REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
|
Name of Project |
Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu or ‘Na Vualiku’ |
|
Loan Number |
IDA-73690 |
|
Assignment Title |
Production of Fiji’s International Visitor Survey 2024-2028 |
|
Reference Number |
FJ-MTCA-362602-CS-QCBS |
|
Country of Delivery |
Republic of Fiji |
The Government of Fiji through the Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics has received financing from the World Bank (“WB”) for the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu or ‘Na Vualiku’ and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.
A key component of the Project is Tourism Capacity Enhancement and Project Management. To support sustainable destination management and project monitoring, a subcomponent will provide capacity building to enhance tourism and project indicator statistics. This includes supporting the ongoing implementation of MTCA’s International Visitor Survey to help establish baselines and targets for Program Development Objectives and Project Development Objectives-level indicators to ensure results can be monitored accurately.
The consulting services (“the Services”) will support the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (“MTCA”) as the lead Implementing Agency, and its counterparts in the production of Fiji’s International Visitor Survey (“IVS’) 2024-2028.
The objective of this consultancy is to undertake the continuation of Fiji’s IVS for the year 2024 to 2028. This includes developing its methodology and managing its administration.
The Services are expected to start in August 2024 for a period of 4 years.
The detailed Terms of Reference (“TOR”) for the assignment is subject to further discussion and refinement in consultation with stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage and alignment with Project objectives.
The MTCA now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers dated November 2020 (“the Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
The shortlisting criteria is:
|
Scoring Criteria |
Scores |
|
Firm’s core business and years in business |
15 |
|
Technical and managerial organization of the firm |
15 |
|
General qualifications and number of strategic staff (*) |
20 |
|
Proposed methodology |
20 |
|
Understanding of TOR |
20 |
|
Firm’s qualifications in the field of the assignment |
10 |
|
Total |
100 |
(*) Key personnel are not evaluated at this stage.
Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (“CS-CQBS”) method set out in the Regulations and based on the criteria set out in the TOR. Further information can be obtained at the address below. This TOR is subject to further discussion and refinement in consultation with stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage and alignment with project objectives.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 23 July 2024.
Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation
Attn: Jacinta Lal (Ms)
Director of Tourism
Level 4, Civic Tower
Victoria Parade, Suva
Tel: +679 3315577 or +679 9915971
E-mail: jacinta.lal.fj@gmail.com
_____________________________________________________________________
DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE
Project: Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu – Phase I
Project ID No: P178694
Assignment Title: Production of Fiji’s International Visitor Survey 2024-2028
Duration: 2024-2028
Expected Start Date: August 2024
_______________________________________________________________________
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Project: Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu – Phase I
Project ID No: P178694
Assignment Title: Production of Fiji’s International Visitor Survey 2024-2028
Duration: 2024-2028
Expected Start Date: August 2024
1. INTRODUCTION
The Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu (TDPVL) or ‘Na Vualiku’, is a World Bank (WB) supported project being implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MTCA).
The Program aims to support resilient and sustainable tourism development in Vanua Levu and Taveuni through coordinated destination development, critical infrastructure and essential services investments, and emergency preparedness.
The TDPVL will be implemented through a multiphase programmatic approach (MPA) that allows for a long-term and phased engagement. The MPA is a comprehensive overlapping 3-phase tourism development program in Vanua Levu and Taveuni that will support the realization of Fiji’s national development, private sector growth, and green growth plans. The program has two main aims: a) to improve the resilience and sustainability of the tourism industry, including short-term recovery and longer-term diversification and high-value growth; and b) to facilitate the execution of existing Government plans. More information about the TDPVL can be found here.
Phase I of the program (the Project) will focus on setting the foundational framework for sustainable tourism in Vanua Levu and Taveuni (the North) and implementing selective demonstration programs. It will include three integrated components, each of which targets a key constraint to unlocking tourism potential in the North. It will support resilient and sustainable tourism development in the North through integrated destination development, enhanced connectivity and essential services infrastructure, and improved biodiversity and natural resource management.
A key component of the Project is Tourism Capacity Enhancement and Project Management. To support sustainable destination management and project monitoring, a subcomponent will provide capacity building to enhance tourism and project indicator statistics. This includes supporting the ongoing implementation of MTCA’s International Visitor Survey to help establish baselines and targets for Program Development Objectives (PDO) and Project Development Objectives (PrDO)-level indicators to ensure results can be monitored accurately.
Therefore, MTCA is seeking a qualified consulting firm to support MTCA and its counterparts in the development and implementation of Fiji’s International Visitor Survey for the years 2024 to 2028, with a special focus on Vanua Levu.
