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Terms of Reference |
IRC Overview:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC responds to the worlds’ worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover and regain control over their lives. Working in more than 40 countries, the IRC is helping to restore hope and opportunity to millions of people.
The IRC has been present in Bangladesh since October 2017. Since the IRC obtained its legal registration to work in Bangladesh in March 2018, it has moved quickly to expand integrated emergency health and protection response through both direct and partner-based programming focused on primary healthcare, women’s protection and empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and child protection, education, early child developments. IRC plans to further strengthen and expand its program both geographically and sectorial in the coming months including host community in Cox Bazar.
Background and Context:
In early 2020, IRC started working with a new intervention which focus on health nutrition integrated Early Childhood Care and Development (ECD). Due to COVID – 19, IRC immediately changed its model and adopted to remote delivery model which was designed using the Interactive Voice Recording (IVR), SMS and phone call modalities. The Bangladesh Country Office of the IRC has been piloting this delivery modality for last 10 month and is in the process of developing a new system based on our learning. We will be developing an IVR system, which will help us to disseminate text and voice messages to over 10,000 users, specifically: pregnant and lactating women, husbands, fathers/mothers-in-law, and other stakeholders. We are hiring an agency who will develop the required system as laid out below.
Scope of Work:
The agencies/vendor/individuals must develop a software system that will include the following features:
IVR Delivery:
- An interactive, user friendly, and dynamic IVR service solution to send voice, text and quiz messages, allow menu access to the voice modules in the IVR, and provide call tracking data reporting via a dashboard.
- One unique number (long code) to send voice and text messages and also provide yearly maintenance support to ensure smooth operational process.
- The IVR based voice platform should broadcast voice and text messages to some specific user group, initially expecting nearly 150 groups for IVR audio messages and 30 groups for text messaging. In future group may increase/decreased.
- An option where users will be able to give a missed call to the long code number. Once the system calls them back, they will be able to listen to recently broadcasted voice message/s or use IVR prompts to access the various voice modules in the system. This would be a dynamic IVR system.
- Integrating/connect feature with what’s app group and Facebook pages/groups. If needed cost for this feature should be indicated separately as additional cost with cost breakup.
- Provision to deploy IVR based surveys, using the IVR prompts where the user’s inputs will be captured in the system and a system management tool will manage all their inputs. If needed, costs for this feature should be indicated separately.
- A provision for users to leave their voice messages in the system, which can be accessed as sound files by the IRC team. If needed cost for this feature should be indicated separately as additional cost.
IVR Dashboard:
- A user-friendly Graphic User Interface-based dashboard (GUI) for call management, tracking, and reporting.
- Call logging for the outbound calls made from the system along with tools to access the recordings, information of voice search & play, user feedback filtering, voice recording & trigger for broadcast,
- Details of IVR options, percentage of call answered or not answered etc., should be managed through this GUI. Vendor should indicate what analytics they are able to capture in advance of contracting.
Key features of GUI must include:
- Upload or record voice file to broadcast
- Schedule broadcast
- Schedule reminder service of same broadcast file
- Add more options, as needed
- Play incoming survey/feedback/questions voice
- Archive old files
- Check name and detail of caller based on the available information
- Provide all other call/message tracking information
- A visual summery of last and current week/months call/SMS status.
What is expected from the Vendor:
- The vendor is expected to provide a quote for this quantity of messages, but also provide quotes for different text and voice message packages and also unit costs, if the number of messages increase/decrease through the duration of the contract.
- Training should be provided to nominated IRC staff, Community Livestock Service Providers (CLSPs), and Community Mobilizers to use the IVR system.
- Content conversion voice files, file formatting, arranging broadcast of voice and text messages, as per requirements should be carried out. IRC will provide the necessary script for the text and audio voice modules. Upon receiving the content specifications.
- After developing and testing the IVR system with the users, and after the system goes live, an annual maintenance contract would be necessary to ensure uninterrupted support & services, along the provision of required training to the front-line staff
- The firm is to host the solution on their own premises. A comprehensive web-based client management system, with dynamic dashboard, with client access is expected for IRC admin or concerned management personnel where overall system management control will be in IRC’s hand.
- System to develop in such a way that it can support an adequate number of concurrent calls; can receive calls from all mobile operator and capacity to be shared by the vendor
- The firm is expected to submit monthly call tracking reports, be willing to take feedback from IRC and make any improvements as needed and appropriate
- The IVR architecture/IVR tree should be field-tested along with IRC staff before finalizing. The final IVR architecture needs to be approved by IRC. Vendor can take existing flow chart from IRC. Which is already tested by IRC.
- The system components and technology platforms should be articulated by the vendor.
- A detailed itemized budget is expected
- Select a focal point who will be responsible to work with IRC to ensure timely project completion, development of the IVR flowchart design, IVR call design overall assistance with coherence, quality assurance and delivery.
- High-quality review and schedule of recorded call and SMS.
- Central Portal for scheduling and initiating the call
- Bulk SMS development and delivery to assigned user numbers
Location: Delivery Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Service Requirement’s during contract period:
- Dedicated online dashboard which is accessible and fully controlled by IRC staff.
