Digitizing RPM’s Resilience Learning Journey Curriculum Content using human-centered design (HCD) approach

Scope of Work (SoW) for an e-Learning firm to Digitize the Resilience Learning Journey Curriculum

Consultancy Title: Digitizing RPM’s Resilience Learning Journey Curriculum Content using human-centered design (HCD) approach.

Project Location(s): Somalia

Mercy Corps’ Work in Somalia

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have a long-term impact.

Mercy Corps has been operating in Somalia since 2008. With a staff of around 100 people and programs operating throughout the country, Mercy Corps’ country goal is to build a peaceful and prosperous Somalia where all people feel secure, are economically empowered, and are meaningfully engaged. Mercy Corps’ current portfolio in Somalia focuses on humanitarian response and resilience; inclusive economic growth; enhancing trust and accountability between communities and their government; and improving youth livelihood and education opportunities. All Mercy Corps interventions in Somalia are implemented in a conflict and gender-sensitive manner.

Mercy Corps is implementing the five-year USAID-funded Somalia Resilience Population Measurement (RPM) Activity. RPM aims to develop and lead a resilience measurement system on the collective resilience outcomes at a population level and build the capacity of participating stakeholders to estimate individual contributions to collective resilience outcomes in the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Focal Zone. This zone includes Banadir, Southwest State, Hirshabelle State and Jubaland State. The goal of RPM is to inform and improve stakeholder activities that contribute to resilience capacities that matter most for populations in the target zone.

Resilience Learning Journey Curriculum

The Resilience Learning Journey (RLJ) curriculum is a product of USAID/Somalia’s Resilience Population-level Measurement (RPM) Award to support stakeholders to build foundational understanding to better tell their resilience story. The curriculum is structured into structured into 8 competencies and 12 milestones. Competency is a skill that learners need to successfully master in order to fully engage in resilience learning. Similarly, a milestone is an action that marks a significant change or step towards achieving RLJ competency. Therefore, milestones feed into competencies, and they are the building blocks of this curriculum as illustrated in figure 1.

The curriculum current format of organized to slide decks is delivered through physical workshops which is limiting the reach to the intended stakeholders. With digitization, the curriculum will extend its reach since it will be available to resilience stakeholders on demand thus offering self-paced learning opportunities. We expect to launch this course among a wide group of practitioners in Somalia to strengthen foundational understanding of Resilience that can enable our work

Consultancy Description

This consultancy seeks the services of a firm specializing in e-learning development skilled in human-centered design principles to undertake the “end to end” conversion of the current curriculum to a digitized format. The objective of this consultancy is to create an interactive, user-friendly digital learning experience that enhances accessibility and engagement while enhancing user experience through a human-centered design approach. To support the assignment Mercy Corps RPM team will partner as subject matter experts to support the understanding of the curricula and review and share both content and course feedback.

Scope of Work

The e-learning firm will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Content Analysis and Strategy: The firm will analyze the current resilience learning journey curriculum and provide a roadmap on how to best structure it for digital delivery informed by human-centered design principles or user centric principles and rooted in adult learning design. This will be followed with a content strategy that will ensure alignment with learning objectives and outcomes for each competency. The strategy will also include storyboards and detailed outlines for each module incorporating multimedia elements as appropriate.
2. Content Development: Informed by the content analysis and strategy, convert the content into suitable digital format including text, images, videos, animations and interactive quizzes. This will be done with human-centered design persuasion approach and adult learning principles to enrich user experience. During the digitization, the firm will adhere to web accessibility standards to ensure seamless access once deployed.
3. Quality Assurance – The firm will conduct rigorous testing of the course and it’s modules to resolve any technical usability issues. This will include gathering feedback from a sample group of users to refine the content and interface as required before deployment.
4. Deployment and platform integration – The firm will be responsible in uploading the developed content to RPMs web servers and ensure seamless integration with other of RPMs web services. The final package should fulfill general standards (SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004/X-API). Finally, the firm will conduct functionality and compatibility tests across devices and web browsers.
5. Training and support – The firm will provide training to RPM staff on how to manage and update the digital content will need be and offer technical support during the initial deployment phase.
6. Documentation and handover: The firm will share a comprehensive documentation including user guide, technical documentation and ensure a smooth handover of the assignment.

