USAIDSS_RFI_06OCT2021 Media USAID South Sudan - OAA cleared.pdf

Embassy of the United States in South Sudan Kololo Road, adjacent to the European Union's compound Juba, South Sudan

Telephone: +211.912.105.107 Website: https://www.usaid.gov/south-sudan

Subject:

Activity Title Issuance Date:

Response Due Date and Time:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) & SOURCES

SOUGHT NOTICE (SSN) USAIDSS_RFI_06OCT2021

USAID/South Sudan Sustainable Independent Media

Activity October 06, 2021 October 21, 2021, 8:00 hours Juba Local Time

Response Email Address araneses@usaid.gov, wabully@usaid.gov, and jailewis@usaid.gov

Dear Interested Parties:

The United States Agency for International Development Mission to South Sudan (USAID/South Sudan) is in the process of gathering information to support an anticipated design of a Sustainable Independent Media Activity as described in Attachment 2.

A. Request for Information (RFI)

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit public feedback on the draft project design provided in Attachment 2. USAID invites interested parties, including Government, non-government organizations, and the private sector, to provide recommendations to advance South Sudan's self-reliance in maintaining independent media institutions that provide accurate and credible information.

The issuance of this RFI is not a commitment to issue a solicitation, contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. USAID will announce any future solicitations or funding opportunities for a new media activity on the Federal Business Opportunities website at https://beta.sam.gov or at www.grants.gov. USAID/South Sudan is not currently seeking technical or cost applications/proposals.

USAID provides submission instructions for this RFI in Section II.A of Attachment 1.

B. Sources Sought Notice (SSN)

Additionally, this is an SSN to identify qualified organizations interested in and capable of performing the type of work described in the Attachment. Your responses to the information requested will assist USAID to plan the acquisition strategy, including whether a U.S. small business set-aside is possible.

USAID provides submission instructions for this SSN in Section II.B of Attachment 1.

USAID/South Sudan is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information, mailto:araneses@usaid.gov mailto:wabully@usaid.gov mailto:jailewis@usaid.gov http://www.grants.gov/

USAID/South Sudan Sustainable

Independent Media Activity USAIDSS_RFI_06OCT2021 _RFI and SSN answer questions or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Please note that issuance of this RFI/SSN does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of comments.

Thank you for your assistance and interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, /s/ Anthony Raneses Contracting/Agreement Officer USAID/South Sudan

Independent Media Activity USAIDSS_RFI_06OCT2021 _RFI and SSN

ATTACHMENT 1 - QUESTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS AND SUBMISSION

INSTRUCTIONS

I. QUESTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

Comments and questions on the draft project design of the Sustainable Independent Media Activity should not exceed three (3) pages. Please review the draft project design (Attachment 2). Specific questions to be addressed in your response to this RFI include:

1. Does the draft project design sufficiently reflect the challenges to independent media in South Sudan and the approaches needed to overcome those challenges?

2. Does the draft project design reflect an effective plan for independent media support given South Sudan's current context and experiences from similar country contexts?

3. Identify any opportunities or challenges you anticipate given the evolving country context, especially regarding progress in advancing radio station operational sustainability independent of USAID partner support.

4. What is missing from USAID's proposed project design for this activity?

5. What aspects of the project design require clarification?

II. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Please provide an electronic copy of your response in Microsoft Word format as up to two email attachments (one for the response to the RFI, as discussed in Section II.A., below, and one for the capability statement in response to the SSN, as discussed in Section II.B.) to Contract and Agreements Officer Anthony Raneses at araneses@usaid.gov, and A&A Specialists Warran Bully at wabully@usaid.gov, and Jaimy Lewis at jailewis@usaid.gov@usaid.gov with the subject title: RFI/SSN: USAID/South Sudan Sustainable Independent Media Activity, no later than the date/time stated above.

The submitted response should include:

Reference: USAID/South Sudan Sustainable Independent Media Activity Organization name:

Point of contact name and contact information:

Size and type of organization, including U.S. small business or other status if applicable (optional, when applicable):

A. Request for Information (RFI)

Responses should not exceed three (3) pages (not including cover page) total typed, 11-point Times New Roman font, single-spaced with one-inch margins on the electronic equivalent of 8.5 x 11-inch paper. USAID requests that the submission not include additional attachments or annexes, though the text may include hyperlinks to existing mailto:araneses@usaid.gov mailto:wabully@usaid.gov mailto:jailewis@usaid.gov public webpages. USAID would particularly value responses specific to the questions listed below. In addition, USAID would particularly value comments and questions on Attachment 2, including responses to specific questions provided in Section I of this Attachment.

B. Sources Sought Notice (SSN)

Interested qualified organizations should submit a tailored capability statement. Interested Small Businesses having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform this work should submit a supplemental response of no more than two (2) pages in length. This page limitation includes any attachments. USAID will not review any information, including attachments, in excess of the two (2) pages. Small Businesses should provide unambiguous evidence to substantiate their capability to fulfil any of the work areas sought. Please describe the firm's in-house experience addressing the objectives described in this RFI. Please describe to whom, for what length of time and the tangible outcomes/results from your experience. Suppose interested firms are only able to perform some or one of the posted activities. In that case, they should indicate that in their response to this Notification and describe the areas of expertise they are capable of performing.

