Consultancy to Design the Hub Website (OVOC Project)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Call for Consultancy to Design & Maintenance the Hub Website For Our Voices Our Choices (OVOC) Project

1. Project Background

Our Voices Our Choices: Women and Youth for Democratic Civic Space (OVOC) Project, funded by the European Commission (EC), is being implemented in 3 countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, together

with regional outreach with Plan’s Asia Pacific regional team (APAC)). The OVOC Project is a partnership between Plan International (Plan) and four Co-applicant CSOs: Article 19, the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO), Phayao Youth News Agency (PYNA), and Thailand Youth Institute (TYI).

The overall objective of the Project is: to support and empower civil society in protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide. This is to ensure that young people and especially women and girls in target communities in Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand (also the broader Asian region) enjoy fundamental human rights and are actively engaged in improving their lives and communities through inclusive, effective, pluralistic and representative civic participation with a focus on inclusive civic space.

One of the OVOC specific objectives is: to enhance inclusive civic action through co-creation of a multi- country resource Hub that facilitates the enlargement of civic, democratic and civil society space.

To realize the OVOC specific objective of the aforementioned Hub, Plan International will call for consultancy to design and maintenance the Hub Website following the needs and outcome of the Hub Steering Committee Meeting.

The Hub website will allow safe and secure engagement for women and youth-led CSOs across three implementing countries that enables them to exchange information, co-learning and advocate for Human Rights, and Civic Space to take collective action.

1. Objectives of the assignment

The objectives of the assignment are:

1. To design a dynamic and responsive website, which English is the main language with multi-lingual automatic translation (Bengali, Nepali, and Thai).
2. To train members of the Hub Steering Committee, and OVOC project staff on how to use, update and administrate the website.
3. To provide admin and technical support for website maintenance.
4. Scope of the assignment

The consultancy will work closely with the Hub Coordinator team, in consultation with the Hub Steering Committee to achieve the deliverables under section 4. The consultancy is expected to employ relevant innovative measures to deliver a secure interactive website that is mobile-friendly, user-friendly, and equip with automatic language translation (Bengali, Nepali, Thai).

Description of the assignment

1. The Consultant(s)/ Consultancy agency is expected to:
2. Present a proposed plan for website design, and maintenance;
3. Suggest and implement technical security for the interactive website;
4. Suggest and implement automatic language translation for English, Bengali, Nepali, and Thai;
5. Suggest and implement a user-friendly (e.g. Content Management System (CMS);
6. Suggest and implement methods to screen sensitive/violence wording and pictures;
7. Suggest and implement security licenses/methods to be used for the Hub website;
8. Develop a wireframe and at least 2 prototypes for the website that reflects Plan International and EU brand clearly and compellingly;
9. Adjust the website prototype, demo, and brand deliverables based on feedback;
10. Implement a valid HTTPS certificate on the Hub website;
11. Develop a user guide for the website, complete with the most common troubleshooting guidelines;
12. Conduct virtual training (English) for Hub Steering Committee and OVOC Project Staff (around 30 – 35 participants) on how to use & manage the Hub website;
13. Provide admin and technical support for 10 months website maintenance;
14. Provide website domain hosting for 5 years.

Responsibilities

The Consultant(s)/ Consultancy Agency

1. Prepare and submit a technical and financial proposal
2. If successfully selected, prepare an inception report detailing the plan for preparation, execution, and completion of the website
3. Design the website
4. Prepare a user guide and training manual
5. Deliver virtual training (English) on website usage with close liaison with the Hub Coordinator team
6. Website maintenance for 10 months
7. Provide website domain hosting for 5 years

Some of the expected features of the Hub website are:

Theme / Mobile friendly, user friendly, and responsive design

Browsing

• Website should be compatible with all common browsers
• Need customization facility for admin in menus and others where needed
• It should be fast and easy to navigate

HUB Platform

• Desktop and mobile platform compatibility
• Website language options English, Bengali, Nepali, and Thai

Technical information

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Customizable
• Login & Registration: With CAPTCHA Security
• Registered user of at least 5000 people
• Capable for browsing at least 1000 people at a time
• Enough space for lots of images and videos of the gallery
• A design that allows improvements on look and features easily
• Incorporate Google analytics or any 3rd party analytics service
• Ability to incorporate existing OVOC social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
• An Interactive chat board with automatic translation for English, Bengali, Nepali, and Thai

Homepage

Examples of contents of the homepage:

• Project Title with logos with links of project information detail, implementing partners, and OVOC CSOs (optional)
• Search option (for searching website contents)
• User Login system
• Menus and sub-menus for redirecting certain pages (with Creation & Editing Facility)
• Gallery view
• Newsfeed
• A map of OVOC working locations, and news updates
• An interactive calendar of OVOC Project events and activity with notifications
• Online Courses and automated-generate certificate
• Blog
• Signing petition for Campaign
• Emergency support (Contact details for local authorities/agencies per country)

Level of user

1. Admin: Can manage all things
2. Moderator: All facilities of user but can directly post events, photos, calendar entries, and newsfeed
3. Contents Creator/User: User ID with password that can see contents, and take part into the online courses, can post events with photos & videos (not shows on the web until admin/moderator approve), can make and customize their profiles. To be contents Creators or users, mobile number and verification code system is required.
4. Public: View only the public contents of the website

