Consultant to Develop School Readiness Application Software

TERMS OF REFERENCE DEVELOP THE SCHOOL READINESS APLICATION SOFTWARE Project "Promoting Quality and Inclusive Early Childhood Care, Education (ECCE) and Parenting in Cambodia and Vietnam" 1. Background: Aide et Action (AEA) is an international solidarity organization for development which was created in 1981, with its headquarters located in Geneva, Switzerland. It is present in 19 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe through its 74 projects, reaching over 1.2 million children and adults in need during 2018. AEA began working in Southeast Asia in 2002, first in Cambodia, and later extending to Vietnam, Laos and China through both direct implementation and partnerships with local stakeholders (NGOs, governments, and communities). AEA believes in the universal right to a quality education, and thus, bases its interventions around this ethos. Aide et Action in South East Asia and China focuses its approach on four main themes:

Access and Quality of Education
Early Childhood Care Education
Education for Girls and Women
Inclusive Education

The region works with governments, communities and teachers to deliver quality education through a variety of capacity building and advocacy activities. AEA SEAC's first priority goal for 2019-2023 is to accelerate impact for children and youth at school and home, and invest in innovation and evaluation to measure its impact for children. 2. Project introduction: The AEA project “Promoting Quality and Inclusive Early Childhood Care, Education (ECCE) and Parenting in Cambodia and Vietnam” overall objective is to ensure access to quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for children aged 3 to 8 years, through enhanced teaching and quality of learning, responsive parenting and local ownership. The first-year pilot phase of a planned three-year project has been implemented in Lai Chau province in Vietnam, and Kep and Kandal provinces in Cambodia. To achieve the project's overall objective, the project will engage with a number of ECCE expert partners at the regional level to increase the collaboration, learning and experience sharing, andenhance policy advocacy for ECCE. Field mapping, joint training and exchange visits will be conducted, and a regional toolkit on school readiness to increase quality of ECCE/School Readiness program design, implementation and monitoring across the region will be developed. At the community level, capacity, skills and practices of caregivers, teachers and local authorities will be built and strengthened to make them more accountable for children’s learning and school readiness. Both preschool and primary school teachers will be trained and coached on child-centred teaching and learning methodologies to improve their teaching practices in support of children during their pre-primary to primary transition period. Caregivers will be trained on positive and responsive parenting and engaged in supporting their children’s learning both at school and at home. Local authorities will be supported to engage in the implementation of local education services, community awareness raising, and the integration of early childhood education into their investment plan. In addition, the communication and collaboration between these key education actors will be enhanced to share best practices, challenges and experiences. This project is part of Aide et Action's broader ambition to increase the quality of early learning and school readiness in the Southeast Asia region. If the project receives continuous funding after the first pilot year, the achievements and impacts will inform the scale up of the grant scope to additional geographic areas in the second and third years, to reach and impact (directly and indirectly) more than 35,000 children, community members and local authorities in the region. This project is part of Aide et Action's broader ambition to increase the quality of early learning and school readiness in the Southeast Asia region. If the project receives continuous funding after the first pilot year, the achievements and impacts will inform the scale up of the grant scope to additional geographic areas in the second and third years, to reach and impact (directly and indirectly) more than 35,000 children, community members and local authorities in the region. 3. Term of Reference: 3.1. Main Objectives The objective of this assignment is to develop a software that facilitates the process of collecting, storing, processing and analysing the readiness of children, teacher, parent and education administrators for smooth transition from pre-school to primary school. The software must be in compatible with the existing ICT system administered by the MOET. 3.2. Scope of work The process of developing the school readiness application software will be led by one consultant group with advisory support from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and technical support from the regional team and Vietnam team. The School Readiness Aplication Software will be progressed with two phases. In the phase I, an IT consultant team is expected to: Development part (February – May 2020)

Discuss with AEA team on specific business requirements of the school readiness app;
Study School readiness toolkit documents;
Establish the App for multi users and IT configurations;
Develop codes;
Conduct user test and commissioning the newly established system;
Develop an operational manual of the school readiness system;
Provide training for Administration team, users and implementing partners on operation of the school readiness app.

Guarantee part: (from July – December 2020)

Guarantee and make necessary improvements of modules/fields/functions for the school readiness app to operate smoothly and effectively;
Conduct regular database maintenance;
Perform deffect remedies and trouble-shooting support upon the request of AEA team within 24 hours.

Operational part: (from June – December 2020 and will be continued in 2021 when having AEA confirmation)

Continued database maintenance and trouble-shooting support;
Update/customisations, as necessary.

