban residents surveyed in 2017 indicated they had a smartphone compared to only 66 percent of rural residents. According to the 2017 Myanmar Living Conditions Survey, internet use rises to four in ten people (41 percent) in urban areas compared to one in six in rural areas (16 percent).

According to the People’s Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE) July 2019 survey, 18 percent of Myanmar’s population is confident in the information on Facebook, while 37 percent of Myanmar’s users are not confident they can trust content on Facebook. Facebook is for fast news, not necessarily viewed as credible news. Print media is a widely trusted medium and media houses parlay this trust to boost the credibility of news released on their online platforms.

Print is still widely used by older generations, preferred in some ethnic areas. Yet the time wasted and financial burden associated with printing in Yangon or Mandalay and then distributing to readers in States and Regions is a significant barrier to operations.

Inter-ethnic dynamics are also an important element underpinning media credibility and there remain concerns about media representation across this diverse country. National news emanates from Yangon, which is geographically distant from conflict areas, particularly in Rakhine and Shan state. By virtue of their more national orientation, Yangon-based media houses do not adequately cover local issues in Ayeyarwady, Bago, and the regions in middle Myanmar. State and regional communities require more localized news and information, but frequently local issues have national significance. Local media outlets have more contextualized knowledge and access to cover issues closer to home.

In addition to reporting on issues of interest to their communities, ethnic media houses frequently have a public service objective of language preservation. This increases the operational and financial challenges of ethnic media houses. According to the Media Development Investment Fund’s report “An Unfavorable Business: Running Local Media in Myanmar’s Ethnic States and Regions,” media based in ethnic states also remain underfunded. Advertising revenues have simply not materialized, although several media houses and the media network Burma News International are actively trying to identify alternative revenue streams to support ethnic language reporting and broadcasts. State-run media serves as a public relations mouthpiece for the government and the ethnic language content is predominantly cultural programming.

Myanmar’s political transition is occurring at the same time the global media sector is undergoing profound changes. Purposeful disinformation campaigns, decentralization of the production of media, content delivery via social media platforms reinforces existing worldviews, and regional actors actively try to undermine confidence in democratic institutions, including the media. However, Myanmar’s newfound global connectivity means that its internal transition to a more free and independent media means it is increasingly subject to the norms and challenges facing media on the global stage, including financing limitations. There are opportunities for collaborative journalism models -- within Myanmar and between Myanmar’s journalists and media houses in the Asia Pacific region. Myanmar’s journalists are a particularly valuable source of context-specific local information, while Myanmar audiences are interested in news from abroad told from local perspectives. There are also opportunities to support new media start up businesses, app development, improve the news supply chain, and help media outlets pilot new methods of news delivery. Expanded access to market and audience research could allow media houses to make the business case for products, while also offering feedback when they pilot new methods for revenue collection and news distribution.

C. 3 Project Objectives

Availability of quality news, inclusive of diverse ethnic and religious perspectives, and accessible to local audiences, are critical to countering the rise of misinformation and disinformation and to the media’s role in holding political and economic elites accountable. The Contractor implementing the IIM activity shall provide direct support to independent media outlets and journalists with a public service and accountability orientation to alleviate political and economic vulnerabilities that threaten the viability and credibility of the sector.

Independent media advances the democratic and economic transitions by providing the public information necessary to hold the state, military and ethnic armed organizations, and economic actors accountable for their policies and actions. The activity’s theory of change is: If media institutions and journalists have financing and material support and mechanisms to mitigate legal and political pressure, then the media sector can maintain its independence and will publish news and information that contributes to a more informed public and more accountable governance.

The Contractor must have a multi-platform orientation: supporting broadcast, digital, online, and other media platforms that are in early adoption phases (for example, news apps, podcasts, online radio, and potentially, community radio), including those outlets outside of Yangon.

The Contractor must tailor and customize implementation approaches to the demands of outlets of varied scale, scope, capacity, and geography and economic viability. For example, the needs of media and media consumers in ethnic states vary and are different from the needs found in central Myanmar. The Contractor shall develop and support the ecosystem of Myanmar’s public-interest reporting, including established and start up media outlets, printing and publishing houses, market research companies, providing opportunities to share experiences and lessons learned between different businesses engaged in public interest reporting by supporting exchanges, conferences, or workshops.

The primary objectives of the contract are to: (1) Increase the use of research and audience analysis in operational decision-making by targeted public interest oriented independent media operations; (2) Enhance the ability of public interest and accountability- oriented media houses and journalists’ ability to respond to political and legal pressures; and, (3) Increase the financial independence and viability of local and national media.

