Terms of Reference
Request for Tenders
| Tender No: |
25/002 |
| Date: |
10 April 2025 |
| To: |
Interested Consultants |
| Contact: |
[email protected] |
| Subject: |
Request for Tenders – External Evaluator: Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 |
You are requested to submit a comprehensive proposal for the above consultancy as per the Terms of Reference set out in Annex I
To assist with your submission, please find enclosed:
Annex I: Terms of Reference
Annex II: Consultant’s Letter to SPTO Confirming Interest and Availability for the Consultancy Services
Annex III: Technical Proposal Submission Form
Annex IV: Financial Proposal Submission Form
Background
The Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project-Phase 2 is a four-year program designed to support the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) in delivering its strategic plan and priorities for sustainable planning and development, destination marketing, and tourism data and research.
Cutting across these three priorities is a Pacific Digital Tourism Strategy which provides the pathway and mechanism to transform the way tourism in the Pacific is marketed, managed and communicated.
The project focuses on:
- Supporting the implementation of SPTO's strategic plan and priorities for sustainable tourism development, destination marketing, and tourism data and research.
- Enhancing digital capabilities across the Pacific tourism sector, empowering stakeholders to leverage digital platforms and tools to improve their core functions.
- Building digital skills and capacity within the tourism workforce to strengthen the sector’s overall digital readiness.
- Supporting the development of digital tools, including dashboards, e-learning platforms, and data analytics systems, to facilitate better decision-making and operational efficiency.
- Improving the ability of stakeholders, including National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and tourism businesses, to utilize digital tools, research capabilities, and sustainable tourism practices for enhanced customer experiences and more effective destination marketing.
- Promoting regional cooperation on digital transformation, fostering collaboration and innovation among Pacific tourism stakeholders.
Goal
The goal of the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 is to empower the Pacific tourism sector through digital transformation, making it more resilient to future shocks and better able to compete in a post-COVID, digitally driven travel market. This goal is underpinned by activities that focus on digital marketing leadership, data collection and analysis, capacity building, and the development of digital tools tailored to the needs of the region's tourism sector.
Scope of Evaluation
The evaluation will encompass the total implementation period of the project, spanning from October 2021 to September 2025. It will include:
- Evaluation of the progress of key activities and deliverables within the set timeframe.
- Review of the engagement with key stakeholders, including National Tourism Organizations, tourism industry stakeholders, SPTO, and NZMFAT.
- Assessment of the project's alignment with regional tourism strategies and objectives, including those of NZMFAT, SPTO’s Strategic Plan, and individual national tourism strategies of the participating destinations.
- Engagement with Pacific partners and stakeholders in the tourism sector, focusing on the outcomes related to digital transformation, research capabilities, and sustainable tourism practices.
Purpose of Evaluation
The evaluation will serve the following purposes:
- Assess the effectiveness of the project activities in achieving the outcomes outlined in the program objectives.
- Examine the impact of the project on strengthening the digital capabilities of National Tourism Organizations, enhancing the skills of tourism professionals, improving destination marketing, and research capabilities, and fostering sustainable tourism practices.
- Identify factors that have affected the success of the project, including external and contextual challenges such as the post-COVID tourism recovery, regional cooperation, and technological adoption in the tourism sector.
- Provide recommendations on the continuation or future design of the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 to support the ongoing development of the Pacific tourism sector, with an emphasis on aligning with the NZMFAT’s regional strategies and priorities.
Evaluation Objectives
The evaluation will focus on the following objectives:
- Objective 1: Assess the effectiveness and value of work to date.
- Examine the progress made in achieving short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes, including digital marketing, research, sustainable tourism improvements, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement.
- Evaluate the impact of the project activities on the tourism sector in participating Pacific countries, considering the challenges and successes encountered.
- Objective 2: Assess what has impacted the success of the project to date.
- Assess how factors such as regional cooperation, market demand for digital tourism solutions, and technological challenges have shaped the outcomes of the project.
- Objective 3: Provide recommendations for future digital support to the Pacific tourism sector.
- Assess whether the project’s objectives remain relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of the Pacific tourism sector.
- Suggest key areas for future investment, focusing on strengthening digital marketing capabilities, fostering e-learning and digital literacy, and leveraging data analytics.
- Objective 4: Assess the alignment between bilateral and regional tourism programs.
- Examine how the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 aligns with and complements regional programs, such as the Pacific Tourism Organization initiatives and NZMFAT’s broader tourism strategies.
