Terms of Reference

Background

Nearly 37.5 million 1 people in Pakistan experience malnutrition – and its consequences – every day. Young children especially suffer the effects of malnutrition, with more than 40% of children under the age of five classified as underweight 2 . Since 2001, Nutrition International (NI), a global nutrition organization, has been working in Pakistan to improve the health of vulnerable people, especially women and children, through better nutrition. Nutrition International’s priorities focus on improving access to needed micronutrients for the most disadvantaged, from supplementation and fortification to policy changes and advocacy efforts.

Nutrition International is providing technical and financial support to the Government of Pakistan in implementing its food fortification interventions at federal and provincial levels, in addition to other nutrition focused programs to contribute to improve maternal and child health and nutrition indicators in the country. Since 2016, NI is implementing large scale Food

Fortification Program (FFP) - focusing on fortification of wheat flour with iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and folic acid and edible oil with vitamin A and D - that has made considerable progress in improving technical and human resource capacity of public and private sector stakeholders in implementing food fortification programs. In addition, NI is also working to strengthen nutrition policies and improve multi-sectoral coordination through the Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) movement.

In providing technical and financial support to federal and provincial Departments of Health and Nutrition, and Department of Food, NI and partners have made a difference in lives of millions of men, women and children.

NI’s FFP, in collaboration with National and Provincial Fortification Alliances, worked with

Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to revise the fortification standards for wheat flour that were approved by PSQCA in 2017 and adopted by all the four provincial food authorities in 2017/2018.

Moreover, training, quality assurance and quality control manuals were developed, and 1200 flour millers were trained on wheat flour fortification processes. FFP installed 2,333 micro feeders in around 1,000 wheat flour mills across the country and provided state of the art quantitative testing equipment to public and private sector labs for detection of added Iron in fortified wheat flour samples.

About National Food Fortification Program

National Food Fortification Program aims at reducing micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan through fortification of wheat flour and edible oil with iron, folic acid, vitamin B 12, Zinc, vitamin A and D. Fortification is a proven, cost-effective, and sustainable means of curbing micronutrient deficiencies in masses. Under the program, Nutrition International has provided capacity building support to the industry to fortify wheat flour through installation of 2,333 micro feeders in around 1,000 wheat flour mills and provided capacity building trainings to 136 edible oil and all wheat flour mills in fortification processes and quality assurance and control. In addition, the program has also provided state of the art laboratory equipment to the public laboratories and trained relevant government officers to do quantitative testing of fortified samples in all four provinces of Pakistan.

Nutrition International has been working closely with Federal and Provincial Ministries and provided necessary advocacy and technical support for approval of draft bills that make fortification of wheat flour and edible oil mandatory. The food fortification legislations in Sindh and Balochistan have been approved by the respective Provincial Assemblies.

Objective of the assignment

Through this terms of reference, Nutrition International aims to hire a media engagement / public relations agency (henceforth referred as agency) to engage with media representatives on the importance and advantages of food fortification in Lahore & Karachi in February - March 2022.

Expected outcomes:

• Increased awareness among media fraternity on food fortification – concept, process, benefits, its contribution in achieving nutrition targets
• Increased engagement between Nutrition International and media personnel
• Increased media reportage about food fortification (with or without mention of Nutrition International)

Target audience

• Reporters and editors from electronic, print and digital media entities

Scope of Work

- Collateral development: Develop press notes, media backgrounders, briefing documents, etc.

- Agenda: The agency shall develop and agenda for the events

- Profiles: The agency shall develop brief profiles of proposed journalists/editors being invited to the briefings

- Potential media groups: Nutrition International intends to engage with nutrition/health beat reporters/columnists/ editors from Dawn (TV & newspaper), Jang, Express (newspaper & TV), Express Tribune, GEO, The News, Dunya News (TV), HUM News, ARY News, Business Recorder, Urdu News.com, Independent Urdu, etc.

- Project brief: The agency shall develop a project brief that shall include an introduction of Nutrition International, current state of health and nutrition in Pakistan, the concept of staple food fortification, its benefits, global experiences of fortification, its implementation, etc. The brief shall also contain FAQs on the subject.

- Briefing Document:  The agency shall prepare a briefing document for the spokespersons/resource persons, which includes talking points and related information, possible questions that could be asked at the workshop and draft responses.

- Presentation: The agency shall also develop a presentation derived from the project brief

- Post event engagement of the agency: The agency shall facilitate the reporters in filing stories/op-ed pieces

- Government Representative: In coordination with Nutrition International, a government representative shall also be invited to talk on the subject and brief participants on government’s nutrition interventions, work on fortification, etc.

- Resource person: A credible member of journalist fraternity who explains importance of a consistent media discourse on nutrition in a country like Pakistan.

- Media Pack: The agency shall prepare media packs for each of the participants that shall contain the project brief, flyer on nutrition international, flyer on food fortification &FAQs, flyer on food fortification program, a giveaway, etc.

- Recording briefing minutes: The agency shall arrange for a transcriber/ minute taker who shall note the discussions during the briefing

- Event report: The agency shall draft event reports that shall summarize the discussions in the briefings, along with pictures and videos

- Venue arrangements: Select a venue for the sessions. Each session shall be attended by representatives from at least 15 leading media publications/channels

- Equipment required: The required equipment shall include multimedia screen and projector, microphones, backdrop, standees, etc.

- Proposed dates of the sessions: The sessions shall be organized in Lahore &

Karachi, in February - March 2022

- Duration of each session: The briefing shall be of approx. two hours

- Refreshments: Tea/coffee and snacks shall be served to the participants of the sessions

Branding and Marking

All IEC material shall be branded and marked as per NI branding and marking regulations &

protocols.

Output /Deliverables

•  One media sensitization session with at least 15 reporters/journalists/editors in Lahore from print, electronic and digital media in February 2021
•  One media sensitization session with at least 15 reporters/journalists/editors in Karachi from print, electronic and digital media in March 2022 Agendas for the events
•  One project brief that shall include an introduction of Nutrition International, current state of health and nutrition in Pakistan, the concept of staple food fortification, its benefits, global experience of fortification, its implementation, FAQs, etc.
•  Presentation derived from the project brief
•  The agency shall facilitate the reporters in filing stories/op-ed, who attended the sessions
•  A credible member of journalist fraternity who explains importance of a consistent media discourse on nutrition in a country like Pakistan.
•  Media packs for each of the participants that shall contain the project brief, flyer on nutrition international, flyer on food fortification &FAQs, flyer on food fortification program, a giveaway, etc.
•  Minutes of sessions for both the events
•  Event reports for both sessions
•  Data base of media professionals along with their institutional affiliations and contact details, who attended the sessions and the ones who were contacted, but could not attend Required Qualifications of Consultants/Firms

• Agency/Consultant with at least five years of experience conducting similar assignments

• Experience in working with international and government organizations is desirable

• Significant experience in providing consulting services and excellent track record of completion of the assignment within the timeline

• Offices in Karachi and Lahore

• Experience in consistent engagement with media representatives

• Experience and understanding of traditional and new media approaches

• Registered as per national laws

• Having valid National Tax Number

Financial Proposal

The financial proposal must contain the expected budget for accomplishing the complete workwith detailed breakup. All amounts quoted must be in Pakistani Rupees.

Proposal submission

Interested media firms/agencies can submit their proposal by xxx January at…………. covering

following details in their proposals:

• Profile of the agency

• Demonstration of experience of having worked with the development sector

• Demonstration of developing high impact IEC products

• Tentative work plan

• Strategy of the vendor to successfully deliver the sessions as per requirements

mentioned in ToRs

• Detailed financial proposal