CALL FOR BIDS- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

**Vulnerable Too Initiative**

Design, Development, Pilot Implementation and Evaluation of a Global Staff Storytelling, Peer Connection and Well-being Initiative

**1. Background**

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) works in some of the world's most challenging humanitarian contexts. Staff are regularly exposed to demanding operational environments, high levels of responsibility, emotional strain, uncertainty, loss, and moral distress.

While MSF has developed a range of formal support mechanisms — including psychosocial support, staff health services, coaching, mentoring, safeguarding and behavioural support — there remains a recognized need for additional spaces where staff can share experiences, connect with peers, and express vulnerability without fear of judgment or professional consequences.

The Vulnerable Too Initiative emerged from this recognition. It seeks to explore innovative approaches that foster emotional solidarity, peer connection, storytelling, reflection, and mutual support across the MSF movement — complementing existing support mechanisms by creating opportunities for authentic conversations about the realities of humanitarian work.

MSF Norway is therefore seeking an experienced external partner to support the design, development, piloting, implementation, and evaluation of the Vulnerable Too Initiative over a 24-month period.

[Vulnerable Too](https://msf-transformation.org/project/vulnerable-too/) is a global MSF initiative supported by the [Transformational Investment Capacity (TIC)](https://msf-transformation.org/aboutus/).

**2. Purpose of the Assignment**

The purpose of this assignment is to support MSF Norway in designing and implementing an integrated initiative that combines:

- User research and needs assessment
- Storytelling and narrative-based engagement approaches
- Community participation and peer connection mechanisms
- Digital infrastructure and tools
- Safeguarding and moderation systems
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning processes
- Governance and sustainability planning

The initiative should contribute to strengthening staff well-being, emotional solidarity, peer support, and organizational learning across the MSF movement.

**3. Objectives**

The selected supplier will support MSF Norway in achieving the following five objectives:

**1-Understand Staff Needs**

Generate a deeper understanding of staff experiences, needs, concerns, expectations and barriers related to vulnerability, emotional well-being, support-seeking, and peer connection.

**2-Enable Safe Expression**

Create safe, accessible and inclusive mechanisms that allow staff to share experiences, reflections and stories anonymously or openly.

**3-Strengthen Emotional Solidarity**

Promote greater connection, understanding and mutual support among staff through storytelling, shared experiences and peer engagement.

**4-Contribute to Cultural Change**

Support organizational efforts to normalize conversations about vulnerability, well-being and support-seeking while reducing stigma and isolation.

**5-Build Sustainable Community-Based Support**

Develop governance, participation and sustainability approaches that can support the initiative beyond the pilot period.

**4. Scope of Work**

The assignment will be delivered through four interrelated workstreams.

**Workstream 1: Discovery, Research and Co-Design**

A comprehensive discovery phase to understand MSF staff needs through:

• Stakeholder consultations and focus groups

• Interviews and surveys

• User journey mapping

• Review of existing support mechanisms

• Identification of barriers to participation and support-seeking

• Assessment of safeguarding, privacy and ethical considerations

**Key Deliverables:**

✓ Inception report

✓ Stakeholder mapping

✓ Needs assessment report

✓ User research findings and personas

✓ Functional and technical requirements document

✓ Safeguarding and risk assessment

**Workstream 2: Initiative Design and Digital Infrastructure**

*Design and development of core components supporting the initiative. Bidders are encouraged to propose solutions beyond technology alone.*

**Storytelling & Experience Sharing**

• Anonymous and non-anonymous contributions

• Written, audio and multimedia formats

• Experience repositories and curated collections

• Content submission and review workflows

**Community Participation**

• Peer engagement features

• Dialogue and reflection opportunities

• User contribution pathways

**Safeguarding & Support**

• Community guidelines and moderation

• Escalation protocols

• Referral pathways to formal support

• Content warnings and consent processes

**Accessibility, Security & Privacy**

• Mobile access and multilingual support

• Low-bandwidth considerations

• GDPR compliance and data protection

• Privacy-by-design principles

**Workstream 3: Community Engagement and Participation**

Designing and supporting approaches that encourage participation and foster emotional solidarity:

• Story collection methodologies and editorial guidelines

• Participation strategies and community engagement approaches

• Staff outreach, communication plans and engagement campaigns

• Approaches for reaching underrepresented groups

• Team and individual reflection resources

• Peer conversation and dialogue tools

**Workstream 4: Governance, Sustainability and Evaluation**

Establishing sustainable foundations for the initiative, including:

• Governance: roles, responsibilities, oversight and ethical review

• Sustainability: long-term models, resource requirements and funding

• Monitoring & Evaluation: participation, safety, engagement, solidarity and cultural change

• Baseline, mid-term and final evaluation reports

• Future roadmap and scaling recommendations

**5. Deliverables Summary & Timeline Phase**

**Key Deliverables**

**Phase 1**

Months 1–6

**•** Discovery and needs assessment

**•** User research findings

**•** Safeguarding assessment

**•** Initiative design framework

**Phase 2**

Months 7–12

**•** Pilot implementation

**•** Initial storytelling and participation mechanisms

**•** Community engagement framework

**Phase 3**

Months 13–18

**•** Expanded implementation

**•** Participation and outreach activities

**•** Monitoring and learning processes

**Phase 4**

Months 19–24

**•** Governance recommendations

**•** Sustainability planning

**•** Final evaluation

**•** Future roadmap

**6. Required Expertise**

Bidders should demonstrate expertise in the following areas. Consortia are welcome.

✓ Human-centred design

✓ User research and service design

✓ Digital product or community infrastructure development

✓ Community engagement and participation

✓ Storytelling and narrative methodologies

✓ Behavioural change and culture transformation

✓ Mental health and psychosocial well-being

✓ Safeguarding and moderation systems

✓ Data protection and GDPR compliance

✓ Humanitarian, public sector or international NGO environments

**7. Budget**

Financial proposals should include:

- Detailed breakdown of professional fees
- Development costs
- Travel and expenses
- Hosting and maintenance assumptions
- Third-party costs
- Payment schedule proposal

**8. Evaluation Criteria**

**Evaluation Criterion**

**Weight**

Understanding of the assignment and methodology **25%**

Relevant experience and expertise **20%**

Quality and feasibility of proposed approach **20%**

Safeguarding, ethics and data protection approach **15%**

Community participation and engagement strategy **10%**

Financial proposal and value for money **10%**

**9. Ethical, Safeguarding and Data Protection Requirements**

The selected supplier shall:

- Comply with GDPR and applicable privacy legislation
- Adhere to MSF safeguarding principles and standards
- Implement trauma-informed approaches
- Ensure confidentiality and secure data management
- Establish clear protocols for responding to high-risk content
- Demonstrate commitment to diversity, e