Request for proposals: a training programme for journalists on protecting the press and documenting violations in wartime and conflict zones

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies, in cooperation with the Ajyal Association for Creativity and Development and with the support of the European Union, announces the delivery of a specialised training programme for journalists and media activists in the Gaza Strip. The programme aims to build media actors' capacity in the protection of journalists and the monitoring of violations during war and in conflict zones, and to deliver professional, comprehensive media coverage that reflects the reality of marginalised groups, encourages the use of modern technologies, and guarantees the protection of data and information — under the project “Turning the principles of democracy and human rights into a way of life and daily practice for the residents of the Gaza Strip”, funded by the European Union.

Background / scope of work:

• The training programme targets 40 journalists and media activists from the Gaza Strip and focuses on developing their skills in the protection of journalists and the monitoring of violations during war and in conflict zones, with emphasis on journalists' rights and duties, gender issues and their relation to human rights, and their digital security amid the current challenges.
• The training will also include strengthening skills in using traditional and new media in line with rights-based standards.
• The trainees will be divided into two groups in the south and north of the Gaza Strip, and the training programme will be delivered in cooperation with the Ajyal Association over 20 days — 10 days per group.
• After the training period ends, trainees who prove their competence and commitment will have the opportunity to produce paid media materials aimed at raising awareness of human-rights issues in the marginalised communities of Palestinian society, and shedding light on the challenges journalists face in their work.

Target group:

• The training programme's target group is (40) male and female journalists from the Gaza Strip, of different ages and media specialisations. The programme encourages the participation of women journalists and persons with disabilities, giving priority to those who have not previously received similar training, focused on the protection of journalists and the monitoring of violations during war, in conflict zones, and in marginalised communities.

Expected training topics:

• Journalists' rights and duties.
• The principles of human rights, the monitoring and documentation of violations, and best standards of media coverage.
• Digital safety for journalists.
• Gender considerations in media coverage.
• Employing new media in coverage.

Purpose of the announcement:

Contracting a specialised, officially registered consultancy firm to deliver the training in the Gaza Strip on the topics of press coverage and the monitoring and documentation of human-rights violations

The firm's duties and responsibilities:

• Deliver a training programme for (40) male and female journalists from the Gaza Strip on the topics of press coverage and the monitoring and documentation of human-rights violations, using innovative training methods centred on interaction and modern technologies.
• Prepare and have approved the training methodology and the detailed plan, including the schedule of training days and activities.
• Design and prepare a comprehensive training plan covering the organisation of the training materials, methodologies, methods and tools, and setting the dates to fit the trainees' needs.
• Deliver the training in innovative, non-traditional ways that include modern technologies such as multimedia and digital media.
• Monitor and evaluate trainees' progress throughout the training period, analyse their performance, and draw conclusions to develop their skills. Deliver the required reports, including impact assessment, reports on the training events, trainee-satisfaction assessment, and future recommendations.

Outputs:

40 trained journalists possessing the skills and knowledge of press coverage, the monitoring and documentation of human-rights violations, engaging the issues of marginalised communities and gender equality, and the mechanisms of investigating violations.

– Handover of all media materials and training curricula to the Ajyal Association to ensure the programme's sustainability and future repetition.

A final report comprising:

• An executive summary
• Quantitative and qualitative analyses
• A description of the training and its objectives
• The work plan
• A description of the activities delivered
• Data-collection and analysis techniques
• Training results and the conclusions of the recommendations
• Trainee assessment results (pre and post)

Timeframe:

The firm commits to delivering all the tasks and outputs mentioned within the timeframe to be agreed after the award of the tender.

The team:

The firm's training team is expected to have the following characteristics:

• A university degree in any field related to the training topics.
• Strong time-management and communication skills, plus excellent report preparation and formal writing skills in both English and Arabic
• Experience in using different training methodologies.
• The ability to convey information in a simplified, accessible way to trainees.
• The ability to monitor and evaluate trainees during the training period.
• Experience in the fields of monitoring and documenting human-rights violations, community journalism, the use of modern technologies in media, and gender equality, with a focus on how to engage the issues of marginalised communities in a human-rights context.

Mechanism for submitting quotations:

• Send the financial and technical offer in PDF format by email
• info@palthink.org
• The deadline is Friday 18 April 2025 at 6 pm.

The offer must include:

• The design of the training programme
• The trainers' CVs
• The proposed methodology
• The detailed budget

Price evaluation and award:

The award will go to the bidder scoring highest in the technical evaluation (70%) and financial evaluation (30%). The technical evaluation will follow the criteria set out in the table below with the weight assigned to each criterion.

Technical evaluation:

Criterion	Score
Experience of the training team	30
University degree and relevant specialisations	20
Quality of the technical offer and work plan	40
Professional reputation and contract compliance	10
Total	100

Financial evaluation:

Quotations must be submitted according to the following instructions and the supply conditions set out below. Quotations must be in euros, inclusive of VAT, with a withholding-tax deduction certificate covering the implementation period and a sample tax invoice for the firm along with a copy of its licence

#	Required item	Unit	Quantity	Unit price in euros		Total price in euros
				Cent	Euro	Cent	Euro
1	Training 40 male and female journalists in the above topics, divided into two training groups of 10 training days each	Training day	20 days
2				Total amount
				Tax
				Grand total

Validity of the offer: your quotations must remain valid for 90 days from the offer-receipt date set out in this invitation to tender

Fixed price: the prices indicated above are fixed and not subject to any change or adjustment during the contract's implementation period

Delay penalties: should the supplier fail to deliver all the required services, or any of them, by the delivery date(s) set in the contract, the purchaser is entitled to deduct an amount from the contract value as delay penalties — 2% of the delivery price of the delayed or unperformed services for each week of delay or part thereof until their actual delivery or performance, up to a maximum of (10%). Should the maximum (10%) be reached, the purchaser is entitled to terminate the contract

Force majeure:

The supplier shall not be subject to forfeiture, delay penalties, or contract termination if the delay in performance or any other failure to fulfil its obligations under the contract results from force majeure. In such circumstances the supplier must inform the purchasing body immediately and in writing of how it affects its performance, and the supplier and the purchasing body shall agree on alternatives for implementing the contract. For the purposes of this paragraph, “force majeure” means any event or condition beyond the supplier's control that could not be avoided or foreseen and is not the result of its negligence or default

Download the terms of reference (Arabic): click here