DEADLINE: 25TH FEBRUARY, 2022
PALLADIUM
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED PLATFORMS TO IMPROVE CSO NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION, FACILITATE STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND STRENGTHEN CSO-GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN NIGERIA
The Nigeria Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project is a USAID-funded 5-year project (Oct 08, 2020 – Oct 07, 2025), implemented by Palladium in collaboration with the local resource partners. The objective of the project is to strengthen the financial, management and advocacy capacity of local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Business Membership Organizations (BMOs) in Nigeria to create a more accountable, transparent, peaceful, and democratic Nigeria with more effective and efficient public service delivery.
The SCALE project supports CSOs/BMOs across sectors with a basket of institutional, managerial, and advocacy capacity-building interventions aimed at advancing Nigerian CSO sustainability combined with targeted grants to advance mutually agreed upon priorities. The project is designed to enhance local civil society organizations’ ability to be positive and responsible change agents in Nigeria.
The project has five main technical components: 1) Component One – Improve CSO organizational capacity, 2) Component Two – Enhance capacity for CSO advocacy, collaboration, and management, 3) Component Three – Improve the policy and regulatory environment for civil society, 4) Component Four – Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), and 5) Component Five – Sector strengthening and advocacy.
Within the interventions of the project, SCALE seeks to develop two technology-based platforms to improve CSO networking and collaboration, facilitate strategic alliances and strengthen CSO-government relations.
SCOPE OF WORK AND STANDARDS
Scope of work for activity 1. Data Gathering for the Management Information System (MIS)
Phase 1: Understanding the needs for the Directory
In collaboration with the SCALE’s Resource Partner, conduct a stakeholder assessment to understand the needs of civil society stakeholders. This activity is undertaken mainly by the SCALE’s Resource Partner, and the prospective applicant will play an associated role in this process and complement the process as necessary.
Deliverable 1:
Final Report, using the SCALE Resource Partner’s assessment as the basis, outlining all the interviews held with civil society actors, the report should include both transcripts and analysis of the interviews. It should demonstrate what are the current challenges of the CSOs/BMOs and what do stakeholders need to overcome them. The document should have a detailed analysis of how to overcome those challenges with the directory.
Phase 2: Requirements gathering
Conduct the detailed requirements needed to build the directory in collaboration with a SCALE’s local partner, include both the needs of civil society organizations and other stakeholders (government and donors). This activity is undertaken mainly by the SCALE’s Resource Partner, and the prospective applicant will play an associated role in this process and complement the process as necessary.
Deliverable 2a: Requirements gathering plan
If findings from the requirements gathering activity by the SCALE’s Resource Partner will need to be complemented by additional work, develop the requirements gathering plan. The plan should outline the process and schedule that will be undertaken to gather requirements, including the list of key stakeholders that will be interviewed during the requirements elicitation process. The plan will be signed off by project leadership before proceeding to implement the plan.
Deliverable 2b: Technical specifications documentation
The output of the requirements gathering process should be a detailed technical specification document that includes the functional and technical requirements for the system.
Phase 3: Design and prototyping
Propose a design interface and a prototype on the CSO directory based on the information collected from the civil society stakeholders in collaboration with a SCALE local partner.
Deliverable 3a: Design Interface
Based on the information collected from civil society and the requirements gathering, the consultant/subcontractor should develop a design interface for the directory. This design should account for two options. The first one, the directory being a product of itself. The second one, the directory being a module or part of the MIS (Activity 2) or any existing platform
Deliverable 3b: Product prototypes
Following validation and sign-off of the requirements analysis, the consultant/ subcontractor will produce two product prototypes for the CSO directory. If the requirements gathering process concludes that two products can be developed in conjunction as one product with two different user interfaces, the deliverable may be modified to only include one product prototype. The prototype may be presented in the preferred format of the subcontractor / consultant, however, must contain wireframes and storyboard for the major modules of the proposed product.
Phase 4: Recommendations and action plan
Based on the stakeholder engagement with civil society, the requirements gathering, and the design and prototype, the consultant/stakeholder should propose a recommendation on how to continue the process of development for the directory, either by developing a product of itself or merging it with the MIS (Activity 2).
Deliverable 4a: Recommendations
The document should contain all recommendations for the directory based on all the information collected. The document should include an analysis of the best alternative, advantages, and disadvantages of developing the directory as a standalone product or as part of the MIS (Activity 2).
Deliverable 4b: Action plan
For both alternatives, the consultant/subcontractor should develop an action plan, with key activities, stakeholders, times, and milestones.
On the second activity, to facilitate ongoing CSO access to proven capacity-strengthening tools, the project will work with stakeholders to assess the current/past platforms of Civil Society Management Information Systems including the SACE Management Information System (C3.6.1). In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, SCALE will recommend a platform to build upon the previous systems and to respond to the current and ongoing needs of the CSOs/BMOs for information and capacity strengthening tools. Considering the recommendations, the project will develop an action plan for design of the platform as well as a plan for self-sustainability of the platform. The action plan will guide the project efforts to build and institutionalize the platform.
