Recruitment of a Firm for the Elaboration and Implementation of a Communication Plan for the Central Africa Fiber Optic Backbone Project – CAR Component (CAB-RCA)

Full description of the project

The Central African Republic sees the CAB project as a tool for sustainable development.

The process of its implementation requires a broad participation of stakeholders (central and local administrations, local and indigenous communities, civil society, private sector, and partners) and of the different economic and digital sectors. It is in this respect that the Communication and Awareness Plan is considered one of the main tools of the CAB project. Furthermore, it should be noted that the project is co-financed by two grants from the AfDB and the EU, and as such it is important to communicate the development impacts of this operation.

One of the responsibilities of the UCP/CAB is to ensure the promotion of the project and the optical infrastructures, in particular, to increase its visibility and its relations with the partners. The development of the communication plan for the CAB-RCA project is therefore part of this dynamic.

As a reminder, the communication plan aims to convey to target groups messages relating to the action of each of the partners in the project sector and to inform these target groups in a transparent manner about the progress of the project and its impacts.

Thus, the overall communication objectives will be to show how the fiber optic infrastructure and the communicating administration contribute to the economic and social development of the CAR, and more particularly to expose the stakes of the digital opening up of the country and of the regional integration promoted considerably through the present operation.

More specifically, the presentation will outline the project’s achievements and their impacts, particularly in terms of diversification of the Central African economy thanks to the significant increase in tax revenue and the considerable reduction in the cost of economic and social transactions, the opening up of rural areas to digital technology coupled with regional integration via a fiber optic infrastructure providing access to neighboring countries (e.g. Cameroon and the Congo), and the revitalisation of the social pact through the creation of employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

Finally, the communication will mention the origin of the project’s financing through the EU/Bank/RCA partnership. It will recall the role of each of the partners and the way in which this project is consistent with their respective policy and strategic framework of intervention.

Overall objective:

The overall objective of this study is to develop a communication and advocacy plan for the CAB-RCA Project over the life of the project to raise awareness of the project and give greater visibility to the activities and services provided.

Specific objectives:

More specifically, the communication plan should make it possible to :

• Analyze the different communication strategies and actions in place and ensure their consistency;
• Define the communication and promotion tools for the CAB-RCA project as well as the appropriate means, channels of dissemination and tools;
• Define an online promotion strategy for the CAB-RCA project, in particular through social networks;
• Define a marketing approach to attract new technical and financial partners;
• Define an approach to enable digital economy actors to better know and use the products and services provided by the CAB-RCA project;
• Propose a detailed timeline and budget for the implementation of the communication strategy;
• Define for the duration of the project the priorities in terms of communication and advocacy and the results to be achieved for the promotion of the project at both strategic and community levels;
• Define the activities to be implemented in order to increase popular support for the promotion of fiber optics and its appropriation by the various actors;
• Define the actors and targets as well as the appropriate channels, media, means, and tools;
  Identify current and potential communication channels, as well as the most appropriate modes and means of communication (channels, media, supports, messages, etc.) for each target group;
  Identify the themes to be addressed and the development of messages ;
  Develop ́ a communication and awareness-raising plan objectively applicable in the context of the CAB-RCA project, which also incorporates a timetable;
• Ensure the participation of the beneficiaries in the proposed activities;
• Organize a mini-workshop to validate the plan.