Global Fishing Watch RFP
Request for Proposal (RFP) - Technical and Editorial Review of Training Material
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GLOBAL, application closes July 31, 2026
About the Company
Global Fishing Watch is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. We create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, GFW became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. Using cutting-edge technology, we create and publicly share map visualizations, data, and analysis tools to enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean. 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.
Global Fishing Watch is working to enhance fisheries management by promoting transparency, building analytical capacity, and fostering regional collaboration. Through open data, satellite technology, and partnerships with governments and stakeholders, we aim to equip decision makers with the tools needed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, support small-scale fishers, and improve marine conservation. Our program focuses on sharing insights, capacity development and the integration of advanced monitoring and evaluation techniques to drive evidence-based policy and sustainable ocean governance.
Background
We are seeking a qualified freelance technical writer or instructor copy editor to conduct a thorough technical and editorial review of our fisheries monitoring, control, and surveillance training material.
The objective of this short engagement is to ensure that our training materials are clear, concise, with common use of technical terms, and writer tone throughout, whilst being grammatically correct, and aligned with our internal brand and style guidelines. The target audience for these trainings are operational-level staff involved in fisheries and the environment, typically in government roles. The final product must be engaging, intuitive and accessible to a wide range of learner types.
Scope of work
The selected consultant will review 5 training modules, each comprising (within the indicative wordcount provided as a guide):
- Slide decks (approximately 630 words)
- Session plans and exercise handouts (approximately 19650 words, 94 pages)
The technical review will include:
- Checking for clarity and readability: clarity and brevity in tone whilst also being informative and engaging. Simplifying jargon where necessary and appropriate. Ensuring instructions to learners are logical and easy to follow.
- Copy editing and proofreading: correcting grammar, spelling, and syntax errors
- Consistency: the current training modules have been written by multiple different authors. We seek a uniform and consistent tone, level of detail and use of technical language.
- Style guide check: aligning the material with both GFW’s brand guidelines and the capacity development team's internal style and format guidelines.
- Structural feedback: identifying any structural gaps or redundant information
- Cross referencing: checking internal linkages are made correctly across module references and all tables, figures, and external references, and citations are accurate and standardized in format.
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Deliverables
The consultant will deliver:
- Direct line edits on source files (Google Docs and Slides) for each of the 5 training modules.
- An editorial summary report that briefly summarizes any major structural recommendations, systemic issues, and general feedback on the learner design and flow.
- A project style sheet: including a log of specific terminology, acronyms, and style choices made (in consultation with the GFW team) during the review process to ensure future modules remain consistent.
- A glossary defining technical terms and a list of acronyms and what they refer to.
Preliminary indicative timeline
| Milestone | Target date |
|---|---|
| RFP issued | 15 July |
| Proposal submission deadline | 31 July |
| Vendor selection and contract award | 20 August |
| Project kickoff meeting held, and ways of working defined | 1 week from contract signing (by approx 27/28 Aug) |
| Module 1 reviewed & delivered to GFW | 3 weeks from contract signing (by approx 11 Sep) |
| Module 2 reviewed & delivered to GFW | 5 weeks from contract signing (by approx 25 Sep) |
| Module 3 reviewed & delivered to GFW | 7 weeks from contract signing (by approx 9 Oct) |
| Module 4 reviewed & delivered to GFW | 9 weeks from contract signing (by approx 23 Oct) |
| Module 5 reviewed & delivered to GFW | 11 weeks from contract signing (by approx 6 Nov) |
| Editorial summary report, project style sheet and glossary submitted to GFW | 13 weeks from contract signing (by approx 20 Nov) |
| Project close meeting | 14 weeks from contract signing (by approx 27 Nov) |
Essential candidate experience
- Post-graduate certification in technical writing
- Proven track record of designing and writing participatory educational training materials
Desirable candidate experience
- Familiarity with fisheries management concepts or experience collaborating on fisheries management-related projects
The proposal should consist of:
- A CV and cover letter evidencing your background in technical writing and instructional design or training content reviews.
- Relevant portfolio or samples, including at least 2 samples of similar work (edited technical information, training materials). Note: redacted samples to maintain client confidentiality are acceptable.
- Proposed methodology: brief description of your approach to editing and reviewing training material of different interlinked components and how you would handle version control.
- References: contact information of at least 2 people who can speak to your prior professional expertise in this area.
- A budget breakdown detailing the costs that includes: number of working days, daily rate and proposed work.
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Evaluation criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:
- Relevant experience and qualifications (40%)
- Quality of portfolio and submitted examples (30%)
- Cost and value (20%)
- Timeline and availability (10%)
Additional information
The training module package also contains a handbook. It is intended that the handbook be used as a reference to provide further detail on the points presented in the training material. There should be continuity in the technical content in the handbook and all the rest of the training package. This will be made available to the selected consultant and the scope of work may be expanded to include a handbook review. The approximate size of the handbook for the 5 Modules combined is: 217 pages; 64,000 words.
Submission deadline
Proposals should be submitted by 31 July 2026.
Global Fishing Watch reserves full rights to the materials developed.
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.
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