Conflict, Stability and Security Fund: call for bids 2020
New call for bids for regional journalists to undertake activity to tackle illicit economies, serious and organised crime and corruption in Colombia, Peru and Panama.
The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund- CSSF is the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) global fund supporting the efforts in the region to tackle illicit economies, serious and organised crime and corruption in Colombia, Peru and Panama primarily (but with potential to cover linked events in other neighbouring countries).
In Colombia for 2020/21 we are inviting proposals in the specific topic outlined in the attached terms of reference. Please apply only to these thematic areas, bids outside them will not be considered.
Priority
We are seeking an implementer to undertake a regional investigative journalism project which focuses on the dynamics of corruption, serious and organised crime and illicit economies. How these dynamics are interacting with the current COVID-19 pandemic might also be a focus of project activity.
Objectives
The ultimate form of the project depends upon the project implementer but might include the following:
- creating a new platform that strengthens media organisation throughout the region and provides journalists with a platform in which they can collaborate and build regional stories on the key thematic areas, as well as to provide them with instruments to enhance their investigative journalism capacity
- providing a new network of support to journalists already working in this area and further increasing their capacity as well as the possibility of investigative journalism in the key thematic areas appearing in regional press outlets
- support to the operations of a pre-existing media organisation/alliance already working in these thematic to enhance capabilities/expand their ambition
How to apply
Proposals should be sent to the British Embassy in Colombia. Instructions for this bidding round in Bogota are outlined below.
The following documents are attached, please read all guidance.
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terms of reference
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concept note template
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grant contract template – Our Grant Contract is not negotiable. Please revise it before you submit your application, to guarantee that you will be able to work under these terms and conditions.
Bidding process
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Potential implementers are invited to submit a Concept Note to claudia.castilla@fco.gov.uk and cianan.good@fco.gov.uk by Thursday 18 June 2020, 11.59 p. m. Bogota time (template attached). Concept bids should be no more than 3 pages in length. We will not consider proposals that are delivered after the deadline.
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The Embassy in Bogota will evaluate all Concept Forms and decide which proposals should move forward in the funding round. Only potential implementers invited to continue in the process will be contacted by the Embassy by (Thursday 25 June 2020), notifying them of the decision and inviting them to prepare full project proposal forms. If you have not heard from the Embassy by then please assume your bid has been unsuccessful.
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The deadline for submitting the full project proposal will then be Sunday 5 July by 11.59 p. m. Bogota time (again, only implementers that are asked to by the Embassy should send full proposals). We will not receive proposals after this deadline.
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Successful bids will be announced by 10 July 2020. Projects approved for funding will start at the latest on 1 August 2020 but sooner if possible.
All proposals (concepts and full bids) must be submitted in English. The Budget must be presented in pounds (GBP), and an exchange rate of COP/£ 4764.25 must be used; however, the Embassy will not cover any variances in the total amount of the budget due to the exchange rate.
Full proposals at Stage 3 must be supported by a realistic activity based budget, set out with as much detail as possible.
Selection Criteria
Bids will also be assessed against the following criteria:
- value for money
- alignment with the terms of reference
- project viability, including capacity of implementing organisation(s)
- project design, including clear, achievable objectives/outputs
- good risk and stakeholder management
Updates to this page
Last updated 11 June 2020 + show all updates
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Edited the Project Bid, Scope and Scale, and Deadline sections - the date changed from 30 March 2020 to 30 March 2021. Edited the budget section - changed from GBP 150 to 200,000.
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First published.