TERMS OF REFERENCE
PROTECTION MECHANISM FOR AID WORKERS –
Protect Aid Workers short film
1. CONTEXT
Every day, thousands of humanitarian workers risk their lives helping people in conflict and disaster zones. At times, unfortunately, they become victims themselves. They may be attacked, threatened, detained, kidnapped, or even killed.
Protect Aid Workers is a new mechanism, established in 2024, which supports humanitarian staff who experience these critical incidents in the line of duty. Protect Aid Workers supports them by providing rapid grants up to €10,000 to aid their recovery. These funds might be used to pay medical bills, legal fees, or to cover a loss of salary if they are no longer able to work. In addition, Protect Aid Workers also provides legal aid.
Protect Aid Workers is led by a consortium of NGOs, including Action Contre la Faim (ACF), Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) and the Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF).
Protect Aid Workers is funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPECTED SERVICE
Overall scope of work expected from the Consultant:
Overall Goal:
The goal of this consultancy is to produce a two-minute animated film that explains the situation for aid workers, how Protect Aid Workers is responding, and how viewers can apply to the mechanism. The film should demonstrate these issues in an engaging way for a wide range of audiences, including those less familiar with humanitarianism. The film should avoid specific details that might go out of date. This includes specific information on the current context (such as the number of aid worker fatalities in 2024), the size of grants offered by Protect Aid Workers (currently €10,000, but may increase in the future), and more. It is also worth noting that Protect Aid Workers is currently in discussion about merging with another organisation. Therefore, its branding may change in the future. So, the project proposal should include some consideration of how the video could be easily adapted to incorporate new branding.
The aim of this film is to:
• Highlight that aid workers face significant risks in their daily work.
• Explain that, despite the risks, aid workers are not always covered by insurance and duty of care policies. This is especially the case among local NGOs.
• Detail the Protect Aid Workers mechanism and how it addresses these issues.
• Provide some information on who is eligible to apply to Protect Aid Workers for support and how they can do this.
Film Content Overview:
Target Audience :
The film is primarily aimed at those working in the humanitarian sector. However, the film should not be too technical and should be accessible for a wide audience. The film will not only be distributed online, but will also be used for in-person presentations at conferences, expos, and more.
Approximate length:
2 minutes
Languages:
The first version of the film should be produced in English. This may include a voiceover narration as well as subtitles for ease of understanding.
Once the English version is finalised, additional versions in French and Arabic would be produced. The consortium has access to translation services, so the consultant does not need to translate the wording themselves. But they should be comfortable working in other languages. For instance, this might include understanding that Arabic characters should flow right to left for subtitling, and being comfortable synchronising foreign voiceovers with animated sequences.
Other details:
Cost:
Proposals up to €20,000 will be accepted. Though price will not be the defining factor in selecting the successful consultant, it will be a significant one, so applicants should consider this in their proposal. A full list of the application criteria is detailed below.
Any additional work must be agreed upon in advance in writing between the consultants and the consortium.
Payment Schedule:
The payment schedule will be agreed by the successful applicant and ACF. Up to 30% can be paid upfront, with the remainder paid upon the completion of the project. Payment can also be arranged in a ‘staged approach’ based on deliverable milestones.
The consultant’s fee is based on the completed output (excluding expenses). Any modification should be agreed in writing between ACF and the consultant.
Payment Timetable:
All invoices will be paid within 45 days end of month of submission of an invoice. The invoice will be sent by, and payment made to the consultant.
Reference Documents :
These two videos from GISF are suggested as references for the style of film this project aims to replicate:
• Why Humanitarian Security Risk Management Matters
• The Story of GISF
Further useful examples are included here from the Red Cross, the United Nations and Amnesty International:
• What are the Rules of War? nearmejobs.eu The Laws of War nearmejobs.eu ICRC
• A soldier at 14 nearmejobs.eu UNICEF
• Torture Animation nearmejobs.eu Amnesty International
Application Analysis and Evaluation:
We will consider several factors when analysing suitable proposals, including:
• Understanding of the project requirements.
• Relevant experience of the filmmakers and their team.
• Value for money.
• Proposed timeline.
• Communication with the consortium during the application process.
Once received, submissions will be evaluated by a committee of representatives from the consortium. The scoring and weighting used to assess each application are outlined in the following table.
Evaluation Criteria Assessed on Maximum Marks
Cover letter and CVs Relevant experience, qualifications and interest in working with Protect Aid Workers 30%
Links to previous film work Quality of work and relevance to the needs of Protect Aid Workers 30%
Project proposal Understanding of the proposed film, timeline and quoted price 40%
Selected applicants may be invited to supply additional information on the contents of their proposal during the evaluation period. After the first round of evaluation, there will be an interview stage to select the final candidate. If no suitable candidate is identified, the invitation for proposals may be reopened and advertised on a broader level.
Upon identification of the preferred candidate, the selected applicant will meet (virtually) the consortium to finalise the requirements and agree on contract terms.
Key priorities and deliverables
The consultant will work with staff from the consortium to create a video that highlights the above. Key Priorities include:
• Developing a script in collaboration with the consortium.
• Designing compelling animated visuals for the film.
• Creating a final film of around two minutes.
• Supporting the consortium to overdub the film, so that three versions exist: English, French and Arabic.
Deliverables include:
1. Project plan and timeline – developed as part of the application process and refined after selection
2. Script – developed in collaboration with the consortium
3. Visual proposal – rough sketches and designs illustrating what the animation style will look like
4. Storyboard – showing how the selected animation style will be used to translate the script into film
5. First video draft – complete draft which can be adjusted based on feedback
6. Final video – final version ready to publish
The consultant is expected to be responsive to feedback and to include it within the project deliverables.
3. TIMELINE:
The finished film should be delivered no later than 6 June 2025, but ideally it would be preferable to have the final product earlier. The projected timeline is one aspect that will be considered as part of the application criteria detailed below.
4. APPLICATION:
If you are interested in submitting a proposal for this project, please submit the following documents to admin@protectaidworkers.org to express your interest:
• A cover letter (max. one page) stating your interest and qualifications.
• CV(s) of the proposed team members.
• Links to previous animated film work.
• A proposal based on the project description and guidance provided, including a detailed plan outlining how you propose to meet the needs of Protect Aid Workers, as well as a quoted price. Please indicate if you have experience producing films within the NGO sector and/or in different languages.
All costs and fees must be included in the offer. The costs are to be specified in Euros. If any taxes are applicable, indicate these to be charged separately (i.e., not included in the price of the services). Costs associated with the preparation of the application will not be reimbursed.
Upon confirmation of success, the chosen vendor will sign a contract with Protect Aid Workers and must comply with all their policies.
The provision of this work will be undertaken in accordance with Protect Aid Workers’ standard payment terms, which is 45 days end of month upon receipt of an invoice. Payment will be made in Euros following the completion of the project. The consultant will send an invoice at the appropriate time, which Protect Aid Workers will pay.
Ownership of the final product will reside with Protect Aid Workers. This includes copyrights and patents associated with the product.
Email any questions regarding the process to admin@protectaidworkers.org
How to apply
5. DEADLINE & CONTACT
All offers must be valid for at least 90 days from the submission deadline.
Please send your application to admin@protectaidworkers.org no later than 31 January 2025.