* Phone/email notifications for first three level users

1. Timeline and deliverables

Activity / Timeline

Tendering / 11 April – 24 April 2023

Interview candidates / 25 – 28 April 2023

Background Checks and Contracting / 1 – 2 May 2023

Phase 1: Web Development & Design

The Consultancy Briefing / 4 May 2023

Submission of an inception report including / An activity workplan

1. A flow of website / 11 May 2023

Submit, present, feedback and finalize the website structure / 25 May – 15 June 2023

Submit and present a website prototype (wireframe) / 26 June 2023

Submit, present, feedback and finalize website prototype (mobile & desktop version) / 10 July – 27 July 2023

A ‘demo’ of the Hub website functionality for feedback / 16 August 2023

A complete functional OVOC Hub website / 31 August 2023

Phase 2: Training & Technical Support

Prepare user guide and training manual / 11 September 2023

Deliver training of Hub Steering Committee on the use and functionality / 14 September 2023

Phase 3: Maintenance

Provide admin & technical support for 10 months website maintenance (e.g. during contents upload) / 1 September 2023 – 30 June 2024

Domain hosting for 5 years / 1 May 2023 – 30 April 2027

*The consultancy will be responsible to register Hub Website domain within 15 days after the signed contract

Deliverables by the consultancy

The assignment will be spread over three phases as follows:

Deliverables /Timeline

Phase 1: Web design & development

An inception report including:

1. An activity workplan
2. A flow of website

By 11 May 2023

The first draft website structure / By 25 May 2023

The final website structure / By 15 June 2023

The website prototype (wireframe) / By 26 June 2023

The first draft website prototype / By 10 July 2023

The final website prototype (mobile & desktop version) / By 27 July 2023

A ‘demo’ of the Hub website functionality / By 16 August 2023

A complete functional OVOC Hub website / By 31 August 2023

Phase 2: Training & technical support

Prepare user guide and training manual / By 11 September 2023

A training on the use and functionality / By 14 September 2023

Phase 3: Maintenance

10 months admin and technical support for website maintenance (e.g. support during contents upload) / 1 September 2024 – 30 June 2024

5 Years domain hosting fee / 1 May 2023 – 30 April 2027

1. Focal Point

The Hub Coordinator team will serve as the focal point for this consultancy and will provide the relevant information and any support required for the assignment.

1. Qualifications, Background and Experience

Plan International Thailand requires a high level of technical/professional expertise and creativity. The successful consultant(s)/ consultancy agency should demonstrate relevant experience of website design, training users and maintenance. Preference will be given to the consultant(s)/ consultancy agency with sufficient experience in developing interactive website involving multi-lingual audiences, ensuring secure access, and ability to support on website maintenance.

The successful consultant(s)/ consultancy agency is required to have the following qualifications:

1. Portfolio of the past successful examples of web design relevant under this consultancy that they have directly designed.
2. Experience developing interactive websites that ensure safe and secure user-engagement.
3. Fluency in spoken and written English is essential and necessary.
4. Capacity to develop user guide, and deliver training.
5. Capacity to support in maintaining the website during implementation.
6. Child and Young People Safeguarding Policy

The firm/organization/individual shall comply with the Code of Conduct and Child and Young People Safeguarding of Plan International. Any violation/deviation is in complying with Plan International Child and Young People Safeguarding policy will result in termination of the agreement. Orientation on relevant policy will be arranged for the selected consultant(s), and the consultant(s) have to sign the Acknowledge form of the relevant policy.

1. Disclaimers

Plan International Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Plan International Asia Regional Hub (APAC) reserve the right to accept or reject any or all proposal/applications without any reason what so ever. Beside this, the authority reserves the right to reject all proposal/applications in case of link/involvement in terrorism.

1. Disclosure of information

It is understood and agreed that the consultant(s)/ consultancy agency shall, during and after the effective period of the contract, treat as confidential and not disclose, unless authorized in writing by Plan International Plan International Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Plan International Asia Regional Hub (APAC) any information obtained in the assignment of the performance of the Contract.

1. Copyright and Ownership of Assignment

Plan International Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Plan International Asia Regional Hub (APAC) will reserve the copyright of all information, findings and the final documents produced through this process. The produced documents cannot be used for any other purposes by the consultant(s)/consultancy agency

How to apply

Interested applicants should submit the following documents to thailand.procurement@plan- international.org referencing “Consultancy to Design the Hub Website (OVOC Project)”.

Application deadline is Monday 24 April 2023 (17.00 hrs, Bangkok Time).

1. Technical proposal

• Cover letter expressing interest in this assignment, including contact details and physical address.
• Consultancy’s detailed CV.
• Updated portfolio evidence of undertaking at similar consultancy work (provide links to websites developed).
• Outline and methodology to successfully deliver the assignment.
• The detailed workplan indicating time and duration required for the assignment including key activities and milestones.
• Contact details of tree past references.

1. Financial proposal

• Provide detailed cost breakdown to perform the assignment (indicating all necessary estimated costs), including all the chargeable taxes.
• Terms of payment.