Peace Corps/ Zambia has a need for Production and delivery of a 15-20 min documentary film with an additional 10 shorts and 4-6 cutdowns. Peace Corps is soliciting fixed-price quotations from Local Vendors for the supplies and/or services detailed below.
If you are interested in submitting a quotation, please do so by sending your completed and signed Attachment 1—Vendor Quotation Form by email to:
Name: DMO
E-mail: ZM-RFQs@peacecorps.gov
Quotations are due no later than 5:00PM (17 hours Zambian Time) on Tuesday April 7, 2026. Late quotations will not be accepted.
A second project debriefing will be held on Tuesday, March 24th at 10am at Peace Corps office 71A Chitemwiko Road, Kabulonga, Lusaka with interested parties to clarify any questions in person.
Attendance at debriefing is mandatory to be considered for this proposal. No phone calls or emailed requests for clarification please.
Peace Corps will evaluate all quotations received by the deadline based on the minimum requirements and/or evaluation factor(s) shown below. Contingent on the availability of funds and continued need for the supplies and/or services, at the end of the evaluation process, Peace Corps intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract for the purchase of the required supplies and/or services to the selected vendor. The Peace Corps reserves the right to make a partial award of the requirements identified below to one or more vendors.
A. Statement of Work/Description of Requirements
Ensure Pre-production including conceptualization and storyboarding, field production in Lusaka and 2-3 provinces, standard production, and postproduction including editing and subtitles of a 15–20-minute master documentary film, 10 short standalone films (approximately 1.5 to 2 minutes each) and 4-6 cutdowns to support Peace Corps Zambia’s goals in storytelling, partnership visibility, public engagement and American audience inspiration. The film must reflect Peace Corps Zambia’s three decades of partnership with Zambian communities and align with Peace Corps branding, safeguarding, and communications standards.
A more detailed scope of work will be sent to interested vendors upon request by email.
Summary Scope of Work
This Documentary must highlight:
1. Mutual exchange between Peace Corps Volunteers and Zambian counterparts
2. Long-term community impact and partnership
3. Representation from all decades of Peace Corps Zambia’s presence since 1991
4. Service stories across Health, Education, Environment, and Peace Corps Response sectors Project Objectives
1. Design and Produce a 15–20-minute documentary film.
2. Create 10 short films (1.5~2 minutes each) integrated into the master documentary film.
3. Feature Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) from each decade, since 1991 (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s) who could be based in Zambia or worldwide.
a. If worldwide, remote interviews/recordings will be required
4. Feature current Volunteers from each sector (Health, Education, Environment, Fisheries and Peace Corps Response) and
5. Capture stories from Zambian counterparts and institutional partners.
6. Capture paired storytelling between RPCVs and former counterparts.
7. Film in Lusaka and nearby provinces where Volunteers are based including Western, Southern and Eastern (within 4–8 hours by road).
8. Include social media influencer collaboration with all costs included in your proposal budget and managed by the chosen organization directly.
9. Ensure human-centered, inspirational, respectful, and partnership-focused storytelling.
10. Ensure Zambian music and original Zambia context is used rather than stock images/scores
11. Have a final package of tools to post online including 1 long film, 10 shorts, 4-6 media cutdowns, press kit, and digitization of all footage (including raw) for archiving
Technological expectations:
1. Videos should be created for web posting as well as on YouTube, Instagram and any other relevant social media
2. Drone Footage is encouraged to provide interesting cinematic perspectives
3. All films produced should have subtitles available in English Bemba and Nyanja (so three versions of the film will be produced)
4. All logistics, coordination and risk mitigation must be managed by the engaged firm.
Staffing Plan:
1. Details about who will be working on this project and what their value add is must be included in the budget.
2. Must provide one focal point for Peace Corps to work through. This person could be the project manager and ensure consistent and accurate communication and follow up from beginning to end of the project.
3. All staff must be willing to sign a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement prior to starting work.
Peace Corps will be responsible for the following:
1. Providing the names and locations of all volunteers, counterparts and families, past and present, to collaborate with. Chosen vendor’s recommendations will be welcome.
2. Providing any qualitative or quantitative data to be included in the videos;
3. Assist with the identification and vetting of approved influencers that should be used for this project;
4. Provide all branding/marketing approvals;
5. Provide all compliance regulations related to safeguarding, photo/video permission forms and confidentiality agreements in advance;
6. Provide the names and location of a pre-test panel prior to postproduction.
Timeline
Estimated timeline: 8-12 weeks from award
Includes pre-production, field production, pre-testing with a panel, post-production, and 2-3 review cycles. Vendor may propose alternatives.
