Ireland - Headline: Invitation to Tender for the Media Trust Initiative (Research)

Description

Invitation to tender
Headline is seeking a suitably qualified applicant to complete a research project on barriers to media engagement for people living with severe and enduring mental illnesses.
About Shine and Headline
Shine was originally created, under the name Schizophrenia Ireland, to support people, and their families, living with Schizophrenia. Today, Shine provides support and information for people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties, including Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.
Headline, existing under the umbrella of Shine, is Ireland’s national media programme for responsible reporting and representation of mental ill health. Our vision is an Ireland where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where every person has an open attitude to their own and others’ mental health. Next to peers, the media are understood to be one of the most influential opinion-setters in the world. They frame how we see and feel about the world around us and the people in it. To facilitate improved representation, accuracy and quality of content related to severe and enduring mental illnesses is to improve audiences’ understanding of it.
About the Media Trust Initiative
Our research to date has shown that the Irish media are largely adhering to the suicide reporting guidelines and that there is a growing focus on providing a platform, through both print and broadcast media, for people with self-experience of mental ill health to share their stories. However, Headline’s 2018 research Reporting Mental Health and Suicide: Challenges Facing Journalists suggested that the Irish media finds sourcing people with lived experience of severe and enduring mental illness who are willing to engage with them is a significant obstacle to producing content about this topic.
In 2019, Headline’s Media Monitoring team found that the volume and quality of content related to Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder in Irish media was significantly lower than that of other mental health conditions. The presence of the “lived experience” perspective was almost entirely absent. The Media Trust Initiative aims to identify barriers to engagement between these sectors and to suggest solutions for a collaborative media engagement protocol.
Aim and methodology
The aim of this research is to learn how best to support people with severe and enduring mental illness to engage with the media. To achieve this aim, the researcher will conduct a review of relevant literature along with primary research with the target group, which may be carried out using methodologies including, but not limited to, focus group facilitation, surveys or case studies. Both qualitative and quantitative methods should be employed.
Interviews should also be conducted with media professionals to ensure the recommendations made as a result of the research are appropriate for the media work environment.
Competency and expertise requirements
The ideal applicant will:

Have worked with priority groups previously
Possess facilitation skills
Have previous experience of carrying similar research from planning through to completion
Have a policy development background
Have experience building/delivering recommendations/guidance
Be familiar with or interested in becoming familiar with the Irish media landscape to the extent that they can make relevant and practical recommendations.

Management of the research process
The successful applicant will be expected to:

Provide regular progress updates to the Headline Programme Support Officer and respond to communications in a timely manner
Take into account feedback from members of the Headline and Shine teams as required.
Be proactive in seeking clarification, information or guidance as needed
Manage their own time between key dates
Commence the research by no later than 31st March 2020
Produce the final report and recommendations by 31st October 2020

There is no requirement to work in the Shine offices on a regular basis, but the successful candidate will be expected to attend for key dates, progress reports etc
Deliverables from researcher
At the end of the research process, the researcher must produce an evidence-based report clearly articulating barriers to interaction between media professionals and people with lived experience of mental ill health and present a series of clear and relevant recommendations on how to overcome these obstacles to communication.
Tender requirements
It is a requirement that the following documentation is supplied at this stage of the proposal process. Please follow the sequence outlined below:

Full consultant/organisation name, address, phone, email and registered organisation number.
An outline (no more than 5 A4 pages) should set out how the applicant would approach all aspects of the work as indicated previously including proposed methodology, timelines, cost etc. Costs must be VAT inclusive, and any quoted daily rates must apply for the duration of the project
If more than one applicant is submitting the proposal (i.e. the project will be delivered in partnership), the proposal needs to clearly outline which applicant will be the project lead and take responsibility for the financial management of the project. The responsibilities and qualifications of relevant personnel within each organisation need to be clearly defined.
Applicants must submit their CV setting out their experience and qualifications. Personnel referenced in the tender must be the assigned personnel who will carry out the work.
Two recent professional referees for similar research projects completed within the last five years.

Evaluation of tenders
Proposals will be marked on the following criteria:

Candidate profile – including the strength and relevancy of the candidates’ background and knowledge/understanding of suicide prevention (20%)
Quality of proposal - including clarity and comprehensiveness of tender, level of understanding of assignment and scope and feasibility of the methodology approach to the project (30%)
Demonstrable track record in solution-oriented research (15%)
Previous experience working with priority groups (15%)
Value for Money – including value added (20%)

PLEASE NOTE: As the deadline for receiving bids is quite short, the selection panel will not expect very lengthy submissions. However, it is crucial that all of the above criteria are met.
Budget
All applicants must propose a budget, to include all associated costs of the research project, including, but not limited to travel, subsistence, telephone, photocopying, insurance, overheads, VAT, PRSI etc.
Terms and conditions

Before the contract is awarded, the successful applicant will be required to produce a valid Tax Clearance Certificate, and if the certificate should expire within the course of the contract, a new certificate will be required. All payments under the contract will be conditional on the applicant being in possession of a valid certificate at all times. If the applicant is in full time employment with an academic or research institute, proof of employment is required.
The successful applicant must produce evidence of professional indemnity and car insurance as part of the tender submission and this cover needs to be in place for the duration of the contract for work.
Any conflicts of interest involving an applicant must be fully disclosed to Headline. Failure to disclose a conflict of interest may disqualify a bidder or invalidate an award of contract, depending on when the conflict of interest comes to light.
The successful applicant must at all times be GDPR compliant, with compliance being supervised by Shine’s Data Protection Coordinator.
The successful applicant may be required to complete Garda vetting.

Requests for further information and clarification
Requests for further information and clarification can be directed to Elaine Haskins via email (ehaskins@headline.ie) or by phone at (01) 541 3715.
Submission of tenders
Please submit completed proposals to Elaine Haskins by 5pm on February 3rd via email (ehaskins@headline.ie) or by post to the address below:
Elaine Haskins,
Headline Programme Support Officer
Block B, Maynooth Business Campus,
Straffan Road,
Maynooth
Co. Kildare
W23 W5X7

Opportunity closing date

03 February 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed