Term of Reference (ToR) For
Conduction of Training on E-Learning Methods

A. Background of Swisscontact and ASTHA

Swisscontact, Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation, is headquartered in Zurich and was founded in 1959 by Swiss private sector and academia for sustainable development cooperation.  Swisscontact promotes economic, social and ecological development by supporting people to successfully integrate into local commercial life. We create opportunities for people to improve their living conditions as a result of their own efforts. The focus of our systemic interventions in the private sector is the strengthening of local and global value chains. Through its projects, Swisscontact enables access to professional training, promotes local entrepreneurship, creates access to local financial service providers and supports the efficient use of resources with the goal of successfully promoting employment and income generation.

As an initiative to support Bangladesh in reaching the target of ensuring quality healthcare services in underserved communities, Swisscontact, in association with Novartis, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Julius Baer Foundation, is implementing the ASTHA (Achieving Sustainability Towards Healthcare Access) project. The project facilitates the development and integration of Community Paramedic (CP) services in rural Bangladesh.

Community Paramedic is a two-year full-time course consisting of a six-month internship period, designed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) where students acquire skills on maternal and child health, reproductive health, family planning and limited curative care. Community Paramedic Training Institutes (CPTIs) affiliated with the Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council (BNMC) are conducting this course. BNMC authorizes the course and also provides practice registration to qualified CPs. The CPs are then eligible to establish their own practice at the grassroots level.  

ASTHA is currently in its Phase II (January 2019 to December 2022) which emphasises on the scale-up and retention of CP services in the country. The project operates in seven districts, namely, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Barguna, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Patuakhali.

Following are the four strategic areas under ASTHA: 

1. Strengthening capacity of Community Paramedic Programme and CPTIs
2. Enhancing the capacity and service provision of CPs
3. Sensitising and involving public and private scale agents to promote CP services
4. Creating mass awareness about CP profession and quality of CP services

B. Context

Since CPTIs are relatively new entrants in the field of training provision therefore, there is a scope to improve the capacity of CPTIs in providing quality training effectively. Besides,  academic activities have been tremendously affected by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Due to the safety restrictions therefore all CPTIs are currently operating on limited capacity and maximising their efforts on remote learning practices. This sudden switch from a completely classroom-based training to a virtual setting has been challenging for the institutions. There is evidently a lack of uniformity and technical knowledge on the effective delivery of online classes. ASTHA is therefore seeking the services of a qualified consultant/firm to develop and conduct a training session for the CPTIs to equip them with all necessary methods and information on e-learning practices.

C. Objective

The objective of the contract is to conduct a training session on the effective design and delivery of an e-learning course for the faculty members and management staff of CPTIs.

D. Scope of Work

The consultant must carry out the following tasks:

• Develop contents and all required training materials, including case studies wherever applicable. The training should be focused on the topics below:
• Identifying and organising online course content
• Defining instructional methods, best technology/software options, examples of current practices, evaluation and delivery strategies
• Creating interactive content that allows group lessons and collaborative learning
• Developing online practice/assessment tests
• Managing and evaluating e-learning activities and outcomes
• Develop a comprehensive Power Point presentation in a prescribed format in Bangla. This will be shared with all participants in both soft copy and hard copy formats which can be used as a standard guideline on e-learning for the institutions.
• Develop a course outline in Bangla by using MS word that will be treated as participant’s handout.
• Prepare assessment tool in Bangla (Pre and Post-test questionnaire and answer sheet)
• Conduct the training (5 -6 hours with breaks/day) for participants from CPTIs.

E. Role of Swisscontact (ASTHA)

A technical team of ASTHA will provide necessary technical assistance as and when required and will be responsible for-

• Provide necessary feedback on developed contents
• Approval of the Contents
• Facilitate arrangements for training (e.g. venue selection, invitations, refreshments, etc.)
• Bear cost as per approved budget

F. Deliverables

The consultant has to provide the following deliverables:

G. Required Documents

All bidding consultants are required to submit the following:

• A technical proposal (Maximum 10 pages) showing understanding of the assignment, methodologies, contents, assessment tools, timeline (activity plan) etc.  
• A separate financial proposal setting out a detailed budget for the assignment;
• A summary of relevant services (if any) provided during the last 3 years;
• Submission of detailed CVs;
• It is mandatory for the bidders to submit documentary evidence demonstrating their legal, taxation and financial status. This includes:
• Tax identification number (TIN);
• VAT registration number (if applicable);
• A certificate of incorporation (if applicable);
• Trade license (if applicable);
• NGO bureau registration (if applicable);
• Joint stock registration certificate (if applicable)
• Proof of a segregated account (providing the name and address of such account);
• A signed statement testifying that all information contained within the proposal is correct and true.

H. Evaluation Criteria

Shortlisting of agency will be done according to the following criteria:

I. Submission Details

The potential consultant/firm is to submit a technical proposal and a financial proposal with other necessary documents by 27th September 2020 before 05:00 pm to bd.procurement@swisscontact.org with the subject line: “Consultant for Training on E-Learning Methods”.

For more information please e-mail: samaun.bhuiyan@swisscontact.org  N.B.: Swisscontact reserves the right to reject or cancel any offer