Regional Narrative and Assets on Child Poverty and Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean

PART I - PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SERVICES

1. Background

1.1 UNICEF works to ensure that the rights and needs of every child are recognized, protected and prioritized. Strategic communication and advocacy help make children’s rights visible, influence public policy and investment, mobilize communities and strengthen accountability.

Latin America and the Caribbean have made important social and economic progress in recent decades. Yet persistently low growth and high inequality mean that gains remain fragile and uneven, with the region still far off track to meet the SDG target of halving poverty by 2030.

Around 4 in 10 children under 18 live in poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. Poverty violates children’s rights and carries consequences well beyond childhood. Growing up deprived of basic needs – from nutrition to shelter to education – hinders children’s physical and cognitive development and limits their future socioeconomic opportunities. Children who grow up in poverty develop fewer skills for the workforce and earn lower wages as adults. When deprivations remain unaddressed, poverty can persist from one generation to the next.

Ending child poverty is both a policy choice and an economic imperative. With the right investment, policies and programmes, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean can tackle child poverty in all its dimensions while driving broader social and economic development. However, in a context marked by constrained fiscal space and public agendas focused on economic and security concerns, reducing child poverty risks being overlooked as an economic development priority in the region. Making a compelling case for investment in reducing child poverty is critical to generating the political will and resources needed to accelerate progress.

Aligned with the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026-2029’s target to reduce the number of children living in multidimensional poverty by 100 million – and with a regional vision to leverage investment in children to narrow gaps and unlock potential – the UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office seeks to develop a compelling, evidence-based regional narrative that reframes investment in reducing child poverty as an economic development imperative, resonating with political leaders, economic actors and other influential stakeholders.

2. Solicitation

2.1 The purpose of this Request for Proposals for Services ("RFPS") is to invite proposals for Develop a compelling, evidence-based regional narrative that reframes investment in reducing child poverty as an economic development imperative, supported by a package of advocacy and communication assets, as fully detailed in the Terms of Reference/Statement of Work attached at Annex B.

2.2 This RFPS document is comprised of the following:

- This document LRPS-2026-9207077

- The UNICEF General Terms and Conditions of Contract (Services) which are attached as Annex A to this document

- The full Terms of Reference/Statement of Work attached at Annex B

- Annex C MDM TEMPLATE

- ONLINE REGISTRATION TO UNGM-UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL MARKET #LINK: https://www.ungm.org/Account/Registration

2.3 This RFPS is an invitation to treat and shall not be construed as an offer capable of being accepted or as creating any contractual, other legal or restitutionary rights.  No binding contract, including a process contract or other understanding or arrangement, will exist between the Proposer and UNICEF and nothing in or in connection with this RFPS shall give rise to any liability on the part of UNICEF unless and until a contract is signed by UNICEF and the successful Proposer.

PART II - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS

1. Proposal Submission Schedule

ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE:

1.   Publication of Proposal: November 02nd, 2026

2.   Questions and Answer if necessary: Until November 13th, 2026, before 23:59 (Panama Time)

3.   Pre-Bid Conference November 17th, 2026. Hour 10:00 a.m. Panama time.

4.   Consolidated Q & A posted in UNGM: November 18th, 2026.

5.   Deadline for Proposals: November 23rd, 2026, before 23:59 (Panama Time)

6.   Review Proposals: November 24th, 2026, until November 30th, 2026, approximately

7.   Award Notice sent and posted in UNGM: December 07th, 2026, approximately

8.   Contract begins December 10th, 2026, approximately

1.1 Acknowledgement of receipt of RFPS.  Proposers are requested to inform UNICEF as soon as possible by EMAIL at lacro-ops@unicef.org that they have received this RFPS.

IMPORTANT: PROPOSALS ARE NOT TO BE SENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL STATED ABOVE - ANY PROPOSALS SENT TO THE ABOVE NAMED INDIVIDUAL WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

1.2 Questions from Proposers.  Proposers are required to submit any questions in respect of this RFPS by EMAIL at lacro-ops@unicef.org.  The deadline for receipt of any questions is November 13th, 2026, before 23:59 Panama time.

IMPORTANT:  PROPOSALS ARE NOT TO BE SENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL STATED ABOVE - ANY PROPOSALS SENT TO THE ABOVE NAMED INDIVIDUAL WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

Proposers are required to keep all questions as clear and concise as possible.

Proposers are also expected to immediately notify UNICEF in writing of any ambiguities, errors, omissions, discrepancies, inconsistencies or other faults in any part of the RFPS, providing full details. Proposers will not benefit from such ambiguities, errors, omissions, discrepancies, inconsistencies or other faults.

UNICEF will compile the questions received. UNICEF may, at its discretion, at once copy any anonymized question and its reply to all other invited Proposers and/or post these on the UNICEF website and/or respond to the question at a bid conference. After any such bid conference, a Questions and Answers document may be prepared and posted on the UNICEF website.

1.3 Amendments to RFPS Documents.  At any time prior to the Submission Deadline, UNICEF may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective Proposer, modify the RFPS documents by amendment. If the RFPS was available publicly online, amendments will also be posted publicly online. Further, all prospective Proposers that have received the RFPS documents directly from UNICEF will be notified in writing of all amendments to the RFPS documents. In order to afford prospective Proposers reasonable time in which to take the amendment into account in preparing their Proposals, UNICEF may, at its sole discretion, extend the Submission Deadline.

1.4 Bid conference. A bid conference will be held on November 17th, 2026, at 10:00 am Panama time.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3215806913935804?p=2940EqAIPmqUSQEhtI

Meeting ID:

321 580 691 393 580 4

Passcode:

QH2iH2K2

1.5 Submission Deadline. The deadline for submission of proposals is as follows:

November 23rd, 2026, before 23:59 Panama time.

Please submit your technical and financial proposals in separate emails. Do not include prices in the technical proposal.

Both emails must be sent to the following email address: lacro-ops@unicef.org

Any proposals received by UNICEF after the Submission Deadline will be rejected.

1.6 Proposal Opening.  Due to the nature of this RFPS, there will be no public opening of proposals.

2. Language

2.1 The Proposal prepared by the Proposer and all correspondence and documents relating to the Proposal exchanged by the Proposer and UNICEF, will be written in Spanish or English. Supporting documents and printed literature furnished by the Proposer may be in another language provided that they are accompanied by an appropriate translation in Spanish or English. When interpreting the Proposal, the translated version of these supporting documents and printed literature will prevail over the original version of these documents. The sole responsibility for translation, including the accuracy of the translation, will rest with the Proposer.