TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 360 VIRTUAL TOUR FOR FLOWERS

About Fairtrade Africa (FTA)

Fairtrade Africa (FTA), a member of the wider Fairtrade International movement represents Fairtrade certified producers in Africa and the Middle East. We operate four regional networks: Eastern and Central Africa Network (ECAN) based in Nairobi, Kenya; West Africa Network (WAN) based in Accra, Ghana, Southern Africa Network (SAN) based in Blantyre, Malawi and the Middle East and North Africa Network (MENA).

Fairtrade Africa is owned by its members, who are African producer organizations certified against Fairtrade International Standards producing traditional export commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, flowers, cotton, bananas, cane sugar, wine, fresh fruits, herbs and spices and non-traditional commodities including shea butter and rooibos tea. Currently, the organization represents over 1,083,139 producers across 28 countries in Africa. Fairtrade Africa secretariat is located in Nairobi, Kenya, and has 50% ownership of the Fairtrade system.

Project Background
The majority of flowers and plants which are sold in Europe are produced in East Africa, mainly in Kenya and Ethiopia. East Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania) is also the focus area of Fairtrade cut flowers with a 98% share of the total Fairtrade cut flower volume. This makes flowers a top product in our regional operations as Fairtrade Africa.

For the longest time, we (FTA) have invested in and relied on physical field visits as a means of retaining our current pool of global flower buyers and attracting new ones. Through these visits, we have successfully made a case for Fairtrade flowers based on the several factors taken into consideration in their production including workers’ rights,
environmental protection, working conditions, gender inclusion and protection from Gender-Based Violence (GBV) among a host of other characteristics that qualify Fairtrade flowers as one of the most sustainable and ethically produced in the global market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted this tradition. With reduced global travel, we must explore alternatives to continually engage current and potential customers on the ethical production process of Fairtrade flowers which sets them apart.

To this end, Fairtrade Africa in 2021 embarked on a project to roll out a virtual flower farm tour with the objective of providing existing and potential buyers with a virtual yet immersive experience of the day-to-day operations of flower farms.

Initially rolled out at Wildfire Flowers (Naivasha), as the pilot site, the project was well received by the Fairtrade system and buyers. As a result, Fairtrade Africa, in partnership with 3 other flower farms, Fairtrade Germany and Fairtrade International aims to scale the project in 2022 to develop 3 more virtual tours.
The 3 farms include:
• Aquila flowers- Naivasha; production required by end of April
• Siraji, Farm – Timau; production required in May
• Penta Flowers – Kiambu; production required between May and June

Objective and Tasks
Pursuant to the above, Fairtrade Africa seeks the world-class services of a 360 virtual tours developer to implement this second phase of the project. Specific objectives include:
• Convince B2B partners (traders and retailers) sustainably for Fairtrade flowers even without the possibility of visiting the farms personally
• Give flower farms the opportunity to broadcast and position their farm towards their direct (traders) and indirect (retailers) costumers
• Give traders and retailers a good overview of the variety of Fairtrade flowers in the respective flower farms and an option to get into direct contact and conversation.

Overall task:
• Develop all visual and content material for 3 farms for which we would like to
realize the Virtual Farm Visit
Target group:
• Traders and licensees

Key deliverables
For EACH farm, develop all visual material for the sub-pages of the Online Premium Platform which will show the Virtual farm visit:
A. 6 films of 2-3 minutes (with subtitles)
Meet the management team: Film of the management team answering at least the following questions:
a) Can you give a short overview of your farm flower varieties, workers, ha, establishment?)
b) What makes your farm special?
c) What kind of products are you producing and why?
d) What role does Fairtrade play in your company and how important is it?
e) What would you like to say to your market partners?
f) What other certifications do you have?
g) What kind of CSR projects do you have financed by the farm?

Meet the workers: film a worker’s day
This film could be a bit longer, max 5 minutes. Follow a flower worker and document his/her day-to-day activities at the farm. Covering the following topics: how this worker profits from Fairtrade Premium, safe working conditions, how it was before on a non-certified farm, and training this worker has been taking (you can join the worker in this training). What does the worker eat for lunch? What is important in his/her life outside the farm? Why do they work for this specific farm? What (work) do they wish for their kids?

Impact of Fairtrade Premium
Film one or more workers (for example, a member of the Fairtrade Premium Committee) on what has been realised on the farm as premium projects (shown also on film), what is planned and how they personally benefit.