Phase 2: The operational part with possible extension beyond upon need, the next parts of Application software including forums and dialogues for users will be discussed and implemented during 2021. 3.3. Timeline of Development: - Tasks: Discuss with AEA team and MOET representative about objective and app software structure. Timeline/Deadline: Week 1 February 2020 Deliverables: Had the detail workplan and app structure ideas including used technology, required capacity, number of users, hardware and technical software requirements etc. - Tasks: Design database, app structure and wireframe and related functions. Timeline/Deadline: Week 1 February – Week 2 of March 2020 Deliverables: The first version of technical server set up with all software and hardware requirements configured. - Tasks: Submit to AEA the App soft ware and revise in needed. Timeline/Deadline: Week 3 of March 2020 Deliverables: Revise the first version based on the AEA and MOET representative comments. - Tasks: Develop the codes of SR system and then codes developed and trial to connect with MOET database. Timeline/Deadline: Week 4 March 2020 Deliverables: Functionable Codes for a draft SR system set up, ready for user test App operational manual in Vietnamese (draft version) - Tasks: User test and revised in needed. Timeline/Deadline: From week 2 to week 3 of April 2020 Deliverables: User test plan Report on the user test: What works well; what do not work well; what need to fix/improve. Identified issues fixed for a smooth operation. - Tasks: Complete the final version of SR syste. Timeline/Deadline: Week 4 of April 2020 Deliverales: The Final version is complete in using. - Tasks: Train AEA and its partners on SR system. Timeline/Deadline: Week 1 of May 2020 Deliverables: • Training plan, including pre-test and post-test of key topics; • Training slides; • Training reports; • Training documents for participants. - Tasks: Guarantee and make necessary improvements of modules/fields/functions for SR app to operate smoothly and effectively. Timeline/Deadline: From July – December 2019 Deliverables: Updated and functionable versions of the SR app with necessary improvements and/or fixed errors. 3.4. Profile of consultant group: One team leader who have: ✓ At least University degree in Information Communication Technology. Preferably an advanced university degree (masters or PhD) in similar engineering or technical subject; ✓ Professional Certificates on Software Developing of the proposed technologiesl; ✓ Long track record experience in developing application software; ✓ Strong software design skills, including capacity to prepare logical, coherent, and consistent documents; ✓ At least 5 years experiences of quantitative and qualitative data base development techniques; ✓ Proven experience in leading a team to develop a web in the development sector; ✓ Understanding of development context and/or Vietnam education system is a plus; ✓ Ability to work efficiently and effectively with multi – stakeholders including remotely communicating; ✓ Flexibility to adapt to any subsequent changes in the terms of reference; ✓ Excellent English speaking/writing skills required; ✓ Prior experience of facilitating multi-stakeholder training, workshops and dialogues Team members: ✓ University degree or technical diploma of computer science and/or software engineering; ✓ At least 3 years experience in software development and related field experience. Microsoft certification is highly recommended; ✓ Familiarity with visualisation tools; ✓ Proactive in liaising and problem solving. 3.5. Line of communication: The consultant will be in direct and regular contact with the Vietnam program team and MOET representative for technical input and review of school readiness application software to ensure implementation progress and link to national preschool education database system. The consultant contract will be followed AEA procument policy and under direct managed by AEA managers.The contact person is Mrs. Tong Thi Thu Huong, ECCE project Manager, email: huong.tong@aide-et-action.org 3.6. Required Deliverables: - The App is designed to be used on smartphones and websites; - The App can be connected to the database system of the Ministry of Education and Training; - The App can be shared and expanded nationwide, easy to upgrade as the development of technology; - The app can be used and updated data without using the internet (offline option); - The App is designed to be easy to use in all parts, with an interface that attracts viewers; - There are pictures and symbols to replace Vietnamese writing; - The App includes instruction video in using the app; - The main language is used in Vietnamese and can be designed according to open source that can be changed in another language; - Application software is clear structure and interconnections. 3.7. Application process: Required documents to be submitted in English. Proposal of the technical approach including: - Business registration and profile of company (in Vietnamese language is acceptable); - A commitment letter signed by the authorised representative of the applicant, confirming the Applicant’s intention to provide the services in accordance with the provisions of this TOR; - Proposed technical specifications of required platforms, required software, hardware and off-site servers; - A detailed schedule of activities and team resources considered necessary to deliver the envisaged deliverables and the inputs required in terms of expert time, working tools; - Description of the system’s structure, outlook and how the system operates; - Timetable of implementation activities; - Have at least 1 similar contract implemented in the last 5 years as the main contractor; Proposal of the Finance including: - Cost estimate separately for the development phase and operational phase (in USD and VND). The cost for professional fees and travel allowances shall be applicable; - Be a company/firm in the field IT legally established in Vietnam. Applicants should send their interested letter, Curriculum viate, relevant degree/diploma, technical and financial proposals to email: info-vietnam@aide-et-action.org no later than 15th January 2020. Please specify the title in interested letter “Consultant to Developing the School readiness Application software”. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

Tags: AEAI