Terms of Reference for a Web Developer to provide revamping, designing, maintenance and training on the ACERWC
Background
Plan International Pan Africa & African Union Liaison Office in close collaboration with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) of the African Union is seeking the services of consultant to revamp, design, maintain the ACERWC website as well as provide training to ACERWC staff and stakeholders. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (the Charter) was adopted by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Assembly on 11 July 1990 and entered into force on 29 November 1999. It is the first regional binding instrument that identifies the child as a right holder and makes it possible for the child to assert those rights in domestic judicial or administrative proceedings. The Charter establishes the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC, or the Committee) as the body which is responsible for monitoring the implementation and ensuring the protection of the rights laid out in the Charter. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (the Committee) was established in July 2001 pursuant to articles 32-45 of the Charter.
Since its inception and though it is an autonomous AU Organ, the ACERWC is still relatively invisible and largely unknown on the continent and beyond. In order to affirm its mandate and relevance, the ACERWC has developed a communication strategy to increase its visibility and mobilise critical stakeholders around its mandate. As the Committee works to champion the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Africa and improve on its internal (within the AUC) and external communication, there is the recognition of the need to revamp and constantly maintain its website since this is the main communication tool that bridges the gap between the Committee and its stakeholders.
The ACERWC has a website (www.acerwc.org) which needs to be updated regularly and the information therein made more current and interactive, so as to enhance its relevance as a child rights resource to stakeholders. The ACERWC has also attracted many organizations around its work and mandate. These organisations which are mainly non-state actors contribute greatly to the promotion and protection of child rights at community, national, sub-regional and continental levels. The website is part of the ACERWC’s overall communications strategy aimed at increasing its visibility, accessibility and transparency. ACERWC would like to solicit expression of interests in participating in a bidding process for the web design enhancement of the website www.acerwc.org
The assignment includes the following tasks:
• Provide an eye-catching, easy to navigate, multilingual and searchable website template offering several interactive features and reflecting the corporate design of the AU. Redesign and improve the homepage and interior pages. The website should conform to major web standards and be responsive enough on mobile/tablet form factors and use the latest HTML specification and https secured connection.
• It will be in English and French, providing alternative support for other languages;
• The existing site map is to be revisited; Linkages with related webpages should be assessed (AU, ACmHPR, ACtHPR, etc.) and integrated where feasible. Key statistics to be availed (number of website users, etc.)
The purpose of the Consultant/Web Developer would be to:
• revamp the existing overall architecture of the AERWC website
• Develop new navigation scheme and site structure
• Design a new content layout in alignment to the AU graphic charter for the ACERWC website.
• Provide maintenance and technical assistance for debugging and other needs for the ACERWC website. Provide hosting and domain name registration for the ACERWC website.
• Provide a front end user registration or login for partners
• Develop an e-newsletter platform to share publications with visitors or subscribers
• Provide training to ACERWC Officers and partners on web content management to ensure that ACERWC website is modified and update regularly and assure proper knowledge transfer, including direct coaching and guiding documents where needed through a six month technical retainership agreement.
• provide other services that may be required by the contracting office in relation to the promotion of the website
Technical Requirements
The consultant should have minimum 03 years expertise in complex corporate website development; Symfony 1.4/2.4 or a similar system as well as in ExtJS 3/4 and Jquery or a similar system. Further, experience is required in website and web application development especially on PHP, and MySQL database design development. Finally, good knowledge of current concepts concerning website design and Content Management Systems and experience in tuning of existing websites is required. Knowledge of HTML, CSS, SEO optimization tools (custom and open source) and other common web programming languages, as well as Microsoft Office is required. An understanding of web technology and the ability to analyse a web site and identify search engine optimization issues and excellent command over English are required.
Methodology and Technical Approach
A detailed work plan with time frame will be developed by the Web developer and agreed with the Communication Specialist of the Secretariat of the Committee and the contracting office/agent.
Responsibility of ACERWC and Plan Liaison Office
The ACERW secretariat will monitor the quality of the website rendered. In addition, the secretariat will provide assistance in uploading content and updating. Plan International through its African Union Liaison and Pan Africa Program Office will provide the management support to this activity.
Reporting lines:
The consultant/Web developer will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Secretariat of the ACERWC, the AUC Communication Directorate and the contracting organisation (Plan International).
Documentation:
The title rights, copyrights and all other rights of whatever nature in any materials used or generated under the provisions of the Web developer will exclusively be vested with the ACERWC.
Submitting expressions of interest
Interested Companies must submit a technical and financial proposal of a maximum of ten (10) pages, which will be assessed, based on the following criteria
• A cover letter introducing the Company and how the skills and competencies above are met, with concrete examples as appropriate.
• An outline including proposed methodology, time schedule and work plan for the mapping
• A Project Team List with CVs of the Team members
• Proven record of experience around International institutions
• Five examples of website developed by Web Developer
• Reasonable budget breakdown and cost consideration