The United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project aims to promote and strengthen measures to prevent and fight corruption more efficiently and effectively in the Pacific region. To achieve these goals, outputs of the project include strengthening public reporting and right to information systems serving as anti-corruption tools, and enhancing institutional capacities.

This consultancy aims to provide support to the Ombudsman’s Office of Tonga (https://ombudsman.to/) to enhance its public reporting and contribute to overall improved right to information of the citizens of Tonga. With the mission to provide an impartial and effective complaints resolution services to everyone in Tonga, the Ombudsman Office requires a revised and enhanced website that both provides an online complaint system that enables citizens to lodge complaints regarding any Government services that fall within the jurisdiction of the Tongan Ombudsman’s Office, and improves public reporting through enhanced access to official information. In this context, the UNDP Pacific Office is seeking an experienced individual IT Consultant (home-based) to provide remote support to revise and upgrade the design and functionality of the current website of the Tonga Ombudsman Office.

 Scope of Work

The aim of the consultancy is to support the redesign and technical upgrading of the current website of the Tonga Ombudsman Office to improve public access and public reporting.  An important part of the work is to develop and deliver a new online complaint lodging function linked directly to the relevant officers specified by Tonga Ombudsman Office. Currently the complaints lodgment form is available as a printable hard copy that needs to be submitted separately to the Office. In addition to making it easier for the public to make complaints online, the upgraded web site and new functionality will allow for better recording and analysis of complaints lodged and official responses, and improved public reporting of the Tonga Ombudsman Office

The website will need to be highly accessible, complying with Tonga’s official Disability Policy, as well as a) designed for low-bandwidth users, b) broadly compliant with W3C standards, c) secure, and d) allow for machine language translation (although the primary language will be English). Design options should be user-centred, with navigation through the website arranged to ensure that the website suits both public users and website administrators in the Ombudsman Office. Key information will need to be strategically placed to make the website user-friendly with an attractive, fresh and clean appearance.

To achieve these goals, the services of the Consultant will focus on the following tasks:

1) Based on discussions with Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific team, develop options for upgrading the website to improve public accessibility and add a complaints lodgment, recording and analysis system.

2) Present to Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office the proposed technical solutions and design options.

3) Following discussions and approval by Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific team, develop further and/or implement the agreed design and technical solution(s) including the online complaints lodgment, recording and analysis system.

4) Present to Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office team a fully featured online version of the new website and complaints lodgment and analysis system(s).

5) Collect and collate feedback from Tonga Ombudsman Office, UNDP Pacific Office team, and an informal set of around 20 public users, and make any further modifications and changes as required.

6) Present to Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office team a fully featured online version of the new website and complaints lodgment, recording and analysis system(s) incorporating any required further modifications and changes.

7) Provide training and documentation to Tonga Ombudsman Office to ensure that authorized website administrators are confident and well equipped to manage and update the content and the functionalities of the website and online complaints portal in the future, in accordance with the documentation provided.

The website must be compatible with multiple browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera) and accessible on multiple devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones/mobile devices (iOS, Android).

The online complaints system should be linked to a complaints management system that allows the recording and analysis of complaints by time period, type, gender of complainant, complaint subject, location etc. and the generation of related reports. Currently the Ombudsman Office receives around 150 complaints per year. Provision may be required to allow Ombudsman Office staff to enter details of complaints received in hard copy, or by phone, into the system to facilitate tracking and analysis of complaints.

The Consultant will ensure that sufficient stress and quality control tests are completed to ensure that all components of the website, including the online complaints system, are de-bugged and fully functional. The tests should include generation and presentation of relevant analytical reports. The test results are to be presented to Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office for further comments with amendments being implemented as required.

NOTE: The current Ombudsman Office website uses a WordPress CMS, and Ombudsman officers already have some familiarity with the administration back-end functions. It is anticipated that the new website will continue to use a re-styled WordPress system, with added functionality, and will remain with the current hosting organization. At the appropriate time, the Ombudsman Office will provide administrative access for the Consultant to the existing web server, but the Consultant should be prepared to stage the development process to allow development in private while the current website continues to be accessible in its current form and/or to have their own access to a server for development. The Consultant will need to be prepared to address any server-side issues that are not the contracted responsibility of the hosting organization.

It is anticipated that initially the current website content will be transferred to the new system by the Consultant, who will then engage with Ombudsman officers to make any content changes required. This may form part of the training process. Likewise, the current Complaints form (.pdf), available at the current website, serves as a usefully indicative model of the new online form required, but some modifications to it should be anticipated.

Aside from the ability for authorized administrators to create and modify content pages easily, the WordPress CMS provides the important ability to display or hide content and menu items and options when required, and to track content page creations and modification and attribute them to specific administrators.

