Terms of Reference (TOR) Development of a Consumer Website for Agroecology/ Ecological Organic Agriculture Product Consumption in Africa

1.   Project Background

Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) is seeking a consultant or firm to develop an informative, user- friendly, and engaging website dedicated to educating and informing consumers about Agroecology/Ecological Organic Agriculture (AE/EOA) production, consumption, and market operations under the Agroecology Promotion Programme (APP) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).BvAT’s mission is to promote sustainable, ecologically sound agricultural practices to improve livelihoods, alleviate poverty, and ensure food security for farmers in Africa.

The overall goal of the APP is to promote agroecology and other similar food production systems, such as organic and regenerative agriculture, as viable pathways for transforming food systems towards sustainability, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. As global interest and policy support for agroecology grows, there is a need to educate consumers on the benefits of AE/EOA products, particularly as demand increases for healthier, and more nutritious alternatives.

To address this, BvAT, under the auspices of APP, seeks to create a central platform for disseminating information on AE/EOA, clarifying misconceptions, answering consumer questions, and encouraging responsible consumption. The website will provide a platform for engaging with producers, value chain actors, and consumers, facilitating their participation in this transition. The primary goals of the website are to create awareness, foster engagement, and drive conversions, ensuring visitors take measurable actions in support of AE/EOA. This dynamic engagement will be critical to promoting AE/EOA as a sustainable and desirable food system.

2.   Objectives of the APP Market Pull

This component of the APP programme has four objectives connected to a functional educative website/platform:

1. To design and develop a user-friendly and responsive platform that promotes sustainable and ethical agricultural practices, improving awareness of agroecology and ecological organic (AE/EOA) products and encouraging responsible purchasing and consumption.
2. To provide consumers with an educational platform to learn about organic and other related (agroecological) products, certifications, sustainable practices, and benefits of AE/EOA production and consumption in Africa.
3. To enable continuous consumer engagement through community-building features, product reviews, and content.
4. To address and answer common consumer questions about AE/EOA through a comprehensive FAQ section.

3.   Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to develop an informative, user-friendly, and engaging website dedicated to educating and informing consumers about AE/EOA production, consumption, and market operations. Led by BvAT, the partner responsible for the Market Pull component of the APP in Africa, the platform will address consumer frequently asked questions (FAQs), the benefits of AE/EOA, and prove resources on sustainable and ethical farming practices in Africa. The website’s content will be shaped by insights from consumer associations, local partners, and stakeholders. This initiative will enable the APP partners to understand consumer behaviours and refine interactions throughout the consumer journey, from awareness to retention, strengthening connections between farmers, consumers, and other actors in the value chain.

4.   Scope of Work

The scope of work will cover the following areas:

1. Understanding of the BvAT’s requirements for an informative, user-friendly, and engaging website, and present user journey, wireframes, database design, and relevant APIs for approval before development begins.
2. Development of the website in weekly sprints and deliver a fully functional site, including data onboarding within 90 days.
3. Provision of documentation to enable the BvAT team to maintain and update the website.
4. Offering technical support and handle change requests under a monthly retainer.
5. Development of user manual and training BvAT staff on management.

5.1.  Key Elements/Features:

The consumer website is expecting to include the following features:

• User Interface Design: Creation of a modern, and visually appealing design with engaging visuals, infographics, and multimedia (e.g., videos) to simplify complex
• Responsive Design: Ensure the website is mobile-friendly and works seamlessly across various devices (desktop, tablet, mobile).
• SEO Optimization: Implement best practices for search engine optimization to ensure strong ranking on Google and compatibility with major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) and devices (desktops, tablets, smartphones).
• Interactive Feature: Implementing interactive features such as a product directory, interactive map of AE/OA outlets, directory of service providers, organic product outlets, and resources page.
• Interactive Map: Support interactive map to show the location/distribution of key players, products, and outlets…users should be able to map themselves.
• Organic Products Information: Enable designs that support detailed descriptions (certifications, nutrition qualities, and benefits) and high-quality images.
• Blog/Articles Section: Appealing design for educational posts on organic /agroecological farming, product uses, sustainable living, etc.
• FAQs: Create a Frequently Asked Questions section to address common consumer queries about organic /agroecological products, certifications, and related issues.
• Social Media Integration: Include links to social media profiles and encourage consumers to share experiences.
• User-Generated Content: Enable users to sign up as content creators to upload their profiles, success stories, and join discussion groups.
• Newsletter integration: Integrate a newsletter plugin and a sign-up form for subscribers.
• Multilingual Support: Enable content translation for regional accessibility.
• Event calendar: Integrate a calendar for upcoming events.
• Survey capability: Include functionality for hosting surveys.
• Dashboard reporting: Provide a dashboard to display key indicators for promoting AE/EOA.

5.   Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

1. A fully functional, responsive website with integrated e-commerce capabilities. The website should have an appropriate home page and dashboard developed in consultation with BvAT team.
2. Documentation of all code and systems used on the website.
3. User manuals or guides on website content management and basic trouble shooting.
4. A post-launch support plan for website maintenance and updates.

6.   Requirements and Key Qualifications

Eligible firms must demonstrate that they or the principals assigned to provide this service are qualified and licensed to undertake assignments of this nature.

6.1  Criteria for Evaluation Qualifications of the Consultant

The consultant must be a firm with extensive experience in designing and developing informative, user-friendly, and engaging websites.

1. Educational: The Lead Consultant(s) must have qualifications relevant to developing informative, user-friendly websites, with expertise in web development and/or io platform.
2. Professional Experience: The Lead Consultant(s) must demonstrate:
   1. Minimum of 5 years experience in developing websites using io including plug-ins and APIs for functionality such as payments and map integration, and UI/ UX development.
   2. Experience working with membership organizations would be an added  advantage.
   3. Established product and project management processes that deliver client outcomes on time and within budgets.

7.   Application Process and Requirements:

The application must include the following:

1. A comprehensive proposal detailing the technical approach and execution plan, which should cover:
   • A clear understanding of the assignment with a proposed project Gantt chart & key deliverable milestone
   • Methodology and approach for completing the assignment
   • Relevant experience with similar assignments (including CVs)
   • Draft work plan
   • Draft inception report outline
2. A financial proposal: a detailed breakdown of fees and expenses.

• • A summary of the commercial fees
  • The period of its validity
  • Applicable taxes
  • Other costs if any (indicating nature and breakdown)
  • Currency in which payment is required.

3. A company profile outlining experience and relevant past
4. Two samples of links to similar assignments.
5. At least three references from past

8.   How to Apply:

If you meet the above criteria, please submit your application to procurement@biovisionafrica.org with the subject line “CONSUMER WEBSITE.” The deadline for applications is 31 March 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

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Biovision Africa Trust is an equal employment organization