1. Background
AAH-I is an African-led, international non-governmental organisation, based in Nairobi, Kenya, that supports livelihood-challenged communities in East and Southern Africa to sustainably improve their well-being and standard of living. With Country Programmes in South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Somalia, and Kenya, AAH-I has over 20 years’ experience working with communities in conflict and post-conflict situations, including refugees, internally displaced people and host communities. More recently AAH-I has expanded its activities to work with other marginalised communities including pastoralists and urban slum dwellers.
AAH-I works with communities, local government and other development partners to improve:
1. Basic services (health, education, water, hygiene and sanitation),
2. Food and income security,
3. Environmental management and responsiveness to climate change;
4. Governance, civil society strengthening and peace building.
5. Humanitarian relief and recovery.
6. Research to provide the evidence base for the above

2. Objective of the assignment
AAH-I is in the process of upgrading the current website to a new look design and layout, optimised for mobile and tablet that will make it easier, simpler and faster for our users to find the information they are looking for. The website will be enhanced with capabilities that will enable bring AAH-I’s work with communities alive through fresh photography, imagery and multimedia content. In line with this objective, AAH-I seeks to engage the services of a consultant web developer to undertake the web-site redesign using a user-centric design approach to achieve a robust website with but not limited to the following capabilities:
• A clear, easy-to-use layout
• Design for easy use on PCs, mobile phones and tablets using an agile delivery methodology
• Design that allows for new digital services to be added on an ongoing basis
• Creation of an effective search engine function
• A Content Management System (CMS) that ensures easy updating by AAH-I staff

3. User Groups/Audiences
The intended users of the website include, but are not limited to the following categories of audiences and content will be geared to meeting their information needs:

Primary Audiences:
• Employees of AAH-I (across the countries) – Board members, Directors, Programme managers/officers, Heads of departments, Field/project staff, front office staff
• Current funding partners including: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Bread for the World/Diakonia, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), USAID, World Bank, Australian Red Cross, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, European Union, etc.
• Implementing partners – across all thematic sectors
• National Governments: including Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Zambia and Somalia. In particular, line Ministries including Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Education, Environment in the different jurisdictions
• States, County and local Governments – in the respective countries
• Current and potential Beneficiaries – Communities including refugees and hosts
• The Media – development, humanitarian, health, science, education & environment journalists
• The wider development fraternity

Secondary Audiences
• The General public with interest in humanitarian and development work
• Potential donors – local, regional and global
• The global community
• Corporate organisations

4. Scope of work
The consultant will perform the following tasks to support the process of re-design of the website. It is however expected that this will commence with an inception meeting with AAH-I to further understand its requirements.
4.1 Broad tasks
• General consultancy on orientation about the site and its related architecture
• Implementation of new architecture and proposed graphics placeholder
• Content uploading into the new website
• Training of designated staff on use of the Content Management System
• Advising, testing and installation
• Ensure easy downloading of site pages by minimizing use of large graphics, optimizing all graphics and documents for smaller file size
• Ensure HTML is W3C compatible
• Promotion of site at search engines (SEO)
• Ensure optimal integration with social media platforms i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and others
• Integrate new digital services such as online donations platform, campaigns, blog, infographics, multimedia, video and others

The consultant is expected to achieve the tasks as per the schedule below:
Step 1: Review, Consult and Recommend
• Make recommendations for redesign (based on WordPress)
• Make recommendations regarding web traffic software website and social media analytics for detailed reports of visitors to the website
• Make recommendations/proposal regarding additional plugins required for full functionality of the website
• Confirm the compatibility of the HTML pages with W3C standards
Step 2: Design
• Provide a wireframe of the website
• Create a template for the website using the CMS and the actual corporate design
• Liaise with graphics designer to obtain graphics, logos and multimedia
• Develop META tags on each web page and assist in registration with major search engines
• Ensure design and sample content are “print-friendly”
Step 3: Test and migration
• Check bugs and problems, diagnose and fix them
• Check W3C compatibility and scripts of the entire site
• Initiate user testing (create a Beta website) and incorporate feedback
• Migrate from development to live server platform

5. Deliverables
Within the contractual obligation, the consultant shall provide deliver a website with the following features:
1. Interactive, appealing, highly usable and responsive web design (device-ready). The design and solution must be easy to use.
2. Search Engine Friendly
3. Average load time
4. Compatible with a range of browsers
5. Categorize content with user specified tags
6. Social network platform integration
7. Digital service integration
8. Beta testing and incorporation of feedback
9. Migration of data from current website to the new platform

6. Institutional Arrangement
AAH-I expects consultants to work closely with the Communications and IT Staff.
In addition, AAH-I will avail the services of a Graphic designer and a web content editor to work with the consultant.

7. Expected duration of the assignment
This assignment is expected to cover a period of 10 weeks.

8. Proposal
AAH-I is interested in engaging an experienced web developer with a demonstrable track record. Interested consultants are invited to make submissions through a proposal detailing both technical and financial aspects to include the following aspects:
• A response of the understanding and interpretation of the TOR
• Approach to be used in undertaking the assignment
• Time and activity schedule
• Curriculum vitae of key personnel
• Financial – a clear cost proposal in Kshs. for the consultancy
• References to samples of previous work done

HOW TO APPLY:
The proposals should be emailed to this address by Friday, 26th February 2016. Email:procurement@actionafricahelp.org indicating clearly on the email header the title of the consultancy.
Evaluation and Award of Consultancy
AAH-I will evaluate the proposals and award the assignment based on technical and financial feasibility. AAH-I reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal received without giving reasons and is not bound to accept the lowest or the highest bidder.