TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultants to customize the APAC Cybersecurity TrainingProgram and provide technical support

to the deployment of the training program

April 2024

Background

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equality, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.  

The APAC Cybersecurity Fund (ACF) is funded by Google.org, implemented by The Asia Foundation (the Foundation)in 13 countries in the Asia and the Pacific region. The project aims to strengthen the region’s cybersecurity ecosystem by equipping micro and small businesses, nonprofits, and social enterprises with skills to navigate the Internet safely and confidently. Entrepreneurs skilled at identifying and mitigating cyberattacks will bolster the region’s digital economy growth. The project, through training, works to improve the targeted sectors’ awareness and knowledge of basic cyber hygiene.

In Vietnam, theoverall goal of the project is to support development and growth of household businesses, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), nonprofits and social enterprises, with more priority given to women-led/owned ones, to effectively leverage digital economy in the country. The project will contribute to this goal by bolstering cyber capabilities of more than 150,000 target trainees in Vietnam to protect themselves from cyber-risks through a cyber hygiene awareness and skilling program.

The Asia Foundation’s regional office will commission a qualified institution – called Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) – to develop a comprehensive cyber hygiene training curriculum for use by 13 implementing countries as a master curriculum during their customization/localization. The training content will tentatively include 6 modules: (1) Understanding cyber risks for small business; (2) How to inventory your devices, apps and accounts; (3) Software updates & business security; (4) Creating strong passwords & two-factor authentication; (5) Protect against phishing & malware; (6) Protecting your business data with backups. The project will adopt the e-learning method for easier access and use by the target trainees.

Scope of work

The Asia Foundation is seeking qualified consultant(s) to conduct customization/localization of the cybersecurity training program to be tailored to needs of target trainees in Vietnam as well as to provide technical support to The Asia Foundation and local implementing partners during deployment of the training program.

Specifically, the Consultant(s) will be responsible for implementing the following specific tasks:

• Review available cybersecurity training curricula and materials, including those developed by GCA.
• Work with implementing partners to conduct necessary beneficiary mapping and needs assessments among different types of target trainees to solicit inputs for customization/localization of the training curriculum.
• Customize and localize the training curriculum on cybersecurity to meet the specific needs of various types of the project’s target trainees (i.e. household-based and micro businesses, small and medium enterprises, nonprofits & social enterprises). The training curriculum is also expected to address their different development stages and level of awareness, ranging from beginner to more advanced ones. In addition, the Consultant(s) should ensure compliance of the training content with Vietnam’s legal framework and regulations.
• Design and finalize the training material package, which should include videos of training sessions (as a main training material), reading manuals (as reference materials), quiz tests for each training session, pre- and post-training surveys, and user guide of the LMS (if any).
• Provide technical advice to the Foundation and local implementing partnerson suitable approaches toset up and/or leverage theLearning Management System (LMS) that provides the training program to target trainees in the most cost-effective and timely manner (i.e., select an appropriate platform, protect learners' personalinformation).
• Work with The Asia Foundation and local implementing partners to ensure the training curriculum and materials is successfully uploaded onto the LMS.
• Deliver Training-of-Trainer (ToT) tokeystaff of local implementing partners, who will become the project’s master trainers/key instructors, ensuringthey are able to provide orientations/instructions and supervision of the target trainees during their enrolment and self-learning process in the e-learning platform
• Providepost-trainingtechnical supportto The Asia Foundation andlocal implementing partners to ensure trainers’ performance and successful promotion of the program to target trainees.  

Task schedule and expected deliverables/outputs

Tasks	Deliverables/Outputs	Deadline
Submit the detailed proposal with proposedapproaches, workplan, and budget	A detailed proposal with proposedapproaches, workplan and budget approved by The Asia Foundation	April 25,2024
Provide technical for the quick mapping and needs assessment among target trainees conducted by the local implementing partners	The quick mapping and needs assessment among target trainees completed with technical inputs from the consultant(s)	May 15, 2024
Customize/localize the cyber hygiene training curricula and materials	A training curriculum outline developed and agreed by all partners	May 24, 2024
	A set of training curriculum and materials customized to be better tailored to the target trainees	June 30, 2024
	A set of training materials (including training session videos, reading materials, quiz, pre- and post-training surveys, LMS user guides, etc.) produced and uploaded onto the LMS	July– August 2024
Deliver ToT training to core staff of local implementing partners on the cyber hygiene training program and LMS	ToT training delivered to key staff of local implementing partners	August – October 2024
Provide post-training technical support to The Asia Foundation and local partners	Post-training technical support provided to The Asia Foundation and local partners	November2024– December 2026

Qualifications/Requirements

The following are the specific qualifications of the consultant(s) required

• University degree and higher in IT; specialization in cybersecurity will be an advantage;
• Knowledgeable and experience in cybersecurity would be a must;
• Previous experience in developing training/education programs on digital and cybersecurity in Vietnam would be an advantage, preferably having some experience and skills working with women-led MSMEs;
• Strong understandings of Vietnam's policy framework and regulations on information security and cybersecurity;
• Strong communication and presentation skills;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• Be committed to and able to meet the deadline.

Application Submission

Interested organizations/consultant groups/individuals are requestedto submit a 2 to 3-page expression of interest (EOI) in English together with CVs. The EOI should clearly describe the candidates’ understanding of the tasks, outline your approach, organizational/personal profile, skills and experiencesrelevant to the tasks as well as proposed quotation/budget.

Note that during the selection process, the Asia Foundation may ask the short-listed candidates to submit their previous work as one of the considerations for making the final selection decision.

Please submit via email to:

Ms. Tran Giang Linh – Senior Program Officer

Email: [email protected]

Title: Cybersecurity training program

Closing time for applications is 5.00 PM (Hanoi time, GMT+7) on April 14, 2024.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

Organization: TAF
Location:
Application deadline: 2024-04-14
Send application to: [email protected]