The United States Embassy in Havana seeks a contractor to provide social media content development services as directed by representatives of the Public Affairs Section.

#	Description	Qty
1	Purpose: This service consists of social media content development for the U.S. Embassy in Havana. Service: The contractor will create videos, graphics, photos, and text content for Embassy Havana social media platforms. The contractor will provide a bi-weekly analytical 5-page summary product of popular social media engagements, trends, and emerging narratives about Cuba within Cuba and the United States. The contractor will be expected to provide a minimum of five graphics and completed videos per week. The U.S. Embassy in Havana will direct and manage the social media content development and delivery of social media analytics in collaboration with the selected contractor.	1.00

Interested parties should contact Havana-Procurement@state.gov as soon as possible to request additional information. Please note interested candidates should provide sample content as part of the application process. Attached is a description of the services required.

Please read the RFQ carefully, and if you are interested submit your quotation to HAVANA-PROCUREMENT@state.gov

Bidding Due Date: Quotations are due by July 21, 2023 before 15:00 hrs. (Havana Local time).

Further information

U.S. Embassy Havana Public Affairs Section

Date: Jun 29, 2023

To: Prospective Bidders

Subject: Request for Quotations/Contract Opportunity: Social Media Content Development for the U.S. Embassy in Havana

The United States Embassy in Havana seeks a contractor to provide social media content development services as directed by representatives of the Public Affairs Section.

Interested parties should contact Havana-Procurement@state.gov as soon as possible to request additional information. Please note interested candidates should provide sample content as part of the application process. Attached is a description of the services required.

Statement of Work for Social Media Content Development Services

Purpose: This service consists of social media content development for the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

Service: The contractor will create videos, graphics, photos, and text content for Embassy Havana social media platforms. The contractor will provide a bi-weekly analytical 5-page summary product of popular social media engagements, trends, and emerging narratives about Cuba within Cuba and the United States. The contractor will be expected to provide a minimum of five graphics and completed videos per week.

The U.S. Embassy in Havana will direct and manage the social media content development and delivery of social media analytics in collaboration with the selected contractor.

Period to cover: September 1st, 2023 – August 31, 2024 (or “Period of performance shall be one base year with four optional years.”)

Amount: USD $TBD – based on the review of bids

Suggested vendor: Videographer, graphic designer, current or former independent journalists, communications expert, media or public affairs company, or non-governmental organization. The contractor could also specialize in graphics, photographic, and/or video production or the development of social media analytics, reporting, or content.

SCOPE OF WORK

The social media content development and analytics service must adhere to the following guidelines:

Desired Product:

The vendor must provide to the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy Havana a minimum of five social media products per week (videos, graphics, texts, analytics metrics), one per day of the regular work week (Monday to Friday).

The vendor is responsible for providing their own technological equipment and storage for their content. The U.S. Embassy will use three social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The vendor should design completed products which are technically acceptable for these platforms.

The vendor will provide a secure virtual platform (like box or cloud share) to upload and download content. Acceptable products are defined as:

- Completed, Edited Videos (Examples: Short Program Summary Videos, “Reel” videos for social media content, edited speeches).

Example One: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cmo7wwSj84n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Example Two: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmeYkNUM_Qk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

iii. Example Three: https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClY62WkMQ3c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

- Graphics (Examples: Graphics on U.S. Government Work, Graphics for Programming).

- Summary on popular hashtags and themes on social media for the week (two times a week).
- Summary of Analytics Metrics products to help understand embassy social media performing (Example: reach rate, impressions, audience growth, engagement, virality rate, video views).
- The Weekly Plan of Social Media Products will be developed once a week with Embassy PAS representatives and approved by all parties on the first workday of the week.

Topics to be Covered by Social Media Content:

The activities, public communications including social media, and events related to the U.S. Embassy Havana.
United States government communications and activities (especially the Department of State and the White House).
United States-Cuba bilateral relations.
Statements by U.S. government officials about the events or actions by the Cuban government or U.S.- Cuba bilateral relations.
Statements from Cuban government officials about U.S. foreign and economic policy or relevant international events.
Summary of coverage of visits to Cuba by high-level international officials
The U.S. embargo on Cuba.
Status of human rights including freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion in Cuba.
Cuban immigration, including topics of interest to Cuban diaspora, such as remittances, third-country travel, and U.S. and third country immigration policies.
Internet access and telecommunications in Cuba.
Significant Cuban political, economic, cultural, and social events.
Statements by other governments on their bilateral relations with Cuba or their reaction to events in Cuba.

Quality Check:

Editing and proofreading of the final social media content and analytical product is required to ensure language quality. The contractor will be expected to produce a combination of five completed video or graphic content based on the summary in the “Desired Product” section. He/She will work directly with Embassy staff in collaborating on product completions.

English Requirement:

The social media content and analytical products must be delivered in both English and Spanish. The contractor will be able to use the English and Spanish languages fluently and accurately on all levels and as normally pertinent to “professional needs” or at the level IV proficiency. It is desired, although not mandatory, that a native English speaker write or review the final social media content and analytical products.

Qualifications:

Since the contractor will be required to generate content on sensitive issues, the personnel working on this contract will need to submit their resumes and information on their educational qualifications. The Project Manager, or the key manager of this project will also need to hold a degree in public relations, marketing, communications, or related fields. In submitting a quotation, the vendor should submit resumes of key personnel and the supervisor of this contractor, project manager, including any additional pertinent information on qualifications as needed not included in resumes.

Communications:

The key project personnel and project manager must be available to speak to or communicate in writing with PAS representatives, as requested daily, through email, chat, and video calls. These communications will focus on discussing and approving social analytic products, content development, and delivery schedules.

OTHER CONTRACT REQUIRMENTS

Security requirements

The contractor shall provide security for its personnel while in Cuba.

Transportation, Lodging, Meals and Insurance in Cuba

The contractor shall arrange and pay for air and ground transportation (to and from and within Cuba), meals, lodging, security expenses and insurance associated with this contract.

Office

The contractor shall be responsible for providing office space for its staff.

Invoice requirements

The Contractor shall submit an original invoice and two copies to the address designated in the contract to receive invoices. An invoice must include:

(i) Name and address of the Contractor,

(ii) Invoice date and number,

(iii) Contract number, contract line-item number and, if applicable, the order number,

(iv) Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price and extended price of the items delivered,

(v) Shipping number and date of shipment, including the bill of lading number and weight of shipment if shipping on Government bill of lading,

(vi) Terms of any discount for prompt payment offered,

(vii) Name and address of official to whom payment is to be sent,

(viii) Name, tile, and phone number of persons to notify in event of defective invoice,

(ix) Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). The contractor shall include its TIN on the invoice only if required elsewhere in this contract.

(x) Electronic funds transfer (EFT) banking information.

Invoices will be handled in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act (31 U.S.C. 3903) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prompt payment regulations at 5 CFR part 1315.

Invoicing and paying instructions.

The contractor shall submit the original and two copies of the invoice/s, on a monthly basis, to the designated billing address indicated in this contract. The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will determine if the invoices are complete and proper as submitted. The COR also will determine if billed services have been satisfactorily performed. If the amount billed is incorrect, the COR will, within seven days, request the Contractor to submit a revised invoice. Contractor shall e-mail the invoices to HavanaBillingOffice@state.gov and addressed to:

S. Embassy in Cuba

Att. FMO

Calzada / Ly M

Havana, Cuba

The contractor shall show Value Added Tax (VAT) as a separate item on invoices submitted for payment.

Quotations are due by July 21, 2023 before 15:00 hrs. (Havana Local time).

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