- Purpose and Background
HERA invites applications from qualified investigative media organizations and entities to produce and publish evidence-based, cross-border investigative journalism focusing on anti-democratic influence and actors in digital spaces in the Western Balkans.
The assignment aims to contribute to greater public awareness and understanding of how digital practices, narratives, and networks may affect human rights, gender equality, democratic participation, and institutional accountability.
The assignment is part of a regional project implemented in partnership with organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.
- Objectives
The assignment aims to contribute to democratic accountability and safety in digital spaces in the Western Balkans through evidence-based regional investigative journalism.
Specific objectives include:
- Investigate anti-democratic influence and relevant actors in digital spaces.
- Publish an accessible regional investigation that presents verified findings, affected women’s experiences, platform responses,and the limitations of the available evidence.
- Scope of Work and Geographic Coverage
The assignment envisages one complementary investigative strand within the themes outlined below:
Anti-democratic influence and actors in digital spaces
Investigate actors, networks, and online practices relevant to anti-democratic influence in the Western Balkans. Potential angles include disinformation, coordinated harassment, exclusionary narratives, and attempts to undermine participation in public life or trust in democratic institutions.
All details of the investigation story will be developed and agreed with the selected entity during the inception phase.
The regional frame includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia, with cross-border analysis rather than separate descriptive country profiles
- Expected Deliverables and Indicative Timeline
The selected organization will be expected to produce and publish one evidence-based regional investigative story covering the agreed thematic focus and geographic scope.
The investigation should follow professional journalistic standards and incorporate a gender-sensitive approach.
Indicative implementation period: From contract signing until 31 December 2026.
The specific deliverables, timeline, and publication arrangements will be developed and agreed upon with the selected organization during the inception phase and confirmed in the contract.
- Required Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should demonstrate relevant experience and capacity to conduct and publish high-quality cross-border investigative journalism in the Western Balkans.
Essential qualifications:
- Minimum five years of experience in investigative journalism in the Western Balkans.
- At least five investigative stories related to gender equality in Western Balkan countries published in English.
- Demonstrated experience in regional investigative reporting and cross-border editorial coordination.
- Knowledge of digital rights, democratic accountability, gender equality,and the political context of the Western Balkans.
- Demonstrated publication capacity and audience reach across Western Balkan countries.
- A qualified team,including an accountable editor and investigative journalists, with appropriate language skills and country-specific expertise.
- Required Documentation
Interested applicants should submit:
- Technicalproposal: Describing the proposed investigative angle, methodology, geographic coverage, editorial approach,and indicative work plan.
- Team composition: CVs of proposed team members, including their roles and responsibilities.
- Relevant references: At least three references demonstrating experience in similar assignments.
- Financial proposal: Submitted in USD, specifying the total proposed cost, applicable taxes, VAT treatment, proposal validity,and relevant financial assumptions.
- Evaluation and Award
Applications will be evaluated based on technical quality, relevant experience, and financial competitiveness.
The evaluation will follow the criteria and weighting outlined below:
| Evaluation criteria | Maximum points |
| Relevant experience in comparable regional investigations | 20 |
| Technical approach and proposed investigative angles | 25 |
| Team composition and delivery capacity | 15 |
| Financial proposal | 40 |
| Total | 100 |
Technical quality and relevant experience account for a maximum of 60 points, while the financial proposal accounts for a maximum of 40 points.
- Submission of Applications
Interested applicants should submit their complete technical and financial proposals by email to konkurs@hera.org.mk no later than 31 October 2026, at 16:00 (North Macedonia local time).
The email subject line should read:
“Proposal for Regional Investigative Reporting on Democratic Accountability and Safety in Digital Spaces in the Western Balkans”
Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