Documentation and training

The Consultant is to provide all relevant documentation and training to the designated officers of the Ombudsman Office remotely. The training will cover but is not restricted to the following areas:

• Updating content of the website using various source content formats including .pdf, .jpeg/.png, MS Word .docx, MS Excel .xlsx, as well as video, audio and any other common source formats.
• Generation of all relevant reports from the website and the complaints analysis system.
• Troubleshooting and accessing user statistics and diagnostics for the website.
• A thorough explanation of the user documentation provided by the Consultant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES 

• Deliverables	Key Activities	Number of consultancy days
  Development and presentation of new design and functionality options for the website in close liaison with Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Team.	Consulting with Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office to prepare a comprehensive presentation with website design and functionality options. Presentation of the options through a consultative meeting for all teams and agreement on next steps.	5 days
  Implementation of the approved design and new functionality for improved public reporting and online public complaints delivery linked to internal email system of Ombudsman Office and the complaints management system.	Revised website production based on the consultation meeting and agreed designs and technical solutions. Development of a functioning online website, including an online public complaints management system.	15 days
  Implementation of revisions as required by Tonga Ombudsman Office, UNDP Pacific Team and the results of collection of feedback.	Collate feedback from Tonga Ombudsman Office, UNDP Pacific Office team and an informal set of 20 public users and make any further modifications and changes as required.	5 days
  Documentation and training	Provide documentation and training to designated officers on updating content and the functionalities of the website and online complaints management system.	10 days
  Testing and post-delivery support. Assuring the reliability of the website for improved public reporting functions and online complaints portal through testing and generation of relevant reports.	Testing and de-bugging of all relevant aspects of the website with results presented to the satisfaction of Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office. Responding to questions from Tonga Ombudsman Office and UNDP Pacific Office to resolve any remaining issues with the website and online complaints portal. Submission of final report.	5 days

     
• INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND REPORTING LINES

• The Consultant will report to the UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Adviser – Pacific Office.   The Consultant will be expected to also closely liaise with Tonga Ombudsman Office officials to gain inputs to ensure relevance, user-friendliness, and participation, especially in the training phase.   The Consultant will also work closely other UNDP consultants as needed in the delivery of improved public reporting functions and the online complaints system.   Reporting Progress reports shall be submitted to UNDP within one week of the end of each deliverable. The Final report shall be submitted within one week of the end of the consultancy reflecting on the deliverables.   Duration of the Work The envisaged time frame of the consultancy is estimated not to exceed 40 person-days in the overall period from June to September 2022.   Duty Station The Consultant will work from home. Should there be a need for the Consultant to travel, any additional travel costs (DSA, tickets etc.) will be covered by UNDP upon agreement by UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Adviser– Pacific.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Comprehensiveness knowledge of electoral processes and electoral management
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Educational Qualifications:

The Consultant should have at least the following qualifications:

• Minimum university degree or equivalent qualification in computer science, software engineering, website designing or related fields.

Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience developing websites and/or web platforms/content management systems. A list of references websites and/or web platforms/content management systems developed by the Consultant should be provided;
• Experience in building/designing websites and/or content management systems in places with slow and unreliable internet access including Asia and/or the Pacific, will be an asset;

·         Experience in working with the development agencies/UN organizations will be an asset.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;
• Knowledge of the Tongan language will be an asset.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Consultant must submit a financial proposal based on a Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all cost components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fees, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the Consultant’s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the Consultant in completing the assignment. The contract price will be a fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be made upon completion of the 

deliverables/outputs and as per the below percentages:

• Deliverables 1 & 2  Development and presentation of new website design and functionality and implementation of the approved solution - 50% of total contract amount.
• Deliverables 3 - 5 Implementation of revisions as required, training, testing and post-delivery support - 50% of total contract amount.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon between the respective business unit and the Consultant, prior to travel. In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

The Individual Consultant (IC) will be evaluated based on the Cumulative Analysis methodology. The award of the contract shall be made to the Consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) and financial criteria (30%). The financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education – Max 20 points
• Criteria 2: Special skills, language, etc. – Max 10 Points
• Criteria 3: Relevance of experience in area of specialization – Max 20 points
• Criteria 5: Assessment of approach/methodology to assignment  – Max 20 Points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application system only allows the upload of one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Technical proposal including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; and b) a brief methodology (one page maximum) addressing how they will approach and complete the assignment.
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: National consultants must quote prices in United States Dollars (USD).

Note: Successful individual will be required to provide proof of medical insurance coverage before commencement of contract for the duration of the assignment.

Incomplete and joint proposals may not be considered. Consultants with whom there is further interest will be contacted. The successful Consultant shall opt to sign an Individual Contract or a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) through his/her company/employer with UNDP.