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:
Basic services (health, education, water, hygiene and sanitation),
Food and income security,
Environmental management and responsiveness to climate change;
Governance, civil society strengthening and peace building.
Humanitarian relief and recovery.
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:
Interactive, appealing, highly usable and responsive web design (device-ready). The design and solution must be easy to use.
Search Engine Friendly
Average load time
Compatible with a range of browsers
Categorize content with user specified tags
Social network platform integration
Digital service integration
Beta testing and incorporation of feedback
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
9. Submission of Proposal
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.
10. 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.