Status: CLOSED
Deadline of submission: 12 November 2025, 23:59 Jakarta time (GMT+7)
DESCRIPTION
The ASCC Research and Development Platforms Project was established to enable the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community to engage with research and industry insights to develop and implement holistic solutions against the backdrop of fast-changing and emerging trends and challenges facing the region. It aims to: (i) develop a robust body of research output; and (ii) engage with experts and specialists who are sensitized to the ASEAN regional context to develop knowledge through forums, research work, and to level up expertise of those involved on these platforms.
External advisors from the universities and research institutions are already becoming advisors on various platforms. These platforms will result in written deliverables such as flagship reports and policy briefs, and other activities to contribute to more impactful and informed decisions that ASCC sectoral bodies can take in developing and implementing their activities and initiatives. Prospective editors are invited to undertake copyediting and proofreading of a series of flagship reports and policy briefs. For this purpose, the ASEAN Secretariat invites applications for the assignment of Graphic Designer for Flagship Reports and Policy Briefs of the ASCC Research and Development Platform on Care Economy.
Scope of work
The graphic design service will be undertaken over a continuous effective period of four (4) calendar months for creating an engaging design and layout for the ASCC R&D Platforms Programme publications. All software and devices required for the delivery of tasks are expected to be provided by the vendor. The selected vendor will be provided with the related documents as soon as they become available.
Please refer to the Terms of Reference – Graphic Designer for details.
Submission of Quotation
Participating vendors shall send their Technical Proposal and Financial Proposal via two separate emails, attaching the respective cover letters and materials specified in Section VIII and other supporting documents to Aus4ASEAN Futures at tender@aus4aseanfutures.org, and aus4aseanfutures@asean.org, no later than 12 November 2025 at 23:59 Jakarta time (GMT +7). Late and/or incomplete submissions will be disqualified.
Please use the following email subjects when separately submitting the technical and financial proposals:
- Technical Proposal_”Graphic Designer_Care Economy”_Name of Vendor
- Financial Proposal_”Graphic Designer_Care Economy”_Name of Vendor
For inquiries, please email query@aus4aseanfutures.org with subject “Graphic Designer for ASCC R&D Platform on Care Economy – Query” at the latest by 5 November 2025 at 23:59 Jakarta time (GMT+7).
Response to received queries will be published at Aus4ASEAN Futures’ website (https://www.aus4aseanfutures.org/). No individual responses or replies will be provided for queries. Please check the page regularly for updates.
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RESPONSES TO QUERIES
1.Proposed front cover for flagship report: What publication cover are we supposed to design? Care Economy? What are the programme activities/mission/objectives? Is there any website where we can study the topic of this publication? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
The graphic designer will design the cover for R&D Platform on Care Economy. The R&D Platform on Care Economy aims to address strategic priorities like promoting healthy aging, building resilient families, and enhancing social protection and inclusive development for vulnerable groups including people with disabilities. It also delves into emerging areas within the care economy, fostering discussions on disaster resilience and technology innovations. There is no website dedicated for this project, and the research and study are also still in the process of development but the graphic designer can use the above mentioned priorities as keywords.
2. Proposed sample page with infographic/chart/table for flagship report: What publication sample page (w infographic/chart/table) are we supposed to design? Is it about circular economy or green economy or sustainable trade? Is there maybe a sample article/reference which resembles the topic of the publication? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
The bidder may provide any sample page that they have indicating that they already did similar work. The issue or chart can be about anything. You may refer to some of publications as reference: https://asean.org/serialparent/asean-socio-cultural-community-trend-report/. Should the bidder have similar work such as those in the link, they may consider sharing those.
3. Proposed layout of header and front page for policy brief: What policy brief sample are we supposed to design? Is it about circular economy or green economy or sustainable trade? Is there maybe a sample article/reference which resembles the topic of the publication? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
Once the bidder is selected, the bidder / graphic designer should propose a layout of header and front page for the policy brief for the R&D Platform on Care Economy. Since the R&D Platform on Care Economy is part of a larger programme, the graphic designer can also take note of the style here: https://knowascc.asean.org/knowledge-products/policy-briefs/.
