Background

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN Leaders recognised that: there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among people of ASEAN. It was of this concern that ASEAN Leaders established the ASEAN Foundation during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 15 December 1997. After its establishment, the ASEAN Foundation has been tasked to support ASEAN’s community building efforts by promoting greater awareness of the ASEAN identity, human resource development, people-to-people interaction, and close collaboration among different stakeholders in the region.

As ASEAN continues to advance its digital transformation agenda, ensuring that young people can safely and meaningfully participate in the digital environment has become an increasingly important regional priority. Across ASEAN, internet access and smartphone use have grown rapidly, especially among adolescents. The post-pandemic era further intensified screen time as education, social interaction and entertainment shifted online. While digitalisation has created opportunities for learning and connection, it has also exposed young people to harmful content, cyberbullying and online exploitation and abuse.

Recognising these challenges, ASEAN has adopted various regional commitments and frameworks to strengthen online safety, protect children from online exploitation and abuse, address cyber-violence, and promote digital resilience. These include the Declaration on the Protection of Children from all Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN, the Declaration on the Elimination of Bullying of Children in ASEAN, and the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2030. The importance of strengthening youth wellbeing is also reflected in findings from the Second ASEAN Youth Development Index (YDI), which highlight growing concerns related to youth mental health and wellbeing across the region. Together, these regional priorities and evidence underscore the need for coordinated efforts to strengthen digital wellbeing and empower young people to navigate the digital environment safely.

Programme Overview

The ASEAN Foundation will implement the ASEAN Teen Digital Wellbeing Initiative aimed at equipping ASEAN youth, educators, and caregivers with the tools, knowledge, and skills to navigate the digital space safely and responsibly. The programme seeks to foster an enabling environment where they can engage with technology in a positive and empowering way, supporting self-expression, creativity, and meaningful connection.

This initiative is implemented in partnership with Plan International, with support from Google.org. Under this collaboration, Plan International will identify, onboard, and provide sub-grants to a cohort of established, locally relevant non-profit organisations with strong domain expertise. These organisations will be responsible for localising and delivering a digital wellbeing curriculum tailored to their respective community contexts, ensuring effective outreach to youth, educators, and caregivers at the grassroots level. Plan International will also conduct a baseline study to collect key insights that will be used to develop the curriculum.

Complementing this community-based approach, the ASEAN Foundation will lead regional engagement efforts, focusing on the 11 ASEAN Member States. This will include convenings with policymakers, government agencies, civil society organisations (CSO), and academia to generate actionable recommendations that support the promotion of safe and inclusive digital practices across the region. These recommendations will be shared and presented to the relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies. Moreover, the insights from the regional convenings will be disseminated to a wider audience, including youth, educators, and caregivers, across multiple platforms.

The above dual approach is designed to deliver both immediate community-level impact and contribute to longer-term policy development and sustainability.

There are three core strategic deliverables for the regional engagement approach:

• Evidence-Based Dialogues: Convening 190 key stakeholders—including government officials, CSOs, and academia—through four regional convenings.

• Institutional Frameworks: Developing a draft Regional Reference Document and a Policy Brief for consultation with, and possible future consideration, by relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, in accordance with ASEAN processes.

• Regional Communication Campaign: Reaching an estimated 2,000,000 people (youth, parents, educators, and caregivers) through regional communication and awareness-raising activities on digital wellbeing.

Objectives

The primary objective of the 1st Regional Convening (to be held in Bangkok, Thailand) is to formally launch the regional engagement track of the ASEAN Teen Digital Wellbeing Initiative and establish a collaborative platform for ASEAN Member States. Specifically, the convening aims to:

• Introduce the programme’s dual-track approach and the strategic partnership between the ASEAN Foundation, Plan International, and Google.org to key sectoral bodies and government representatives.

• Present and deliberate on the preliminary findings to ensure the subsequent convenings and evidence-based recommendations are grounded in the current digital realities of ASEAN youth.

• Facilitate a discussion to identify shared challenges and priority areas for the Regional Reference Document and Recommendations.

• Build a cohesive network of policymakers, CSOs, academia, and youth representatives to ensure a coordinated approach toward digital resilience across the region.