Fairtrade Alumni
Film interviewing a “Fairtrade Alumni”. This could be:
a) A person who has grown up on the farm profiting from better education due to the Fairtrade Premium, telling how it was to get the support and what s/he is doing today

b) A person who received training during his/her work at the farm and has managed to get a better position on the farm or outside.

Environment
Film showing the environmental projects the farm has ideally explained by a responsible person
Stages of flower production:
Film showing the process of flower production (from greenhouse to the airport)

I)3D still photographs
• Greenhouse with workers
• Pack/grading house
• Outside of the farm (what do the surroundings look like?)
• Fairtrade premium projects
• Environmental project(s)
iii) 360 virtual visit
The scope will entail:
a)Capturing 360 imagery with drones and ground cameras
b) Building the images into one polished viewing experience that can be embedded on a website, and other digital platforms for buyers, traders and licenses to view.
c) Embedding videos to provide extra information in a realistic way. See an example here.
d) Adding information points: provide information overlays on the images. End users click or tap the hotspot to pop up explanatory text, links and supplemental images. See an example here.
e) Capturing audio from the flower farm and have it auto-playing in the background, to create a sense of physical presence
Note: 360 virtual tours MUST have sound included which is recorded on-site while taking photos/videos. The following considerations should be made:

• EACH of the pictures SHOULD have a corresponding sound that suits the picture.
• Sound SHOULD NOT be the same on any given scene.
• The sound should be a bit longer and repeating
• Possibly capture the sound of the music that workers listen to in the packhouse or when picking the flowers. This would be nice to listen to and would also give a bit of a local music impression

A.Summary of the scope of the virtual tour

Broad Areas:

• The aerial view of the flower farm and its surroundings
• Showcase worker movement in at least 3 different areas of the flower farm

Specific Areas:

• Greenhouses – showcase various flower varieties that the farm grows
• Harvesting- showcase rose harvesting taking place
• In-farm logistics- showcase movement of flowers from greenhouses to the packhouse
• Packhouse- showcase flower grading, transfer to the cooling area, packaging for export and truck loading
• Fairtrade Premium project1 – showcase one key project
• Environmental conservation- showcase wastewater management

B. Photos
Shoot supplementary still images to be incorporated on the consumer/trader/buyer website where the 360 virtual tours will be embedded. Considerations:

• Photos of all available flower varieties (probably also delivered by the farm, if available);
• ALL images MUST be appropriately labelled and CAPTIONED
• Cover-Picture for production. Example: flowers in the greenhouse or grading house workers
• Photos of the Fairtrade Alumni of the film
• Generic photos of the flower farm

C. Written Content (for the virtual platform)
Collect the following information on the farm:
• What might we not know about your farm? Interview the farm management and workers on what makes the farm special. Topics could be: history of the farm, culture, sports music, next plans/what they are working on
• Production: number of greenhouses, number of different flower varieties, details of flower cultivation; soil, substrate, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, number of grading/cooling houses, water- where does it come from, how do they manage it?
• Environment: List project name (can be more than one), benefit (s) for the environment and indication of whether the project is finished, ongoing or planned.

Timelines

1. Submission of technical and financial proposals (not longer than 15 pages)14th April, 5:00 PM
2. Review of proposals and selection of service provider 19th April
3. Contract signing and commencement of fieldwork (Aquila)-21st April
4. Deliver 1st draft of Aquila production 30th April
5. Deliver final draft of Aquila production 4th May
6. Commencement of fieldwork: Siraji Farm 16th May
7. Deliver 1st draft of Siraji Farm production 27th May
8. Deliver final draft of Siraji Farm Production 2nd June
9. Commencement of fieldwork: Penta Flowers8th June
10. Deliver 1st draft of Penta Flowers production 17th June
11. Deliver final draft of Penta Flowers Production 22nd June**Qualifications and skillsets**
    The successful consultant must:
    a) Possess at least five (5) years of experience in executing similar projects
    b) Run/own a well-established outfit with adequate in-house technical capacity and provide evidence of the same
    c) Provide a portfolio of at least five (5) 360 virtual tours developed within the last five years
    d) Have state of the art production equipment and provide evidence of the same
    e) Have the ability to deliver work to world-class standards within limited periods of time

Requirements

Further, the consultant must provide the following:
a) A valid tax compliance certificate
b) A certificate of incorporation
c) KRA PIN
d) At least 3 referrals from similar successfully completed projects
e) A valid Remote Aircraft Operators Certificate (ROC) from KCAA.