FSC Indigenous Foundation
Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development – IPARD
Cooperative Agreement No. 7200AA20CA00013
REQUEST FOR SERVICES
MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR THE VIRTUAL LEARNING DATABASE PLATFORM
- IPARD PROGRAM INFORMATION
- BACKGROUND
In 2019, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) established the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC- IF) as the operational office of the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC). The FSC IF is a private interest foundation in accordance with Law No. 25 of June 12, 1995 of the Republic of Panama. The mission of FSC-IF is to enable an enabling environment to guarantee the rights of Indigenous Peoples and promote sustainable forest-based solutions within 300 million hectares of indigenous forests on the planet. The vision is that Indigenous Peoples’ global values, rights, livelihoods, ecosystem services, natural capital and communities are incorporated into forest governance, climate change governance and market systems.
Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development
The FSC-IF is the implementing partner of the five-year Global Development Alliance (GDA) program funded by USAID and FSC: Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD). The IPARD Program is guided by three development objectives:
● Objective 1: To organize and convene a capacity building program for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and stakeholders;
● Objective 2: To foster an enabling environment for the recognition, effective participation and joint decision-making by Indigenous Peoples in matters affecting them; and
● Objective 3: Promote the sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples based on sustainable economic models.
IPARD uses three interconnected approaches to support Indigenous Peoples in overcoming their development challenges:
A. Multi-Sectoral Approach (MSA): under the strategic guidance of IPARD’s Steering Committee (SC), the Program convenes and leverages the expertise of multi-sectoral partners to ensure that the needs of Indigenous communities are considered across a wide range of sectors.
B. Country-Focused Approach (CFA): IPARD’s programmatic strategy is guided by a country-focused approach, driven by specific national contexts related to Indigenous Peoples. IPARD implements a structured process to identify, evaluate and select countries for its programs. FSC IF works in conjunction with the IPARD Steering Committee, and according to the guidelines of the multi-sectoral approach, in order to select countries and identify key priorities and strategies.
C. Indigenous Project Management Approach (IPMA): Leveraging FSC IF’s networks and relationships with Indigenous leaders and organizations around the world, IPARD seeks ongoing dialogue, consultation, and feedback with Indigenous Peoples to inform the Program. IPARD supports a forum through which the FSC IF Indigenous Foundation serves as a bridge between Indigenous Peoples, technical partners, national governments, and the private sector. IPARD invests in best practice conservation and effective approaches and methodologies to ensure strategic cohesion of partnerships at various levels.
Through these three approaches, IPARD aims to empower Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and catalyze an enabling environment where Indigenous Peoples can pursue their development.
We are Indigenous Peoples; our strategies and our future actions are shaped by ancestral knowledge, practices, cosmovision, values, and respect for Mother Earth and our past. We as FSC-IF are providers of Indigenous-based solutions, and our ancestral knowledge and traditions have driven Indigenous-based solutions for centuries. We are Indigenous Peoples; we are the owners of Indigenous-based solutions to global challenges, and the FSC Indigenous Foundation is the global vehicle to design, manage, facilitate, and scale up Indigenous-led solutions through multi-sectoral partnerships. The FSC Indigenous Foundation has an Indigenous perspective driven by Indigenous values, vision, principles, ancestral knowledge, and traditional practices connected to Mother Earth. FSC-IF is shaped to respond to key challenges and opportunities faced by Indigenous Peoples to achieve their self-development, self-governance, and self-reliance. Driven by this perspective, the way we operate differs from traditional organizational planning because our cultural and traditional way of thinking, acting, and interacting do not fit into a predetermined Western tradition of thoughts, organizational management, or governance.
We are committed to work driven by our values of being guided by and supporting Indigenous Peoples’ values of: 1) Respect for Mother Earth Managing our lands, waters, and ecosystems with great respect to nature and care by recognizing that we only borrow them from future generations and 2) Respect for ancestral knowledge Keeping our promises to our ancestors to manage nature and the resources provided by the Mother Earth in a sustainable and respectful way.
- CONTEXT:
The IPARD Program has developed a digital platform on Drupal called the Virtual Learning Database (VLD) that collects global information for and about Indigenous Peoples. This platform is an initiative for Indigenous Peoples and their organizations and other stakeholders interested in their wellbeing.
The platform’s objective is to encourage the sharing of knowledge, and social learning, and promote exchange, connections and capacity development. The platform is accessible to all with an Internet connection from any device and is translated into 103 languages.
Its features are:
- A global repository of resources in different formats, organized by regions and on various topics related to Indigenous Peoples from all around the world.