To support the successful delivery of the convening, the selected Event Organiser will be responsible for:

• Providing and coordinating the event logistics and operational requirements necessary for the successful implementation of the 1st Regional Convening;

• Providing end-to-end event management and on-site coordination throughout the preparation and implementation of the convening;

• Providing a qualified Master of Ceremonies (Emcee) to facilitate the event programme; and

• Providing event documentation services, including photography and videography, to capture key sessions and activities throughout the convening.

To ensure the successful delivery of these objectives, the ASEAN Foundation requires the services of professional event organiser specialised in high-level event management and hospitality. This document outlines the strategic requirements of the convening to allow eligible firms to propose technical and financial solutions that align with the initiative’s diplomatic and operational standards.

Scope of Work

The ASEAN Foundation is looking for an event organiser (“vendor”) to support the implementation of the ASEAN Teen Digital Wellbeing Initiative (TDWI) 1^st Regional Convening. The selected vendor will work closely with the ASEAN Foundation’s Senior Project Officer and Project Administration & Finance Officer for the ASEAN TDWI to ensure that the service is properly prepared and delivered in accordance with the programme requirements and will perform the following responsibilities:

1. Logistics Production and Arrangement
   • Conduct survey visits to several hotel candidates to ensure alignment with programme needs. This includes checking:
     • the capacity of meeting rooms, foyer, secretariat room, as well as whether they are comfortably located next to each other,
     • the capacity of prayer room, restrooms, lobby, and restaurant
     • the space to put backdrop inside or outside the meeting room,
     • the traffic situation in the hotel surroundings;
   • Provide resource person(s) to assist airport pick-up for ASEAN TDWI 1^st Regional Convening participants;
   • Provide LED/Videotron (if needed), lighting equipment, sound system equipment, flower decorations, centrepiece for each table throughout the agenda;
   • Provide operator(s) during the agenda to operate digital assets and ensure that the LED/Videotron and other IT-related rented equipment work properly during the agenda;
   • Produce standing banner, merchandises, lanyards and ID cards, certificates, winning boards, placards, acrylic placard holders, portable podium with customised printed cover, stage marking names. Detailed quantity will be outlined on the Request for Quotation document;
   • Provide printer, paper, stage marking tape, electronic tablet, and flagpoles;
   • Set up all ASEAN TDWI logistics and collaterals prior the agenda and remove the logistics after the agenda;
   • Handle registration of participants at the registration desk.
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2. Emcee & Documentation
   • Suggest and provide a list of English-speaking emcees for the agenda, complete with their CV and portfolio;
   • Provide an English-speaking photographer and videographer for the agenda;
   • Disburse payment to an emcee, photographer, and videographer.

Expected Outcomes

By the conclusion of the convening, the following outcomes are expected:

• A formalised set of priority thematic areas that will form the core of the Regional Reference Document.

• A refined understanding of the regional digital wellbeing landscape, with stakeholder feedback integrated into the formulation of forthcoming knowledge outputs.

• Strengthened buy-in from National Focal Points and ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, ensuring active participation in subsequent dialogues and the validation process.

• An established regional network of experts and practitioners committed to supporting the program’s long-term sustainability and advocacy.

Participant Profile

The convening will bring together approximately 45 key stakeholders from across the region. Participants are selected based on their strategic influence and technical expertise in the fields of digital technology, youth development, education, and social welfare. The profile includes:

• National Focal Points: Senior representative from each of the 11 ASEAN Member States, specifically from ministries or agencies overseeing youth, education, or information and communication technology (ICT).

• ASEAN Secretariat: Representatives from relevant sectoral divisions to ensure alignment with regional blueprints and institutional mandates.

• Civil Society Organisations (CSOs): Regional and local non-profits with proven experience in digital rights, child protection, or digital resilience programs.

• Academia & Research: Experts specialising in the intersection of digital technology, adolescent development, and tech governance.

• Youth Representatives: Selected youth leaders to ensure their participation and centre their voice in the dialogue.

• Implementing Partners: Lead officers from the ASEAN Foundation, Google.org, Plan International, and other partners.

