COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND SERVICES CONSULTANT
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND SERVICES CONSULTANT
Posting Details
Job Details
Description
Request for Proposals (RFP)
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND SERVICES CONSULTANT
Summary Information
RA Department: Impact Program
Location(s): Yogyakarta and Bali
Commitment: One year
Desired start date and duration: 1 May 2026 – 30 April 2027
Under direction of: Manager, Consumer Campaign and Engagement
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance (RA) is an international nonprofit organization working at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests to make responsible business the new normal. We are building an alliance to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote their human rights, and help them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. We envision a world where people and nature thrive in harmony.
The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.
For more information, please visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about.
Overview
The Accelerating Consumer Transformation and Sustainability in Indonesia (ACT!) Project aims to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of domestic food consumption in Indonesia, mainly of coffee, cocoa, tea, and palm oil commodities, through market intervention by driving an increase of demand for sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products in the domestic market, specifically in Yogyakarta and Bali provinces, both recognized as popular tourist destinations in Indonesia. The impact location is supported by the ‘Brandtracker’ survey performed by Rainforest Alliance in 2021 and a survey performed by Nielsen for WWF-Indonesia in 2017 indicated the beginning of behavior shift among consumers in Bali and Yogyakarta towards increased awareness and consciousness of the benefit of sustainable product choices.
The ACT! Project is implemented by a consortium consisting of the Rainforest Alliance, Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia (SCOPI), and the Cocoa Sustainability Partnership, and funded by the European Union under the SWITCH-Asia Program.
The project is targeting an impact of 5% increase in domestic consumption of sustainable or certified coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products by the end of the project and 800.000 consumers (50% of which are women) in Yogyakarta and Bali with increased awareness and willingness to consume certified and sustainably produced coffee, cocoa, tea and palm oil products. Following insights from previous consumer surveys, including the Brandtracker, the project targets its interventions to end consumers, horeca (hotel, restaurant, and cafe) businesses, and retail sectors (selected supermarkets).
The project will perform a consumer-facing campaign to increase consumer’s demand for sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products, and enable horecas and retailers with capacities to promote sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products optimally to their customers. Therefore, communication strategy is at the core of the ACT! Project that needs to be developed specifically and adopted throughout the project implementation.
Driving towards impact, the ACT! Project sets out indicators of achievement at the outcome and output level that needs to be met through activities performed under the project. Project outputs are immediate targets that should be achieved through implementation of activities, and achievement of outputs should contribute to the achievement of project outcomes. In the following are project outcome and output indicators that are relevant to the development of the communication strategy:
Outcome:
20% of consumers in Yogyakarta and Bali claim they are more aware of the benefits of consuming certified and sustainably produced coffee, cocoa, tea and palm oil, and willing to purchase these products, of which 50% of them are women.
Output:
1.2.1. 1 consumer-facing campaign “toolkit” developed and implemented, involving horeca and retailers.
1.2.2. 8 events participated in promoting sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products.
1.2.3. 8 (eight) events organized by ACT! Project to promote sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products.
1.2.4. 70.000 consumers reached through consumer-facing campaign, of which 50% of them are women.
1.2.5. 8 (eight) product showcases performed to promote sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil.
1.2.6. 10.000 university students engaged in certified food (coffee, cacao, tea, palm oil) product awareness events/programs.
1.2.7. 4 (four) media trips organized.
1.2.8. 80% of consumers surveyed have increased awareness and knowledge of certified food products and their benefits.
2.3.1. 1 (one) campaign “toolkit” shared with project-supported hotels, restaurants and retailers.
2.3.2. 3 (three) product launch events
2.3.3. 3 (three) producer stories shared through media or events.
2.3.4. 60% of participating hotels, restaurants, and retailers implement customer engagement and sustainability communication strategies.
To support achievement of the above listed targets, the project requires support in communication strategy and services. Thus, the ACT! Project through Rainforest Alliance is seeking a qualified consultancy firm to provide:
- A consumer-facing “toolkit” to be used by horecabusinesses and retailers to promote sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products in their premises, outlets or store branches.
- Strategic support for a consumer campaign to reach at minimum 70.000 consumers (50% of which are women, and 10.000 of them are university students) through events, media engagement, and social media outreach, etc.
The consultancy will report to the Manager of Consumer Campaign and Engagement in Rainforest Alliance who is responsible for leading and managing the implementation of ACT! Project. On a daily basis, the consultant will also coordinate with communication personnel from Rainforest Alliance, SCOPI, and CSP to advise on execution of the communication strategy as agreed by the ACT! Project consortium. The Project Manager and Communications Associates from consortium members are the priority personnel to coordinate with by the consultant, and from time to time, as requested, the consultant will also communicate with Rainforest Alliance’s APAC Communications Manager to share about the strategy and ensuring its alignment to RA’s global messaging and integrates audience in Indonesia seamlessly.
Consultancy Scope of Work
Main Objectives
The primary goal of hiring a communication firm is:
- To develop a practical set of communication/promotional “toolkit” to be used by hotels, restaurants, cafes (horeca), and retailers to promote or communicate mainly their sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products to their customers. The toolkit should be flexible enough for thehorecasand retailer to further develop, modified, and adjusted according to their needs, situation and available resources. The maximum result would be the relevance of this toolkit for long term applications byhorecasand retailers, even beyond the project implementation period.
- To support the implementation of a consumer campaign that targets increasing understanding and willingness of consumers in Bali and Yogyakarta to purchase sustainable coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil products. In a short term, the campaign should be able to reach at least 70.000 consumers with 50% of them are women and 10.000 among them are university students. The required support includes:
- Campaign key messages (improvement from existing key messages)
- A campaign brand guideline (improvement from existing)
- A spokesperson guideline
- Digital communication strategy
- Media partnership(s)
- Journalist trips
- Influencers/KOLs engagement
- Event communications
- Customer engagement strategies (including concepts for product launch events and development of producer stories)
Activities
In order to achieve the above objectives, the hired communication firm is expected to perform a range of activities which includes, but not limited to:
- Development of a consumer-facing “toolkit” for horecasand retail
- Improvement of campaign key messages
- Development of a campaign branding and spokesperson guideline
- Development of a multimedia and social media editorial plan for consumer-facing campaign
- Connect and negotiate with potential media partnerships
- Organize and support journalist trips
- Development and dissemination of press releases
- Conduct regular media monitoring relevant to the campaign
- Providing event communication support (e.g. media relations, influencer engagement, and documentation)
- Engage KOLs (key opinion leaders) and influencers to support campaign activities
- Concept development for customer engagement activities (including ideas for product launch events)
- Provide support for development of producer stories
Timeline and deliverables
From 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027
Improved campaign key messages
1 set
An improved set of key messages for ACT! Project campaign
Campaign branding guideline
1 set
A comprehensive set of branding for ACT! Project campaigns and guidelines to use include logo, typography, color palette, etc.
Spokesperson guideline
1 set
A guideline to be used by anyone from the ACT! Project consortium that is assigned to be ACT! Project’s spokesperson.
Draft of consumer-facing ‘toolkit’
1 set
1
Final design of consumer-facing ‘toolkit’
1 set
Final product of consumer-facing ‘toolkit’ to be used by hotels, restaurants, cafes (
‘Toolkit’ is considered final when it has received confirmation from
Customer engagement strategies
At least 2-3 concepts
Concepts for customer engagement activities to support usage of toolkit by horeca and retail businesses
Social media editorial plan
1
Editorial plan for ACT! Project contents in social media for one year period (1 June 2026 – 31 May 2027)
Multimedia plan
1
Strategic recommendation for production of multimedia contents
Engaged media partner
At least 1 partner
Strategic media partner(s) secured by an agreement with Rainforest Alliance to support ACT! Project outreach
Engaged KOLs/influencers
At least 5 KOLs/influencers
At least 5 KOLs/influencers engaged through the consultant network to support ACT! Project online and offline activities
Journalist trip reports
2 trips
2 journalist trips conducted with ‘farm-to-table’ story angles.
