Consultancy to Develop a Corporate Website for FARA

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SERVICES

 

Forum For Agricultural Research In Africa

 

Multi Donor Trust Fund for Support to the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)

MDTF Grant No.: TF095129

Project ID No.:   P112684

 

Title: Consultancy to Develop a Corporate Website for FARA

 

Assignment Reference Number: NSF2/2.4.2/2012

 

BackgroundThis request for expressions of interest follows the general procurement notice for this project  that appeared in dg Market, issue no. 4577029 of November 10, 2009. 

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) has received a grant from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the amount of US$ 17,244,320 equivalent toward the cost of implementation of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Pillar IV strategy of the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU-NEPAD), for revitalizing, expanding and reforming Africa’s agricultural research, and technology dissemination and adoption efforts and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the following consultant services :

 

Consultancy to Develop a Corporate Website for FARA

 

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is a continent-wide body of stakeholders engaged in African agricultural research and development (ARD).  FARA’s mission is to create broad-based improvements in agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets by providing a strategic platform for catalysing and facilitating continental networking to reinforce the capacities of Africa’s national and sub-regional agricultural research systems (NARS/SROs).The Forum encompasses all stakeholders, African and non-African, who are committed to enabling African agricultural development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), especially MDG1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) and MDG7 (ensure environmental stability). FARA has been mandated by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) to serve as the lead institution for implementing the fourth pillar of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP Pillar IV) focusing on agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption (ARTDA).

 

To achieve its mission FARA has developed a Communication Strategy that details the products and modalities for disseminating information and sharing knowledge and innovations emanating from its continent-wide programmes and projects. The FARA website is the major tool for disseminating knowledge, it is the face of the organization and the link to other FARA online platforms such as its social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog), learning platforms (D-groups, AfricaAdapt, e-Capacities) and to other FARA initiatives. To ensure that FARA website fully captures and showcases the work of the Forum and results emanating thereof, it is imperative that the website is well designed, attractive, user friendly and interactive to ensure that stakeholders and users can easily access the information they seek.

 

Objectives 

The purpose of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive, modern, user friendly, interactive corporate website for FARA. 

Scope

The Website Developer will:

i.              Design a new website interface using open source platform taking into account Web 2.0 tools

ii.             Design the look and feel of the website to ensure that is visually appealing (i.e. with attractive mix of texts, video and graphics), has a unified theme and design, and is easy to navigate (i.e. no more than 3 levels of “drill down” for a user to find desired information);

iii.            Create a customized open source Content Management System (CMS) that is reliable and with support bases worldwide that will permit non-technical staff to instantly update web site content, add modules or sections, and integrate Web 2.0 elements, such as, but not limited to, user tagging, content commenting, syndication, social networking, peer-to-peer sharing, blogging and wiki;

iv.            Provide search capabilities using key words or phrasing that will identify content from throughout the site; Script, upload and transfer of files, test and debug, Provide user’s documentation, Administrator and user-level access

v.             Train relevant FARA’s staff on website administration and management

vi.            Other features as may be determined by FARA

 

Deliverables

The Website Developer will deliver the following:

       i.        A well-developed website interface to FARA’s specification.

      ii.        A secure website with Administrator and user-level access

     iii.        A well-developed site built in accordance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, provided by the W3C and should also be easily navigable to the novice as well as the experienced Internet user.

      iv.        User friendly and interactive website with interactive features, animations, content sharing and commenting, photo and video gallery and social media integration.

       v.        Well categorized and catalogued online library and archiving

      vi.        A site that is compatible with latest search engines such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla fire fox etc.

     vii.        Intranet page, with “Restricted” sections for certain users

    viii.        Search engine optimization

     ix.        Automatic Google translation for various languages

      x.        A well-defined are categorized database that can easily be updated

     xi.        A tracking application to produce user defined site log reports to measure web visitor behavior and improve web site performance and availability; and

    xii.        Train relevant FARA staff on administration and management of the website

 

FARA’S Responsibilities

FARA will provide all necessary information to support the consultant.

 

Qualifications

The consultant should have the following qualifications:

•        A minimum of 5 years professional experience in providing similar services to major international events. (Proof will be required)

•        Strong knowledge of website development

•         Experience in developing e-commerce website

•         Strong ICT and digital maneuver skills

•      Proven ability to multi-task and work under pressure

•        Ability to work with client supervision and adapt to client preferences is essential

•         Fluency in oral and written communication skills in English is essential

 Assignment period

The assignment will take place between the months of March and April 2013 over a period of one month.

 

Location of the assignment

The assignment will mostly be home-based but will require a minimum of 4 days on location at FARA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana.

 

TheFARA now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested individual consultants (NOT FIRMS) must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services with an application and CV.

 

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Selection and Employment of Consultants by the World Bank Borrowers, January 1997, (Revised September 1997, January 1999, May 2002, May 2004, October 2006, May 2010.

 

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours. 0900 to 1500 hours.

 

Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by March 21, 2013.

 

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Attn: Dr. Monty Jones, Executive Director

PMB CT 173, Cantonment-Accra, Ghana

Tel.: +233 0302 772823

Fax.: +233 0302 773676

 

Email: ed@fara-africa.org

Consultants are advised to quote the Assignment Reference Number in the application.