Oxfam
CONSULTANCY TERMS OF REFERENCE TO UNDERTAKE MEDIA MONITORING AND TRACKING OF NATIONAL BUDGET & SOCIAL EXPENDITURE – 120 SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTARY.
1. INTRODUCTION
Oxfam is a global organization dedicated to ending poverty and injustice through a rights-based approach to equality. Our work supports evidence-driven, inclusive initiatives that challenge inequality. Currently, Oxfam is implementing the EU-funded project, “Beyond the Numbers: Making the National Budget Work for the People,” in collaboration with the Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) and the Non-Governmental Gender Organizations Coordinating Council (NGOCC). This project promotes active citizen engagement and non-state actor participation in Zambia’s budget planning and accountability processes.
2. BACKGROUND
National Budget tracking is an essential accountability tool, allowing CSOs and other stakeholders to monitor public funds from allocation through to their final use. Effective tracking identifies bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and potential corruption, fostering transparency and public trust. The media is crucial in this effort, holding the government accountable by reporting on spending practices and encouraging public engagement.
In Zambia, the government is currently implementing an ambitious infrastructure program like the construction of 120 secondary schools, initially announced in the 2022 national budget. This project is an extension of the Zambia Education Enhancement Project (ZEEP), supported by the World Bank. Following initial funding of $60 million, which resulted in 82 secondary schools across seven provinces, the project received an additional $120 million in 2020. This initiative, supported by an additional $120 million in 2020, aims to expand educational infrastructure nationwide by 2025.
Oxfam, therefore, seeks to engage a media consultant to monitor and track the progress of the 120 secondary school construction projects, assess the efficiency and accountability of resource allocation, and document the findings in a short documentary.
3.OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
a. Overall Objective
To conduct media monitoring and tracking of the national budget and social expenditure on the construction of 120 secondary schools and produce a short 5-10 minutes TV documentary to showcase project progress between 2022 and 2024. The documentary should cover:
- Geographical areas targeted for project implementation.
- Funds allocated and disbursed for each project.
- Sources of funding.
- Amounts received and spent by government implementing agencies.
- Current project status, with an emphasis on success factors and challenges.
b. Specific Objectives
The specific objective of the consultancy includes.
- Reviewing the allocation, disbursement, and utilization of funds towards the construction of the of 120 secondary schools.
- Document project achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
- Produce a 5-10 minutes TV documentary that includes:
- Project locations and geographical scope.
- Budget allocations, sources of funding, and expenditures.
- Successes, challenges, and key learnings.
4. SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant will be required to:
- Conduct media monitoring and on-site verification of the construction of 120 secondary schools.
- Develop a documentary script, clearly identifying locations and distribution of the schools across the provinces/Districts, budget allocations, disbursements, and expenditure between 2022 and 2024.
- Interview key stakeholders, including government officials and key stakeholders, community members, project managers, and relevant beneficiaries.
- Collect, compile, and analyze data on the allocation and disbursement of funds towards project between 2022 and 2024.
- Capture high-quality video footage of the progress made at selected sites and integrate interviews with project stakeholders.
- Provide a clear narrative on the successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
- Produce a 10–15-minute documentary film highlighting key findings, supported by audio-visual and graphical evidence.
5. DELIVERABLES
The consultant(s) will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:
- Inception report outlining the survey methodology, tools, and work plan.
- A detailed documentary script outlining the flow of content, including visuals and interview segments.
- A 5-10-minute short documentary that includes:
- An overview of the construction of 120 secondary schools
- Financial details including allocation, disbursement, and expenditure.
- Interviews with key stakeholders.
- Analysis of the progress, successes, challenges, and any recommendations.
- A summary report detailing the consultant’s findings, including key data on project implementation and expenditure.
6. DURATION AND TIMELINE
The consultancy is expected to be conducted over a period of 30 working days. The detailed timeline for each task will be agreed upon during the inception phase.
7. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The Academic Institution Consultants should possess the following qualifications and expertise:
- Proven experience in producing documentaries and media content, particularly in development, infrastructure, and public sector projects.
- Strong background in media monitoring and analysis.
- Ability to work with financial and budgetary data.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to conduct interviews with diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality video content.
Note: The consultancy team must have a public finance and governance expert with demonstratable experience in undertaking monitoring and tracking of national budget & social expenditure.
8. BUDGET:
The consultant(s) should provide a detailed budget proposal, outlining estimated, realistic, and itemized budget to produce the expected outputs.
9. REPORTING AND COORDINATION
The consultant(s) will report directly to the Governance Programs Coordinator and Beyond the numbers Project Manager as well as Communications Officer who will serve as the primary point of contact throughout the consultancy period.
10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
- All intellectual property rights, including the final report, documentary, and any related materials, will be transferred to Oxfam in Southern Africa upon completion of the consultancy.
12. CONFIDENTIALITY
The consultant(s) shall maintain the confidentiality of all data, information, and discussions related to the consultancy and ensure the security of any data collected during the review.
13. ETHICS AND SAFEGUARDING
Oxfam has a zero-tolerance policy towards inaction against sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse. Oxfam’s ethics for safeguarding will be emphasized and remain mandatory throughout the process of the undertaking of the study. Engagements and support will aim to create and maintain safe, equitable, and inclusive culture where all those who work for and with Oxfam as well as those in the communities where Oxfam operates are treated with dignity and their rights and voices are heard and respected.
Selected consultants will be expected to read, sign, and adhere to the Oxfam Code of Conduct for no Oxfam staff and follow Oxfam’s Ethical Content Guidelines.
14. EVALUATION AND SELECTION
The selection of the consultant(s) will be based on their qualifications, relevant experience, proposed methodology, and budget.
15. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
Interested consultants should submit a technical and financial proposal (maximum 20 pages) by 17:00 CAT on 27th January 2025, with CVs of the core team and sample of their work attached. Proposals should be sent electronically to [email protected] with the subject “Media Monitoring and Tracking of National Budget & Social Expenditure – 120 Secondary School Construction Documentary.”