2. BACKGROUND
The Fiji International Visitor Survey (IVS) is conducted yearly and involves quantitative and qualitative research to measure expenditures, characteristics, and behaviours of international visitors to Fiji.
The Survey, led by the Ministry is conducted every day of the year on a sample of departing international visitors from the Nadi International Airport. The total number of interviews conducted with visitors of each country is distributed by selecting monthly samples of departing flights and visitors on those flights to achieve acceptable sample sizes.
The purpose of this survey is to provide Government and key tourism stakeholders with regular, comprehensive and accurate information on the characteristics, behaviour and expenditure of international visitors to Fiji. Questions in the IVS are also used to determine the Travel Credits (Total visitor expenditure) component in the Balance of Payments.
The IVS compiles data on the avergae length of stay, travel arrangements, information sources about Fiji, reasons for visiting, type of accommodation, type of transport, places visited, activities undertaken, attractions visited, prepaid expenditures and spending in Fiji, visitor satisfaction and impressions, among others. These indicators are important to Government, Tourism Fiji and tourism industry stakeholders, in ascertaining tourists’ preferences and experience.
In 2018, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, the Ministry conducted a review of Fiji’s previous IVS reports and methodology. The review identified areas for improvement including enhancing the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of the published data. The review recommended continued modernization of the IVS to improve data reliability for use by the Fiji Government and the private sector and support further strategic, targeted development of tourism. After transitioning to an online survey model, a full 12 months of IVS data was collected, analyzed and shared for the calendar year 2019.
After a lapse of two years following the closure of borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry re-commenced the IVS data collection in April 2022. The findings of the April to December 2022 were released in July 2023.
The 2023 Fiji IVS was administered from January through December 2023. The findings from this iteration of the survey are expected to be released in June 2024. Data collection activities for the 2024 IVS began in January 2024 and are ongoing. They are expected to end in line with contractual obligations on 31 August 2024 and recommence with this new engagement.
3. OBJECTIVES
The current IVS includes a significant number of questions about visitors’ experiences, activities, and financial decision-making regarding their trip to Fiji. The data collected in the survey provides critical information that is useful for improving the visitor experience and calculating the financial impact tourism has on the overall Fiji economy. However, the survey can be both lengthy and intrusive for visitors, which impacts response rates and the overall success of the research. Given this problem, it makes sense to consider alternative methods for collecting the same information in a more efficient manner.
Moving forward, the Fiji IVS will be separated into two separate surveys. First, there will be a survey that focuses almost exclusively on visitor expenditure. The survey will include the same demographic and expenditure questions that are asked on the current IVS but will not include other topics. By focusing on these questions, the survey respondent will not be overwhelmed by the full survey, and greater participation is expected. Additionally, this survey will include more information about the purposes and uses of the expenditure data so that survey respondents will feel more at ease with providing this type of information.
The second survey will focus on activities and visitor satisfaction and will exclude questions regarding spending. This survey will also include the same demographic and visitor satisfaction questions that are currently asked, so there will be continuity with previous years’ data. As is the case with the expenditure survey, it is expected that the shorter, more focused survey will be easier to complete, and response rates will increase as a result.
The Ministry seeks to engage a firm to review, update, and implement the new IVS surveys.
There are two principal objectives of IVS research. These include:
- Quantifying visitor expenditures both in the aggregate and by major source markets, which can be used by the Fiji Government to estimate revenue for future budget prioritization.
- Assessing visitor trip activities and experiences to better understand visitor sentiment and satisfaction.
4. SCOPE OF SERVICES
To achieve these objectives, research activities can be separated into two primary phases. During a short Phase I period (September 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027) the firm will work with the Ministry to identify potential data collection challenges and solutions to ensure visitor contact information is collected systematically, and without a significant loss of data.
Unless otherwise agreed upon, the firm will continue to use the existing email collection processes at the Nadi International Airport. During this period, the project will (where practical and no additional cost) discuss other and/or existing IVS enhancements that may increase the number of email addresses collected.
The team will also consider approaches that will allow for better integration of the IVS data with other dashboards and research by other stakeholders such as per diem by purpose of visit by market.
The number of completed email addresses received each month will be split evenly between two groups. One group will form the sample for the expenditure survey while the other groups will form the sample for the visitor satisfaction survey. The process of separating the two groups will be random to ensure there is no systematic bias in designating which group the potential respondent is assigned to.
