Serbian power company seeks social media monitoring service

Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), the state-owned power company of Serbia, has launched a public tender worth 14.4 million dinars (approximately $130,000 USD) for a service to monitor public opinion across social media and online communities. The primary objective is to enable the early detection of negative narratives and potential reputational crises.

The tender documentation outlines that the chosen provider will be responsible for continuous monitoring of content on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit. The service will also encompass forums, blogs, comment sections, and public groups, operating with 24-hour surveillance seven days a week.

Key aspects of the procurement include tracking 10 specific keywords or phrases, collecting and filtering data, categorizing content, identifying dominant and negative themes, performing sentiment analysis, and pinpointing key communicators. A crucial component is a real-time alert system. The service provider must notify EPS's Public Relations Sector via phone, email, and Viber whenever a negative topic gains traction, shifts its narrative, or spreads across digital channels.

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Public opinion on social networks forms very quickly, and negative sentiment can turn into a reputational or media crisis in a short period.

EPS emphasizes that public opinion on social media forms rapidly, and negative sentiment can quickly escalate into a reputational or media crisis. Therefore, timely identification of adverse narratives is deemed essential for protecting the company's image and planning effective communication strategies. The company highlighted that the contract duration will be 12 months, with the deadline for submitting bids set for August 21.

The procurement process is divided into three phases. Beyond daily monitoring, the selected bidder will produce monthly analytical reports detailing dominant and negative themes, sentiment analysis, and recommendations for communication activities. A comprehensive annual report will be prepared at the end of the contract period, analyzing trends, crisis situations, and factors influencing public opinion.

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Therefore, timely recognition of negative narratives is key to protecting the company's reputation and planning communication activities.