MARD/UNDP Jobs: Upgrading OMARD Website for State Administration Management
THE PROJECT SUPPORT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM AT MINISTRYOF AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT – VIE/02/016
Ha Noi, 16 January 2006
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Upgrading OMARD Website for State Administration Management
A. CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND
Component 3 of the Project PAR in MARD supports the
implementation of the IT Development & Application Strategy
to strengthen State Administration Management in
effectiveness and efficiency. The outputs of the component
are that the IT Division in OMARD is strengthened (Output
3.1); IT resources for extended pilots to all MARD
Departments and DARDS are developed (Output 3.2); IT
administrative processes and procedures are redesigned and
piloted (Output 3.3); the ability of to exchange information
is enhanced (Output 3.4); and to support the development of
Rural Telecenters for farmers (Output 3.5)
In the approved 2005 Workplan, the Project has committed IT
resources for extended pilots to MARD and DARDS to improve
information exchange quality and communication between them,
and them to external agencies. The key objectives of the
pilot are: to improve information management & sharing among
units under MARD as well as between them and external
agencies, organizations; enhance information exchange
capacity between central and local level (between DARDs and
MARD, DARDs and departments, Irrigation Projects Management
Board and Department of Construction Management); and
capture lessons learnt on successes and constraints that
need to be overcome for future implementation. B. NEED AND OBJECTIVE
The OMARD state management website www.mard.gov.vn started
on 1/7/2000. It was upgraded from Intranet webpage called
Agrunet that developed during the implementation of the MARD
computerization project, under the state administration
management programme of the IT Steering Committee
(1996-1998). In the beginning the website was a novelty and
was popular. It provided a lot of useful information on
state administration management for units for both MAR and
non-MARD agencies. It was a tangible evidence of reform
undertaken in MARD.
In 2003, the Project has supported to convert the Mard
website (www.mard.gov.vn) from static to active one.
After that, the website has not been upgraded nor
well-maintained. The website has lost its user-friendliness
for the following reasons:
- Inadequate information and outdated information;
- Database lacks the robust to store and retrieve
information;
- Unstable search engine;
- Absence of a frequently ask questions (FAQs) section;
- Lack of a personal sign-in;
- Unattractive design
In order that state administration is enhanced there is a
need to upgrade the OMARD Website.
The objective of this TOR is to provide support in upgrading
the OMARD Website to overcome the inadequacies as mentioned
above. Furthermore MARD leaders should be able to have
dialogue through the network; video clips on the agriculture
sector and rural development; PAR in MARD project
information, documents and lessons learnt can be shown on
the website
C. EXPECTED OUTPUT
The key output is that of the activity is an upgraded
Website that would allow OMARD to dialogue with the MARD
departments, DARDs, farmers, donors and other
stakeholder-readers on policies, regulations and issues of
the agriculture and rural development sector.
To enable an effective and seamless dialogue, the Website
must contained the following attributes:
- A robust database that stores sufficient relevant
information (see Appendix 1);
- Powerful search engine;
- Regular updating of information;
- User-friendliness;
- Multiple interfaces
The technical specification of the Website is shown in
Appendix 2.
D. PARTICIPANTS
The IT Taskforce shall be coordinating with the Editorial
Board Members, IT Division Staff, and the PSU.
E. APPROACH & METHODOLOGY
The Website Editorial Board is now in placed. Its work
regulations have been prepared and approved. Part of the
responsibility of the Editorial Board is to decide on the
nature and type of content to be input to the website.
To ensure sustainability, there are 2 trained Webmasters in
IT Division of OMARD and are adequately proficient to
maintain the website. Furthermore there is a planned budget
for website maintenance.
Scope of Work for the Consulting Firm:
- Preparing draft webpage designs for comments and approval
from the Web Editorial Board and Project PSU before amending
and uploading website;
- Up uploading the website in the first instance and
subsequently assisting the IT Taskforce to upload, amend,
revise and update the website over the period of the
contract;
- Provide training on website maintenance (upload documents,
amending design, etc) and deliver a Website Maintenance
Training Manual;
- Deliver the source codes to the Project in working order
on 20 May 2006;
- Complete the assignment on 27 May 2006.
Scope of Work for the Web Editorial Board and Project PSU:
- Providing to the Consulting Firm all documents to be
uploaded to the website;
- Reviews, comment and approves on draft webpage designs
provided by Consulting Firm before uploading;
Workplan
- Step 1: The Project VIE/02/016 shall coordinate with the
Website Editorial Board to complete the TOR for inviting
bidders to upgrade the OMARD Website according to the
technical specifications listed in Appendix 2. (The Request
for Proposal is shown in Appendix 3.)
- Step 2: The Project shall receive the technical and
financial proposals until the closing date.