- Assess the synergy between bilateral and regional efforts to ensure coordinated support to Pacific tourism.
- Objective 5: SPTO Programme Management Capacity
- Assess SPTO’s management of the program, including planning, staffing, internal processes, reporting mechanisms, and engagement with the Steering Group.
- Identify SPTO’s resource needs and provide recommendations to strengthen future program management.
- Objective 6: Cost Efficiency and Future Resourcing
- Analyze the program’s cost-effectiveness and value for money
- Provide recommendations for future funding levels and resource requirements needed for SPTO to manage and scale program activities
- Objective 7: Alignment with Broader Private Sector Support
- Evaluate the program’s alignment with sector-agnostic private sector development initiatives available to Pacific tourism businesses (e.g., Business Link Pacific, Market Development Facility).
- Identify opportunities for strategic collaboration.
Key Stakeholders
The evaluation will involve engaging key stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and participatory approach. These stakeholders include:
- Pacific Tourism Organization leadership and staff: To assess the overall coordination and effectiveness of the project.
- National Tourism Organizations and tourism sector representatives: To gather feedback on the impact of project activities and the level of engagement and training provided.
- New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade representatives: Specifically, staff involved in the design and management of the project and its alignment with New Zealand’s development goals for the Pacific.
- Marketing, Research Officer, and Sustainable Tourism Advocates: To assess the training and capacity-building outcomes of the project.
- Pacific Tourism Organization’s partner organizations: Including regional organizations and local tourism businesses.
Methodology
The evaluation will employ a mixed-methods approach, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods:
- Document Review: Analysis of relevant project reports, financial statements, and monitoring data to assess progress against objectives.
- Interviews: Conducting interviews with key stakeholders, including National Tourism Organization representatives, tourism professionals, SPTO and NZMFAT.
- Surveys: Distribute surveys to NTOs, and tourism professionals, to gauge the effectiveness of capacity-building initiatives and stakeholder engagement.
Timeline
The evaluation will take place from May to September, with key milestones for stakeholder engagement, data collection, and report development. The final evaluation report will be submitted to the NZMFAT and other relevant stakeholders by October.
Evaluation Deliverables
| No. |
Output |
Description |
Due Date |
| 1 |
Inception Meeting |
Meeting with Evaluator, SPTO, and NZMFAT |
|
| 2 |
Scoping Phase |
Discussion with the Evaluator, SPTO, and MZFAT on the scope of evaluation questions and development of key evaluation questions |
|
| 3 |
Evaluation Plan |
Evaluation Plan submitted to NZMFAT & SPTO |
|
| 4 |
NZMFAT & SPTO Approval of Evaluation Plan |
|
|
| 5 |
Field Work/Data Collection |
Approach to be Confirmed in Evaluation Plan |
|
| 7 |
Draft report including Recommendations |
Preparation of the draft evaluation report and submission to the Contract Manager |
|
| 8 |
NZMFAT & SPTO feedback and approval of the report |
Acceptance/approval by NZMFAT/SPTO after any revisions of the draft are completed and debriefings |
|
| 9 |
Final Report |
Final report and dissemination |
|
Reporting Milestones
The evaluation work plan must outline clear reporting stage gates, including:
- Inception Meeting & Evaluation Plan submission
- Approval of Evaluation Plan by SPTO & NZMFAT
- Sense-check report back to steering group on initial findings and emerging themes for verification of assessment focus.
- Mid-term Progress Update / Briefing
- Submission of Draft Report
- Stakeholder Feedback Period
- Submission of Final Report
- Post-Evaluation Learning and Debrief Session
Evaluation Design
We envisage that this evaluation will involve a literature and documentation review in Phase One, followed by a mixed-method approach in Phase Two, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. This will ensure credibility and validity in the evaluation findings and recommendations. The final evaluation design will be confirmed in the evaluation plan through consultation between the evaluation team and MFAT. Relevant documents and data will be made available to the selected evaluation team.
Culturally Responsive Methodological Approaches
There are a range of world-views and we encourage the use of culturally appropriate evaluation designs, methods and approaches to ensure the evaluation contributes to the body of knowledge of the country/region and its people which are the focus of the evaluation.
Ethics
The evaluation design will outline how privacy, cultural, safety, and ethical issues will be managed throughout the evaluation.