B. Place of Performance
Delivery to Plot No. 71A, Kabulonga Road Lusaka, Zambia
C. Contract Terms and Conditions
As an Agency of the United States Government, Peace Corps has an approved contract template that it intends to use for the award. Peace Corps reserves the right to deny making a contract award to a vendor should they refuse to sign the Peace Corps approved contract template.
D. Minimum Criteria:
An offer will be disqualified if it is not submitted by the specified deadline and does not meet the following minimum criteria in full:
The submission must be organized in three distinct parts; Technical offer, Financial offer and Administrative offer:
Technical offer:
1. Creative concept/treatment (max 4 pages): Must demonstrate the ability to produce and deliver a 15–20-minute master documentary film, 10 short standalone films (1.5~2 minutes each) and 4-6 cutdowns, which meet all standard specifications and include all specific requirements noted in Section A above.
2. Proposed approach to capturing counterpart perspectives ensuring ethically sourced material (1 page)
3. Proposed production schedule with detailed timeline (max 2 pages); should include breakdown of preproduction (scripting, storyboarding, casting, permits/licensing), field production including travel, review gates (rough cut, pre-test panel, and final cut review), postproduction and any other key steps throughout the process.
4. Key personnel CV: Project Manager or Point of Contact for all communication and coordination with Peace Corps: (2 page maximum).
5. Description of influencer engagement strategy (1 page)
6. Description of how you will approach documentation to ensure respectful storytelling and the dignity of those participating, safeguarding children or vulnerable people and respecting the privacy of both Peace Corps volunteers (past and present) as well as their counterparts/host families. (max 1 page)
7. Company profile and relevant experience including a minimum of 3 documentaries, marketing campaigns or international development projects. Must include online links to examples of previous work.
8. Archiving plan including confirmation of access to encrypted data storage or backups for raw footage and any legacy archival images used (1 page)
Financial Offer
1. The price must be VAT exempt
2. Preferred quote currency is ZMW
3. Detailed budget, see Attachment 1, must be complete and include a final price
Administrative offer:
1. Delivery period (8 weeks preferred)
2. Payment terms (30 days after invoice preferred)
3. Contact information for at least three (3) references for similar products.
4. Proof of insurance and any other Zambia law compliance requirements including use of a drone.
5. Proof of registration in Zambia or proof of legal operations in Zambia.
In person pitch:
1. Finalists will be invited to present for 15 min in person prior to awarding this contract. Only the top 3 finalists will be invited for this last step. Evaluation criteria will be provided in advance of this step and each company will be provided with 5 business days to prepare.
E. Evaluation Factors:
Quotations that meet the minimum criteria listed above may be further evaluated based on the following factors:
· Technical capacity: equipment, personnel, production (audio, graphics etc)
· Creative quality and storytelling approach (Story structure, character/subject focus, cultural authenticity, visual/narrative style, and integration of SOW requirements)
· Quality of reference checks
· Price in ZMW, tax exempt
· Delivery Period (8 weeks preferred)
· Payment Terms (30 days payment terms preferred) or payment schedule if post payment isn’t acceptable
· Past Performance -years of experience and quality of relevant works (film, short film, commercial or marketing campaigns produced (quality and volume of experience)
Awards may be made with or without negotiations between the Peace Corps and the selected vendor. Awards may be given to a vendor that provided the lowest priced technically acceptable quotation, or to a vendor other than the one that provided the lowest priced quotation, should that vendor be determined to have provided the best value quotation to the Peace Corps taking technical and cost factors into account.
All vendors that submit quotations in response to this RFQ will be notified of the results.
[End of RFQ]
ATTACHMENT 1 – VENDOR QUOTATION FORM
RFQ Number: FY26-0022
Vendor:
Authorized Representative:
Name:
Position/Title:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Quoted Prices (Inclusive of Administrative and/or Overhead Costs).
Produce and deliver a 15–20-minute master documentary film, 10 short standalone films (approximately 1.5-2 minutes each) and 4-6 cutdowns , with pricing VAT exempt below:
Cost category
Unit cost
Total cost
Pre-production
Production crew
Equipment (camera/audio/lighting/drone)
Travel & logistics
Influencer engagement
Post-production
Subtitles & localization
Music licensing / composer
Deliverables packaging
Archival & backup delivery
Contingency (5–10%)
TOTAL PROJECT COST (ZMW)
Items/Services Included in Total Quoted Price Above but Not Indicated in Chart: Quoted Work or Delivery Schedule (If Any):
Quoted Payment Terms:
Quoted Warranty Terms (If Any):
Quoted Additional Terms and/or Conditions:
Three Professional references in which similar works/services and/or goods were supplied to.
SUPPLIER AUTHORIZED REPSENTATIVE
Signature:
Date:
