The general objective of the project aims that consumer rights are known and enforced in Moldova. It contributes to fulfilment of the global objective of this call for proposals to strengthen CSOs’ capacity in the process of implementation of the Association Agreement, including at local level, taking into account that consumer protection is a key component of the association agenda and European integration process. Namely, it corresponds to Lot 2 of the call: support implementing rights-based consumer protection through advocacy activities. It will be addressed by the Action through two complementary specific objectives (SOs).

Specific objectives:

1. Government of Moldova has increased its capacities to enforce consumer protection legislation approximated with the EU acquis - will follow the top-down approach by targeting the policy makers. It will consist mainly of technical assistance that will allow the Government to speed up the harmonization process with EU acquis in the area of consumer protection.
2. Consumers in Moldova increased their knowledge and capacities to promote their rights – will follow the bottom-up approach, by empowering the mass-media and civil society to promote consumer protection and raise the level of information and awareness in the society around this issue.

This assignment aims to select 5 mass-media organizations that will receive sub-grants, worth up to €15,000.00 for each media organization, to support the project's communication and awareness activities, carried out across the country. The project is included in annex no.1 to the GD no. 246 of 2010, thus the awarded sub-grant that will be awarded therein is also subject to exemptions from the payment of income tax, excise duties, customs duties, and VAT. 

One media organization will be selected from each of the following 5 development regions, as defined by Law no. 438/2006 on regional development in the Republic of Moldova: North; Center; South; Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia; and the municipality of Chisinau.

Mass-media organizations will compete only with other organizations from the same development region. Each of the selected media organizations will support the consumer protection awareness campaign by developing a journalistic investigation and other 5 media products, at their discretion: articles, radio/TV shows, podcasts, etc. on topics related to consumer protection. All 5 selected media organizations will be guided by one of the 5 experts selected within the project.

Experts will help sub-grantees to identify the topic for their journalistic investigations and will guide the selected mass-media organizations in elaborating their consumer protection related media products (investigations, articles, tv/radio shows, podcasts etc). The topics for the media-products will also be consulted and agreed with the project team and the EU Delegation.

Taking into account that often people from the Transnistrian region buy consumer products/services on the right bank of the Nistru river, that is controlled by constitutional authorities, all media materials will be translated in Russian and disseminated through communication channels in that region. If communication materials will be produced in Russian then they will be translated in Romanian and will be disseminated.

General requirements for the applicant

The candidate mass-media organization must fulfill the following general eligibility requirements:

• be legally registered in the Republic of Moldova;
• have signed and abide by the „Moldovan journalists code of ethics”;
• provide proof of an independent editorial policy (self-assessment).

Specific requirements for the applicant:

The candidate mass-media organization will explain:

• explain: i) the motivation and interest in consolidating the consumer protection framework in Moldova, ii) the organization’s plans to publish/launch in production and disseminate the produced material, iii) the organization’s plans on the continuation of the efforts to address in its media products the consumer protection related issues; iv) the organization’s objectives and results that it intends to achieve through the subgrant contract.
• showcase the organization’s experience in conducting journalistic investigations (if any);
• showcase the experience in article writing or/and producing TV/radio shows, podcasts etc;
• provide links to the organization’s website, social media pages;
• provide up to 3 CVs of the members of the team, the organization is planning to implement the subgrant with;
• prove the financial sustainability of the organization by providing the financial statements for 2022 and 2023.
• Budget relevance for the tasks described (note: the project is VAT exempt).

 Submission of the offer

The submitted offer will be comprised of a single PDF file that will include:

1. Copy of the Certificate of registration
2. Motivation letter (max 3 pages) that will address:

1. the organization’s motivation and interest in consolidating the consumer protection framework in Moldova;
2. the organization’s plans to disseminate the produced material,
3. the organization’s plans on the continuation of the efforts to address in its media products the consumer protection related issues;
4. the organization’s objectives and results that it intends to achieve through the subgrant contract.

3. List with links to the conducted journalistic investigations (if any).
4. Organization’s experience: a list of links to the top 10 most impactful media materials (articles, TV/radio shows, podcasts etc). If available, accompanied by the outreach figures.
5. The list of links to the organization’s website, social media pages etc.
6. The CVs of the up to 3 members of the team the organization is planning to implement the subgrant with.
7. Financial statements for 2022 and 2023.
8. Explanation on how the media organization is insuring the independence of its editorial policy (max 1 page);
9. Proposed budget for the implementation of the grant activities.

Interested candidates should submit their offers in one PDF document, by email, at procurari@expert-grup.org.  Deadline for submission: September 30^th 2024, 18:00 local time. Paper applications will be rejected.

When sending the application by email, the applicant will indicate the subject of the message: "Selection of the CPF Region: Center/North/South/UTAG/ Chisinau" media organization. Only the region in which the organization operates will be left in the subject of the message.

For more information about the Call please download the Terms of Reference in English or Romanian and  guidelines for applicants.