The survey instruments that will be administered will be new starting calendar year 2025. Until this point, the firm will use the same survey instrument that was implemented throughout the year in 2024. Survey instruments for calendar years 2026 and 2027 will be similar, if not exact, to the survey instrument used in 2025. The firm will discuss the survey instrument during Phase I in each year of fielding to determine if revisions should be made. Should the firm and MTCA agree upon change, these will be implemented during this phase of activities.
PHASE I: ACTIVATION OF PROCESSES
- Continue email collection, separate survey samples beginning in calendar year 2025, distribute surveys and conduct the technical aspects of the IVS survey, including renewing and managing the licensing of the online survey software (as used previous versions of the IVS).
- Prepare periodic reports with the results of the IVS for the Ministry, including clear disclosure of any limitations of the survey methodology and sample size during this Phase I period.
The second phase of activities will cover data collection and reporting activities. Under Phase II (September 2024-August 2025, September 2025-August 2026, September 2026-August 2027, and September 2027-August 2028) the firm will implement data collection, processing and analysis for each of the 12-month periods. Recall that for the remainder of calendar year 2024 the firm will administer the single-form IVS, and in 2025 it will administer the separate expenditure and visitor satisfaction surveys. It will also see to the delivery of a 6-month report that covers the first 6 calendar months of data each year. Mid-year reports will be ready in August 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.
PHASE II: TWELVE-MONTH CYCLE OF IVS DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
- Implement data collection for forty-eight (48) months (September 2024 – August 2028) including data collection, data processing and cleaning.
- Implement data analysis for forty-eight (48) months.
- Prepare additional reports (to be agreed during the Kick Off Meeting each year) representing no greater firm Level of Effort (LOE) than the annual report.
Specifically, the firm will:
- Confirm and follow the earlier IVS methodology as documented in the Fiji Online International Visitors Survey Documentation Report.
- Implement the existing questionnaire(s) (all language versions), ensuring it allows for immediate comparison and trend analysis over time.
- Conduct virtual refresher training as needed for Ministry enumerators to reinstate the brief interviews and email address collection.
- Review and agree on a management program (including targets) for the Ministry to implement to ensure enumerators are correctly administering the email address collection in accordance with the sampling methodology.
- Prepare periodic reports with the results of the IVS in line with the Ministry’s needs. Reports will be prepared, reviewed, and finalised, taking account of the Ministry’s feedback.
- Prepare an Annual Report each year of the contract period that will cover all data collected in a single calendar year. To be submitted in the Spring following the calendar year.
- Prepare a six-month report for each year of the contract period that will cover data collected in the first 6 calendar months of each year. To be submitted around August following the first 6 months of each calendar year.
- Prepare additional report(s) representing no greater Firm LOE than the annual report (to be agreed by Firm and the Ministry at the Kick Off Meeting of each year).
- Assist the Ministry in interpreting and using the reports and additional raw data generated (to an agreed maximum LOE within this contract).
5. SPECIFIC TASKS
PHASE I – September 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027
Introduction and Kick-off Meeting
- At the kick-off meeting, a brief introduction and an overview of the methodology will be provided. At this stage, any relevant internal reports, or data available can be provided by the Ministry.
- Discuss and determine additional report(s) that the Firm will prepare to meet stakeholder needs during the contract period (representing no greater Firm LOE) than previous annual reports).
Survey methodology: Continuation of existing methodology
-
- Meet with MTCA and Airports Fiji Limited (or similar) to discuss access to Wi-Fi registration data or other visitor contact data and conduct additional stakeholder meetings to resolve logistics to access Wi-Fi registration data.
- Update sampling methodology, adjust airport enumerator sampling plan based on current airline schedules. Allow for variables in airline schedules as service fluctuates during re-establishment or reduction of services over time.
Airport Intercept Field Training
-
- As needed, conduct field training, initially via video conferencing to retrain enumerators who have not worked on this project for two years.
- Bi-weekly fielding schedule and management to oversee work of the enumerators to ensure the highest productivity. Also, trouble shoot any issues with surveys, tablets, etc.
PHASE II – September 2024 to August 2025, September 2025 to August 2026, September 2026 to August 2027, and September 2027 to August 2028
Email data collection (ongoing to September 2028)
-
- Collect email addresses and monitor responses.
- Extract from survey database, review of email records, clean contacts from airport lists. Prepare data collected from enumerators and any Wi-Fi registration data. Fix any unacceptable email addresses. Prepare data for mailing out emails.
- Beginning in calendar year 2025, separate email addresses into two samples: one for the expenditure survey and one for the visitor satisfaction survey.
