Terms of Reference for Development of Online Training Platform

Caritas Switzerland (hereafter Caritas or CACH) is looking for qualified service provider or expert for the development of online training platform in line with the following Terms of Reference (ToR).

Date: 17.08.2023 Deadline for submission of offers: 05.09.2023

• Project: Together Advancing Kosovo’s Training and Employment within the Education Sector - TAKE
• Location: Prishtina

1. Background

The current momentum of prioritizing ECE in Kosovo and the education reforms taken on by the current government paves the way for the professional development of preschool educators and the requalification of surplus teachers translating into opportunities for higher earnings. Likewise, by increasing inclusion rates of children in preschools, mothers and other caregivers have higher opportunities to enter the labor market and increase their family income.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the quality training of early childhood professionals, strengthening employment in education and capacitating caregivers to enter the workforce.

This project builds on the achievements and the long-standing expertise and practice-oriented approaches to early childhood of CACH. The project envisages maintaining and reinforcing the collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation and municipalities aiming to ensure quality and child-appropriate education. Through this approach, the previous investments and successes are rendered more sustainable and in close cooperation with government actors, the services are extended to more marginalized groups such as the hospitalized children.

The offer and quality of training and collaboration in the early childhood education sector aims at capacitating the main actors involved in children’s upbringing and development through practice-oriented approaches and vocational education & training. Professionals working on this education level will be capacitated through online training program in topics relevant to early childhood, alongside the development of digital competencies as a key required to be up to date.

Objective(s) of the mission

The TAKE project has developed an Online Training Programme, harmonised with the Curriculum Framework and the Core Curriculum of Kosovo on Early Childhood Education, consisting of six modules, a practice-oriented development programme for educators and other early childhood professionals as following:

• Learning through play
• Learning by doing
• Emotional intelligence
• Sustainable education and use of the outside spaces and natural materials
• Digital competences required in education.
• STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)

Each of the modules include the necessary information for the target group, it also contains follow-up information that facilitates their work with children.

The CACH intends to develop an online training platform to deliver six different training modules, a practice-oriented development programme for educators and other early childhood professionals. The platform aims to provide a user-friendly and interactive learning experience and raising the capacities of in-service and pre-service educators, strengthening knowledge on current topics for child development. The CACH requires a qualified service provider or expert to develop and design the platform according to the specified requirements:

• Develop an intuitive and accessible online training platform to deliver six training modules.
• Ensure seamless navigation and user experience on the platform.
• Incorporate interactive elements such as videos, photos, quizzes, assessments, presentation.
• Enable tracking and monitoring of user progress and completion of modules.
• Provide a secure and stable platform for participants to access and engage with the training content.

Expected Results

• Understand the training modules' content and requirements to develop an appropriate platform structure.
• Design and develop the online training platform with a modern, visually appealing interface.
• Create user profiles with login capabilities and individual progress tracking.
• Develop a responsive platform that is compatible with desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
• Incorporate multimedia elements, including videos, audios, animations, and presentations.
• Create interactive quizzes and assessments to reinforce participant learning.
• Ensure the platform's security by utilizing appropriate encryption and user data protection measures.
• Integrate a monitoring system to track participant progress and completion rates.
• Provide technical support for the platform post-development.

1. Schedule

Total number of days: 26

1. Deliverables

• A fully functional online training platform compatible with all major web browsers and devices.
• Six interactive training modules implemented within the platform.
• User profiles, login capabilities, and progress tracking functionality.
• Multimedia elements integrated into the modules.
• Interactive quizzes and assessments incorporated into the training modules.
• User data protection measures implemented.
• Monitoring system to track participant progress and completion rates.
• Technical support and maintenance documentation for the platform.
• Guide on using the platform ( step by step procedure).

1. Experience and skills required

• The service provider or expert should possess strong skills in web development, including proficiency in programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and relevant frameworks. They should have experience in developing user-friendly and interactive web applications;
• Learning Management System (LMS) Experience: It is essential that the experts have prior experience in developing or working with learning management systems (LMS). They should understand the functionalities required for online training platforms, such as user profiles, progress tracking, assessment integration, and discussion forums;
• UI/UX Design: The experts should have knowledge and experience in user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. They must be capable of creating visually appealing and intuitive interfaces that enhance the overall learning experience;
• Multimedia Integration: Experience in integrating multimedia elements into online platforms is crucial. The experts should have skills in incorporating videos, audios, animations, and presentations into the training modules effectively;
• E-Learning Standards: Familiarity with e-learning standards, such as SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model), xAPI (Experience API). This knowledge will ensure compatibility with other learning platforms and enable seamless integration;
• Security considerations: Experts should have a good understanding of security measures and data protection practices to ensure the platform maintains user confidentiality and prevents unauthorized access;
• Project Management: Effective project management skills are necessary to ensure timely delivery of the platform. The experts should have experience in planning, coordinating, and overseeing all aspects of the development process;
• Testing and Bug Fixing: Knowledge of quality assurance methodologies and experience in testing and bug fixing is essential. The experts should be able to conduct thorough testing to identify and resolve any issues before the platform is deployed;
• Collaborative Communication: Effective communication and collaboration skills are important to work with the organization team. Experts should be able to understand requirements, provide updates, and seek feedback throughout the development process;
• Proven Track Record: It is advantageous if the service provider or expert have a proven track record of successfully developing online training platforms or similar e-learning projects. References or previous work samples can demonstrate their expertise in this domain;
• Creative, motivating, and open to suggestions;
• Deadline-oriented

1. Application process

This Terms of Reference (ToR) outlines the key requirements for the development of an online training platform. Contractors are encouraged to provide additional details and insights in their proposals to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their methodology and approach and capabilities.

All interested applicants should submit the application with the proposed initial design of the platform in English of their expression of interest/proposal, signed/stamped in PDF, by 05.09.2023 16:00h, with the subject “Development of online training platform”, to the following email addresses: abakalli@caritas.ch CC: kosovo@caritas.ch

The application must submit the following documents:

Technical offer, including:

• Professional profile of the service provider or expert (CVs/portfolio of the expert or team and professional references with relevant experience - including contact details);
• The expert’s suitability for the assignment and match with previous work experience, qualifications, etc;
• A summary of the methodology to complete the assignment and tentative work plan including suggested timetable;
• Financial offer (including daily fee);
• For NGOs or other organizations, the copy of registration certificate.

Please make sure to submit all the requested documents/information; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete.

In case of questions or for further information, please contact abakalli@caritas.ch and kosovo@caritas.ch

Deadline for submissions of application is 05.09.2023 Please send your offer to abakalli@caritac.ch and cc. to kosovo@caritas.ch

Note that applications missing the required documents will not be considered for shortlisting!

1. Evaluation criteria

Adminstraive ( all docummet required are submitted)

Cost effective ( best price for the quality)

Quality of the service

Initial Design of the Product/ model of the service/Platform

1. Bidding Costs

CACH in Kosovo will not cover bidding costs and reserves the right to accept or refuse bidders, or to cancel or postpone the whole bidding process prior to signing of any agreements.

Clarification: Download Here