Consultant for Pre-crisis Data Web Platform

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Basic Information:

Title of the Work:
Pre-crisis Data Web Platform
Duration:
1 August 2019 to 31 January 2021
Background:
Bangladesh is a disaster prone country and every year it is being affected by several medium to small scale disaster despite of devastating disaster once in five year. The humanitarian community and agencies always required to have proper information of affected communities for effective response planning and resource mobilisation. Secondary pre crisis information can be a viable solution to get the snapshots in brief immediately after disaster. Bangladesh government has huge amount of secondary information focusing smallest administrative level demographic and socio-economic indicators. These all secondary data in a single platform with open accessibility can be treasure to take decisions about amount and modality response during very early stage of any disaster.
The Start Fund Bangladesh (2017-2020) is a £10 million rapid emergency response fund set up by the Start Network with support from UK aid and hosted by ACF Bangladesh. Modelled on the successful Start Fund that activates funding within 72 hours of a crisis alert, the fund has been setup to be accessible to both national and international member NGOs operating in Bangladesh to respond early and fast to under the radar emergencies in Bangladesh. These decisions are made by humanitarian actors within member agencies with all projects selected within the country or region of the crisis, while projects start within 7 days and finish within 45 days.
As such, the expected impact and outcome of Start Fund Bangladesh is that “Loss of lives, livelihoods and dignity are minimised”, as a result of “Humanitarian responses are rapid, informed and adapted to the need of the affected communities” respectively. These are expected to be achieved as a result of the following outputs.
CARE Bangladesh, under Supporting Bangladesh Rapid Needs Assessment project, is hosting National Needs Assessment Working Group, with the aim of collaborative approaches for damage/loss and needs assessment after any disasters in Bangladesh.
In order to support evidence-based decision making for humanitarian responses, Start Fund Bangladesh (SFB) in collaboration with Care Bangladesh will be preparing a web platform that presents key pre-crisis data and hazard specific indicators of Bangladesh in a user-friendly geo-referenced manner, available for anyone to use for their humanitarian operations and planning/ understanding.
Objective of the work:
To make secondary information accessible and contribute to humanitarian response planning in Bangladesh through collating and visualizing all necessary pre-crises data as well as hazard information as an open access data sets.
Key Accountabilities:
Under the guidance of the SFB and SUBARNA team, the consultant will ensure the following criteria and responsibilities while developing the web-based platform:
  • Collate available pre-crises information through establishing necessary relationships between indicators (about 150 indicators in excel dataset at starting)
  • Simple analysis will be integrated in the platform.
  • Enable visualization that allows geographic location based indicators that allows filtering, viewing and downloading data by hazard, location and indicators.
  • The basic map layer will be mouza boundary of Bangladesh but will initially arrange the data as per the provided union, upazila and district database, for future editions
  • At least two indicators should overlay on the map.
  • The multiple indicators will be displayable as graphs and charts which can be downloaded.
  • The system will be dynamic so that the admin can add indicator and time series data of same indicators.
  • Any user can add data which will be finally approved by admin.
  • A guideline on the correct excel format for data submission will be included.
  • Ensure that the platform follows the branding guidelines of Start Network.
  • Provide and maintenance server for the web platform at least for five years.
  • Plan and deliver the suitable server management plan in cost-effective manner.
  • Build the capacity of Start Fund and SUBARNA team as well as SFB members and other admins in order to utilize, regularly maintain and update the web platform
  • Provide troubleshooting service as and when necessary
Deliverables:
A web-based data visualization platform with analysis and georeferenced maps with server setup and maintenances.
Expected Outputs of the Consultancy:
Humanitarian actors have timely, accurate and sufficient information from the web based data platform for operational decision making during emergency responses
Work Location:
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Responsible organization and Contact Information:
ACF Bangladesh, Orin Tower, House 23, Road 113A, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh

Estimation of days:

The work should be completed by two phase with further web hosting and server maintenances till June 2023.

  • 1st Phase- 01 August 2019 to 30 October 2019: A draft web platform of pre-crisis data repository, analysis and mapping.
  • 2nd Phase- 01 November 2019 to 31 January 2020: Review, test and finalization of the platform.
  • Till June 2023: Web hosting, troubleshooting and server maintenances.

Validation of the Proposal:

All cost should be quoted in Bangladesh Taka (BDT) and will remain valid up to ninety (90) days from the date of proposal submission.

Outline of the Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal should include VAT and TAX (all-inclusive and will be deducted at source during settlement of invoice as per government rule). Please note that, the amount mentioned in the financial proposal will be assessed in line with the quality of the technical proposal.

General condition of consultancy:

  • The consultant/s need to work with Start Fund Bangladesh team and SUBARNA, as required at the initial stage to collect relevant information.
  • The payment will be made in three trenches. First trench of 30% upon signing the contract, 40% on completion of Alpha version development and the remaining 30% upon the satisfactory development of the platform and functions.
  • The consultant will conduct the work using own computer equipment.
  • The consultant will have to bear the transport and accommodation costs for the assignment.

Criteria for Selection:

We will therefore be selecting the consultant following a two-staged evaluation. For the first stage the following criteria will be used for shortlisting.

Criteria
Total Points
Knowledge skill and professional experience:
  • At least five years’ experience in developing web-based platforms for humanitarian organizations.
  • Adequate experience on GIS map and graph based visualization development.
  • Experience in using BBS demographic, socioeconomic and point of interest databases.
  • Experience on developing analytics by researching multi levels of data 
40%
Technical approach:
  • Overall understanding and alignment with the ToR.
  • Must follow agile methodology for continuous development and delivery.
  • Team profiles and roles need to be mentioned clearly.
40%
Overall Technical Evaluation Points
80%
Financial Evaluation
20%
Total
100%

The shortlisted consultant (or agency/firm) will be then called for an interview and the final contract will be offered upon satisfactory performance.

Competencies Required:

The consultant (or consulting firm) we are looking for preferably meets the following competencies –

  • Has extensive experience in developing online platforms or systems that allows collating and visualizing geo-referenced information
  • Advanced knowledge in graphic, web-design, data and geographic information management applications
  • Having academic backgrounds in data science, computer science, IT, GIS, graphic design etc.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English and Bengali
  • Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating within short notice and juggling situations
  • Significant experience on effective visualization of multi-dimensional data using at least three indicators.
  • Experience on using socioeconomic, demographic and points of interest level data indicators.
  • Capable of creating relationship using network model between hazards, region and relief along with filter by year.    
  • Significant expertise on implementing pivot table             

Supervision:

The consultant will design and conduct the assignment in consultation and coordination with the Start Fund Bangladesh team, as well as SUBARNA from CARE.

Confidentiality:

All the outputs will be treated as Start Fund Bangladesh’s property and the outputs or any part of it cannot be sold, used or reproduced in any manner without prior permission from the Start Fund Bangladesh.

Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI):

Interested individual consultants/consulting firms must submit technical and financial proposal (including work plan, list of previous experience, team profile, budget, VAT registration etc.), based on the terms of reference above mentioned, in a closed envelope clearly marked as (EOI-Pre-crisis Data Web Platform) on or before 22 July 2019 at ACF Bangladesh, Orin Tower, House 23, Road 113/A, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.

In case of any query please contact Lamiya Mahpara Ahmed (email: analyst@startfundbangladesh.org; mobile: +8801786589979).