- Conduct bi-weekly fielding management to oversee work of the enumerators and ensure the highest productivity, as well as trouble shoot any issues with surveys, tablets, and Airport Wi-Fi data. Aggregate the fielding statistics to produce a status report (completion rates by enumerator, by country, by day, etc.)
Survey Data Collection and Data Processing (ongoing to August 2028)
-
- Implement the IVS and subsequent split survey IVS for Fiji for minimum 48 months (September 2024 to August 2028) including data collection, data processing and cleaning, and data analysis. Implementation may commence earlier if ready.
- Web survey(s) distribution and data capture – collect data through online survey(s) with a target number of responses of no less than 3% of visitor arrivals, mail survey invitations through Constant Contact and manage the Alchemer software for completed surveys.
- Manage database, including programming adjustments, if necessary, update exchange rates, and package prices.
- Update programming characteristics and expenditure processing routines as necessary (SPSS). Run programs to calculate tables and figures. Compare to previous years’ results to ensure data continuity.
- Ensure that sampling methodology and data quality are kept intact throughout survey implementation period and take into consideration Fiji current tourism sector recovery. Conduct periodic data audits to ensure data quality and accuracy is maintained.
- Provide succinct IVS summary reports monthly – highlighting findings and recommendations including tracking - processing basic data for tracked completed surveys and identifying response rates against targets and rates of non-response/non-completion. Reports should note any issues encountered in email address collection, data collection, and recommended steps needed to address these issues.
- Process and clean the data addressing any outliers, where the weighting of data will be done using multiple variables.
- Analyse data to identify trends, information gaps, and priorities.
Reporting
-
- Prepare reports with the progress and results of the IVS.
- Prepare external Annual Reports (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027) in Word format. The content separate surveys will be combined into one report.
- Prepare internal report on first six-months of data collected in Word format. The results of separate surveys will be combined into one report.
- Undertake segmentation and qualitative analysis for the six-month reports.
- Prepare banners, tabulations and graphics for all reports.
- As needed and as agreed upon, prepare additional report(s) representing a total Firm LOE no greater than previous annual reports.
- Prepare reports with the progress and results of the IVS.
DELIVERABLES, TIMELINE, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Description and schedule of deliverables:
|
TIMELINE |
ACTIVITY |
DELIVERABLE |
ACTION |
|
PHASE I |
|||
|
Task 1: Annual Kick-off Meeting |
|||
|
September 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 |
Kick-off meeting |
Finalize Methodology:
|
MTCA sign off |
|
Agree content and format of additional report(s) |
MTCA sign off |
||
|
Task 2: Methodology |
|||
|
September 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 |
Continue using the previous year’s methodology (unless otherwise agreed to in Task 1) and discuss potential fielding issues and solutions.
|
Review recommendations from previous year(s). Revisit lessons learned from the fielding reports, visitor emails, and other sources.
|
Firm Consultant |
|
Task 3: Airport Intercept Field Training |
|||
|
September 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027
|
Bi-weekly fielding schedule and management
|
Oversee work of the enumerators to ensure the highest productivity. Also, troubleshoot any issues with surveys, tablets, etc. |
Firm Consultant |
|
PHASE II |
|||
|
TIMELINE |
ACTIVITY |
DELIVERABLE |
ACTION |
|
Task 4: Email data collection |
|||
|
September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2028 |
Collect email addresses and monitor responses
Clearly define sample size using best practice. |
Review and clean email records captured by tablet software and through bulk collection of airport Wi-Fi; separate into 2 samples beginning in calendar year 2025 |
MTCA sign off |
|
Manage fielding, including overseeing work of enumerators, troubleshooting issues with surveys, tablets, and airport Wi-Fi data |
|||
|
Task 5: Survey Data Collection and Data Processing |
|||
|
September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2028 |
Implement the IVS for Fiji |
Database management |
Firm Consultant |
|
Web survey distribution and data capture: Email survey invitations to visitors using email vendor; administration and management of IVS survey software |
|||
|
Manage the data, including programming adjustments, updating currency exchange rates |
|||
|
Develop code and update programming of characteristics and expenditure processing routines |
|||
|
Task 6: Reporting end of year 2023 and 6-month Interim 2024 |
|||
|
Spring 2023 and Fall 2024 |
Report of Findings and Recommendations Including tracking.
