The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is seeking expressions of interest from Australian media organisations with experience in Communications for Development (C4D) to deliver Phase 4 of the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) in partnership with Pacific island countries. Papua New Guinea is covered by a separate investment, the Media Development Initiative.

PACMAS is a long-running Australian aid investment, that over the last ten years has worked to strengthen the capacity of Pacific journalists and communication practitioners to report on key issues affecting development. It has contributed to a stronger Pacific media sector, equipping practitioners to support key development priorities.

Since its inception in 2008, three phases of PACMAS have sought to:

• increase the quality, capacity and resilience of Pacific journalists, media organisations, regional organisations and partner governments to provide authoritative information, analysis of issues and content that meets the needs of Pacific audiences and contributes to democratic discussion and debate.
• support a robust, independent, more highly skilled media sector in the Pacific capable of facilitating public discussions about domestic, regional and international issues and disseminating authoritative and reliable information such as emergency broadcasts or COVID 19 updates.
• support critical communications functions by strengthening Pacific media’s capacity and resilience.

PACMAS Phase 3 will conclude in December 2022 with PACMAS Phase 4 to run from January 2023 to January 2026 with an estimated value of between AUD $5 million and AUD$10 million. At the end of this period, there will be an option to extend the investment by another two years.

An Independent Evaluation of PACMAS Phase 3 was delivered in 2021 and made recommendations that will inform design of Phase 4.

DFAT is now inviting Australian media organisations or relevant consortiums with a proven track record of delivering training and services in the communication/media sector, and experience working with Pacific partners, to provide a 1000-word-pitch outlining their ability to:

• lead Australia’s efforts to support Pacific media tradecraft skills and resilience to strengthen the capacity of the region’s journalists and communication practitioners and to promote independent, public interest journalism;
• respond to the range of capability needs of key Pacific media organisations in the face of the economic effects of COVID-19 and the transition to an increasingly digital media environment;
• support Pacific media to address emerging risks such as misinformation and disinformation;
• expand and deepen institutional links between Australian media organisations and Pacific counterparts, including through mentoring and content partnerships;
• provide research and assessments, including into the media infrastructure needs in the Pacific.

Expressions of interest (no more than 1000 words) should be emailed to procurement@dfat.gov.au by 2pm 11 March 2022. DFAT will short list applicants based on responses to each of the above criteria.

Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to submit a more detailed design proposal for PACMAS 4; providing a plan to achieve outcomes, identifying delivery partners and outlining allocation of funding. The successful applicant will be selected on the merit of their design proposal.