4. Payment Calculation: The RFQ details a 3-terms payment (30/30/40) based on deliverable approval on pages 1 and 4. However, page 3 states payment will be “determined by the actual total word count”. Could you please clarify if the contract value is a fixed lump sum (paid in 30/30/40 tranches), or if it is a variable rate calculated based on the final word count? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
The contract value is a fixed lump sum but for the graphic designer to consider the stated maximum number of pages per outputs.
5. Unlimited Revisions Scope: To help us price accurately, could you provide more definition for the “unlimited number of revisions” requirement? Specifically, does this refer to unlimited minor adjustments (e.g., text/image swaps), or does it also include major layout or design concept changes after an initial design is approved? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
Unlimited revisions refer to minor adjustments. Once the major layout and design concept have been approved, minor adjustments to text, images, and other elements may still be required.
6. Metrics (Page vs. Word Count): Related to our first question, the deliverables are defined by page counts (e.g., “maximum of 50 pages”), but the payment clause refers to “word count”. If payment is variable, can you confirm which metric (page count or word count) will be used for the calculation? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
The contract value is a fixed lump sum but for the graphic designer to consider the stated maximum number of pages per outputs.
7. Simple Motion Graphic Scope: The social media deliverable includes “simple motion graphic”. Could you please provide specific parameters for this, such as expected maximum duration, format (e.g., .mp4, .gif) and whether audio/sound design is required? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
Yes, audio/sound design is required with 1 minute video on simple motion graphic in mp4.
8. Stock Photo Provision: Regarding the “Unlimited number of stock photos”, is the vendor expected to bear the cost of an unlimited subscription (e.g., Adobe Stock, Getty Images), or will the Aus4ASEAN Futures initiative provide access to its own licensed stock photo library? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
Yes, the vendor will bear the cost of an unlimited subscription (e.g., Adobe Stock, Getty Images).
9. Turnaround Time Definition: The RFQ specifies turnaround times (e.g., “a turnaround of 3 weeks for every flagship report”). Does this 3-week period refer only to the initial design phase, or does it also include the time for client review and implementation of revisions within that window? (Posted on 5 November 2025)
The three-week timeline does not include the client review period and the implementation of revisions.
10. When you mention a web-ready version of the digital file, are you expecting an interactive format that is not a PDF? If that is the case, will our role include both design and development? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Only PDF.
11. What format do you require for the templates? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Editable files in InDesign.
12. Should the ASEAN logos be featured on the cover and policy briefs of the technical proposal? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Not necessarily, but would help us in assessing the designs better in terms of how well they would fit with the other existing publications.
13. For the proposed sample page, are we allowed to use content from the suggested publications in our proposal? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Yes, but since the project is on Care Economy, the proposed covers should at least give us an indication of how the bidders interpret Care Economy.
14. For the 2 Flagship Reports and 3 Policy Briefs, could you please confirm how many title or cover design variations are expected for each output? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
From previous practice it depends on the designer. We usually provide very detailed guidance before the designer begins cover or design variations. If the designer is able to immediately capture what we envision, we can go through as few as 3 variations. But in instances were the designer is unable to capture this well, we have gone through as much as 8-10.
15. Could you also provide an estimate of the number of tables, charts, figures, or diagrams anticipated per report or brief? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Based on our past experience, one Trend Report typically includes around approximately twenty (20) in total, while one Policy Brief may contain approximately five (5) tables, charts, figures, or diagrams.
16. Regarding the design templates, may we know how these will be used or applied (e.g., for internal consistency, future publications, or other purposes)? (Posted on 7 November 2025)
Only for this specific R&D Platform. Why we request templates is to be able to update the publications should there be relevant new data available.
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