Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified supplier to develop, review, repackage, and electronically distribute high-quality science communication and corporate communication resources. These resources include graphic design, layout, illustrations, writing, editing, review, and proofreading, over a period of thirty-six (36) months. The aim is to produce impactful, ethical, and accessible materials that promote public engagement with science, support stakeholder communication, and enhance NRF-SAASTA’s brand and strategic positioning.

Scope

Part A: Science Communication and Engaged Research

• Development of new resources and repacking of existing content, including posters, booklets, infographics, animations, audio-visuals, social media campaigns, articles, policy briefs, and reports.
• Design and layout of engaging, interactive materials in various formats and sizes (A0 to A4, A5, etc.).
• Content must be scientifically accurate, culturally sensitive, and linguistically appropriate, including translation into South African languages.
• Deliverables include posters, infographics, animations, social media content, articles, policy briefs, audio-visuals, and other media as specified.

Part B: Corporate Communication

• Development and repacking of corporate publications, digital media, branding resources, signage, certificates, event collateral, newsletters, and multimedia products.
• Design, layout, translation, transcreation, and editing of corporate materials, ensuring consistency with NRF branding and style guidelines.
• Production of annual impact reports, media kits, corporate videos, microsites, and other digital assets.

Technical Requirements

• Content creation must adhere to NRF’s branding, style, and quality assurance guidelines, including scientific editorial processes.
• Designs must be adaptable with up to three revisions for the look and feel.
• All visuals and illustrations must be licensed for unrestricted use, relevant, and appropriate to the content.
• Final deliverables should include open design files (InDesign, Illustrator, PDF with editable layers) and print-ready files.
• Resources must be produced in formats suitable for print, digital, and social media platforms, optimized for various devices and browsers.
• Translation and transcreation services must cover at least five South African languages, with proof of capacity and experience.
• Content must be scientifically accurate, credible, and ethically sound, with verification and review processes in place.

Skills and Experience Requirements

• Company Profile: Minimum of 4 years’ experience in developing communication resources, including graphic design and layout.
• Project Team:
  • Graphic designers with at least 3 years’ experience and proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud Suite; portfolio of recent work required.
  • Content writers/journalists with a minimum of 5 years’ experience, capable of producing media articles, social media content, and technical writing; each must have a minimum of 10 published science-related articles in the last two years.
  • Qualified professional translators or capacity to work with qualified translation agencies, capable of translating content into at least five South African languages.
  • Project manager with proven track record in managing similar projects, demonstrating understanding of scientific editorial and quality assurance processes.
• Audio-Visual Production: Evidence of experience in producing animations, documentaries, and multimedia content, with proof of relevant projects and personnel CVs.
• Social Media Campaigns: Portfolio of planning, managing, and executing campaigns across multiple platforms, with CVs of social media specialists.
• References: At least three contactable references from recent projects demonstrating successful resource development and impact.
• Capacity: Ability to contract additional resources during peak periods, with proof of capacity and staffing plans.

Summary

The successful bidder must demonstrate extensive experience in science and corporate communication resource development, graphic design, content writing, translation, and multimedia production. They should possess a skilled team capable of delivering high-quality, scientifically accurate, culturally sensitive, and engaging materials within specified timelines, aligned with NRF-SAASTA’s branding and quality standards.