Reports consist of descriptions of activities and documentations (photos and audio visual).
Press releases
8
Develop and distribute press releases for all prominent events performed throughout the agreement period
Weekly media monitoring
52
Weekly report available on published news relevant to ACT! Project topics and overall sentiment towards topics related to coffee, cacao, tea, and palm oil commodities.
Weekly social media content analysis report
52
Weekly report available on analysis of: ACT! Projects social media contents and digital discourses relevant to ACT! Project and social media trends.
Reports on event communication support
At least 5
Reports of communication support provided for all ACT! Project events which include, but are not limited to:
- News publication of the event related to ACT! Project
- Events documentations (photos and audio visual)
- Involvements of KOLs/influencers
Producer stories
At least 2-3 stories
Published producer stories in engaged
Draft of final report
1
Draft of final report consisting of description of all services provided for ACT! Project and the result.
Final report
1
Final report consisting of description of services provided for ACT! Project and the result.
- Applicants must provide all requisite information under this RFPclearly and concisely respond to all points set out in this RFP. Any proposal, which does not fully and comprehensively address this RFP, may be rejected.
- Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by RA.
- Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.
- RA reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the procurement process.
- RA is at liberty to make multiple or no selections as part of the proposal process. RA also reserves the right to cancel the procurement.
- All proposal costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by RA.
- It is the responsibility of every bidder to identify any information of a confidential or proprietary nature contained in its proposal so that it may be handled accordingly. However, RA cannot guarantee confidentiality.
Selection Criteria and qualifications
The consultant or consultant firm should comply with the following minimum qualifications:
- At minimum 10 years of establishment.
- Have physical presence in Indonesia (at minimum for local experts).
- Possesses expertise in development and running public campaigns
- Possesses expertise in retail and product promotion
- Possesses experience working with the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, cafes) and in tourism
- Possesses at least 5 years’ experience of working with development organizations, national/international non-governmental organizations, and UN agencies.
- Familiar with topics and issues related to sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12).
- Familiar with topics and issues related to agriculture commodities (palm oil, coffee, tea, cacao).
- Possess knowledge and experience or familiarity with using trusted tools and platforms for media and social media monitoring, including data analysis.
- Strong networks with national and local media outlets.
- Holds connection to KOLs/influencers that are reputable, and he/she supports and possesses a good understanding of sustainability topics and issues.
- Deep understanding of dynamics in development organizations, national/international non-governmental organizations, and UN agencies.
Selection of the consultant or consultant firm is based on the following criteria:
Strategic proposal
35
Previous experiences
25
Team composition and expertise
10
Financial proposal or budget
20
Availability for long term contract
10
Proposal Process and Format
Interested consultants or consultant firms should submit their proposal including the following:
- Statutory Requirements: the consultant should supply all required legal documents: business/work permit, bank details, registration details, tax documents, etc.
- Technical proposal requirements: Proposal submitted should contain the following information:
- Work plan/technical proposal/methodology/timeline for deliverables
- Company profile and services portfolio
- List of previous engagements that addresses the above experience desired
- Project team profile (including CVs of all team members)
- Contact details of recent references (email and phone number)
- Legal and Administrative Document: Latest Deed, Business Identification Number (NIB and License Permit), Taxpayer ID, Taxable Entrepreneur Confirmation Letter (SPPKP)
- Financial proposal requirements: the financial proposal should contain:
- Detailed budget (in IDR) needed to complete deliverables.
- Include previous applied rates
All proposals must be submitted in https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/careers/ as an integrated PDF document (only one file). If you experience problems loading information on the platform, try opening it with different browsers. Proposals received after the deadline stated above will not be evaluated.
Finalists will be notified of their selection by 24 April 2026
Contact person for questions
Margareth Meutia
Deadline for submission of proposals
18 March 2026
Thank you for your interest in working with the Rainforest Alliance