Request for Proposals (RFP) – Managing and contributing editorial services for The Circle magazine 

The WWF Global Arctic Programme (GAP) based in Stockholm, Sweden is requesting proposals to manage and provide editorial services to its quarterly magazine, The Circle. The proposals will form the basis for a framework agreement of up to five (5) years, commencing between July to August 2026, with the exact date to be confirmed upon contract award.

Communication is a core component of GAP, and The Circle is a way of sharing Arctic-focused knowledge with a wider audience. Communication supports conservation efforts directly and strengthens WWF’s visibility and perceived value to the Arctic, including through the topics and people profiled in The Circle. GAP’s Senior Communications Lead acts as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief.

The Circle is a free publication produced by GAP and is published three to four times a year (approximately March, June, September, December).

At present, The Circle is distributed as an online magazine on our website. It receives around 200,000 visits a year. Its audience includes government officials, elected representatives, Indigenous Peoples organizations, conservationists, scientists, NGOs, libraries, and business executives.

The goal of The Circle is to present diverse voices and perspectives to inform decision-makers, scientists and the interested public about environmental and development issues facing the Arctic. The publication invites authors from a variety of sectors and experiences to share their views and expertise on issues and challenges facing the Arctic, particularly considering the rapid change occurring in this unique ecosystem due to the climate crisis.

Using creative storytelling, GAP aims to inform, inspire and entertain audiences to activate support for a well-managed, biodiverse and resilient Arctic. See previous issues of The Circle.

Work tasks

Reporting to the Editor-in-Chief, the contractor will oversee the development and delivery of content for each issue of The Circle.  The contractor will work with a graphic designer (contracted by GAP) to ensure the layout of the publication.

Specifically, the contractor must demonstrate the following capacity to each issue of The Circle:

1. Work with the Editor-in-Chief to develop a list of topics, stories and potential authors
2. Send out queries to potential authors/interviewees to determine the story board, best treatment for each piece of content and whether the article will be co-written by a contributing editor or submitted by an outside author.
3. Produce 7-10 feature articles (between 700-1000 words) in addition to:
   • a 500-word editorial
   • around 4 news briefs (of approximately 200 words each)
4. Edit each article, supplementary pieces and social content for grammar, tone consistency and quality.  All text must conform to the WWF style guide.
5. Identify related content on the GAP website to each featured article. This may include reports, fact sheets, video, and audio.
6. Collaborate with GAP’s graphic designer to ensure layout and accompanying photos, maps and other storytelling elements are accurate, informative, engaging and entertaining.
7. Collaborate with the Editor-in-Chief in the constant development of the publication.
8. Collect author social media platform handles.
9. Adhere to the timeline set by the Editor-in-Chief.

In addition to The Circle, GAP produces numerous other communications products. These communication outputs appear in different formats and channels. The contractor may thus be commissioned to support with ad-hoc assignments such as:

• Short text assignments (eg. news articles or features for the GAP website)
• Longer text assignments (e.g. reports, briefs, and similar publications)
• Contributing to editorial development of The Circle

Required qualifications and experiences

• Extensive journalistic writing, editing and proofreading experience in English
• Managing strategic writing projects
• Managing the content and design process of online magazines
• Experience of working with research communication
• Strong storytelling abilities
• Experience interacting with clients, colleagues and sources at all levels
• Experience working with Arctic conservation issues
• Experience with producing editorial content for video, radio or podcast

Required details in the proposal

• Indicate yearly availability, hourly rate (excluding VAT), currency and estimated number of hours for:
  • Four (4) issues of The Circle in a year taking into consideration the work tasks listed above
  • Ad-hoc assignment based on this example Dynamic-and-Adaptive-Area-based-Conservation-in-Rapidly-Changing-Arctic-Ocean.pdf)
• Required Due diligence information listed below.
• A one-page description of how contractors meet the required qualifications and experiences
• A brief description of suggested work process for each issue of the Circle, based on the desired capacities listed under ‘Work tasks’.
• A proposed story grid for an issue of The Circle with a suggested topic, feature articles, authors, and a variety of treatments for content.
• Ideas for how to integrate interactive or multimedia elements into the issue.
• Two writing samples of maximum 500 words each. Please include any accompanying photos, graphs, or other images.

Required due diligence information

All bidders must provide basic information so WWF can confirm eligibility and suitability for contracting. This information is requested for due diligence purposes and is not part of the competitive scoring.

Please include the following in addition to your proposal submission:

• Environmental responsibility: A brief description of how you minimise environmental impact in your work (e.g., reduced travel, digital workflows, recycling).
• Social & ethical practices: A short description of how you ensure responsible working practices (respect for labour laws, anti‑corruption principles, safe working practices).
• Financial & legal compliance: (Business registration details, Business Address and telephone number, Confirmation of F‑skatt (for Swedish suppliers), General financial information (short statement of stability or annual report, if available)
• References: One to two client references, with contact information
• Conflict of interest statement: A brief declaration of any actual or potential conflicts

Framework agreement

WWF intends to establish a framework agreement with the selected contractor. The agreement will set the overarching terms under which individual assignments are commissioned.

The agreement is valid for up to five (5) years.

WWF reserves the right to use alternative suppliers when necessary.

GAP typically releases 3 to 4 issues of The Circle each year. The expected number of issues will be planned and agreed on an annual basis. Additional ad-hoc work will be commissioned as needed throughout the year. All work will be initiated through written call‑off orders, specifying the scope, deliverables, timelines, and approved hours for each assignment.

Either WWF or the Contractor may terminate the framework agreement, in whole or in part, with thirty (30) days’ written notice.

Practical tender information

WWF Global Arctic Programme will publish this Request for Proposals (RFP) on its website from 2 April to 2 May 2026. During this period, WWF welcomes clarification questions and will publish all answers on the following Q&A webpage for all complete proposals received by the deadline.

Evaluation Criteria

WWF will evaluate proposals based on:

1. Demonstrated expertise, experience, and skills relevant to this assignment
2. Quality and relevance of the submitted writing samples
3. Cost efficiency, including hourly rates and the proposed five‑year ceiling budget
4. Completeness of due diligence information (non‑competitive)

Submission Instructions

Proposals, including all required information and contact details, must be submitted by email to: info@arcticwwf.org.

Subject line: “Proposal Submission: Managing and contributing editorial services for The Circle magazine”

Submission deadline: 2 May 2026 end of day (CEST)

Notification to applicants: WWF will contact all applicants on or before 15 May 2026.