Call for Tenders: Evaluation of a project Communicating Climate in Central Asia

n-ost, a European journalist network, is looking for an evaluator to carry out an interim evaluation of a 3.5-year project titled "Communicating Climate in Central Asia" from 15 January to 01 March 2026. The expected workload comprises a total of 30 working days, for which a maximum of €15,000 gross is available.

Project Summary

The project supports journalists and climate experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in making climate change a regular topic of pluralistic public discourse. Through capacity-building, mentoring and financial support, it strengthens both the quality and visibility of climate journalism and the cooperation between media and experts in the region.

Journalists from print, online and broadcast media – including freelancers and representatives of mainstream outlets – expand their knowledge of climate issues and test different formats that engage broad audiences. The project supports their English language skills and provides opportunities for publication and networking.

The participating climate experts – drawn from NGOs, academia and research institutions – will receive training in media communication, enabling them to present their expertise in an accessible way and strengthen the link between science and journalism. A trust-based regional network of journalists and communicators will emerge, fostering continuous exchange and collaboration.

It is planned that by the end of the project, media in all four countries will regularly inform their audiences with high-quality, engaging reporting on climate change, supported by a sustainable network of journalists and communicators who continue to shape the regional climate discourse.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project started on 1 July 2024 and will end on 31 December 2027. 

  Objective of the evaluation

With the planned evaluation, n-ost aims

• to gain a realistic assessment of the actual impact of the project;

• to receive concrete feedback from the media and journalists involved in the project in order to be able to make appropriate adjustments to the planned activities for the remainder of the project, if necessary;

• to gain fundamental insights into the planning and implementation of multi-year media development cooperation projects, which can be made fruitful for the development of further projects;

• to learn about new climate change trends and topics that can guide the design of future regional communication campaigns.

Scope of work

The evaluation will examine the impact of the project activities in all four project countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the period 15 January to 01 March 2026.

The evaluation is based on two pillars:

1. With the help of (a few) indicators mentioned in the project proposal, the evaluation should provide insights into whether and to what extent the objectives envisaged by the project have already been achieved or can be achieved.

2. As a central research method, at least twenty eight qualitative interviews (to be conducted in English or Russian and via video conference) will be conducted with representatives of the media/journalists/main stakeholders using a semi-structured guide.

The interviews will address the following aspects of the project design:

Target Group and Participation

• Is the continued focus on freelance journalists as the main target group appropriate, or should other professional groups (e.g. editors, correspondents) be more strongly involved?

• Was the selection process suitable to ensure a motivated, diverse, and gender-balanced group of participants?

Capacity Building and Support Measures

• Were the content and format of the capacity-building activities (workshops, mentoring, summer school) useful and relevant to participants’ professional needs?

• How do participants assess the mentoring programme and other forms of professional support?

• What additional support would freelance journalists need to strengthen their reporting and professional development?

Funding and Distribution Mechanisms

Networking and Cooperation

Impact and Relevance

Timing

The following procedure is recommended for the timing of the evaluation:

Outputs and Deliverables

The result of the evaluation consists of an evaluation report written in English, which should not exceed 30 pages.

The report should answer all questions of the interview guide (which will be annexed to the report) both separately by country and in an overall view and formulate clear conclusions that can serve as guidelines for the development of further media development cooperation projects.

Requirements profile

We are looking for a team of evaluators with:

• Thorough methodological skills, especially with planning and conducting qualitative interviews

• Analytical thinking that values clear conclusions

• Very good English and Russian language skills

• Intercultural sensitivity

• Knowledge of the political situation related to situation of the media in the Central Asia

The evaluators must not have a personal or family relationship with employees of n-ost e.V. or MediaNet.

Timetable

20.11.2025 Publication of the call for tenders

05.12.2025 End of application period

17.12.2025 Award of contract

05.01.2025 Start of contract period

15.01.2026 Start of evaluation

01.03.2026 Submission of the evaluation report

14.03.2026 End of contract period

Please send your detailed offer (information about evaluators (CVs), proposed methodology, structure of final report, preliminary budget) in one pdf file to Project manager, Iryna Ponedelnik, ponedelnik[at]n-ost.org by 5 December 2025. Ms. Ponedelnik is also available to answer any questions you may have about the call for proposals, the project and the evaluation.