- Dashboard use eligibility as generate log report, scheduling for voice call, scheduling SMS.
- Dedicated contact person for anytime support.
- Continuous support for updates and upload for schedule/script modification.
- Support for any changes or modification of calling or SMS procedure service.
- SMS/Call System is deployed.
- Pre-recorded audio content delivery system is deployed
- IVR quizzes and analysis of results is undertaken
- Pre-recorded audio calls for ECD content dissemination (twice per week for 4 months + 4 times during prototyping in first month)
- SMS for ECD content dissemination (5 days per week for 4 months + 5 times during prototyping in first month)
Key Competencies/Eligibility:
- Vendor should have proven track record of providing high quality IVR or VAS service within short time-frames using its pool vetted and experienced local assessments or quiz over telephony in Bangladesh for humanitarian agencies or national or multi-national companies.
- For organization, it is mandatory to submit their business registration, VAT and TIN documents and BTRC approval copy/license.
- Company owned dedicated server, IP/Ports.
- 24X7 Service of operation.
- Minimum 2 years experienced in relevant field.
Acceptance Criteria
- Workflow based call flow design
- Hardware level delivery verification – received at handset
- Reporting – successful and unsuccessful (busy/unreachable/Switched off) calls.
- Report of SMS Delivered status as successful and unsuccessful.
- Duration of the call received or dialed.
- Call statistics
- Excel based log report
- Multiple retries for busy or unanswered calls.
- Non-Formatted key pressed control.
IVR cost submission group:
Recorded audio and SMS contents will develop by IRC team. Bidder will submit bellow category of cost.
Sl No |
Title |
Unit cost |
Remark |
| 1 | IVR Software & Service design (Fixed) | 01 | One time payments for contacts period/Extend of any contacts period. |
| 2 | Monthly Maintenance cost With 100 Channel | Monthly | Monthly charge to be offered by service provider. |
| 3 | IVR Voice call (1 sec pulse) | Per sec. | Per Sec. charge to be offered by service provider. Every month’s total call time will be calculated as per total uses (total times). |
| 4. | SMS charges (Per SMS) | Per SMS | Unit price to be provided by the service provider |
| 5. | Channel Cost Additional | Per Channel | Additional per cahnnel charge to be offered by service provider. |
| 6. | Others Cost (If any) | Bidder should describe details cost calculation. |
Expected Deliverables and timeline:
- The agencies/vendor/individuals must be complete the process/assignments (design, field test and field implement the IVR) Within 15 Working days after signing the contract.
- IVR call, Quiz/survey call & SMS service /tree design complete as required by IRC.
- Possibly 1st IVR call or SMS will start from 1st of August.
Cost and payment terms:
- Service provider should provide the cost of total fixed cost and variable cost which will be able to calculate monthly basis.
- All price offer must be in BDT and including Tax and VAT.
- Service provider should mention their payment terms in their proposal.
Evaluation criteria:
Service provider will be evaluated and selected based on the below set criteria.
- Financial proposal (25%), Bidders are requested to quote according to above-mentioned category wise details. Lowest price offer will get highest score. Financial price offer will be including Govt. applicable Tax and Vat.
- Technical proposal (25%), method and media that will be used for performing the job, team composition, drafting and quality checking process and methods etc. Bidders have to declare about their owned dedicated server, IP/Ports information’s.
- Experience (25%), service provider need to give details of their last 02 (Two) years proven similar work experience with different organizations name, contract period, Reference details, their staffs qualification (CV) who will be involve with this IVR service work.
- Sample work (25%), Service provider have to submit Minimum Three sample design or Tree with their current/previous work related. Three sample design/Tree providers will get highest score.
Proposal submission deadline:
The interested consultant or consultancy firm to submit their proposal with necessary supporting documents mentioned above through email with necessary attachments on or before 05.00 PM of July 04, 2021 through bd.procurement@rescue.org
For any technical clarification, please write to us on bd.clarifications@rescue.org
Technical Proposal:
- A letter of interest stating why you consider yourself suitable for the assignment.
- Consultant/ team of consultants CV and link of portfolio.
- Work references - contact details (e-mail addresses) of referees.
- Relevant Documents-Business registration, VAT & TIN document, Bank account no (for organization), TIN and Bank account for individuals.
- In addition bidders are requested to submit all required documents in reference to evaluation criteria.
- Filled and signed IRC’s VIF form (Click here to download) or visit:
https://rescue.app.box.com/v/VIF-COC-COI-ITB
Financial proposal:
- Provider need to provide financial offer which should be inclusive of all necessary Vat/Tax as per Bangladesh Government regulation.
- All payment will be through bank transfer and after service. Provider can submit proposal for partial payment process after any specific service delivery.
Mailing Address:
IRC Bangladesh, Sayeman Heritage Residence, Baharchara, Cox’s Bazar.
Ownership of Materials to be developed
The IRC will have the sole ownership of all the supplies and resources and report to be produced under this assignment. It is the service provider’s responsibility to ensure that no resources can be accused for plagiarism and due acknowledgement and necessary permissions are taken from the relevant agencies as appropriate and applicable.