Timeline & General Programme Agenda

The agenda will take place in Bangkok, Thailand in early December 2026. Therefore, the event organising period will take place from September/October 2026 to January/February 2027. This timeline will serve as the basis for the delivery schedule of each task and deliverables throughout the consultancy period.

Disclaimer: Minor adjustments to the implementation schedule or sequencing of activities may be made upon mutual agreement between the ASEAN Foundation and the selected Event Organiser, provided that such adjustments do not materially alter the overall scope of services described in this Terms of Reference and Quotation.

Timeline:

No	Estimated Time	Task and Deliverables
1	September/October 2026	Contract Signing between AF & the Vendor Submission of the signed SSA for the agreed services & deliverables
2	September/October – Early December 2026	Preparation and Execution – Facilitate AF team site visitation to the hotel candidates in Bangkok – Weekly meeting with AF team about the 1st regional convening preparation progress – Identify potential emcee – Produce collateral sample & final collateral products
3	Mid December 2026 – February 2027	Final Submission of Deliverables & Report – Submission of the deliverables report & other mandatory supporting documents related to EO service completion

General Programme Agenda:

TIME	ACTIVITY	NOTES/DESCRIPTION
DAY 0 Early December 2026
Arrival of Participants
11:00 – 22:00	Airport Pick-Up & Check-in	Arrival of Participants
DAY 1 Early December 2026
Full Day Agenda of the 1st Regional Convening
06:00 – 08:30	Breakfast	Breakfast
08:30 – 09:00	Registration	Registration & Welcoming Beverages
09:00 – 10:15	Welcoming Session	Includes welcome & opening remarks, presentation of preliminary findings, group photo session
10:15 – 10:30	Refreshment Break	Snacks and beverages
10:30 – 12:00	Roundtable Discussion 1	Includes Q&A, option: panel, roundtable, or other options
12:00 – 14:00	Lunch Break	Includes networking session & praying time
14:00 – 15:30	Roundtable Discussion 2	Includes Q&A, option: panel, roundtable, breakout rooms or other options
15:30 – 15:45	Refreshment Break	Snacks and beverages
15:45 – 17:15	Roundtable Discussion 3	Includes Q&A, option: panel, roundtable, cross-sector working groups, or other options
17:15 – 18:00	Closing Session	Includes wrap up, closing remarks
DAY 2 Early December 2026
Departure of Participants
06:00 – 09:00	Breakfast	Breakfast
09:00 – 18:00	Check-out	Departure of Participants

Compliance and Operational Protocols

To ensure the safety, inclusivity, and diplomatic integrity of the convening, the following institutional standards must be strictly upheld by all contracted vendors:

• Participant Safety: As the convening involves diverse participants, the venue and organizers must ensure a safe and respectful professional environment. This includes:
  • Strict adherence to a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, discrimination, or misconduct;
  • Providing a dedicated focal point for any participant requiring support during the event.

• Privacy and Confidentiality: All personal data collected during the registration and execution of the convening will be managed in accordance with regional data privacy standards. Photo/video release forms must be signed prior to any media capture.

• Inclusivity and Accessibility: The convening is committed to the principle of “Leaving No One Behind,” ensuring the venue and materials are accessible to all:
  • Physical Accessibility: The venue must be fully ADA-compliant, offering barrier-free access for participants with physical disabilities.
  • Inclusive Content: Presentation materials should be designed with high-contrast visuals and clear language to ensure cognitive accessibility.

• Cultural and Religious Sensitivity: In recognition of the diverse cultural landscape of the 11 ASEAN Member States, the following protocols are mandatory:
  • All food and beverages served must be strictly Halal-certified, with vegan option provided;
  • The event schedule will include adequate breaks to accommodate prayer times, and a dedicated prayer room must be available at the venue.

• Environmental Sustainability: In alignment with the project’s commitment to responsible resource management, the convening will strive for a “Low-Waste” footprint by prioritising digital materials over printing and eliminating single-use plastics throughout the venue.

Qualifications

The prospective service provider must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the bidding process:

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in managing or hosting high-level regional convenings, with a proven track record of handling diverse participant groups and complex event scales.

• Must be a legally registered entity with all necessary permits, licenses, and professional credentials to operate within Thailand.