These considerations will ensure the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 Evaluation adheres to high ethical standards and best practices. Key ethical elements include:
- Full Disclosure: Participants will be fully informed of the evaluation's purpose, how their information will be used, and their rights regarding the data they provide.
- Informed Consent: Consent will be obtained either verbally or in writing before participation, ensuring that participants are fully aware of their involvement and can withdraw at any stage.
- Privacy, Confidentiality, and Risk Mitigation:
- The identities of program beneficiaries will be protected, and key informants in professional roles will only be referred to by their position titles if explicit consent is granted.
- Otherwise, participants will be referred to as representatives of their organizations.
- Risks, including physical, emotional, reputational, or resource-related harm, will be minimized. If risks are identified, mitigation measures will be implemented in a hierarchy:
- Eliminate risks where possible.
- Isolate risks from participants.
- Minimize risks through appropriate safeguards.
- Gender and Cultural Safety: The evaluation will address gender and cultural sensitivity by ensuring that all procedures are culturally appropriate and consider gender safety. This will ensure that all participants feel respected and supported during the evaluation process.
Reporting Requirements
As this is an evidence-based evaluation, the findings, conclusions, and recommendations must be derived from clear evidence, and presented in a way that enables readers to assess the validity and reliability of the findings, including considering any vested interests of sources.
In cases where there is conflicting evidence or differing interpretations, the report should highlight these discrepancies and provide justifications for the conclusions drawn.
The report must include an abstract suitable for publication on the SPTO website. The evaluation team will also produce a one- to two-page evaluation fact sheet, summarizing the key findings, recommendations, and lessons learned.
Before submission to SPTO, the evaluation team must ensure that the final draft of the report is accurate, complete, and of high quality in terms of language and clarity.
The report will be reviewed by the SPTO project lead and management. Once finalized, the report will then be shared with NZMFAT- the key development partner involved in the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project- Phase 2 for their review.
SPTO will develop a management response to the evaluation’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations. SPTO will then publish the evaluation report and its management response on its website and subsequently share findings with stakeholders and industry partners.
Evaluation Team
The evaluation is expected to be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of at least three members, given the scale and complexity of the program. This team may include evaluation specialists, sectoral experts, and individuals with strong regional knowledge, particularly of the Pacific tourism sector and digital transformation landscape.
The evaluation team must meet the competencies, skills, and experience specified below, and all proposals will be assessed against these criteria before they are accepted. Only those proposals that meet the evaluation criteria will be invited for interviews.
Duration:
5 Months (May-September 2025)
Competencies and Skills Experience
The ideal consultant should possess the following competencies and skills:
- Demonstrated experience in conducting external evaluations of regional, donor-funded projects.
- Strong background in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) methodologies, particularly in digital transformation or capacity-building projects.
- Experience engaging with government agencies, regional organizations, and donor institutions.
- Knowledge of the Pacific tourism sector and digital development challenges.
- Experience with digital impact measurement
- Proven ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys, interviews, and data analysis.
- Strong report writing and presentation skills to deliver clear, actionable findings.
Documentation Required:
- CVs of those involved in this project to be included in the proposal
- Provision of business license
- Technical Proposal
- Financial Proposal Forms
Registration Requirement
All bidders must be registered on our SPTO Jobs link platform to be eligible for consideration.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Tertiary qualifications in areas relevant to monitoring and evaluation, research, tourism development, digital transformation, and/or a related field.
- Minimum of 3-5 years of experience conducting external evaluations of regional, donor-funded projects.
- Proven ability to engage with Pacific regional organizations, NTOs, government agencies, and donor institutions.
- Quality and feasibility of the proposed evaluation plan and methodology.
- Understanding of the digital transformation needs of the Pacific tourism sector.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver similar projects on time and within budget.
- Proposed approach to stakeholder engagement, training, and capacity-building support.
- Cost-effectiveness of the proposal, ensuring value for money.
Should you have any further queries regarding this consultancy post, feel free to contact [email protected].
| Evaluation Criteria, Competency Requirements |
Score Weight (%) |
Points Attainable |
| Criteria 1: |
Qualifications and Experience
|
20 |
14 |
| · Tertiary qualifications in monitoring and evaluation, research, tourism development, digital transformation, or a related field.
· Minimum of 5 years of experience conducting external evaluations of regional, donor-funded projects.
· Demonstrated experience in digital transformation-related projects.
