Job Application for Request for Proposal Production House for Chatbot (Devanagari and English) at Girl Effect

New

Top Line Objective:

Girl Effect India is currently seeking a skilled production house to batch produce videos (in the info-tainment category) for its new chatbot targeting parents of 9-14 years old girls. These videos will cover cervical cancer prevention vaccine as a topic along with menstrual hygiene management.

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit that connects girls to the resources and support she needs to overcome barriers, see themselves differently and unleash their full potential. We believe that the most powerful force to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty is GIRLS. When you connect GIRLS to what they need, unleash the limits communities set for them, and change how girls see themselves- they change the world. That’s the Girl Effect.

Our approach redefines what girls think they can and should do. We do this by building digital and media technologies that girls want, trust and need. From chatbots and applications to chat shows and TV dramas our approach uses modern technologies to reach girls where they are today.

Our reach is 23 million and counting.

We are girl centered. We engage girls through evidence based social and behavior change. We meet girls where they are today, in the spaces, on the platforms and channels they trust and love. We work with governments to transform systems to work for HER.

We reach girls across the world, where they are -online and offline, to support them at the critical moments in life when choices around their health, education and economic future need to be made.

We use our expertise in behavior change science to motivate and equip girls with information and support to help them see a different future for themselves, act on those choices, and drive greater demand for the opportunities and services available to them.

Chhaa Jaa in India, Tujibebe in Tanzania, Yegna in Ethiopia - are some of our youth brands. They exist across multiple channels - digital ( Meta, Google and other SM platforms), TV, radio, print and offline. Where required and relevant, we also use white label brands for specific campaigns.

Our Approach

Girl Effect uses a branded media approach towards delivering behavioral change programmes.

We reach girls across the world, where they are - online and offline, to support them at the critical moments in life when choices around their health, education and economic future need to be made.

Project Context

India has 254 mn adolescents (120 mn adolescent girls) who require nutrition, education, and guidance to develop into healthy adults. Ensuring adolescents are healthy, safe, educated, and empowered, fuels multi-generational impact and can propel poverty alleviation and growth for the nation. This, in turn, will directly impact SDGs 3, 4, 5, 8, and 17. Investments in adolescent health will help India realize its demographic dividends, as healthy adolescents are an important resource for the economy. Although adolescents have the potential to transform India, they lack the basic resources and agency to do so. They are restricted by poor access to facilities such as sanitation, education and healthcare, as well as deep rooted socio-cultural norms. They are susceptible to several preventable and treatable health problems - early & unintended pregnancy, unsafe sex leading to STI/HIV/AIDS, nutritional disorders (malnutrition, anaemia & overweight), substance abuse, mental health concerns, injuries & violence. Multiple indicators repeatedly show that adolescents (particularly girls) in India remain vulnerable and marginalized.

An integrated health approach for adolescent girls and young women is essential to address their comprehensive well-being. This approach encompasses sexual and reproductive health, ensuring access to education and services that empower them to make informed decisions. Proper nutrition is critical to support their growth and development, while effective menstrual hygiene management is vital for maintaining dignity and preventing infections. Preventive healthcare measures, such as HPV vaccination, are crucial to protect against cervical cancer and other related diseases. Addressing anaemia and other health factors is necessary to reduce the risk of long-term health complications, promoting a healthier transition into adulthood. This holistic strategy is key to fostering overall health, education, and future opportunities for young women.

Girl Effect is embarking on an integrated adolescent health programme to build awareness amongst girls aged 9-14 years-old towards menstrual health and hygiene management (MHM), nutrition, and HPV Vaccine for cervical cancer prevention. The programme will be delivered both online and offline and will target both girls and their parents to generate awareness, social support and positive attitude towards the above health issues.

Target Audience for the online campaign:

Primary Audience: Mothers aged 30-45 years [SEC C} of girls aged 9 to 14 years old in urban and peri-urban areas.

Secondary Audience: Fathers aged 30-50 years [SEC C} of girls aged 9 to 14 years old in urban and peri-urban areas.

Geographies:

Campaign Objectives:

Knowledge: Build mass awareness about cervical cancer and the importance of the HPV vaccine for adolescent girls.
Educate and Inform: Provide credible information to counteract misinformation and highlight the benefits of the vaccine.
Change Attitudes: Caregivers/parents of girls express positive attitudes with regard to girls getting the cervical cancer prevention vaccine. Currently, parents have very little information on HPV, therefore fostering a positive shift in parents' attitudes towards the HPV vaccine as a preventative measure is a key, where parents and girls increasingly perceive the benefits associated with the vaccine to outweigh the perceived risks.
Encourage Uptake: Drive parents to make informed decisions about vaccinating their daughters that drive conversations to our chatbot/microsite.

The campaign aims to reassure our audience and build trust at every stage, and address concerns so that parents perceive the vaccines as a beneficial preventative measure.

Project Objectives

Refine & Build Tone and Voice

We are in the process of refining and arriving at the exact tone and voice for our chatbot. It is an iterative process and the chatbot writer would work closely with the internal team to finalize the guidelines around the tone and voice of the chatbot, identifying the media requirements, etc. to develop the chatflows. They will work very closely with the Girl Effect team, particularly the technical expert on HPV to understand the broad content themes and use the factsheets provided by them as a basis for content development.

Develop Cohesive and Consistent Content for 2 Personas (Mother & Father) as per the brief

The chatbot would need to have two separate tones and voices as per the two personas defined by the internal team (for Mothers & Fathers). The information dispensed would have overlaps, however, it is absolutely imperative to ensure the correct tone and voice guidelines are followed throughout, and the product sounds cohesive in these two different persona journeys.

Inclusive of SBCC Framework

Our work centers around SBCC (Social Behaviour Change Communication). The key messaging provided by the GE internal team would need to be included in the chat flows being developed. The writer needs to understand the SBCC framework to include key messaging in places deemed necessary. The content would be reviewed from an SBCC lens and any finalization of the content will take place only when different internal stakeholders have approved it.

Tone and Style:

As underlined above, this chatbot would have two separate personas - one for mothers and one for fathers.

Based on this brief, two different tones and styles would need to be built, refined and finalized in tandem with the GE internal team. For now, we can foresee that the Mother Persona should be:

A friendly, peer figure that is aspirational, relatable and Informed
Mature, Approachable, Empathetic, Encouraging, 1st Person Voice
Talks to the user, rather at them
Validates the mother’s anxieties, then supplements with information

Similarly, from our research, we know that fathers would be more inclined to listen to more fact based and expert led information dispensation. We propose that the Father Persona should be:

Matter-of-fact information dispensal
More formal, Ask-Me-Anything information desk tone of voice

Our audience may have a low literacy rate and hence prefer audio over text and video over audio. Audio-visual cues are a preferred way of communication.

Guardrails:

Do not refer to the vaccine as HPV vaccine or allude to STIs/STDs in any manner. The terminology to be used is Cervical Cancer Vaccine. (Additional guardrails may be provided based on guidelines from WHO (World Health Organisation), Government of India guidelines. Regressive norms reinforcement is a big no no. All campaigns need to reinforce gender transformative messaging.
We are not looking for traditional PSA/ health communication.

Scope of Work

Girl Effect India is currently seeking a production partner to create 14 high-quality videos for our Parent Chatbot initiative. These videos will serve as informative and engaging content for parents, enhancing their experience with the chatbot.

Research, Scripting, and Fact Check:

Develop engaging and factually correct scripts for the voice of tone of the Mother/Father persona that aligns with the chatbot's objectives
Ensure scripts are informative, relatable, and suitable for the target audience

Casting:

Identify and cast suitable talent (actors or presenters) who resonate with the parenting audience.
Conduct auditions if necessary to find the right fit.

Shooting:

Plan and execute shooting days, including location scouting and set design.
Ensure high production values with professional equipment and crew.

Editing/Post Production

Edit the footage to create polished final videos and necessary cutdowns.
Incorporate graphics, animations, and any necessary voiceovers

Final Output:

Deliver 14 completed videos in specified formats suitable for web and social media distribution.
Translate and produce the final cutdowns in other Indian languages as required.
Provide necessary revisions based on Girl Effects feedback.

Formats:

Primary Platform: WhatsApp [The videos need to be built and optimised for WhatsApp viewing]

Secondary Platform: YouTube | FB | Instagram

SN	Description	Number of Cutdowns	Duration	Casting	Language
1	Mother Persona Video - P2C with animation This video will cover the following themes/topics: Welcoming the audience 3 tips to communicate effectively about the vaccine to your family 3 tips to communicate effectively about the vaccine to your daughter	7	5-7 min	Actor - Female	English & Hindi each
2	Father Persona Video - P2C with animation This video will cover “welcoming the audience” to the platform. Father Persona Audio This audio will cover the following topics: 3 tips to communicate effectively about the vaccine to your family 3 tips to communicate effectively about the vaccine to your daughter	1 video 3 Audio	5-7 min	Actor - Male	English & Hindi each
3	Female Doctor Video - P2C with animation This video will cover the following themes/topics: Introducing the CCPV & its Importance for Mothers What is cervical cancer and the vaccine Benefits of the vaccine Managing side effects of the vaccine How safe is the vaccine and its future implications	9	8-10 min	Female Doctor	English & Hindi each
4	Male Doctor Video - P2C with animation This video will cover the following themes/topics: Introducing the CCPV & its Importance for Mothers What is cervical cancer and the vaccine Benefits of the vaccine Managing side effects of the vaccine How safe is the vaccine and its future implications	9	8-10 min	Male Doctor	English & Hindi each
5	Testimonials with B-roll Videos Family 1	3	4-5 min	Actor - Family (Mother, Father, Daughter)	English & Hindi each
6	Testimonials with B-roll Videos Family 2	3	4-5 min	Actor - Family (Mother, Father, Daughter)	English & Hindi each
7	Testimonials with B-roll Videos Family 3	3	4-5 min	Actor - Family (Mother, Father, Daughter)	English & Hindi each

Timeline

20th February 2025 - 15th March 2025

Deliverables

14 fully edited videos (7 English + 7 Hindi)
Approx 70 total cuts of videos - 35 shorter cut downs (up to 1 minute) for English and Hindi each
Approx 50 Audio files (including English and Hindi)
Raw footage and project files

If you work in the creative industry and are passionate about unlocking the power of girls, then we would like to work with you.

