Communications Agency: Terms of Reference

Communications Agency: Terms of Reference

1. Purpose of Engagement

WRI Indias Energy Program works across multiple states and sectors to support Indias energy transition. We are seeking a communications partner who can translate complex, systems-oriented work into clear, compelling narratives that strengthen WRI Indias position in the national energy ecosystem. The emphasis is on impact articulation, ecosystem visibility, and state-specific narratives.

The partner will help develop a coherent narrative for the program, produce high-quality impact stories, and create tools that make our work legible to policymakers, sectoral peers, funders, private-sector collaborators, and internal WRI teams.

2. Objectives

The engagement will support WRI Indias Energy Program to:

• Strengthen its position and voice in Indias energy transition through communication outputs that reflect analytical depth, institutional credibility, and sectoral relevance
• Develop impact-oriented narratives that make WRI Indias interventions visible, comprehensible, and valuable to external counterparts.
• Ensure narrative coherence across pillars, without oversimplifying technical work.
• Produce state-specific energy transition stories that capture the political, institutional, and developmental realities of key geographies.
• Equip teams with repeatable tools for communication, synthesis, and external engagement.

3. Target Audiences

The partners communication outputs should primarily address:

• State government counterparts and policymakers
• Technical agencies, research institutions, and sectoral peers
• Private-sector collaborators engaged in energy transition
• Philanthropic and institutional funders
• Internal WRI India and WRI Global teams

4. Scope of Work and Deliverables

4A. Narrative Blueprint (Program-wide)

A concise, 35 page articulation of:

• The Energy Programs narrative positioning within Indias energy ecosystem
• Core messages that reflect WRI Indias institutional strengths
• Cross-pillar message anchors that maintain technical integrity and coherence

Deliverable: Energy Program Narrative Blueprint

4B. Impact Storytelling

Develop clear, analytically strong stories that communicate the significance and outcomes of WRI Indias interventions by:

• Identifying 68 high-value stories across states and thematic areas
• Conducting interviews, reviewing internal documentation, and gathering data
• Writing stories that reflect:
• The problem and its political-economy dynamics
• WRIs intervention and methodological value
• Early signals of system or institutional change
• Distributional and equity implications where relevant

Deliverables:

• 68 written impact stories (700900 words each)
• One 23 minute script for a flagship story
• Visual briefs for each story

4C. Communication Tools for Ecosystem Positioning

A set of adaptable assets that support external engagement.

Deliverables:

• Program explainer deck (1215 slides: problem approach value shifts we influence)
• 34 short-form briefs (34 pages each) on selected themes or pillars
• 810 visual explainers or infographics
• A small set of social-media-ready modules

4D. State Energy Transition Storytelling

Develop storytelling outputs for 34 priority states to capture WRI Indias role and influence by:

• Assessing the transition landscape in each selected state
• Identifying institutional, political, and developmental conditions shaping transitions
• Mapping WRI Indias contributions and significance
• Highlighting early signals of change and future opportunities

Deliverables: 34 State Energy Transition Stories (34 pages each)

4E. Internal Guidance Tools

Develop simple, reusable tools to help teams maintain quality and coherence in communication.

Deliverables:

• Story-mining guide
• Templates (impact story, 1-pager, deck)
• Short guidance note on cross-pillar narrative coherence

4F. Refinement and Final Consolidation

Deliverables:

• Master Communications Pack (all final assets + guidance)
• One orientation session for staff

5. Mode of Working

The partner will be expected to:

• Participate in a structured kickoff
• Conduct interviews with technical leads and state teams
• Share iterative drafts for review
• Attend weekly check-ins
• Maintain clear documentation of insights, decisions, and revisions

All outputs must maintain factual accuracy, evidence-backed claims, and fidelity to WRI Indias institutional voice. WRI India may request revisions where outputs do not meet these standards.

6. Timeline

The total engagement will be 1214 weeks. Vendors should propose a detailed workplan with milestones, sequencing, and review points aligned to the required deliverables.

7. Expected Competencies of the Agency

• Strong capability in strategic communication for technical or research organizations
• Ability to translate complex analytical work into clear, compelling narratives
• Experience developing impact stories grounded in evidence and institutional reality
• Familiarity with state-level governance and energy transition discourse
• Sensitivity to political-economy dynamics and equity considerations

8. Submission Requirements

Interested agencies should submit the following by 2nd January, 2025:

1. Statement of Interest: Understanding of the assignment, proposed approach and working method
2. Proposed Workplan: Timeline, milestones, and review structure, along with roles and responsibilities of team members
3. Team Profile: Bios of key team members who will be working on the assignment and relevant expertise
4. Portfolio of Relevant Work: Examples of strategic communication outputs, impact stories, narrative toolkits, or state-level storytelling
5. Technical Proposal

• Approach to narrative blueprinting
• Approach to story development and data gathering
• Approach to state-level storytelling
• Approach to design and communication tools

6.Financial Proposal: Detailed cost breakdown including assumptions and exclusions

7.References of 23 previous clients