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DESIGN OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL COCOA TOOLKIT FOR FARMERS IN LATIN AMERICA

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I. BACKGROUND
In 2013 Lutheran World Relief (LWR) released its Cocoa Toolkit for farmers entitled Learning and Innovation in the Sustainable Management of Cocoa in Agro-Forestry Systems. A resource designed specifically for and with smallholder cocoa farmers and their cooperatives in Nicaragua, the Cocoa Toolkit is comprised of 10 practical guides that cover topics from cocoa planting up to certification and marketing. The Toolkit brings together an extensive collection of practical information on cocoa production and marketing and is presented textually, visually and organizationally in a way that is very accessible and easy to use for both new and experienced cocoa farmers. At 18 months since release, the toolkit has been distributed and is in use by 1500 farmers, 80 community extension agents or promotores, and 10 farmer organizations in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras. The PDF version of the Toolkit has been downloaded over a hundred times and has generated enquiries from farmers and others across Latin America and the Caribbean.
You can download the guides in PDF form as well as watch a video about their use with farmers here:http://programs.lwr.org/cocoatoolkit
In order to respond to the demand for the Cocoa Toolkit and facilitate even broader distribution and use of the Cocoa Toolkit by promotores, extension agents and farmers across the Latin American region, LWR wants to create an interactive digital version of the Toolkit that can be distributed via web-based download or on data storage devices, and carried or accessed on-line from mobile devices such as tablets and cellphones. The digital toolkit will serve as a complement to the printed version allowing it to be easily carried and accessed in the field to ensure high quality technical information on cocoa in support of farmer training and technical assistance as well as crop management.
While we are currently looking to create a stand-alone digital Cocoa Toolkit, in the future we expect to integrate this resource into digital platforms with additional functionality such as messaging and consultation capabilities.
About LWR:
Founded in 1945, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is a 501(c)3 organization that works to end poverty, injustice and human suffering, with an emphasis on improving livelihoods for small-scale farmers and strengthening local organizations. LWR serves communities in need regardless of race, creed, class or ethnicity. LWR has over 45 years of experience working with partners and smallholder farmers in Latin America and has been active in Central America since the 1970s. LWR’s Central America Regional Office, based in Managua, oversees activities in Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador and has a strong track record in promoting smallholder participation in agricultural value chains, linking coffee and cocoa producers to international markets, promoting environmentally sustainable production techniques, and helping producers adapt to climate change.
II. OBJECTIVES
The Interactive Cocoa Toolkit should allow for distribution of the existing toolkit through a web-based platform that can be used offline and printed as necessary. The intended users of the toolkit include promotores, extension agents, farmers, and other cocoa sector actors in Latin America.
Specific Objectives include:
1. Develop a digital platform that can incorporate the current Cocoa Toolkit
This digital platform should incorporate the Cocoa Toolkit and allow for easily navigable pages and an index. The platform should allow for searching of terms, and some form of bookmarking. The platform should be flexible so that additional existing tools/resources can be added as needed without reworking the platform. The platform should be able to be formatted for printing as needed.
LWR wishes to maintain the graphic identity, content and organization of the existing Cocoa Toolkit in the digital version, as it will be used as a complement to the printed version, in the hands of trainers and technical assistance providers, not a replacement of it for most farmers.
2. The Interactive Cocoa Toolkit should be tested so that it works on most common mobile devices
The interactive toolkit should function on the following models of tablets.
ModelSize Format Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 1024 x 600 128:75 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7" 1024 x 600 128:75 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8" 1280 x 800 16:10 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10" 1280 x 800 16:10 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1" 1280 x 800 16:10 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1" (2014) 2560 x 1600 16:10
The interactive toolkit should also allow for limited usability on smart phones (Android). Following are some additional illustrative specifications, for discussion with selected consultant:
OPERATING SYSTEM Should work on Android Jelly Bean version 4.0 or higher
SIZE – FORMAT Most common device screen sizes are 7 ", 9.7" and 10.1, and aspect ratios 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10.
VIDEO Should support video formats: AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG
PICTURES Should support picture formats: JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, EMF, WMF, PNG, PICT, ICO, POT, POTX
AUDIO Should support audio formats: MP3 and WAV
TEXT Should support a wide range of fonts and colors.
INTERACTIVITY Tool should allow for effects and interactions like events fired by the touch of the screen by the user, zoom, transitions, visual effects, audio and video, among other events.
3. The Interactive Cocoa Toolkit should allow for use in off-line environments
The interactive toolkit should allow for downloading of certain segments or the ability for it to be self-contained so that it can function without being connected to the internet. In the case of it being self-contained, it should be able to be accessed or installed from external media such as microSD or SD cards, USB, etc.
4. The Interactive Cocoa Toolkit should be validated with promotores in Central America.
The visual presentation of the toolkit and navigation functions must be easy to assimilate by farmers with low levels of education. The existing guides were developed in collaboration with experts in adult education and validated with small farmers with low levels of literacy. As such this material incorporates elements of line control and textual/visual balance to facilitate comprehension. Reformatting for the digital version should seek to preserve these values.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