What we value

Alignment with our mission and commitment to empowering adolescent girls
An understanding of and (ideally lived) experience in the countries we work in
Empathy, curiosity and excellent communication skills
The ability to really listen to our needs and drive to strive for the best solutions
A supportive mindset to help our teams and partners develop their skills and knowledge
Openness and honesty about where we could improve
Portfolio of work demonstrating experience working on projects targeting youth and possibly health outcomes

Who you are:

Skills and expertise:

You are based in India and primarily work with a target audience based in different regions with specialization in Hindi speaking belt.
Fluency in Hindi, Hinglish, and English, both written and spoken, is required for this partnership.
Experience in creating health-related content/Behavior change content production in the fields of Health and Immunization, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Economic Empowerment would be a massive bonus.
Project Management: Ability to effectively manage projects, coordinate teams with diverse skill sets, develop project strategies, and ensure successful execution from start to finish with timelines.
Local Market Knowledge: Strong understanding of local trends, media landscape, and cultural nuances to tailor creative solutions that resonate with the target audience in the Indian market.
Creative Ideation: Skill to generate innovative and unique ideas aligned with our objectives and target audience, fostering creativity and pushing boundaries to deliver outstanding creative work.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to analyse client goals, target audience preferences, and market trends to develop a strategic approach that drives results and provides effective creative solutions.
Multi-platform Expertise: Proficiency in creating content for diverse platforms such as digital, social media, and emerging media channels (chatbots), leveraging each platform's unique features to engage the target audiences.
Storytelling: Capability to craft compelling narratives and storytelling techniques that effectively communicate the Girl Effect message, create emotional connections, and build brand loyalty.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with clients, creative teams, designers, and stakeholders to bring ideas to life, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
Basic safeguarding and digital safeguarding knowledge are a plus.

Expected Commitment

The project is expected to take approximately 5 weeks.
The assignment period is from 20th February 2025 to 15th March 2025.

Location

The consultant must be based in India and have extensive experience in the country. The Assignment will be carried out in India.

Management

The consultant will have a primary point of contact within our India Programs team. The language of the materials and reports shall be English. The contract supervisor shall approve all deliverables submitted before any payment is made.

Tentative Timelines:

Terms of reference published - 10th February 2025
Deadline for responses - 14th February 2025
Project commencement - 20th February 2025

Proposal submission

Your proposal should cover:

Your understanding of the brief: A presentation/document showcasing your understanding of the brief that has a treatment note, a mood board and video references closest to what you want to achieve with this brief.
Credentials:

i) Please showcase a minimum of 5 examples of previous work relevant to what we are trying to achieve and the audience that we cater to (it need not be a direct example but perhaps the closest one)

ii) Link to your CV and portfolio of work

Reference - Provide at least three references for similar contracts with a description of the service provided, the value of the contract, and the contract periods of performance

Breakdown of Costs:

i) Detailed budget sheet with the project fee with applicable taxes and other charges clearly identified in INR. Vendors should provide their daily or hourly billing rate or their proposed fixed fee for the requested deliverables.

All applicable taxes should be quoted separately;

Evaluation Criteria

The criteria against which proposals will be evaluated are listed below:

Technical Evaluation

Understanding of Brief- 30%
Examples of previous relevant work - 15%
Links to CV and Portfolio of work-25%

Financial Evaluation

Value for money/proposed budget breakdown - 30%

Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. Financial bids will not be opened until the technical evaluation and then only for those proposals deemed qualified and responsive.

In their Technical proposal, the bidder must demonstrate an understanding of the requirements described in the RFP and demonstrate how the bidder will meet the requirements of the evaluation criteria.

Please note that Girl Effect is not liable for any cost incurred during the award/contract preparation, submission, or negotiation of the award/contract. All submitted documentation and/or materials shall become and remain the property of Girl Effect.

VALIDITY of the proposal shall be for 90 days from the date of bid closure.

How To Apply

To apply for this opportunity, please submit a proposal by email with the subject line “ Proposal for Production House for GAVI Chatbot” to suppliers@girleffect.org and copy to devanshi.yadav@girleffect.org by 14th February 2025.

Tax

Girl Effect India is obliged by the Indian tax authorities to ensure all taxes are charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position regarding provisions to Indian tax legislation when developing their proposals.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow.

Please note: We will evaluate only proposals submitted following the application process outlined in the TOR and using our specified email addresses (suppliers@girleffect.org & devanshi.yadav@girleffect.org ).

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organizational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found Here. We have zero tolerance for all forms of violence against children, beneficiaries and staff.

Equal Opportunities

Girl Effect is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an organization that is increasingly representative of, and works extensively with, the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy service organizations and individuals with diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

Request for Proposal Production House for Chatbot (Devanagari and English)