Request for Proposal (RFP) - Media Outreach Consultant

Submission deadline: Proposals should be submitted by Friday, May 9th, 2025. We reserve the right to close the submittal period early depending on the volume of qualified proposals, so we encourage you to submit your proposals as soon as possible. Please see submittal requirements and budget at the bottom of the page.

Who We Are

Global Fishing Watch is an international, nonprofit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth and Google, Global Fishing Watch became an independent nonprofit organization in June 2017. Our major focus is on commercial fishing because it is the most widespread human activity at sea, the most impactful on ocean health, and the most crucial for global livelihoods and food security. By 2030, we aim to monitor and visualize the impact of ocean-going vessels, both industrial and small-scale, that are responsible for the vast majority of the global seafood catch. We believe human activity at sea should be common knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the common good of all.

Objectives

Global Fishing Watch’s 2025 media and engagement strategy sets out an ambitious road map leading to an expansion of the organization’s external relations efforts, including through media and press outreach. In order to help accelerate the media and press work, Global Fishing Watch will contract a media outreach consultant to support the Senior Manager, Media Relations with media scoping and targeted pitching. In addition, the consultant will work closely with the Senior Manager, media relations to identify key media opportunities, map relevant journalist contacts and pitch stories aligned with Global Fishing Watch’s priority themes. The consultant’s key objectives will be to:

• Strengthen Global Fishing Watch’s media presence in priority regions and thematic outlets;
• Update, build and maintain a network of relevant journalist and editorial contacts that can be leveraged for the 2025-2026 biennium;
• Support the Sr. manager, media relations in securing media coverage that supports organizational advocacy and visibility goals.

Scope

The media outreach consultant will support the Sr. manager, media relations on three key areas of work during their tenure, including:

• Media landscape analysis
  • Consolidate and update Global Fishing Watch’s curated lists of press and media outlets according to location, thematic interest and tier;
  • Identify and map high-value media contacts, publications and journalists across target regions.
• Media outreach and engagement
  • Conduct targeted outreach to journalists, editors and producers to pitch stories and secure media coverage;
  • Support the Sr. manager, media relations in developing key messages, story angles, and media talking points;
  • Coordinate follow-up communications.
• Monitoring and reporting
  • Track media coverage and provide regular updates on outreach outcomes;
  • Track media intake and requests when necessary.

Key Deliverables and Timeline

• Media Contact Database: Comprehensive media contact list segmented by priority themes and geographies Due: End of Month 1
• Media Pitches: At least three media pitches per month Due: End of each month
• Monthly Reports: Detailed outreach and engagement reports, including coverage tracking Due: Within 5 days of each month end.

Timeframe

The estimated timeframe for the full contract will be 3 months, with potential for extension to a total of 6 months. Contract extension will be dependent on the successful completion of the key deliverables, quality of work and organizational need. The extension decision will be communicated at the end of Month 2.

Budget

The maximum budget for this consultancy contract is expected to be $2000 USD/month for a possible total cost of $6000 over 3 months, with a potential to be extended for another 3 months based on results and mutual agreement.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in journalism, PR, or media relations—preferably in the nonprofit, development, or environmental sector;
• A strong network of media contacts at global, regional, and/or trade outlets;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Demonstrated success in media pitching and securing high-impact coverage;
• Ability to work independently, with responsiveness and attention to deadlines;
• Fluent spoken and written English; Spanish proficiency.

The proposal should consist of:

• A cover letter explaining the provider’s interest and qualification for the consultancy including a description of previous experience with the types of work proposed in the RFP.
• A narrative proposal outlining how the provider intends to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the RFP.
• A detailed, itemized budget outlining the total cost of fulfilling the RFP requirements. The budget should include a breakdown of key cost components such as labor, materials, technology, and any other relevant expenses. We are considering proposals between $4000-$6000 for the initial 3 month period.
• Resume/CV.

Equal opportunities

Global Fishing Watch is an equal opportunities employer. Global Fishing Watch is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization and in the greater ocean management and conservation community. We believe that diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger organization. Bringing together professionals who possess broad experiences and a spectrum of perspectives will enable us to reach our goal of improved ocean governance faster. We hire and promote qualified professionals without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organizational goals match the urgent challenges facing our global ocean, and our mission is designed to help secure a healthy ocean for all. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of humanity’s diversity, by providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees of Global Fishing Watch and for our partners, vendors, suppliers and contractors.