Opportunity

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is requesting proposals for consultant services for a communications specialist for the Partnership for Sustainably Managed Fisheries project in Central and South America.

The Partnership for Sustainably Managed Fisheries is a five-year (2021-2026) interagency agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the support of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is being implemented by the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and covers primarily Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru and secondarily Costa Rica and Panama. The project builds on NOAA OLE’s capacity building and training in the Latin America and Caribbean region around Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The coastal waters of Central and South America have extraordinary marine biodiversity and an abundance of ecologically and economically important species. In recent years, IUU fishing has drawn increased international attention, shining a spotlight on the challenges of sustainably managing marine resources and addressing IUU fishing. IUU fishing undermines the conservation and management of fish stocks in all captured fisheries. It disempowers local fishers, promotes illegality, and decreases economic opportunities for developing countries. While these three countries face unique challenges, there are similarities in the drivers that lead to unsustainable fishing practices.

The objectives of this project are to:

1. Increase the capacities of individuals and institutions, bilaterally and regionally, to effectively and sustainably implement fisheries regulations and agreements
2. Increase information sharing and coordination among agencies and institutions within and between target countries
3. Increase biodiversity conservation by sustainably managing economically and ecologically important species or areas within coastal and marine environments

Scope of Work & Outcomes:

• Develop an overall communications strategy for the project
• Develop a one-year deliverable-based work plan
• Professional photographer for on-site trainings (approximately 4 international trips/year to Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and/or Peru for 2-3 days) that will require boarding fishing vessels
• Write communications products for internal (NOAA and US government) and external audiences including web stories, press releases, and social media content in English and Spanish
• Ensure the content on the NOAA project website is up to date
• Promote events, activities, and successes from the project
• Expand the social media presence and messaging for the project by working with the NOAA Fisheries communications team
• Interview individuals and write short stories accompanied by photos to highlight specific people. For example, a photo and social media campaign to highlight women in the fisheries sector in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Writing should be for NOAA websites/web stories and other public-facing external government sites
• Ensure the project highlights United Nations days relevant to this project through social media and other relevant channels
• Write press releases to accompany relevant international trainings

Requirements:

• The Consultant will travel to either Central or South America approximately 4 times during the period of performance.
• Reports and other outputs/deliverables shall be submitted as indicated above in the Terms of Reference.
• The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will be responsible for providing all funds to the consultant based on the deliverables derived from the scope of work, work plan, and communications strategy.
• For all international travel, the Consultant must use the Foundation’s travel agent.
• The Consultant is responsible for acquiring the necessary travel visas.
• Travel insurance will be covered by the Consultant.
• The Consultant must bill on a monthly basis to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Qualifications:

Key Skills/experience/attributes:

• Experienced writer in science communication
• Experienced user and writer for social media and other web-based applications
• Experience in marketing/communications/media relations
• Experience working in communications with the US government
• Experience with and understanding of international fisheries, marine conservation, and IUU fishing
• Experience working in South and/or Central America
• Must be able to work independently to meet project objectives and established timelines
• Must be fluent in English and Spanish: writing, reading, and speaking
• Must have a valid passport for travel to Central and/or South America

Funding Availability: We are looking for competitive budget proposals. However, we cannot allow labor costs to go above $60,000 for this one-year period.

Eligibility:

Organizations and individuals are both eligible to apply. Applicants must have a proven track record of doing similar projects in scope, preferably in Central and/or South America, and must have the technical ability to complete the project within the provided budget. By submitting an offer in response to this RFP, the offeror certifies that it and its principal officers are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible for an award by the U.S. Government. The Foundation will not award a contract to any firm or individual that is debarred, suspended, or considered to be ineligible by the U.S. Government.

Submit a CV with a proposed budget, two past work examples (one must be in Spanish), and 3 references to contact if chosen, to RFP@marinesanctuary.org by 11:59pm EST on October 8, 2023.

Send your email with the subject line: Communication Specialist.