Objective 1: Increase the use of research and audience analysis in operational decision-making by targeted public interest oriented independent media operations

The Contractor shall design, implement, and oversee activities that support research demands from media houses to inform decision-making and to take advantage of market opportunities.

Research activities must build more nuanced understanding of respective media markets, measure changes in those markets over time, test various media formats and platforms to determine viability and consumer preference, with the intention that these research products and digital platforms will provide a more data-driven, evidence-based approach for the business side of independent media houses to expand their offerings.

The Contractor shall design research in consultation with and at the request of media houses;

where possible, research should be done by local, Myanmar research firms and think tanks.

Access to Nielson, USAGM, and other available ratings and data should be considered potential tools of analysis for decision making by the Contractor and its partners. In addition to opportunities to purchase research for use by media operators, individual media houses require targeted research support that builds their internal capacity to examine their own online analytics and to use these data points to inform various decisions regarding content, design, marketing, and advertisements. For smaller media operations that do not yet have in-house capabilities, the Contractor shall provide shared analytic resources.

The Contractor shall ensure that the research activities do not duplicate other program’s support for media houses; USAID and the Contractor will closely coordinate with other media implementers and donors so as to not contradict clear data and guidance already being provided to Myanmar’s media houses.

Expected outcomes for Objective 1:

● Local organizations produce high quality, media-sector research and analysis in a variety of languages.

● Media houses utilize research in their operational decision making and business planning.

● Media houses increase their use of innovative content formats including, but not limited to, data visualizations, graphic design and visuals to simplify complicated stories, podcasts, newsletters, or other formats) that meets consumer demand for digital content.

● Media houses pilot and evaluate formats and platforms that are new to Myanmar audiences.

● Recommendations for a clear path for equitably expanding printing capacity for independent media houses.

● More informed media support community on the state of Myanmar's media landscape and ecosystem.

Objective 1 Tasks:

● Media Market Analyses: The Contractor is required to provide a written media market and partner analysis before awarding operational cost support grants (see Objective 3).

Analyses will be developed in partnership and shared with prospective core partners in English and one local language determined by the partner.

1. Analyses must provide direction for media houses' business planning and strategies.

These analyses, although designed for the longer term (3-5 years), can and should be updated given changes in the market or the emergence of new opportunities in order to ensure that media houses can be opportunistic, but still have a data-driven approach, and have planned for multiple relevant case-scenarios. The research, which is not to exceed 15 pages per partner, will include descriptive factors such as geographic reach of publication(s), preferred languages of target audience; production costs, audience interest analysis, financial viability, current media platforms in use, availability of news and information, and current practices and/or capacity for in-house analytics, forecasting (i.e.

of digital penetration, audience migration, generational preferences), and scenario planning for a media outlet (i.e. examine and assess the potential of different market opportunities). A conflict assessment that includes a review of content that considers ethical standards, word choice, and how women and ethnic nationalities are portrayed is also required. Other subjects may be included through USAID’s technical direction.

2. To assist media houses to operate in an evidence-based manner, it will be expected that each house will have a recent market analysis (within 18 months). Should the media partner have a current (within 18 months) market analysis, USAID may waive the media market analysis requirement in lieu of documentation of how the existing analysis is used for operational decisions and business planning.

3. USAID may waive or defer the conflict analysis requirement, in order to ensure the responsiveness of the activity or because alternative research already addresses these information needs. Once a media market analysis has been conducted for a specific media house, it must be updated before additional funds can be provided. Where local capacity exists and/or the media house trusts an external partner, this task will be completed as subgrant or sub-contracts to businesses or non-profit organizations.

● Print distribution analysis: By the end of Contract Year 1, the Contractor is required to conduct market research that includes, but not limited to, the market viability of establishing up to four printing businesses (with IIM-supplied printers), including a political economy analysis that includes risks and opportunities, legal requirements, use standards to govern the equipment, options to ensure self-reliance, and maintaining accessibility. A report, not to exceed 30 pages, will be provided to USAID, which must include recommendations for how the Contractor can effectively and equitably expand printing capacity for the purpose of reducing media operations costs.