• Proficiency in standard audio-visual setups, with the scalability to support hybrid meeting platforms if requested.

• Prior experience working with intergovernmental organisations (e.g., ASEAN, UN), international NGOs, or multi-stakeholder coalitions.

• Proven ability to operate effectively in a multi-stakeholder, cross-cultural setting, with sensitivity to the diplomatic protocols required for regional-level engagements.

• Demonstrated ability to work under tight timelines while maintaining high-quality deliverables and a responsive approach to iterative stakeholder feedback.

Services Fee

Interested service providers are required to propose a quotation by completing the Request for Quotation (RFQ) Form. To ensure transparency and competitiveness, all submissions will undergo a formal bidding process in accordance with ASEAN Foundation procurement regulations. The quotation must be all-inclusive of professional fees, operational costs, and applicable taxes based on the vendor’s country of operation.

A lump sum quotation is required, including fees for delivering all the required services. The price written in the proposal should indicate a “lump sum amount” which is “all inclusive” for the scope of work specified in the Terms of Reference.

Payment shall be made according to the payment schedule agreed in the consultancy contract. Each payment shall be conditional upon:

• submission of the relevant deliverable;

• written acceptance of the deliverable by the ASEAN Foundation; and

• submission of a valid invoice and any supporting documents required by the ASEAN Foundation.

Deliverable Review and Acceptance

All deliverables submitted by the vendor shall be subject to review and written acceptance by the ASEAN Foundation. The review process shall be as follows:

• The vendor submits the deliverable according to the agreed timeline;

• The ASEAN Foundation will review the deliverable and provide consolidated comments within a reasonable period;

• The vendor shall address the comments and submit a revised version;

• The vendor shall provide up to two (2) rounds of revisions for each substantive deliverable at no additional cost;

• A deliverable shall be considered accepted only upon written confirmation from the ASEAN Foundation that it satisfactorily meets the requirements outlined in the Terms of Reference.

Acceptance will be assessed based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Completeness and quality of the deliverable;

• Alignment with the agreed scope of work;

• Consistency with ASEAN priorities and programme objectives.

Application Procedure

Eligible organisations interested in applying must submit the following documents

1. Event Organiser Company Profile, that offers an overview of your company;

2. Event Organiser Portfolio, that showcase of your work, including:
   • Areas of expertise,
   • Previous projects or achievements,
   • supporting documentations (photos),
   • Notable partners and previous collaborations;

3. Company licenses & credentials, e.g. relevant business registrations, certifications, or accreditations;

4. A completed Request for Quotation (RFQ) Form outlining all the goods/services specification and price. Please ensure you complete the Attachment A in the RFQ form. Also, provide lumpsum/total value of quotation in US Dollars (USD), inclusive of all professional fees, operational costs, administrative expenses, activity and travel expenses, applicable taxes, VAT, and any other costs necessary for successful completion of the assignment. Applicants must complete the Request for Quotation Form, which can be downloaded HERE.

Please submit the application documents by latest on Sunday, 6 September 2026 (23.59 GMT+7) with email subject “ASEAN TDWI – 1^st RPC Event Organiser – [Company Name]” to [email protected] and CC to [email protected].

Key Personnel

The selected vendor shall assign the key personnel proposed in its technical proposal throughout the duration of the service.

Any replacement of key personnel shall require the prior written approval of the ASEAN Foundation. Replacement personnel shall possess qualifications and experience that are equal to or exceed those of the originally proposed personnel.

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

The vendor shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding all non-public information obtained during the consultancy service and any other confidential information shared by the ASEAN Foundation or its partners. Such information shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of the ASEAN Foundation, unless required by applicable law.

All reports, presentation materials, workshop outputs, datasets, and any other deliverables produced under this consultancy service shall become the intellectual property of the ASEAN Foundation. The Agency shall not reproduce, publish, or use these materials for purposes outside this consultancy without prior written approval from the ASEAN Foundation.

Queries

Send any inquiries to [email protected] cc to [email protected] with email subject “[Inquiry] ASEAN TDWI – 1^st Regional Convening” no later than Friday, 4 September 2026 by 17.00 GMT+7 (Jakarta Time).