Consultancy: ConnexUs Platform Maintenance & Upgrade

TERMS OF REFERENCE

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Terms of Reference for Consultant: ConnexUs Platform Maintenance & Upgrade

ABOUT SEARCH

Search for Common Ground (Search) is a non-governmental organization working to transform the way societies deal with conflicts. We have over 30 years of experience in peacebuilding and are based in 53 local offices worldwide. We strive to build sustainable peace for generations to come by working with all sides of a conflict, providing the tools needed to work together, and finding constructive solutions. While conflict is inevitable, violence is not. Our mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. Instead of tearing down an existing world, we focus on constructing a new one. We shift the everyday interactions between hostile groups of people, so they can work together to build up their community, choosing joint problem-solving over violent means. We rely on local staff as well as local partner organizations in order to ensure our work is culturally sensitive, sustainable and well-grounded in the context.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Community of Practice in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance is a community of 37 organizations operating throughout Iraq, with funding provided by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL). The primary objective of this project is to strengthen a Community of Practice (CoP) in Iraq’s fields of democracy, human rights, and governance, with the goal of enhancing the collaborative and inclusive impact of the Iraqi community of practice as a leading civil society space within the democracy, human rights, and governance sector. Additionally, this initiative seeks to foster increased coordination and collaboration among diverse Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and strategic partners operating within the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq.

• Project’s Theory of Change: IF diverse CSOs working in the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq, including smaller organizations, actively participate in and shape a CoP AND IF these diverse organizations leverage this CoP to meaningfully engage in learning and capacity building, resource creation and sharing, and facilitated discussions and actions that respond to their specific needs, THEN the democracy, human rights, and governance sector in Iraq will have improved effectiveness, ultimately contributing to durable solutions and enduring change in Iraq BECAUSE strategic collaboration and knowledge among leading organizations operating in the sector will improve, positioning them as leading civil society practitioners within Iraq’s civic space.
• Project’s Goal: Enhance collaborative and inclusive impact of an Iraqi community of practice as a leading civil society space in the democracy, human rights, and governance sector.

2. Objective:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to upgrade and maintain the Iraqi Knowledge Sharing Platform (IKSP), hosted under the ConnexUs domain, to enhance its functionality, security, user experience, and ensure its smooth functioning and continuous improvement. The consultant will assess the current platform, recommend necessary upgrades, implement enhancements, address technical issues, implement updates, and provide support to the platform administrators / project manager as needed.

3. Scope of Work:

The consultant’s responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

Upgrade:

• Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the current IKSP platform, including its features, performance, and security.
• Identifying areas for improvement and recommending necessary upgrades or enhancements.
• Developing a detailed upgrade plan, including timelines, milestones, and resource requirements.
• Implementing the agreed-upon upgrades, ensuring minimal disruption to platform users.
• Testing the upgraded platform for functionality, usability, and security.
• Providing user support and training to ensure a smooth transition to the upgraded platform.
• Documenting the upgrade process, including any changes made and lessons learned.

Maintenance:

• Conducting regular checks and updates to ensure the platform’s stability and security.
• Troubleshooting technical issues and providing timely resolutions.
• Implementing software updates and patches as required.
• Monitoring platform performance and optimizing functionality.
• Providing user support and guidance to resolve queries and concerns.
• Collaborating with internal stakeholders to understand user needs and improve platform usability.
• Managing user permissions and access rights in accordance with organizational policies.
• Developing and maintaining documentation, including user guides and technical manuals.
• Conducting training sessions as needed.

Additionally, the consultant will be responsible for integrating and configuring various types of plugins with the current site to enhance its functionality. These plugins include:

• Translation
• Events calendar
• Discussion forums
• Community features (e.g., profiles, direct messages, etc.)

These are in addition to basic plugins that cover security, forms, posts, redirects, and SEO.

4. Deliverables:

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

Upgrade:

• Assessment report outlining findings, recommendations, and proposed upgrade plan.
• Detailed upgrade plan, including timelines, milestones, and resource requirements.
• Upgraded ConnexUs platform with enhanced functionality and security.
• Documentation of the upgrade process, including any changes made and lessons learned.
• User support and training materials to facilitate a smooth transition to the upgraded platform.

Maintenance:

• Regular maintenance reports detailing updates, fixes, and improvements made to the platform.
• Documentation updates, including user guides and technical manuals.
• Training sessions, with accompanying materials as necessary.

5. Timeline:

The consultancy is expected to commence in April 2024 and conclude in Sep 2025. The consultant will be required to dedicate daily working hours during the week to fulfill the scope of work.

6. Qualifications:

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications:

• Proven experience in maintaining and administering online platforms, preferably ConnexUs or similar collaborative tools.
• Strong technical skills, including proficiency in web development, database management, and troubleshooting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Prior experience in providing user support and training is desirable.

7. Proposal Submission:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their proposals, including a detailed CV highlighting relevant experience, proposed methodology for the upgrade process, timeline, and expected remuneration presenting the expenditure breakdown, to [email protected] by 10th April 2024, with the subject IKSP Consultant, Applications with all required documents will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

8. Evaluation Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience and expertise in platform upgrades and maintenance
• Proposed methodology and approach
• Clarity and feasibility of the timeline
• Cost-effectiveness of proposed remuneration

9. Contractual Arrangements:

The selected consultant will enter into a consultancy agreement with Search for Common Ground for the duration of the assignment, outlining the terms and conditions of engagement, including payment terms and deliverables.