Each IVS report will have a specific section or sub-report on the Northern Division of Fiji with data disaggregated between visitors to Vanua Levu (Savusavu and Labasa) and Taveuni. |
Prepare tabulations, preliminary analysis, tables, and graphics for annual and interim reports |
MTCA sign off |
|
|
Provide succinct IVS summary reports on a monthly basis. Targeting submission by the 25th of each month starting October 25th for September 2024 results, concluding with August 2028 results |
|
|
|
Spring 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 |
Provide End-Of-Year Annual Reports of calendar year |
MTCA sign off |
|
|
September 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 |
Provide Interim Reports of Findings for first 6 months of calendar year |
||
|
September 2024 to August 2028 |
Additional report(s) as agreed |
(To be determined under Task 1) |
(To be determined under Task 1) |
|
Project Administration (across contract period) |
|||
|
Email Database subscription |
Constant Contact or similar subscription service for the course of the contract period |
Consultant Firm |
|
|
Project management - Partner in charge |
Oversee billing and deliverables |
Consultant Firm |
|
|
Preparation of data and analysis for ad hoc reporting |
Work with the Ministry to resolve issues, manage project and reporting deliverables. |
Consultant Firm |
|
|
Troubleshooting survey data collection issues and any other fielding issues |
Work with the Ministry to resolve issues, manage project and reporting deliverables. |
Consultant Firm |
|
|
Project administration - Project Director: including Progress Reports, Meetings |
Work with the Ministry to resolve issues, manage project and reporting deliverables. |
Consultant Firm |
|
Document formats. All reports are to be submitted in MS Word and Excel format. The establishment of an on-line common work platform is encouraged so that links to documents can be sent instead of the document itself. All written deliverables should be in English, submitted electronically. Acceptance of the deliverables will depend on the key criteria of quality and full coverage of the scope of work. The Ministry sign-off in most cases will be email confirmation, in order to reduce turnaround delays.
Input by Client. The firm will have access to documents that Ministry or WB regards as helpful for the firm to perform the assignment including the full results of the IVS review conducted in previous years. The Ministry will support the firm to reach out to partner institutions and related government agencies, where necessary.
Project management. The firm should allow for project inception meeting at the beginning of the contract and regular project review meetings during implementation of the survey, usually around report delivery dates.
Special Terms and Conditions / Specific Criteria:
- The firm shall process personal data in accordance with applicable local laws or regulations (such as any requirements under applicable law to provide information to, or obtain consents from, those individuals) and taking full account of the Government of Fiji and WB’s expected use of the disclosed personal data.
- In all cases, the firm shall have appropriate measures in place to protect disclosed personal data from unauthorized use and accidental loss, destruction or damage.
- it is estimated the firm will start work in September 2024 and complete the work by August 31st, 2028, with the potential for contract renewable, directly with the Ministry based on performance.
- The firm shall be responsible for project administration as outlined above, with all associated costs to be included in the proposal total.
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTERESTS (REOI) SHORTLISTING CRITERIA
- The MTCA will assess the expressions of interest to determine the Shortlist using the minimum requirements and scoring criteria below. Only Shortlisted firms will be invited to submit technical and financial proposals. The invitation to Shortlisted firms to submit Proposals includes the names of all Shortlisted firms.
- Minimum shortlisting requirements
- The firm must have an established record of designing and conducting quantitative research and primary data collection with a preference for firms with experience in implementing ongoing, online surveys.
- It must have an established record of managing and implementing projects remotely with the public sector in emerging markets, preferably the Pacific.
Scoring Criteria
|
Scoring Criteria |
Scores |
|
Firm’s core business and years in business |
15 |
|
Technical and managerial organization of the firm |
15 |
|
General qualifications and number of strategic staff (*) |
20 |
|
Proposed methodology |
20 |
|
Understanding of TOR |
20 |
|
Firm’s qualifications in the field of the assignment |
10 |
|
Total |
100 |
(*) Key personnel are not evaluated at this stage.
KEY EXPERTS
The following table identifies the key expertise expected to be required for the Services with the minimum qualifications. The consultants will be responsible for developing a staffing plan that optimises expertise and avoids duplication of roles.
|
KEY EXPERT |
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS |
|
Project Coordinator |
|
|
Data Analyst/Survey Expert |
|
|
Research Analyst |
|
CONTRACT TYPE
The MTCA will adopt a Time-Based Contract for this Assignment. The Consultant will provide its services on a timed basis according to quality specifications, and the consultant’s remuneration is based on (a) agreed-on unit rates for consultant staff multiplied by the actual time spent by the staff in executing the assignment and (b) reimbursable expenses using actual expenses or agreed-on unit prices.