Scope of work for activity 2. Design the MIS
Phase 1: Understanding the context
Work with SCALE’s Resource Partner and complement, if necessary, their desk research and a stakeholder assessment to understand past and current initiatives in the CSO/BMO space related to Management Information Systems to improve coordination and collaboration with and between CSOs / BMOs.
Deliverable 1a: Landscape assessment report
Final Report, using the SCALE Resource Partner’s desk research & stakeholder assessment as the basis, outlining the understanding of existing initiatives and systems, including gaps and opportunities that can be used to design future initiatives. The document should detail advantages and disadvantages of previous initiatives and ways to improve the challenges these initiatives faced. The report should also detail technical details of any existing systems that may be adapted in the process of developing the MIS.
Phase 2: Requirements gathering and product design
Work with the SCALE’s Resource Partner and complement, if necessary, their findings from their requirements gathering process/ stakeholders’ interviews to determine the technical and functional requirements for the MIS. Based on the detailed requirements gathering, define what the desired Management Information System will be. Define the strategy for the prototyping and how many iterations will the process have.
Deliverable 2a: Requirements gathering plan
If findings from the requirements gathering activity by the SCALE’s Resource Partner will need to be complemented by additional work, develop the requirements gathering plan in close collaboration with the Resource Partner; the gathering plan should outline the process and schedule that will be undertaken to gather requirements, including the list of key stakeholders that will be interviewed during the requirements elicitation process. The plan will be signed off by project leadership before proceeding to implement the plan.
Deliverable 2b: Technical specifications documentation
The output of the requirements gathering process should be a detailed technical specification document that includes the functional and technical requirements for the system.
Deliverable 2c: Product prototypes
Following validation and sign-off of the requirements analysis, the consultant/subcontractor will produce two product prototypes for the MIS. If the stakeholder engagement with civil society (Activity 1) and the requirements gathering process concludes that two products can be developed in conjunction as one product with two different user interfaces, the deliverable may be modified to only include one product prototype. The prototype may be presented in the preferred format of the subcontractor / consultant, however, must contain wireframes and storyboard for the major modules of the proposed product. The prototype will include sustainability and revenue generating features such as learning events, business services for CSOs, job listings and ads.
Phase 3: Software development of the agreed upon product
Develop a detailed plan that translates the technical and functional specifications into a product roadmap and detailed work break down structure. Define the strategy for the prototyping and how many iterations will the process have.
Deliverable 3a: Software development project plan
Based on the requirement documentation produced in Phases 1 and 2, the subcontractor will develop a detailed project plan that breaks down the software requirements into a work structure to develop, test and refine the software. The plan will also detail the system architecture and the technologies that will be used in the software development process, in addition to infrastructure requirements, the plan will outline the software development methodology that will be used and accordingly agree upon checkpoints with project leadership to mark progress.
Deliverable 3b: National CSOs Directory
An effective and efficient National CSO Directory designed following user/stakeholder consultations
Deliverable 3c: A Management Information System
A Management Information System (MIS) to house CSO capacity-strengthening tools, that will take into consideration cost, connectivity, and other barriers to use. The platform will include self-guided diagnostics that identify learning resources to address specific needs.
Deliverable 3d: Routine progress reports
Based on the agreements in the project plan, the subcontractor will provide regular updates on progress, indicating any anticipated challenges in completion against agreed upon timelines.
Deliverable 3e: User Acceptance Testing (UAT) report
The subcontractor will conduct a UAT process with a sub-group of anticipated product users to ensure that product meets user needs. Following this session, the subcontractor should provide a document plan for refinements or improvements.
Deliverable 3f: Technical documentation
The subcontractor should provide the following documentation of the final product.
(1) Information system documentation including provide installation guides, database schema and entity relationship diagrams (ERDs) for the software
(2) Data dictionary
(3) Documentation of test cases and testing scripts
(4) Documented code and final code repository
Phase 4: Training, maintenance, and sustainability
In the final phase, the subcontractor will produce relevant training materials and user guides needed to run and maintain the system. The subcontractor will also develop a plan for maintenance and sustainability working with the project team to determine the long-term vision for maintaining the platform.
Deliverable 4a: User guide and training materials
The subcontractor will develop a user guide and subsequent training materials that can be used to train both users and administrators on the use of the system.
Deliverable 4b: Maintenance plan
In conjunction with the project team, the subcontractor should develop a plan for how the software will be maintained and monitored. The plan should include providing user support, fixing minor software bugs, and monitoring system performance. The plan will include a training and capacity development plan focused on the relevant stakeholders both from SCALE and the CSO/BMOs space. The Plan should have a timeframe, milestones for each session, and a clear objective.
Deliverable 4c: Sustainability Plan
The sustainability plan will consider varied funding sources and revenue generating features including the plan for transitioning.
Please see attached Request for Proposal for full specifications and requirements for submitting a proposal.
