Consultancy – Motion Graphic Designer/Animator (IC Framework Agreement)

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive growth sustainably to improve the quality of life for everyone. On the ground over 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.  

UNDP is seeking motion graphic designers/animators to support its video production on a series of projects. The video products will highlight and explain UNDP’s work on poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, crisis response, and protecting the environment. UNDP collaborates with many partners including governments, civil society groups, NGOs, and other UN agencies.

The video production unit is part of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA)/Communications Group (CG) of UNDP and is responsible for video production both for HQ and Country Offices.  Most of the production takes place at UNDP HQ in New York.  For this purpose UNDP is requesting bids from motion graphic designers and animators based in New York (home-based).

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

• Conceptualization, development and production of animations for the various events and products such as reports and stories about UNDP’s work around the world.
• Production of motion graphic templates;
• Production of explainer videos;
• Ensuring that all requests and instructions from UNDP pertaining to graphic design and animation requirements are fulfilled;
• Ensuring that all required deliverables are completed on deadline;
• Storyboarding, producing mock-ups;
• Brainstorming and conceptualizing the piece.
• Conceptualization of key messages, defining the target audience, goals to reach and message to deliver.
• Coordinating to set technical specs of the animation such as format, size, or type of animation.
• Working with the highest professional ethical standards and in keeping with UNDP’s and the UN’s core messages.

Institutional/Working arrangements:

• The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of CG Technical Manager, and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.
• The timeline for deliverables (including deadlines) will be agreed upon with the supervisor on an on-call basis.
• Possession of high quality equipment/software is a requirement for selection; selected candidates will need to use their own high-quality audio-visual equipment/software. UNDP BERA will not provide any equipment/software.
• The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop. 

Competencies

Functional competencies:

• Very good knowledge of approaches, tools, and methodologies essential to develop creative animations;
• Knowledge of standard industry animation production processes, including web and social media animations;
• Demonstrated Apple Motion and/or Adobe After Effects skills;
• Proficiency in the use Adobe software (After Effects, Adobe Media Encoder, Premiere, Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop) 
• Experience with development of templates and guidelines on digital tools 
• Demonstrated sound recording, mixing and mastering skills for music, effects and voiceover.

Core Competencies:

• Interest in the UN system and general knowledge of development issues;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or at least three years of experience in lieu of degree, required

Experience:

• 2-3 years of working experience using professional design and animation software, required

Language:

• Fluency in English, required; knowledge of other UN languages (French, Spanish, Arabic) an asset.

Application Procedure

All interested applicants should submit the following documents. Incomplete submission can be a ground for disqualification.

• Updated P11 or Resume/CV;
• Statement of Interest (cover letter) with a brief narrative as to why the individual considers him/herself (include specialty areas) as the most suitable candidate for the assignment;
• Provision of at least three video samples of your work on reel (via URL);

Notes:

• Most of the post-production takes place UNDP HQ in New York –for this purpose UNDP is requesting bids from motion graphic designers and animators based in New York.
• The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager. 
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; where applicable, cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• ‘All-inclusive’ implies that all costs (excluding mission travel) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.  UNDP BERA will not cover any rental costs of audiovisual equipment and this should be included in the daily fee.
• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (700 points):

• Technical/creativity of video sample – at least three on a reel with focus on technique, sound quality and creativity (via URLs) (150 points);
• Proven experience – reference will be made to CV and video samples (150 points);
• Understanding of motion graphic design and animation production as related to montage and sound mixing, as well as publishing formats (150 points).
• Knowledge of and experience in production for international events, preferably within the UN system (100 points);
• Interviews (150 points)

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The top 10-12 candidates after the desk review evaluation will be invited for interview.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Payment modality

• Corresponding payments shall be made following certification by UNDP that the services requested have been satisfactorily performed and deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates;

• UNDP work week is based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Framework Agreement

UNDP plans to enter into the Long-Term Agreement (LTA) with 6 to 10 TOP ranked successful Individual Contractor/s to assure resources availability at the required timeframe and/or increased demand for services requested. The service will be used on an intermittent and repetitive basis when needed and based on the fixed daily rate. In other words, when the CG requires the services of the Consultant, a selection will be made from among the LTA holders based on availability at the needed time, value for money (fee rate) and expertise for type of film being produced.

Please note that the LTA does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNDP at the time the LTA contract is signed, and that such an agreement is non-exclusive. When a specific need arises, the successful Individual Contractor/s will be approached and be provided with a specific TOR and deliverables (and time frame) but still within the scope of the responsibilities stated in the LTA. The successful Individual Contractor/s is expected to provide Confirmation of Interest on the specific services required within 48 hours as to their availability for said services.

Financial commitments will only be established each time a Purchase Order for the specific services/TOR for Individual Contractor is committed. The purchase order will be based on the agreed LTA Daily Rate Consultancy Fee.

This LTA has a cumulative ceiling amount that may accrue to the individual contractor during the life of the LTA, but said amount shall remain as an upper limit, and must not and cannot be interpreted nor understood as neither a financial commitment nor guarantee of business volume. The duration of LTA is for a 3-year period subject to satisfactory contract performance.

Other prospective applicants that are not contracted, at the UNDP discretion, will be placed in the roster of consultants to be used based on on-call basis for similar services.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.

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