Deliverables

The firm is expected to deliver the following:

1. Content Strategy and framework report: A detailed plan outlining the approach to content digitization outlining course strategy and framework.
2. Content design report: A detailed storyboard for each module with detailed outlines.
3. Digital Learning Modules: Fully developed and tested e-learning modules for each of the 12 milestones (modules) ready for deployment. Every module will be delivered separately for quality assurance and rapid piloting and testing draft modules before they are finalized.
4. Platform Setup and Integration: All content uploaded and configured on the RPM webserver and ensuring seamless integration with other webservices hosted on the server.
5. Quality Assurance Report: A report summarizing the Quality Assurance process and any issues resolved.
6. Training Sessions and handover: Training delivered to key staff members on content management and back-end data access and analysis.
7. Final Project Report: A comprehensive report detailing the project’s execution, challenges, and outcomes.

Qualifications and Experience

The firm demonstrates the following qualifications and experience:

• Experience: Proven experience in adapting curriculum content to digital formats for self-paced online learning.
• Technical Expertise: Proficiency in e-learning authoring tools, multimedia development, and LMS integration.
• Instructional Design: Strong background in instructional design, with a focus on creating engaging and effective digital learning experiences using HCD principles and adult learning design
• Project Management: Ability to manage complex projects, including coordination with multiple stakeholders and meeting tight deadlines.
• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of web accessibility standards and best practices in e-learning design.

Submission Requirements

Interested firms are requested to submit the following:

• Technical Proposal – This will detail the approach and methodology for the assignment, work plan and profiles of key team members and their relevant experience.
• Financial Proposal – Detailed budget breakdown, including costs for each delivery and any additional expenses.
• Past Work Examples – Web accessible examples of similar projects completed in the past.
• References – Contact information for at least three references from previous similar assignments.
• Technical Approach (40%) – The methodology and approach proposed by the firm.
• Experience and Qualifications (30%) – Relevant experience and expertise of the firm and key personnel.
• Past Performance (10%) – Quality and relevance of past work, as evidenced by case studies and references.
• Financial Proposal (20%) – Cost-effectiveness and budget alignment with project scope.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Roles and Responsibilities

Mercy Corps Somalia.

• Provide the resilience learning journey curriculum
• Offer timely feedback and approval at each stage of the project.
• Ensure effective communication and collaboration with the selected firm.
• Co-creation sessions with firms to understand the contents

The e-Learning Firm.

• Digitize the resilience learning journey influenced by the human-centered design principles, deploy, and conduct user testing.
• Maintain high standards of quality assurance to ensure that the final product meets or exceeds expectations in terms of functionality, usability, and educational value.
• Observe strong emphasis on creating a seamless and engaging user experience, ensuring that learners find the platform easy to navigate and enjoyable to use.
• Collaborate with the RPM team for subject matter expertise and addressing feedback in development.
• Maintain regular communication with the RPM Program team to ensure alignment of deliverables to the content strategy report.
• Deliver the final e-Learning content in RPM servers, support and ensure a smooth handover of content.

Budget and Payment Terms

The budget for this project will be agreed upon based on the proposal submitted by the selected firm. Payment will be made in installments as follows:

• 30% upon approval of the content strategy report.
• 20% upon completing digital modules
• 50% upon deployment and final handover of the resilience learning journey digital content.

Please download the full Scope of work and Supplier Information Form

How to apply

Deadline for Submission

All proposals must be submitted by 5pm EAT, 5th January 2025.

Instruction for Submission

Please send your proposal package to so-tender@mercycorps.org with the following subject line: Digitizing RPM’s RLJ curriculum-HCD Firm