Website Design and Technical Support Contractor – WARM Facility

Terms of Reference
Website design and Technical support contractor – WARM Facility

1.      Background

In line with their international commitments on climate change and sustainable development objectives, the European Union (EU) and French Development Agency (AFD) are actively supporting Vietnam in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation. AFD mobilizes the WARM Facility (Water and Natural Resources Management Facility) funded by EU to prepare and implement investment projects co-financed by AFD loans and Vietnam's own resources over the period 2021-2029 for an estimated total amount of 200 million euros. 

WARM Facility supports the preparation and implementation of strategic infrastructure investment projects in the areas of water and natural resources management in response to key local challenges such as flooding and coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change. In addition, the experience gained from these projects will contribute to the policy dialogue on climate, environment, and natural resource management.  This facility is the first of its kind to be implemented by AFD in Vietnam. This innovative programmatic approach allows for greater efficiency and project quality, serving programming that is aligned with the priorities of the Vietnamese government and AFD.

Thanks to AFD’s loan and EU’s grant, WARM Facility and WARM-funded projects must ensure adequate communication and visibility as required by AFD and the EU. Therefore, we are looking for a service provider to design WARM Facility’s website and provide website-related technical support to serve WARM Facility’s communication objectives.

2.      Objective

Under the supervision and cooperation of WARM Communication Officer (CO), the contractor will create a website and provide website-related technical support to maintain the website’s content updated to raise public awareness about (i) WARM Facility’s three; main topics (ii) WARM projects and activities; (iii) highlight engagement and partnerships among Team Europe and Vietnam policymakers, national organizations, local communities, youth, and private sector.

WARM three main topics:

1. Urban resilience to climate change and natural hazards,
2. Integrated coastal zone management,
3. Integrated management of natural disasters.

WARM target audiences:

1. project donors, partners/authorities at national and international level,
2. project direct beneficiaries/local communities,
3. public population

3.      Expected tasks

The contractor shall create a highly professional website design and provide website-related technical support in a rapid turnaround time, in high quality, with considerable creative input and rapid understanding of new concepts and variations, and in compliance with WARM guidelines and AFD’s request.

Specifically, the contractor will conduct tasks, but not limited to the following:

3.1  Website Design

• Thoroughly study WARM logical framework, WARM guidelines and templates, project documents;
• Organise a kick-off meeting with WARM Communication Officer (CO) and AFD/EU to understand the context and requirement;
• Prepare an implementation plan, including concept and approach, team arrangement, timeline in consultation with WARM CO, and submit to AFD and WARM team for comments and approval;
• Generate creative ideas for the website layout and functions in consultation with WARM team and AFD;
• Prepare and submit to WARM CO and AFD/EU at least 03 website layout options with their meaning/functional explanations based on the agreed mock up for comments and selection;
• Develop the website as per approved design(s), and present the website for AFD’s review;
• Revise the website layout design upon comments and fix the website errors, if any;
• Register the domain [warmfacility.vn];
• Launch the website upon final test and AFD’s final approval as soon as possible but no later than mid-September 2022;
• Provide specific guidance to hand-over the website to WARM CO and AFD.

3.2  Website-related technical support

• Update news sections, features, functionalities, scripts, software where required;
• Improve page speed and technical SEO where required;
• Fix errors or any structural issues within the website, if any;
• Regularly back up the website;
• Ensure security;
• Keep track of audience interaction and send monthly report(s), and adjust the website accordingly to ensure good website’s performance where required.

4.      Expected deliverables

The selected contractor will produce a professional website and provide website-related technical support with following features under the supervision of WARM CO:

4.1.   Website design

• A well-designed website:
  
  • Interactive and multimedia platform that presents WARM Facility‘s key information in a creative and modern style;
  • Responsive website, adapted to desktop and phone use;
  • Posting a motion graphic video introducing WARM Facility in the frontpage;
  • Well-presented WARM Facility’s themes (Water and Resource Management) with a focus on its 3 main topics;
  • Ensured similarity/consistency between the products regardless of the languages (Vietnamese/English);
  • Website’s main colours are compatible with WARM logo’s ones (WARM logo will be provided to the website designer by WARM CO);
  • Integrated Search Engine Optimization tools (SEO) to promote #WARM, #EU, #AFD and WARM projects in #urban_resilience to #climate_change and #natural_hazards, integrated #coastal_zone_management, integrated management of #natural_disasters;
  • Easy to use by back office (WARM CO should be independent for updating and refreshing data, photos, etc.);
  • Possible contributions from several users, with a content validation workflow;
• Registered domain [warmfacility.vn];
• A manual/guidance to hand-over the website to WARM CO and AFD.

4.2.   Website-related technical support

• The website [warmfacility.vn] is well maintained and secured during 2022-2025 with a possibility of website upgrade and technical support extension to 2029;
• The website is updated regularly and professionally;
• The website loads fast and smoothly, and errors are fixed timely, if any;
• The website design functions properly in the latest versions of key website browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc. The website also works on mobile devices;
• The website design is uniform across pages;
• Tracked audience reach and interaction, and reported to WARM CO.

5.      Time frame and payment

A frame contract will be signed with the contractor as below:

6.      Provision of monitoring and progress of control

The contractor will be managed by strictly following the implementation plan and WARM guidelines agreed with AFD in undertaking this assignment.

The contractor will work closely with and report to the WARM CO over the course of implementation.

The contractor should implement their work in consultation with AFD, FC and related parties, and from time to time share the progress of activities as agreed.

AFD and EU will own the rights to all content produced through this assignment.

7.      Qualifications

The contractor should possess the followings:

Qualification and experiences:

• Preferably certificates, diplomas and degrees in Web Design, Digital Media, Information Technology, Science or Computer Science, Graphic Design or related fields;
• 05 years of experience in web design and development/technical support for national and international organizations/projects, especially in the fields of climate change resilience and water resource management;
• Proficient in various software and programs, coding, programming, content management system, SEO;
• Up-to-date experience with international web protocols, standards, and technologies.

Skills:

• Innovative and creative;
• Excellent visual design;
• Pay attention to details;
• Excellent English and Vietnamese skills;
• Good analytical and communication skills;
• Excellent time management, coordination, and interpersonal skills.

8.      Application

Interested candidates please send your proposal in English with following information:

• Company profile proven experience in innovative website design and technical support for international organizations and/or international development program/projects;
• CVs of implementation personnel for each service which highlight relevant experience and skills required for the work;
• Implementation approach and tentative timeline;
• Sample works;
• A preliminary price quotation (see Annex 2).

Please send your application to: [email protected] and cc [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the extended deadline - August 4th, 2022. Please include the job title in your email subject line. Please include the job title in your email subject line. Late submission and/or missing required documents as specified above will not be accepted. Application will be processed on a rolling basis.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ANNEXES