- Step 3: The Project shall set up the PPP to evaluate the
technical and financial proposals.
- Step 4: The Project shall recommend the most responsive
bid for undertaking the assignment to upgrade the OMARD
Website.
- Step 5: The Contractor shall complete the assignment
within time and budget and deliver the source codes and keys
to the Project who will handover to the IT Division of
OMARD.
Timeframe
- 13 Feb 2006: Complete the TOR submitted to NDP and UNDP
for approval.
- 24 Feb: Call for tenders.
- 17 Mar: Deadline for proposal submission before 16h00.
- 17 to 24 Mar: PPP to meet for proposal opening, evaluation
and selection.
- 03 Apr: Contractor shall start assignment
- 03 June 2006: Contractor shall complete the assigned and
deliver the source codes.
F. BUDGET
All the related expenses including the survey, design of
trial-run versions, installation, trial runs, workshops,
seminars, demo, consultations and technology transfer are
for the account of PAR in MARD Project VIE/02/016.
Appendix 3: Request for Proposal
PROJECT NUMBER: VIE/02/016-“Support to Public
Administration Reform in Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development”
NATIONAL EXECUTING AGENCY: Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: General Secretarial of the
Ministry
Budget Line No: 72100
Requisition No: ____________
Date: _______________
Project “Support to Public Administration Reform in Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development” - VIE/02/016 would
like to hold a competitive and open tender to select a
qualified contractor to upgrading OMARD Website for State
Administration Management as per the attached Request for
Proposal and detailed Term of Reference.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
To: Whom It May Concern
Dear Sir/Madam,
1. You are requested to submit in the English and Vietnamese
a proposal for services in respect of the project identified
above. Your proposal could form the basis for a contract
between your company/organization and the National Executing
Agency (NEA)
2. Your proposal should address the Terms of References
(TOR) attached to this letter, which describe the
requirements to be met. These TOR will be used in the
preparation of any contract arising out of this request.
This letter is not to be construed in any way as an offer to
contract with your company/organization.
3. A two-stage procedure will be utilized in evaluating the
proposals: 1) evaluation of technical proposals, and 2)
evaluation of financial proposals.
Technical proposal
4. Your technical proposal should include, but not
necessarily be limited to, the following information:
a) A brief description of your firm/institution and an
outline of recent experience on projects of a similar nature
in Viet Nam. You should also provide any other information
that will facilitate our evaluation of your
company/organization’s reliability and capacity to meet our
requirements (not limit to following information: business
license, similar project implemented, etc)
b) Any comments or suggestions on the TOR or on the data,
support services and facilities to be provided by the NEA.
c) Your detailed description of the manner in which your
company/organization would respond to the TOR (from the
stage of web design, upgrade, training and delivery of
source codes). Draft webpage designs should be included in
the technical proposal to support your bid. Kindly include
the number of person-months in each specialization that you
consider necessary to carry out all work required.
d) The curriculum vitae of the professional members of the
team.
5. Technical proposals will be evaluated using the following
criteria:
a) The company/organization’s general reliability as well as
experience and capacity in the specific field of the
assignment (200 points)
b) The approach in responding to the TOR (from the stage of
web design, upgrade, training and delivery of source codes),
draft Webpage designs and the detailed work plan (300
points);
c) The qualifications and competence of the personnel
proposed for the assignment for a total of (500 points).
6. Only technical proposals which obtain from 70% of the
total technical points, are technically qualified for
financial evaluation
7. If you consider that your company/organization does not
have all the expertise for the assignment, there is no
objection to your company/organization associating with
another company/organization to enable a full range of
expertise to be proposed. However, your company/organization
may participate in only one such joint proposal.
Financial Proposal
8. Your financial proposal must contain an overall quotation
in Vietnamese dong for all services to be provided and must
itemize the following:
a) An all-inclusive day rate for each team member
(professional and administrative);
b) Other costs, if any (indicating nature and breakdown);
c) Summary of total cost for the services proposed.
Also propose a schedule of payments.
9. Please note that the cost of preparing a proposal and of
negotiating a contract, including any related travel, is not
reimbursable as a direct cost of the assignment.
Submission of Technical and Financial Proposals
10. Your proposal is to be divided into a technical and a
financial proposal, both submitted in two copies
simultaneously and in separate and sealed envelopes with the
contents of each marked. It should be delivered to project
office address in item 14 no later than 16:30, 17 March
2006. All proposals submitted after that date or proposals
not in conformity with the requirements specified above will
not be considered.
11. You are requested to hold your proposal valid for 30
working days from the deadline for submission. The NEA will
make its best effort to select a company/organization within
this period.
12. Please note that the NEA in not bound to select any of
the companies/organizations submitting proposals. A contract
will be awarded in respect of the proposal which is
considered most responsive to the needs of the project
concerned with due consideration being given to economy and
efficiency. NEA does not bind itself in any way to select
the company/organization offering the lowest price.