Organizations should mark all proprietary information. Only USAID personnel will review responses and will hold them in a confidential manner.

USAID will provide no electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response nor individualized feedback on any suggestions. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise because of an answer to this RFI/SSN or from the Government's use of such information. Organizations should direct specific questions about this RFI/SSN only to the email addresses identified above.

ATTACHMENT 2 - DRAFT PROJECT DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABLE INDEPENDENT

MEDIA ACTIVITY

1. Background

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, is in a critical transitional period. After a brutal civil war that shredded the country's already weak social fabric, the parties to the conflict signed the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R- ARCSS) in 2018. As part of the agreement, the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) was formed in February 2020, signalling the start of the three-year transitional period. Per the peace agreement, the transitional period will culminate with national elections which are currently expected in 2023.

Credible, independent media in South Sudan - while always critical for citizen access to information - is especially essential during this fragile transitional period. Unbiased radio stations and professional journalists can engage citizens on a variety of civic issues so that they are able to make informed decisions around their rights and responsibilities. Independent media also plays a critical role in countering misinformation, fake news, and rumours both at a local and national level. It is likewise essential in keeping citizens informed on a wide variety of topics that impact their day-to-day lives, including health, peacebuilding, and gender-based violence.

In South Sudan, the majority of the population is illiterate, and therefore radio is one of the most effective communication tools to reach citizens across the country. USAID/South Sudan is committed to supporting independent radio - including community radio stations - to produce and broadcast information relevant to South Sudanese citizens. Since 2005, USAID has invested nearly $100 million in media development in South Sudan. Currently, under USAID's nine-year, $84 million i-STREAM activity implemented by Internews under Agreement #AID-668-A-13- 00005, USAID supports Eye Radio's operating expenses and those of The Radio Community (TRC) and Community Engagement Network (CEN). This support ensures that even remote populations across the country are reached with critical information from their community radio stations. USAID also supports the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) to train aspiring journalists and track and monitor media violations.

In 2021, USAID/South Sudan's media assistance has focused on mentoring and training for USAID-supported radio outlets to reduce costs, increase revenue, and become more sustainable while remaining independent. In addition, USAID recently contracted an external evaluation (attached) to understand better how past USAID programming has approached this issue and make recommendations for promoting greater sustainability of independent radio outlets moving forward.

2. Funding Areas of Interest

If USAID makes thoughtful, calculated investments in media by supporting targeted radio outlets to be more sustainable and streamlined and supports the professionalization of the media sector, then media institutions will provide more accurate, credible information with less donor support and be more skilled at mobilizing their own revenue. South Sudanese citizens will therefore continue to have access to independent, credible media to inform and engage them on the implementation of the peace agreement throughout the transitional period, leading up to and beyond the national elections.

USAID is therefore seeking to fund a three-year (36 month) Cooperative Agreement that will improve access to information for South Sudanese citizens by promoting the sustainability of independent radio stations and providing quality training for journalists and broadcasters.

USAID welcomes thoughtful applications which propose activities and interventions that are strategic, innovative, and appropriate to the South Sudanese context.

USAID aims to fund activities that generate the following results:

● Increased sustainability of independent commercial and community radio

● Improved quality of reporting from journalists and broadcasters

● Increased access to credible information by South Sudanese citizens leading up to and beyond national elections

USAID seeks applications that demonstrate the following characteristics:

● Innovative approaches to improving not only the financial sustainability of independent commercial and community radio outlets but also the institutional/organizational sustainability and – in the case of community radio stations – the social sustainability which allows them to maintain the connection to their communities.

● Innovative approaches to high-quality training for journalists (for all forms of media) which focuses on building the skills needed for thoughtful, balanced, and accurate reporting which follows the highest professional standards.

● The activity builds upon the investments USAID has made since 2005 by engaging with previously established USAID partner media outlets but also identifies new media partners for support.

● The activity engages with media outlets that collectively reach a significant proportion of remote communities across the country.

● The application demonstrates the effective integration of conflict-sensitivity and gender equality as cross-cutting objectives throughout the technical approach. It proposes approaches and specific activities that will strengthen gender equality and adhere to Do No Harm principles.

The following are a few illustrative areas of programming that could be considered. Of course, other innovative ideas are encouraged.

● Supporting radio stations to diversify revenue sources, including through opportunities such as digital platforms

● Supporting radio stations to develop and implement sound financial accounting mechanisms

● Supporting radio stations to develop their operational and management capacity to support sustainability plans, including developing plans for streamlining to reduce expenses

● Provide support to radio stations to increase listenership through innovative programming such as storytelling and radio drama

● Develop training curriculum and programming for journalists on topics including producing relevant, quality content; fact-checking news for accuracy; strengthening presentation skills; and understanding and incorporating ethical standards into all reporting

[END OF RFI/SSN]