● Media Sector Analysis: The Contractor, in coordination with existing programs, other donors and media sector INGOs, shall support two in-depth media sector analyses, the first in year one, and again at the end of year three of the contract. These reports, not to exceed 30 pages plus annexes, must be analytical in nature, include maps or other graphics as relevant as annexes. USAID will provide the Contractor with the scope and topic of each in-depth analysis. Upon acceptance of the report by USAID, the Contractor must provide briefings and presentations as directed to internal or external audiences including, but not limited to, other USG agencies, USAID, international donors, the GOM, local partners, or community leadership. These tasks may be completed as sub-grants or sub-contracts to Myanmar-based businesses, independent consultants, and international and/or local non-profit organizations.

● Establish and maintain a roster of local researchers with expertise in data analysis, data visualizations, and graphic design for use by the Activity and its partners. Shared data and graphic design resources, as appropriate, must be made available to media houses and journalists.

● Flexible Research Fund established as part of the Program Activity Fund; The

Contractor must establish a flexible fund of at least $100,000 per year that allows media houses to request research that would be of benefit to their media operations. Media houses can also use these funds to develop in-house research and analysis capacity and/or data-driven processes in their operations. Illustrative examples of research the Contractor could support, include, but are not limited to content analyses, additional media market surveys, audience analysis, strategic analysis that inform media business decisions, and additional program evaluation and political economy analyses in support program decisions.

● Consultations and Training: The Contractor must provide consultations and recommendations to USAID and other internal and external audiences as directed by

USAID, on the research and analysis products contemplated under Objective 1. This includes but is not limited to formal presentations to internal and external audiences, and the development of training for international and local partners based on the findings and recommendations of the Contractor’s reports and analyses. Consultations and analyses may be conducted directly by the Contractor’s staff, or through other means including short-term technical assistance (STTA), sub-contract, or grant(s) under contract, as mutually agreed by USAID and the Contractor. USAID anticipates that the Contractor will provide training and consultations on a needs-basis throughout the life of the Activity.

● Strategic review workshops and internal assessments. The Contractor and USAID shall establish annual strategic review workshops at key implementation milestones, for example after the first tranche of core funds are issued, and in response to changes in the political and economic environment to review IIM’s strategy and activities. At strategic reviews, evidence gathered during performance will be collectively analyzed. The activities under the contract may be modified, abandoned, or redefined. Strategy reviews will be conducted collaboratively between the Contractor and the USAID/Burma Mission. The Contractor’s local staff are expected to participate in strategic review workshops; implementing partners, donors and others working in the media space may also be invited to contribute to portions of these internal assessments. A workshop summary will be due 10 days following the workshop.

Objective 2: Increase media houses and journalists ability to respond to political and legal pressure

The Contractor shall design, implement, and oversee activities that improve the media sector’s ability to respond and continue to publish despite growing political and legal pressures on media houses and independent journalists. The Contractor must work under the principle that media houses and journalists are not only beneficiaries, but actors, participants, and change agents.

Interventions must offer demand-driven solutions to mitigate structural inequalities found in the media sector. These interventions will be based on the research and analyses undertaken under Objective 1, developed in consultation with the media sector, and with strategic guidance from USAID. The Contractor must provide technical assistance and access to local, regional and international expertise, as appropriate, as well as opportunities for learning, mentoring, and business coaching to media houses and outlets. Interventions under this objective must be closely coordinated with other USAID civil society, media and rule of law activities.

The Contractor shall support independent, accountability-oriented media across Myanmar in states and regions, beyond the national media hub of Yangon. Offerors should consider best approaches that lead to a more sustainable access to independent news and information, in formats that respond to the needs of local communities.

Expected outcomes: Responding to political pressure

● Improved connectivity and cooperation between journalists, media houses, and civil society organizations within Myanmar reporting on similar accountability issues.

● Collaborative methods of journalism are expanded, including partnerships with Asia Pacific regional media outlets, leading to less targeting of individual journalists for reporting.

● Media sector organizations in states and regions become self-sustainable, service-oriented, and membership-driven organizations providing space and equipment that allows independent journalists opportunities to collaborate.

● Increased availability of technical support and advisory services to ensure digital security of online media platforms.

● Improved adoption of practices and protocols to ensure the security of journalists physically and digitally.

● Increased transparency of foreign media ownership and content sharing agreements in foreign-sourced and financed media and advertising.

● Increased levels of information are shared with journalists and media houses by government officials in States and Regions.

Expected outcomes: Responding to legal pressure

● Collaborative journalism reporting projects and exchanges between Myanmar journalists and media outlets from the Asia-Pacific region leads to increased international standards of reporting and increased safety for journalists and media houses.

● Emergency support measures (including, travel to/from courts, family support, etc.) are readily available across the country to journalists and their families facing legal and judicial harassment.