13. Assuming that a contract can be satisfactorily
concluded, the assignment is expected to commence on or
about 03 April 2006. .
14. Project Office:
The Office of Project "Support to the Public Administration
Reform Programme in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development (MARD)"
Room 202, B4 Building, MARD
02 Ngoc Ha Str, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi
Tel: 0804 3097/8 — Fax: 02 733 9117
Email: vie02016@undp.org.vn
15. Any questions during the bidding time should be sent to
project office address in item 14 in written paper.
Yours sincerely,
Nguyen Quang Minh
Director of
OMARD
National Project
Director
Appendix 1 Content in the upgraded OMARD Website
1.1 Introduction
Introduction on functions, tasks and organization of MARD,
work regulations and legal documents related to agriculture
& rural development sector, contact address, telephone, fax,
email…and OMARD information.
1.2. Management information
Periodical reports, MARD announcements, topic reports and
missions.
13. News and events
Updating instant events in MARD state administration
management. News is divided into groups: hot news; local
news.
1.4 Official documents promulgated
Containing two parts: Documents of MARD and Official
Gazettes
1.5 PAR
Information on PAR activities of MARD, C_c/V_, MARD units
and the outstanding PAR pilots; Project PAR in MARD
documents, lessons learnt and up coming events.
1.6 International cooperation
1.7 Services, forum with audiences
Information on OSS implementation in MARD, services:
information searching & exchange by Email; Forum of
policies, economic growth, agriculture & rural development
in Vi_t Nam.
Exchange of applications on management & training on ICTPN;
1.8 Q&A section
Setting up a tool for functional units to answer questions
of audiences, National Assembly and voters, editorial board
and coordinators network in which IT coordinators at units
will be focal point who receives questions and direct the
questions to the respective departments/subject experts. The
responses of the departments/subject experts shall be
directed back to the focal point who will in turn re0direct
the response to the enquirer.
1.9 Information on tender, recruitments and
advertisements:
Posting information on tender, recruitments on OMARD
Website. A paid advertisement column will be set up to
partly cover the website’s operation cost.
1.10 Web links
Links with the websites of MARD, other ministries, sectors,
DARDs (if any), ISG.
1.11 English version for the above 10 contents.
Appendix 2 Technical specifications
2.1 Interface and features
Matching colors, user-friendly, attractive. Decisive color
is green and yellow. MARD Logo
3-part structure: Main columns are in order of the contents
section, including parameters on weather, rate of exchange…
and advertisements are on the left. Headlines of hot news,
banners of advertisements and recruitments are on the right.
Hot news, bulletins enclosed illustrated photos are at the
middle. Especially the central displays topical news. Each
column contains at least 3 pieces of news. Every column is
designed in a separate page with concrete information
displayed after being kicked. The column includes menu,
information content. Bellow is list of news posted and
searching tool by time. Special advertisements are also
posted on the page. News is printable.
Column of official documents has searching tool based on
file attribute: type and number of documents, date and
agency of issue, keyword, and summary content…
2.2 Technology
Modern but uncomplicated technology should be used to
develop the website, thence OMARD can be active in further
modification when needed. Open source code software is
preferred because of its popularity, economical and high
security level.
Technology requirements: Modern, modifiable, Low cost, Fast
sign-in, stable system, High security level, Synchronized
database of the existing webpage, Integrated with database
of MARD portal, Automatically updated information on the
websites of: Department of Dyke Maintenance & Flood
protection, Department of Animal Health, Central
hydro-meteorology centre; information on weather, exchange
rate… on linked webs.
2.3 Administration
Tools for setting up menu and Vietnamese version, system
manager can easily change contents, position, orders and
arrange columns, Columns are managed by groups. Managers can
modify, change definition of groups. Interface is easy to be
changed by library of templates. Manager can create
templates by himself. On-line modifications. Users are
managed by functional groups through sign-in account.
Manager can revise, change definition of the groups.
Information edition by information processing workflow
according to international standard with regulations: news
writing, sending, examining, pre-viewing, return, feedback,
collection and publications.
Single management modality to avoid overlapped information.
Able to publish information by calendar, display news by
fixed date, automatically store and hide overdue
information.
List of reports by columns to help Editorial Board monitor
and orient the website development.
Management of opinion poll, forum, automatic separation of
information channels on forum based on the address of column
experts. Automatic data storage and recovery, convenient for
system management. Install and set up system easily during
breakdowns.
2.4 Training & technology transfer
After being tested, the whole source code and manual shall
be transferred to OMARD and receivers shall be trained in
both types: hard copy and soft copy. The copies will meet
demands of OMARD.
