Background

CLASP serves at the epicenter of collaborative, ambitious efforts to mitigate climate change and in the global movement for clean energy access, through appliance efficiency. Our mission is to improve the energy and environmental performance of the appliances & equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world. We work hand-in-hand with governments, experts, industry, consumers, donor organizations and others to propel policies and markets toward the highest quality, lowest resource-intensive appliances possible.

CLASP has worked in more than 100 countries since inception in 1999. CLASP is headquartered in Washington, DC, with teams in Europe, Kenya, India and Indonesia. We are mission-driven and committed to a culture of diversity, transparency, collaboration, and impactful work. See our Team Page to learn more about us.

Introduction

CLASP seeks a Consultant to provide thorough content review and copy editing for the 3rd edition of CLASP’s Standards and Labeling Guidebook.  The current (2nd) edition of the Guidebook, published in 2005, is a 320-page printed volume consisting of 10 chapters that detail the best practices in the development of appliance energy efficiency standards and labeling policies, along with associated activities such as product testing, communications, compliance and enforcement. The revision process for the 3rd edition of the guidebook is already well underway, with several chapters nearing completion and others in earlier stages of development.  Unlike previous versions, this new edition will be in a completely online format, which introduces some unique challenges in terms of structure and content.

Timeline

Contract Timeframe: August – November 2021

The engagement period for this consultancy begins immediately and continues through November 30, 2021, with potential for extension.

Deadline for Application: 11 August 2021

Application includes registering as an Implementing Partner, submitting the PQQ, and submitting the technical and financial proposals and work samples per the instructions below.

Deadline for Questions: 4 August 2021

All questions may be addressed in English to Stephen Pantano at spantano@clasp.ngo. We request all inquiries be made by e-mail.

Scope of Work

The Consultant will work with CLASP team members to deliver mutually agreed upon materials as outlined below, with an expectation of approximately 200 hours of work between now and the end of November. The engagement period for this consultancy begins immediately and continues through November 30, 2021, with potential for extension. The consultant will work remotely and must be available for meetings during US Eastern Time regular working hours.

• Lead the editing, reviewing, and revisions of written content for the 3rd edition of CLASP’s Standards and Labeling Guidebook, in regular consultation with the project manager, communications team, and chapter authors.
• Ensure quality and consistency of content, tone and presentation, formatting and presentation of data, infographics, charts, and other technical information; inclusion and accuracy of appropriate references; and relevance of case studies.
• Format headings, text, references, etc. in Microsoft Word to align with Web platform needs and/or provided templates.
• Review content after it has been uploaded to the website to improve consistency and quality of online content.

Key Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 5 or more years of technical writing or copy editing experience.
• Experience writing or editing content about policy and technical topics intended for a semi-technical audience.
• Close attention to detail and ability to adhere to a style guide.
• English language fluency, including speaking, writing, and reading.
• Sensitivity to the requirements of writing for global audiences, including cultural sensitivities, potential for automated translation, avoiding idioms, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in publishing for niche audiences – governments, researchers, technical consultants, etc.
• Experience writing guidance documents, textbooks, instruction manuals, or similar content.
• Experience working in online formats that include text, multimedia, and extensive cross-references.
• Experience writing about climate or energy policy or related topics (i.e., economics, supply chains).
• Familiarity with US and international copyright and open access laws.

Evaluation Procedure

A committee appointed by CLASP will evaluate proposals received. Selection of qualified companies or organizations will be based upon the following criteria:

• Technical Evaluation Factors (70 points)
  • Past experience, performance, expertise writing and editing technical content of the type detailed above (20)
  • Past experience, performance, expertise working with content in rich online formats, as detailed above (20)
  • Past experience, performance, expertise writing and editing subject matter of the type detailed in the RFP (10)
  • Quality of work samples (10)
  • Project delivery timeline (10)

• Financial Evaluation (30 points)

All bids will be evaluated and ranked using Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS), with 70 percent of the score accorded to the technical proposal, and 30 percent to the financial proposal.

Submittal

Register as Implementing Partner

Interested parties must register as a CLASP Implementing Partner.

Fill Out Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

All candidates must fill out the PQQ. The PQQ is a thorough due diligence screening aimed at gathering legal and financial information on prospective partners/vendors. If questions are not applicable, please type “N/A” and go to the next question. While the form can be saved, we recommend completing it in one sitting to avoid potential complications. We will be notified once you submit the PQQ.

Organizations that have already completed the PQQ do not need to complete it again unless the structure of the business has changed. If you are unsure, please email Andrea Testa (atesta@clasp.ngo) to determine next steps.

Submit Technical and Financial Proposals

Interested parties should submit separate technical and financial proposals electronically, in English, via this form link (preferably in PDF format). Interested parties should also submit 2 work samples that demonstrate their qualifications to successfully undertake this project.  The files should be named as per the following example:

• [CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Technical Proposal_ RFP 2021-07-16 [CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Financial Proposal_ RFP 2021-07-16
• [CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Work Sample #_ RFP 2021-07-16

The technical proposal should not exceed 5 pages and should include:

• Detailed approach and methodology for the implementation of the project
• Detailed timeline for all project activities, tasks, milestones, and deliverables for the project within the time frame indicated above
• Background and experience with similar activities. This section should include reference to the 2 provided work samples and may also include links to additional online content.
• A summary of qualifications and experience of key personnel that will execute the project

The financial proposal (in USD) should include a detailed budget with all direct and indirect cost estimates for executing the project, including a breakdown (in days) of the level of effort and costs associated with each team member that will be engaged in the project.

CVs and related summaries of experience and qualifications of proposed project team staff should be included in an Annex and should not exceed 10 pages.

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. CLASP’s goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. CLASP complies with all federal, state and local employment law in the countries we operate and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, credit information or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law.

Each person is evaluated based on personal skill and merit. CLASP’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs.