TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DEVELOPING THE ORGANISATION WEBSITE
1.0 Introduction:
Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) is a feminist Pan-African leadership development organization with headquarters in Kampala, Uganda. Our work is rooted in feminist principles and beliefs guided by the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists, which define our leadership development program and movement-building activities. We envision a world in which African women are politically, economically and socially autonomous and are champions of change in their lives and society. Our thematic areas of focus include Women’s Political Leadership, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Economic Justice and Climate Action. The organization’s work is advanced through feminist and transformational leadership development, feminist research and knowledge building, and policy influence and movement building. AMwA provides strategic direction in key Pan-African networks, including NGO CSW Africa, Solidarity for African Women’s Rights, and the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign. AMwA also has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and observer status with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.
2.0 Background:
AMwA currently operates through its existing website at https://www.akinamamawaafrika.org/. However, AMwA has identified critical challenges plaguing this online platform. These issues include prolonged loading times, an outdated design, and persistent plugin bugs, collectively compromising the website’s interactivity and overall user experience. Cognisant of the emerging technology advancement, AMwA seeks a comprehensive transformation. To enhance functionality and improve user experience. Through a visually appealing and digital-friendly website that reflects the organization’s values and identity and meets contemporary design standards.
3.0 Justification
AMwA as a feminist pan-African organization that has been in existence for more than thirty years in these modern times, her website would act as her online brochure that gives a detail of what AMwA’s roles are, it’s partners, areas of implementation across the globe and a go to platform for different feminist resources.
But the website as a platform through which AMwA conveys information through publishing its annual reports, newsletters, as well as other publications need a well-designed intuitive and responsive web platform with well-placed widgets. Which the current website isn’t providing as it’s crowded, has less intuitive layouts and is difficult to navigate.
It’s on this basis that AMwA is opting to redesign its website to sort out all the shortfalls of the current website.
4.0 Overall objective of the Consultancy:
The overall objective of the consultancy is to design and develop an interactive, vibrant, functional website that is simple to navigate and use.
4.1 Specific Objectives:
- To redesign AMwA website to be more attractive, easy to use and navigate to meet the requirements and standards of website development.
- To design a website that includes different interfaces with creative features.
- To conduct content mapping. This will include a review of content and defining the suitable formats for the website.
5.0 Scope of Work and Outputs:
This Consultancy will be implemented in two (2) phases:
5.1 Phase 1: Website Design:
The Consultant will work with the designated Officers to conceptualize and develop the new website to include the following critical elements and capabilities:
- An intuitive landing page / home page.
- An interactive Thematic area interface
- An interactive discussion forum and feedback feature.
- Integrate social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Podcasts, Twitter (X), and YouTube) and contact details.
- Adaptability for multiple screen sizes, including mobile phones, tablets, PCs and other devices
- Versatile, back-end content management system (CMS).
- Designed on WordPress
- Google analytics integration.
- Backups for redundancy.
- Validation tool for broken or stale links
- Multilingualism and translation tool: English, French, KiSwahili, Latin, German and Dutch
5.2 Phase 2: Website Development:
The consultant will lead the development of the new AMwA website. Development should include the following essential elements:
- Security: Prevention of breaches such as spam, viruses, FTP access and database thefts using SSL.
- Speed: Optimum speed for downloads of photos, white papers, PDFs, press releases and other information.
- Plugin: Plugin capabilities for Java and associated upgrades.
- Search: Use capabilities for searching content on the site.
- Search Engine Optimization: Maximized Search Engine Optimization for all keywords associated with all members of Community of Practice.
6.0 Required Skills and Experience:
- A proven record of accomplishment of web design, development and maintenance for multifaceted, interactive web platforms, for a feminist/women’s rights non-profit (preferably).
- Demonstrated capacity to develop websites within aggressive timeframes.
- Be a reputable firm with at least 3 – 10 years of prior experience designing visually appealing, easy to navigate and user friendly websites;
- Familiarity and relevant experience in using different Content Management Systems (CMS), particularly WordPress;
- Have a broad knowledge of modern web development technologies and design tools in the field, and new software and other web programming languages and programs;
- Have excellent knowledge of recent trends in graphic design, web sites, including online video publishing, and social media networking.
Support and Maintenance:
- The successful company/consultant shall provide support and website maintenance for a period of one year.
- Provide technical support to AMwA staff in managing the website.
7.0 Time Frame:
- The assignment is expected to be completed within 2 months.
8.0 Submission of proposals:
Individual developers and companies are requested to submit both technical and financial proposals:
- Financial proposals should contain consultancy fees quoted in USD, with a well-stipulated payment structure.
- Technical proposal should contain:
- Portfolio of previous work with links to websites with similar functionalities developed in WordPress;
- Work plan and time schedule of delivering on the assignment;
- Curriculum Vitaes of lead consultant and support team.
- Application Process:
Interested consultants/companies should submit their technical and financial proposals addressed to the IT Officer through Human Resources: Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) through [email protected] no later than 30th January 2024 16:00 (EAT) hrs.