- An E-leaning Platform that contains online courses developed by the FSC-IF, Indigenous initiatives, and our global network of allies to enable the users to learn more about Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous-based solutions, rights, traditional knowledge, governance, territorial management, and climate change.
- A global map, co-developed with ESRI to explore Indigenous territories and other layers of geographic data relevant to Indigenous Peoples and that enable the user to create and share his maps.
- An opportunities section where the users can access and be able to post jobs, consultancies, and volunteer and internship opportunities for Indigenous Peoples specialists and connect with experts and leaders.
- A part that allows the user to contribute to the platform by sharing information and submitting documents prepared by Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Indigenous Peoples.
The VLD aims to be a digital platform reference regarding information about and for Indigenous Peoples at the global level.
The platform is still in development.
- OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTIVITY
General Objective
The overall objective of this consultancy is to provide the services to administer and provide maintenance and improvement to the VLD to prepare for its launch and to ensure its sustainability and use for at least one year. The consultancy will provide technical support and also will be a source of proposals for the continuous improvement of the platform.
Specific Objectives
- Provide hosting services for the VLD platform.
- Harvest new data for the VLD on a constant basis, organize it according to the sitemap, curate it, upload it.
- Optimize the SEO of the site.
- Improve the functions and graphics of the site (including Moodle and GIS data).
- Support the creation of content for social media associated with the platform and linked to the FSC-IF in partnership with our communication agency.
- Provide security for the site.
- Ensure payment for the domain is up to date.
- Provide monthly reports on the traffic and use of the platform and ways to improve it.
- Design and create at least 2 training courses with the FSC-IF’s partners in Moodle platform including the following functions:
– Graphic design of the course
– Course construction and scheduling (structure)
– Programming of activities (modular)
– Modular content design
– Loading of modular contents
– Configuration of grading parameters and modular tracking (notifications)
– Creation of users on the platform
– Enrollment of users in the course
– Technical support during the sessions
- Implement co-creation workshops (with Indigenous Peoples, IT experts, the FSC-IF’s partners and staff) to receive feedback to improve the platform before its launch.
Expected deliverables
The service should include the following tasks in 12 months:
1. Methodology and timeline to implement the consultancy.
2. Support the IPARD team in the organization of co-creation workshops with multisector stakeholders.
3. Platform improved and adjusted.
4. Launch of the platform.
5. 2 courses designed and uploaded in the E-learning platform.
6. Domain (annual).
7. Hosting – VPS (monthly).
8. System administration and support (monthly).
9. SSL certificate (annual).
10. Content support (harvesting, verification and curation).
11. SEO support pack.
12. Graphic design and content for social media.
13. Monthly report on traffic analysis and use of the platform and proposal for improvement.
14. Final report on the consultancy.
Profile of the Offeror
Only consultant firms’ proposals will be accepted for the selection process.
- Demonstrated experience in the development and administration of digital media, concept design, infographics & illustration and graphic design and layout.
- Good interpersonal communication and coordination skills.
- Previous experience working with international organizations and donors is desirable.
- Previous experience working on projects for Indigenous Peoples would be an advantage.
Technical and financial proposal
The proposal must include a technical proposal with the methodology to implement the consultancy and a financial proposal detailed for monthly payment.
The organization of the workshop will be led by the FSC-IF and will be supported by the consultancy firm.
Coordination
The consultant will coordinate the expected work with the Program Lead on Capacity Development and Inclusion who will serve as the liaison with the FSC IF Managing Director and the IPARD Program Director and all the other stakeholders involved with this consultancy. During and at the end of the consultancy development, the firm may be asked to present results to key stakeholders, including FSC-IF, the IPARD Steering Committee and USAID, as needed. A final electronic report in English will be submitted at the end of the consultancy.
The IPARD team will regularly monitor the performance of the contractor. Regular bi-monthly meetings will be conducted between the IPARD team and the contractor to monitor the progress, and consult necessary steps for improvements if necessary.
Conditions for payments of the products
The products must be authorized by the IPARD Program Manager in order to proceed with payment. All products must be delivered in digital format.
The payment will be executed every month.
Duration of the assignment
The assignment is expected to be completed within 12 months from the day of the contract signature.
Interested candidates should submit a proposal including
Methodology.
Information on the company and the team members who would be responsible for this activity.
Financial proposal including detailed cost breakdown for the deliverables.(including taxes).
How to Apply:
Send your CV, technical proposal, and financial proposal to the email address: [email protected] no later than January 5, 2023 with the subject line “VLD Maintenence.”
Deadline for submission of proposal
Four weeks
How to apply
How to Apply:
Send your CV, technical proposal, and financial proposal to the email address: [email protected] no later than January 5, 2023 with the subject line “VLD Maintenance.”