1.      Description

The Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS (RBEC) is organizing a Community of Practice (COP) meeting on Partnerships and Communications at the Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) in Istanbul, Türkiye, for 3 days on 22 – 24 May 2023. The COP meeting will be co-organized by the IRH Communications/ Partnership teams.

Designed to bring Country Office colleagues working on communications and partnerships across the ECIS region, regional Communications and Partnership specialists, the Istanbul Regional Hub, RBEC Headquarters and Representation Offices, this meeting will foster regional and sub-regional cooperation on partnerships and communications, laying the ground for a Community of Practice.

The total number of participants will be approximately 130 (in person) including the organizers, trainers and the support staff.

The residential venue should be of at least a 5-star standard, in Istanbul, easily accessible by public transport and allowing for the drop-off and parking area. The residential venue must have the following characteristics:

a)      One Room (1) facility large enough to accommodate 60 participants from Monday 22 May to Wednesday 24 May (Ballroom 1-2 to be separated for the beginning of the event, then to be merged, and where applicable according to the agenda)

b)     One Room (1) facility large enough to accommodate 60 participants from Monday 22 May to Tuesday 23 May. (Ballroom 2)

c)      Conference Equipment for hybrid (online-offline) meetings, including microphones for each speaker, table microphones, audio conference system for both conference rooms and cameras to show the rooms to online participants, following the technical requirements below.

d)     Easy access to the venue’s in-house facilities or an adjacent room for lunch and a suitable area for coffee breaks near the conference facility, with access limited to conference participants, UN staff and the required hotel staff.

e)     Lunch Buffet. It should include soft drinks and the choice of food should cater for all needs (meat, fish, vegetarian, vegan (including vegan milk options), halal, gluten-free).

f)      Provision of coffee (including vegan and lactose-free milk options), tea, water (in glass bottles) outside of the conference room/facility throughout the day, at a minimum 8:30am to 6pm.

g)     Preferably UNDP Logo Folders, and stationery to be presented to all participants (pens).

h)     Printed name tags (to wear) for each participant as well as table preferably with recycled paper.

i)       Any surplus of food will be requested to be sent to persons in need and/or dog shelters.

Equipment:

-        Conference Audio Equipment, microphones available for each speaker, and at least three wireless microphones for trainers/facilitators (preferably lavaliers).

-        Technical requirements: 1 sound system for each room, Handheld Microphones/livelier microphones, table microphones (2-4 for each table in the large conference room and 2 per table in the smaller room), 1 projector for each room, 1 screen for the big room and 3 screens for the smaller room, 1 tracking monitor for each room, 1 laptop to be used for presentations for each room, 1 pointer for each room, 1 reji system for the large room, 1 technician for each room, HDMI connection to connect other computers if needed.

-        Conference Video Equipment that allows all participants to see the visuals according to room size (additional TV and screen to be included if needed).

-        Facilities ensuring connections to the virtual/online event via Zoom account, including having an opportunity for online participants to ask questions to the audience and vice versa. The large conference room will need to have full Zoom service that would allow both on-site and online participants to actively engage with each other (moving cameras, etc.). The smaller room would need a Zoom connection that would allow for connecting online speakers and interacting with them but without online participants (no moving camera is needed, etc).

-        2 full-time technicians on-site to handle the audio equipment and ensure a smooth connection for Monday 22 May to Tuesday 23 May. 1 full-time technician on-site to handle the audio equipment and ensure a smooth connection for Wednesday 24 May.

-        Printing services are required to print the training documents prior the beginning of the workshop. Hotel should provide a name and contact of focal point that will be responsible for printing. Printer in close proximity to conference room should be available for trainers.

Stationery and Materials:

-        Stationery and Materials supply should be ready before the meeting. Listed items will be enough for all 3 days.

Room set-up:

-        Both rooms must be available for set up and sound check required from 7:00am, Monday 22 May to Tuesday 23 May. Large room must be available for set up and sound check required from 7:00am Wednesday 24 May.

-        Tables and chairs, arranged in workshop style and sitting arrangements for 60 people in the large room and 60 people in the second room with round tables of 6-7 participants per table (there should be ample space between each table). Room layout should be flexible to changes during different event days.

-        For Monday 22 May and Tuesday 23 May, the stage of the large conference room should be set up “Davos Style” with 5 armchairs. The screen should still be visible.

-        For Tuesday 23 May, the smaller conference room should have 3 screens with HDMI connection to connect laptops available in different parts of the room for group work. The layout of screens should be flexible.

-        2 rectangular sitting table with chairs for the trainers and facilitation team – one in the front and one at the back of the room.

-        11 flipcharts (6 for the large room and 5 for the smaller room) for Monday 22 May and Tuesday 23 May. 11 flipcharts for the large room on Wednesday 24 May.

-        Good and stable Internet connection with Wi-Fi password available to all participants (private internet 100 MB upload/download for 60 people).

-        Separate plugs for each table for participants and facilitators to charge their computers and equipment.

Beverages:

-        Drinking water and glasses for participants (average 1 litre per person per day) in the conference rooms for a total of 60 people.

-        One water fountain in the coffee break area for bottle refill.

3.   Conference package

The conference package is to include coffee and tea (including vegan and lactose-free milk options) for 60 people required from Monday 22 May to Wednesday 24 May from 8:30am to 6:00pm. The coffee break area should be easily available from both conference rooms. Lunch as specified in these terms of reference shall be made available between the hours of 12:00pm and 14:00pm on 22-24 May for 100-120 people. The venue shall quote a price per person with an estimated number of 60 lunch meals per day for Monday to Wednesday. The exact number will be confirmed closer to the start date.