Overview 

Westminster Foundation for Democracy (“WFD”) is the UK public body dedicated to supporting democracy around the world. Operating internationally, WFD works with parliaments, political parties, and civil society groups as well as on elections to help make political systems fairer, more inclusive and more accountable. 

We are a problem-solving, practitioner-led organisation that offers:  

• Specialist analysis, research, and advice to inform policy makers on a range of democratic governance issues; 
• High quality and impactful programmes that directly support the full spectrum of institutions in political systems to develop inclusive political processes, more accountable political systems, protection of rights and freedoms, and more pluralistic societies; and   
• International elections observation on behalf of the UK.  

Quote submission 

All proposals or quotes should be submitted by 24 March 2023 in writing and include:  

• The supplier’s name, status, company number, and registered office address  
• An overview of the supplier’s relevant experience, expertise, capability and capacity 
• A description of the good(s) or service(s) to be provided and clear explanation as to how this meets the specification in this RFQ 
• A transparent quotation of the charge for the good(s) or service(s), in GBP to include: a clear breakdown of all costs; any proposed discount applied for WFD as a not-for-profit organisation; and a separate identification of any VAT charges (and/or any other applicable tax, excise or other charges).  

The proposal or quote should be sent electronically and addressed to: Aishath Hameeda, Programme Coordinator at aishath.hameeda@wfd.org and cc-ed to Yuwanthika Jayaneththi, PAFA at Yuwanthika.Jayaneththi@wfd.org 

The same email addresses should be used for any questions related to this RFQ.  

Detailed Specification 

Objective 

WFD began working with the Majlis in July 2019. Enhancing operation of the then new parliamentary oversight committees and to strengthen parliamentary process and practices were the aims of that project, which concluded in Mar 2021.  A new programme funded by British High Commission in Male’ commenced in May 2021 and it aims to deepen parliamentary committee strengthening, critically in areas such as National Security and Prevention of Violent Extremism, Decentralization, and Climate Change and Sustainable Development are critical strands.    

Public consultation is crucial in the legislative process as it allows stakeholders to voice their opinions and provide feedback on proposed bills. In the Maldives, the current legislative process can sometimes lack transparency and sufficient time is not available for stakeholders to comment on bills. This has resulted in a lack of public participation and limited input from stakeholders. WFD Maldives conducted an assessment on the engagement between CSOs and  policy makers and the expert noted the following recommendations relating to the parliament and inclusivity in the law-making process: 

• Policymakers including the Parliament should clearly lay out and communicate consultative processes to ensure predictability and transparency in order to build public confidence. 
• Policy makers, including the Parliament, should set realistic minimum timelines for public consultative processes including for public comments and feedback for all policies and legislations. 
• Policymakers including parliamentarians should ensure multiple forms of consultative processes, as well as diverse platforms of communications, rather than only opening policies and legislations for written comments, to ensure inclusivity of all civic actors. 
• When creating public policies and laws, policymakers should proactively seek out participation from CSOs and other civic actors. To foster confidence in institutions and the process, the procedure has to be open and transparent. 

By promoting greater transparency and allowing public consultation through an open process, the legislative process in the Maldives can become more democratic and responsive to the needs and concerns of the citizens. Therefore, WFD seeks to develop a user-friendly and accessible web-based portal for stakeholder and the public to provide feedback and input on legislation under development. 

Scope  

The portal will be used for the collection and management of feedback on legislation that is under development or under review. 

The portal will provide a platform for stakeholders to submit feedback, view feedback from other stakeholders, and receive updates on the legislation in question. 

The portal will allow public to give support to legislations anonymously or with their contact information. 

The portal will be accessible via a web browser on desktop and mobile devices. 

Deliverables 

• A fully functional public consultation portal, including the following features: 
  • User registration and login 
  • An intuitive and user-friendly interface 
  • A searchable database of legislation under development or review and the stage in which it is currently 
  • A feedback submission form or interface 
  • A feedback review and management system 
  • A system for sending updates to stakeholders 
  • A system for exporting feedback data in the form of a report 
  • A dashboard view showing ratified legislations and the input received  
  • Portal should be mobile device compatible 
  • Portal should have dual language features, including, but not limited to commenting purposes. 
• Regular progress reports 
• A user manual for the portal 
• Training for staff on how to use and maintain the portal 
• Maintenance of the portal for 12 months 

Timeline 

The duration of the work is 6 months starting from late-March 2023. The development of the portal shall be completed within 3 months from the start date. 

Reporting 

The service provider will provide written and oral feedback to WFD Maldives Team after each deliverable and discuss the way forward for the next deliverable. 

Working arrangements 

The consultant will work remotely and closely with the WFD Maldives team. The consultant is expected to work with a project steering committee and the secretariat of the Majlis. Regular progress reports shall be provided to the steering committee and WFD. 

Payment 

To be submitted by the expert(s)/firms/agencies. The estimated budget for the project is between 6,000 – 8,000GBP. 

Qualifications and Experience 

The ideal candidate/firm/team will have a combination of technical skills, interpersonal skills, and policy knowledge, and will be able to work effectively with a multi-stakeholder committee. They will have a passion for developing innovative solutions that support public engagement and participatory governance. They will be committed to delivering high-quality, accessible, and user-friendly web portals that meet the needs of all stakeholders. 

Interested parties or firms should submit proposals along with CV(s) from their team which adhere to the following criteria:  

Education 

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, web development, or a related field is preferred. Master's degree in a relevant field is desired. 

Work Experience 

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in web development, with a focus on web portals and stakeholder engagement. 
• Proven experience in developing and implementing web-based solutions for public consultation and engagement. 
• Experience in developing SOPs for web-based systems. 
• Experienced in iOS and Android operating systems 

The interested parties shall submit a portfolio of work completed and copies of reference letters from previous employers/principal. 

Technical Skills 

• Strong proficiency in web development technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, MS Visual Studio and NET Core framework; MS ASP.NET MVC web application and ASP.NET Razor Pages web application using HTML, Bootstrap, JQuery, C# and LINQ; Structured Query Language (SQL). 
• Has strong design skills, with proven experience in designing user-centred interfaces that support accessibility, stakeholder engagement and consultation. 
• Knowledge of web security protocols and data privacy regulations. 
• Familiarity with project management tools and methodologies. 

Interpersonal and Communication Skills 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to present technical information in a clear and concise manner to non-technical stakeholders. 
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and professional skills in interacting with government and development partners.  

Project Management Skills 

• Ability to lead and manage the development of a web portal, including project planning, implementation, and delivery. 
• Strong organizational and time-management skills. 
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. 

Policy and Regulatory Knowledge 

• Knowledge of relevant policies and regulations related to public consultation and stakeholder engagement. 
• Understanding of the legislative process. 

Proposal Structure  

The proposal should be brief, well-structured and clearly written, with a focus on demonstrating the feasibility and viability of the methodology and budget. The proposal should be evidence-based and demonstrate a commitment to delivering a high-quality, accessible, and user-friendly portal that meets the needs of all stakeholders.  

• Introduction  
• Methodology  
• Project Plan and Timeframe  
• Technical Requirements  
• Budget