· Strong knowledge of Pacific tourism sector dynamics and digital development challenges. |
| Criteria 2: |
Technical Experience and Methodology
|
30 |
21 |
| · Strong understanding of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
· Experience designing and implementing data collection tools (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups, case studies).
· Ability to analyze digital adoption trends, capacity-building outcomes, and stakeholder engagement. |
| Criteria 3 |
General Experience in Key Areas |
30 |
21 |
| · Experience working with Pacific regional organizations, NTOs, and tourism stakeholders.
· Demonstrated ability to engage with government agencies, industry partners, and donor institutions.
· Cultural awareness and sensitivity in conducting evaluations within the Pacific tourism sector.
· Provide a portfolio of previous work of independent end-of-activity review/evaluation |
| Criteria 4 |
Management and Deliverability |
20 |
14 |
| · Strong track record of delivering evaluations on time and within budget.
· Well-defined work plan and timeline, ensuring timely submission of deliverables.
· Excellent report writing and presentation skills, with the ability to provide clear, actionable recommendations. |
| Total Score |
100 |
70 |
| Qualification Score |
70 |
49 |
Evaluation Principles and Standards
In conducting the evaluation, the evaluation team will work closely with our partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries to enhance ownership and the use of evaluation findings.
The evaluation team will remain transparent and independent, ensuring they have no vested interest in the outcomes of the evaluation. They will be free from conflicts of interest and independent of those responsible for policymaking, design, delivery, and management of the development intervention.
All evaluation processes and outputs will be robust, carried out in a manner that minimizes any adverse effects of political or organizational influence on the findings and will be transparent. The evaluation process will be open and understood by all involved parties, including partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
Evaluation Governance and Management
The evaluation will be commissioned by SPTO, and the evaluation team will be accountable for its performance to SPTO management. The evaluation will be governed by a Steering Group if the scale, strategic value, risk, or complexity of the Activity/Activities necessitate such governance assurance.
A Steering Group will be formed to guide the evaluation process. This group will consist of:
- SPTO Project Lead
- One or two representatives from National Tourism Organizations (NTOs)
- A technical expert
- A representative from NZMFAT
The Steering Group will review and endorse the evaluation plan, methodology, and key deliverables. It will also provide strategic guidance and quality assurance throughout the process
The SPTO Project Lead is responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the evaluation. Their responsibilities include contracting, briefing the evaluation team, managing feedback from reviews of the draft report, and liaising with the evaluation team throughout to ensure the evaluation is being conducted as agreed.
Terms and Conditions
The following government standard terms and conditions apply to the RFQ and the RFQ process:
- you must bear all of your own costs in preparing and submitting your quote
- you represent and warrant that all information provided to us is complete and accurate
- we may rely upon all statements made in your quote
- we may amend, suspend, cancel and/or re-issue the RFQ at any time
- we may change the RFQ, but will give suppliers a reasonable time to respond to the change
- there is no binding legal relationship between us, and your quote is only accepted if we both sign a contract
- Your quote should clearly state the total price, for full delivery, in FJD inclusive of VAT
- Your quote must show a breakdown of all costs, fees, expenses and charges
Financial Proposal (30%)
The consultant must submit a Financial Proposal based on:
- Lump Sum Amount: The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fees, taxes (if applicable) and any other costs to be incurred. The contract price will be a fixed output-based price regardless of any extensions. Payments will be made upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as outlined in the Deliverables and Indicative Timeframe section above.
- The financial component of the proposal will be scored based on overall costs for the delivery of the services and financial incentives and benefits provided to SPTO. The lowest financial proposal will be awarded a maximum of 30 points and other financial offers and incentives will be awarded points as per the formula below. The formula used for scoring points for financial values proposed will be: Financial Proposal score = (Lowest Price / Price under consideration) x 30
- The Financial Proposal will be considered only for bidders that passed the minimum technical score of 49 points (70%)
Proposal Submission
- All applications must be marked with the title Tender 25/002: External Evaluator: Pacific Digital Transformation Project- Phase 2 as the subject of the email.
- All applicants are to be registered on SPTO Jobslink.
- Bidders are required to fill and submit the below forms:
- Annex II: - Consultant’s Letter to SPTO Confirming Interest and Availability for the Consultancy Services
- Annex III: -Technical Proposal Submission Form
- Annex IV: - Financial Proposal Submission Form
- Submissions are to be sent to the email address, [email protected] by 4.00pm (Fiji Time) on 24th April 2025.