● Myanmar independent media organizations charged with violating laws that limit free expression are able to access legal defense services available through subawards to NGOs and INGOs.

● Specialized cadres of media lawyers improve their skills as needed and offer advanced services.

● Legal services are of a high quality and readily available across the country to media houses, journalists (and their families) facing legal and judicial harassment.

● Media lawyers have an increased understanding of media laws, freedom of expression, and right to information.

Objective 2 Tasks:

● Grants Manual and Implementation Approach: The Contractor must develop a Grants Manual that will outline the structure and process for the selection, award, tracking and evaluation process for the grants. The Manual will also include an award template(s) that will be cleared by the Contracting Officer and be revised as and when new guidance and revisions to rules and regulations are proclaimed by USAID. The Manual will be submitted to USAID for approval in the start-up phase.

● Create a roster: The Contractor shall create a roster of 1) organizations and associations currently providing emergency support services for media houses and journalists; 2) media lawyers willing to take media-related cases and/or offer legal advice to media houses in advance of publication, and the associations with which they are currently affiliated. Should media houses and journalists point to gaps in the local assistance available to them, for example, on freedom of expression issues or Myanmar law, the Activity will provide training and other support as needed, while coordinating closely with other implementers and donors engaging in similar activities.

The Contractor implementing activities under IIM must focus on media lawyers networks and must collaborate with USAID’s Promoting Rule of Law in Myanmar activity regarding the broader delivery of technical assistance and/or training for individual lawyers. The Contractor must enable media houses to directly hire legal counsel and legal services as needed.

● Emergency support as part of the Program Activity Fund: The Contractor must establish an internal system/set aside funds to rapidly support independent journalists and their families when under legal duress due to reporting. Illustrative examples of short term emergency support include, but are not limited to, temporary relocation to safehouses within Myanmar, income replacement, travel expenses related to court attendance, and court fees. Assistance must be provided to organizations and associations that provide emergency assistance, or in some cases, be provided directly to individuals. Assistance must be coordinated with relevant global emergency support mechanisms and Myanmar-based networks currently developing local responses to political and legal pressures. Emergency support may facilitate linkages between Myanmar media houses, journalists, and media lawyers, as appropriate, with international legal expertise, lawyers, and law firms that provide pro-bono support on freedom of expression cases. The Contractor cannot directly fund media houses legal defense costs, but seeks to fund other elements within the support system. The Contractor must fund the legal defense of Myanmar independent media organizations charged with violating specific laws that are agreed in advance, through subawards established for that purpose.

● The Contractor must coordinate fellowships and exchanges between Myanmar media houses and journalists with media houses and professional journalism programs in the Asia Pacific region.

● The Contractor must provide training, when opportunities arise, for government officials and spokespersons on how to constructively engage with the media, distribute public information, and manage strategic communications, following the programmatic and operational guidelines below.

Objective 3: Increase financial independence and viability of local and national media.

The Contractor must design, implement, and oversee interventions that provide core operational support that simultaneously bolster important gains made by local media outlets on their journey to self reliance and financial independence. Activities will prepare media houses for market-readiness. These interventions, based on research and analysis undertaken under Objective 1 and strategic guidance from USAID, will emphasize long-term viability and credibility by providing operational support explicitly coupled with incentives for media houses to expand independent revenue streams. USAID intends to offer operational support grants in ways that bolster the existing efforts by other USAID programs, the private sector, and other donors on financial independence, while recognizing that to maintain credibility, media houses may be selective about sources of private funding; for example, an accountability oriented media house might hesitate to accept advertisements from businesses with poor labor or human rights practices.

Operational cost support grants will be provided throughout the life of the contract, but levels should be reduced in year three and four of the contract. The contractor must develop benchmarks fitting Myanmar's context and capacities that demonstrate how media houses have initiated activities that generate new, expanded, and/or diversified revenues. Illustrative examples of how IIM’s focus on the independent media ecosystem will support media businesses form mutually beneficial financial partnerships include, but are not limited to, revenue sharing deals, content exchanges, help networks of media houses approach advertisers as a collective, approach equity investors, and consider development credit options. Interventions under this objective must be closely coordinated with USAID’s civil society and media and economic growth activities.

Illustrative examples include, but are not limited to: matching operational cost support grants to advertising or other revenues; creating sliding scales of operational cost funding levels so as to not overly privilege support to Yangon media houses; aligning operational cost support to media houses participating in business development activities funded by IIM or other donors; working with businesses to demonstrate the benefits of advertising; and supporting media houses establish or expand professional advertising and sales departments to expand advertising revenues, as well as diversify revenue streams, including with options such as social enterprises and service offerings.

