TERMS OF REFERENCE

Job: Service provider for consulting and providing web software design

Project: USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER)

Location: Hanoi

Duration: Expected from 29 March to May 30 2023 for website completion, and from 10 May to 10 June 2023 for fixing newly arisen technical issues.

Reporting to: USAID PHER Project’s Communications Officer

1. Introduction

The Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER) is a five-year initiative funded by USAID and implemented by Indiana University, aiming to modernize Vietnam's leading universities and strengthen Vietnam’s higher education system in alignment with USAID's Higher Education Program Framework. PHER implements activities towards institutional reform in Vietnamese higher education institutions through developing effective and innovative models.  PHER focuses on the four project key pillars:  Governance and Policy, Improvement of Teaching and Learning, Research, and University-Industry Linkages. PHER activities target three major Vietnamese universities: Vietnam National University-Hanoi, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, and the University of Danang. Higher-education policy advocacy and reform, technology and digitization, and gender empowerment are critical, cross-cutting strategies for success across these four pillars and support the long-term sustainability of PHER outcomes.

Institute for Vietnam Initiatives (IVI) is a sub-awardee to Indiana University supporting and implementing the USAID PHER activities in Vietnam.

In order to introduce the project and project achievements to donors, partners, and the public and create a knowledge portal about higher education in Vietnam, the USAID PHER is looking for a service provider for consulting and developing web software design.

2. Main outputs

The main output of consulting activities includes:

• Public Web Application (FrontEnd) of a bilingual website (English and Vietnamese): to display publicly published content, including: (1) Project overview homepage; (2) Child pages introduce the pillars of the project. (3) Events; (4) Library; (5) Learning Hub; (6) VIAN Forum and (7) About. For details see the link: https://tinyurl.com/yc2x75wf
• Administration Web Application (BackEnd): This application allows to perform general system administration, including controlling the public web application and VIAN Forum.

a.    Timeline

Work with communications staff and other stakeholders (hereinafter referred to as "service requesters") to understand the requirements of the consulting assignment.

• Business analysis, design, and registration of the system in a reasonable structure that meets the needs of the service requester
• Develop operating manuals and organize implementation training for service requesters
• Refine and complete the system after the pilot phase
• Training, technical guidance on operation, and handing over to the service requester
• System-wide transfer of source code (except for platform source code that the service provider doesn't own) and adherence to copyright management principles

The table below shows an estimate of the jobs and outputs that will be needed to finish the system.The service provider is responsible for specifying the work (if any) and the implementation plan to meet the deadlines stated at the beginning of this document. The expected outputs in the table are used to control the progress of the contract, the service provider is not required to submit these outputs, but is required to complete the final products in accordance with (b) below.

No.	Task	Description and Output	Deadline
1	Analyze customer requirements to provide solutions	Use business analysis to derive and understand customer needs/requirements. Based on that, come up with a suitable solution.	29/03
2	Detailed planning of the website design process	Provide sitemap, system structure and timeline to complete the website.	31/03
3	Website interface design	Design the interface of the website's pages.	16/04
4	Develop website features/functions	Code website, develop website features	23/04
5	Test and refine	The service provider tests and debugs The service requester uses the website and gives feedback, and the service provider refines the system according to the feedback.	04/05
6	Handing over and instructions for use	Put the website to use. The supplier provides the user manual for the customer. The service provider fixes newly arising technical issues.	10/05 – 10/06

b.    Deliverables

Consulting products that need to be handed over to service requesters and partners include:

• The complete Web system (FrontEnd, BackEnd) is installed on the server specified by the service requester/partner;
• The source code of all the above application software (except for the source code of 3rd party modules and frameworks that the service provider is not allowed to access and share);
• Training documents and instructions to install and use the system

c.     Technical requirements

The service provider must ensure the website is in compliance with OMB Memorandum M-15-13 and Binding Operational Directive 18-01. See the following guidance for details: M-15- 13 https://https.cio.gov/guide/ and BOD 18-01 https://cyber.dhs.gov/bod/18-01/. Per ADS Chapter 302 Governing Third Party Websites

The service provider must provide adequate protection from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or misuse of information processed, stored, or transmitted on the Web sites. To minimize security risks and ensure the integrity and availability of information, the service provider must use sound: system/software management; engineering and development; and secure coding practices consistent with information security best practices. The service provider must propose plans to ensure rigorous security safeguards, including but not limited to, virus protection; network intrusion detection and prevention programs; and vulnerability management systems should be implemented, and critical security issues should be resolved as quickly as possible or within 30 days. Ensure the copyrights of all photos that are used for the website.

3. Service provider’s qualification

According to the roadmap, to ensure that a system with optimal design can be built, USAID PHER, in collaboration with partner agencies, hires qualified service providers to perform tasks on time. Service provider needs to satisfy the following professional requirements:

• Having a team of human resources who are knowledgeable about web software development and have proven documents;
• Experience in ensuring security standards on the web environment as regulated by the Government of Vietnam and sponsor USAID
• Knowledge of teaching and learning programs and research activities at universities
• Commitment, enthusiasm, professional cooperation attitude, understanding customer needs, respecting customer's technical requirements, and being able to discuss and advise on design shortcomings. 
• Can strictly adhere to the application deployment time.

4. How to apply

In accordance with the USAID PHER project's public procurement rules, interested service providers are required to carefully study the assignment outline (interested service providers may be provided with additional details along with the task outline upon request). requirements) and prepare bid documents, including:

• Company profile/Resume (CV) of the service provider and its member with relevant experience
• At least 2 previous similar products
• 01 Budget proposal

Technical Proposal of the System: This is an important document to assess the suitability of the service provider and should show the following contents:

• Understanding of the basic business groups of the system: analysis, proposed adjustments, if any;
• Technical design ideas, block diagrams of modules, and operations;
• The limitations of the system idea built by the ordering unit, with directions and solutions to overcome them;
• Deployment solutions to meet system construction deadlines.

Bidding documents should be sent to the following email addresses: [email protected] and [email protected] before 5:00 p.m on March 22, 2023, with the subject: [Application for Web Design]-[Name of service provider]. 

Organization: IVI
Location: Hanoi
Application deadline: 2023-03-22
Send application to: [email protected] ; [email protected]