Lutheran World Relief wishes to hire the services of a team of external consultants to develop an interactive digital version of our Cocoa Toolkit. LWR will provide the consultant with all text, images and other files associated with the existing toolkit including contact with those involved in its creation.
While LWR has outlined the present scope of work, we fully expect the selected consultants to advise LWR as to the best alternatives to meet the identified need throughout the process.
Main activities:
  1. Meeting with key stakeholders to understand the needs of the project and finalize implementation timeline.
  2. Design structure and functionality of Toolkit including review with LWR.
  3. Develop visual design for Toolkit including review with LWR.
  4. Revision of current versions of Toolkit guides to ensure language and visuals appropriate to Latin America in general (remove purely Nicaraguan references, which are few).
  5. Build pilot version of toolkit platform
  6. Pilot Interactive Digital Cocoa Toolkit is reviewed with LWR and feedback incorporated.
  7. Pilot Interactive Cocoa Toolkit is field tested with a select group of local promotores in Nicaragua and feedback incorporated.
  8. Interactive Cocoa Toolkit is developed in full
  9. Full Interactive Toolkit is reviewed by LWR and field tested with promotores in Nicaragua, and feedback is incorporated.
  10. Training for promotores in use of Interactive Cocoa Toolkit is developed and delivered with promotores in Nicaragua.
  11. Final Report developed and reviewed with LWR.
Deliverables:
· Design for interactive toolkit including structure and visual design.
· Field testing of toolkit with promotores in Nicaragua
· Full toolkit ready for distribution through website and external media, including all associated files.
· Training of promotores on use of toolkit developed, delivered and documentation shared with LWR for training of additional promotores.
· Final Report summarizing development process, describing final product including technical specifications, uses and limitations, and providing recommendations for LWR for additional IT applications for this work or other projects.
Key partners:
Key partners for the consultant in the development of the toolkit will be the LWR Central American Regional Team, including the Regional Representative, Country Directors and Regional Cocoa Specialist, who will be the main technical contact throughout the process and for field testing. Headquarters-based IT staff will engage in an advisory role throughout the process.

IV. COMPETENCY AND EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS

LWR envisions this consultancy to be carried out by a team of consultants with the following expertise:
· Technical capabilities to develop, test and perform quality control on digital platform as described in these ToR.
· Proven expertise in HTML, HTML5, CSS, Javascript and one or more web languages. The consultant should understand how to install applications and develop installer packages as needed.
· Graphic design capabilities and experience with development of materials for low literacy farmers.
· In country presence in Nicaragua a strong advantage; does not have to be the whole team.
· Spanish language skills required, English skills a plus.
· Experience with ICT applications for development; for agriculture a plus.
· Experience in Central America, with agriculture, or with agricultural extension all a plus.
We encourage interested parties to develop partnerships as needed to meet the desired areas of expertise. While we hope to find a proposal that covers the full needs of this project, we will also consider hiring two entities to work together on this, so if you are unable to cover all areas of expertise, please present a proposal that identifies the parts of this project you could carry out and clearly identifies the tasks we would have to contract out separately. If interested we can put you in touch with the consultants who supported the development of the original toolkit, but should you choose to engage them, you cannot require exclusivity as other interested parties may also want to engage them in their proposals.
V. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
The consultancy firm/consultant should provide the following:
  1. Capability Statement– 1-2 pages showing evidence of similar assignments undertaken in the last 3-5 years, CVs of key personnel, and their availability to execute the assignment
  2. Technical Proposal– 5-10 pages describing the proposed design of the interactive digital Cocoa Toolkit based on the information in this ToR. The proposal should also describe how the work will be carried out including how deliverables will be produced, and roles and responsibilities.
  3. Proposed Timeline for carrying out the tasks and submission of deliverables
  4. Budget/Cost Proposal – this should include level of effort for all stages of the project including production of deliverables, as well as all anticipated expenses in the field, including travel.
Proposal submission timeline:
16 May, 2014Deadline for submission of expressions of interest and questions.A simple email is sufficient. This is not a requirement but helps to gauge interest and gets you access to questions and answers. All questions and answers will be shared with all parties who have expressed interest.29 May, 2012 Deadline for submission of proposal.Proposals should be submitted by email to LWR at the email indicated below by 5pm Central America time.
How to apply:
Please direct expressions of interest, questions and all application materials to:contratacionesrrhhlwr@gmail.com

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