1.   REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) OVERVIEW

• RFP No: T-CI–ET–2022-017
• RFP Title: Designing and Installation of VMIS Software
• RFP Issued By: Cuso International - Ethiopia Office
• Issuance Date: Sep 5, 2022                     
• Proposal Submission Date: September 20, 2022
• Language of proposal: Technical and Financial Proposals must be submitted in English.
• Instructions for Submission of Proposals: All proposals should be submitted to the Cuso International Country Program office in Ethiopia via the following address:  
• Cuso International Ethiopia Country Program Office,

H & M Building, 7th Floor (Around 22 Mazoria, In Front of Blue Bird Hotel), Yeka S.C, Woreda. 08, H# New map No.D.03/2580/01/3585 Addis Ababa I Tel # 011 6 590698

Awards:

It is anticipated that there will be one award. Issuance of this RFP does not constitute an

award commitment on the part of Cuso International nor does it commit Cuso International

to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

2.   TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background

Cuso International is a developmental international organization working both in Canada and around the world, working to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of volunteers, partner organizations and donors. Currently, Cuso International is implementing a program called Sharing Canadian Expertise for Inclusive Development and Gender Equality (SHARE). SHARE is an initiative that aims to the engagement of Canadians in international development and key global issues and enhance the performance of local partners to deliver more innovative, and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance youth empowerment and gender equality (GE).

Through SHARE, Cuso International will provide professional support and technical assistance for national partners to help them strengthen their organizational capacities to (i) deliver more innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality; (ii) Integrate gender-transformative and human rights-based approaches; (iii)  test, pilot and scale up new, innovative solutions to development challenges and systematic barriers that hinder gender equality (iv) strengthen and develop coordination mechanisms with local, national and international platforms, networks and alliances (PNA) to advance gender equality agendas and advocacy efforts; and (v) develop effective mechanisms to share lessons learned and good practices among organizations and PNA.

Purpose

Authority for Civil Society Organization (ACSO) has been playing a critical role in the development of national volunteering infrastructure and the first guideline note for volunteerism program and management in Ethiopia.  Currently, several public universities, CBOs and youth associations are employing the set guidelines to implement their structured national volunteering activities. Promotion national volunteering, especially youth volunteering will ensure the participation of young men and women in development activities both at locally/regionally and nationally.

ACSO, as part of its e-based service provision plans, would like to create a centralized database that help to create a linkage between professional national volunteer service demand and supply. First, the database is envisaged to have various features that can be used to promote volunteerism among young people and provide an online platform through which they can see a list of opportunities available in their local areas and express interest in serving as a volunteer, primarily in professional assignments. Second, public, and private institutions as well as CBOs can be registered in the platform to post their voluntary service needs and access linkage to potential volunteers for assignment. Moreover, the software should generate reports and allow for disaggregated data to be collected to inform future initiatives in an evidence-based gender responsive manner.

ACSO and Cuso International has entered a partnership agreement to collaborate in the promotion and development of structured voluntary service practices.  Accordingly, Cuso International invites and would like to receive RFP from potential candidates for the consultancy service per the Terms of Reference given below:

• Provide online access to get registration with full profile information for prospective volunteers, including their academic qualifications and contact information.
• Provide initial assessment for the registered volunteers  
• Generate automatic reference number for candidates who fulfil the given registration requirement.
• Create on-line training implementation features
• Provide access for interested public and private institutions as well as CSOs to register and post their voluntary service opening
• Create volunteer request management features and support volunteer hosting organizations and partners to manage volunteers’ services effectively
• provide information for all registered individuals and organizations about community level activities, such as blood donation environmental sanitations,  planting trees etc
• access to registered organizations to use the platform to circulate news and public events.
• Signup (Easy online registration) functionality for membership and other opportunities to help out.
• Tracking capabilities for monitoring volunteer participation.
• Automated email reminders and acknowledgment
• Managing customized volunteer scheduling
• Automated certificate generation for volunteers when successfully complete their services
• Advanced reporting with an ability to be exported into Excel and other formats
• Give access to admins to manage the system
• Access to various reports with various filters, including voluntary services in type, in hours, months, etc
•  Enables admins to email every subscriber

 General Scope of the Assignment

1. Conduct requirement elicitation of the software
2. Conduct requirement analysis for the software
3. Design the installation of the database
4. Conduct installation of the database
5. Testing and deploying programs and systems
6. Update the database / software as per collected feedback

 Deliverable

1. Design and install VMIS database and e-platform as per the guideline given
2. Organize orientation for technical committee members for feedback
3. Test the platform and database before launching
4. Organize staff training on new features for ACSO staff

Consultant's Qualifications and Experience

• Consulting Firm: -The consulting firm should have the following qualifications and experience to carry out the assignment:
• The consultancy service will ideally be conducted by team of professional consultants, which are expected to demonstrate strong credential in Microsoft software in private, governmental, and international organizations.
• The team should consist of at least one chief consultant or senior level professional expert/expert knowledge on software design with minimum of 5 years of experience in the areas
• Bachelor’s degree in software development, computer science and computer programming from a university or certified institutions.
• Knowledge of the software development life-cycle. The desire to work in fast-paced environment.
• At least of 5 years’ experience in the field of software engineering of which at least 2 years’ experience in International and / or government organizations.

 A.   SUPPLIER INFORMATION

Please provide the following information:

1. Company Name.
2. Address.
3. Phone and fax.
4. Contact person with email.

B.   PRICING - Prices must be expressed in ETB

C.   CONDITIONS OF TENDER

1. Cuso International reserves the right to deal with any tender of its choice or any or all parts of the tender and to purchase items from various tenders.
2. Cuso International is not bound to accept the lowest offer or any offer.
3. This request for tender is not a contract or an offer into a contract but is a request for a quotation for the goods/services indicated in this document. However, a contract will be established based on the tender decision.
4. Respondents are bound by their offer for a period of 10 days from the closing date of bids.
5. Cuso International reserves the right to alter the dates of the tender timetable.
6. Cuso International will inform each respondent to the tender of the decision on their offer through a letter of engagement if successful, or otherwise by email.
7. Cuso International is not obliged to justify or explain selection to any respondent. Respondents are encouraged to contact Cuso International for any information required to submit a competitive bid.

 D.  Tenders submitted must be accompanied with:

• Renewed business license for the year 2014 E.C. VAT | TIN registration certificate.
• Company profile
• Evidence of past performance record on similar works and other relevant credentials

Tenders must be submitted in four (4) sealed envelopes, bearing the bidder’s official seal, and clearly marked TECHNICAL and FINANCIAL “Original” and “Copy”, and must include the bidders’ name, and contact address, as well as the Tender title and Tender Reference number.

Tenders must be submitted in the bid box prepared for this purpose at Cuso International, Ethiopia Country Office on September 20, 2022, before 2:00 P.M (Local time)

Cuso International Ethiopian CO Committee will open tender responses on the same day at 4:00 P.M. at its own discretion.

Cuso International reserves the right to accept or reject this bid, in partial, or in its entirety.