Expected outcomes: Financial pressure reduced through operational support grants

● Growth of audiences of independent media houses.

● Media-related associations, networks, and events offer tangible support to members of the broader media and journalism communities.

● Increased coordination of media sector donors, including the private sector, reducing administrative burdens on local media receiving international support.

● Technical assistance provided at the request of media houses leads to improved business operations, increased advertising revenues, improved awareness of laws and regulations.

● Growth of start-up businesses or news dissemination products in the media ecosystem;

for example expanding the digital market to include podcasts, e-newsletters, etc.

● Media houses expand news dissemination on a variety of online platforms, driving the

Myanmar public towards alternative digital sources for news and information.

● Improved reporting in Myanmar languages on foreign economic and political influence.

● Increased reporting that is responsive to the interests of the diverse audiences found in

Myanmar leads to increased audience sizes. Illustrative examples include expanded reporting on corruption, social justice, poverty, humanitarian and development aid, religious issues, water shortages, farmer migration, agriculture, court reporting, infrastructure projects, human trafficking, environment and land use.

● Increased frequency of women as interview subjects in media reports and reduced use of sexist tropes depicting women in news stories.

● Regional, state and national media outlets participate in collaborative investigative journalism and public interest reporting with Myanmar and/or regional media houses.

● Support for public interest reporting/content, including investigative journalism, leads to increased reporting on cross border political and economic issues.

● Equipment purchases lead to a reduction in distribution and dissemination costs.

● Increased demand for advertising from businesses (in locations where this is feasible).

● International, online payment methods are available to media outlets.

● Sustainable financial models for public service media and non-profit media are developed based on Myanmar’s context and capacities.

● Independent media outlets diversify revenue sources.

● New media start-ups and established media receive support assistance at levels appropriate to audience size, audience interest in political and economic issues, and operating costs.

● Broker partnerships between media houses and social media platforms, as appropriate to share expenses, exchange content, create joint revenue sharing plans, approach advertisers, etc.

● In kind support and material assistance made available as needed, with a priority on materials that a) improve or expand reporting and/or b) support novel revenue streams for media houses.

Objective 3 Tasks:

● Establish criteria for core operational support and metrics to track impact. In consultation with and approval by USAID, within 75 days of the signature of the contract, the Contractor must establish and publicize criteria for operational support grants available to media houses. Support must be made available across multi-media platforms and with distribution choices that consider audience consumption needs and preferences. The Contractor must track the impact of operational support in four ways:

on the organization’s development and expansion of business operations, impact on news availability for domestic and border-based audiences, content quality and whether reporting meets ethical standards, and impact on the broader democratic environment.

● The Contractor must establish benchmarks that incentivize media houses to graduate from receiving operational support. In consultation with USAID and at the approval of USAID, after the initial round of market research and core funds are issued, the contractor must demonstrate that media houses are investment and credit ready.

● The Contractor must tailor impact indicators to the goals of each media house (identified following research outlined under Objective 1) receiving operational support grants.

Illustrative examples include:

o Quantitative measures, such as:

▪ increased audiences / circulation / listenership / subscriptions

▪ increased revenue or increase in + diversification of revenue streams

▪ streamlining of expenditures (based on partnerships / consolidations)

▪ partnerships (where relevant)

▪ increase in content offerings (formats, genre, etc.)

o Qualitative measures, such as:

▪ increase in capacity to use research;

▪ increase in impact of media coverage (i.e. how their content creates change in their communities)

● Issue no less than eight (8) operational cost support agreements by month 10 of the contract. The Contractor must issue additional core operational support agreements across the life of the contract.

● Equipment, supplies and software purchases (through in-kind grants) are prioritized for Year 1 and Year 3 of this contract.

● Based on research described in Objective 1, in close consultation with and approval by USAID, the Contractor must determine locations for up to four printing presses and a plan for establishing these as viable businesses as a means of reducing print and distribution costs. .

● Support media and donors conferences and ad hoc meetings: The Contractor must organize up to four conferences held over the life of the contract; dates, agenda, and invitees will be driven by media partners in close coordination with USAID. When possible, timing should correspond and contribute to IIM strategic review sessions.

Conferences and ad hoc meetings will be an opportunity to share research findings, coordinate resources, and contribute to a more cohesive media support sector.

C.4. Programmatic and Operational Requirements

Programmatic:

1. Program…