Terms of Reference (TOR) for Building a professional, high-capacity website for the House of Representatives of the Somaliland Parliament

Terms of Reference (TOR) for

Building a professional, high-capacity website for the House of Representatives of the Somaliland Parliament

House  Overview:

The Parliament of Somaliland, established after the country declared independence in 1991, is a bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives (lower house) and the House of Elders (upper house or Guurti). The House of Representatives has 82 members elected by popular vote for five-year terms, representing the various regions and districts of Somaliland.

Somaliland, though not internationally recognized as a sovereign state, has maintained a relatively stable democratic system for over three decades. The parliament plays a crucial role in this system, enacting laws, approving the national budget, and overseeing the executive branch.

Website Upgrade

A professional website for the House of Representatives is not just a technological upgrade, but a strategic tool to enhance democracy, transparency, and citizen participation in Somaliland. It represents a significant step towards aligning the parliament's operations with international standards and meeting the expectations of a digitally connected citizenry.

The envisaged website for the House of Representatives of the Somaliland bicameral parliament would enhance the HoR’s:

1.    Transparency and Accountability: A comprehensive website would provide citizens with direct access to information about parliamentary activities, legislation, and MPs' performances. This transparency is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring accountability.

2.    Citizen Engagement: In a young democracy like Somaliland, fostering citizen participation is vital. A well-designed website can serve as a platform for citizens to engage with their representatives, submit petitions, and stay informed about legislative processes.

3.    International Visibility: While Somaliland seeks international recognition, a professional parliamentary website can demonstrate the country's commitment to democratic governance and help showcase its functioning institutions to the global community.

4.    Efficient Information Dissemination: A centralized online platform would streamline the process of sharing official documents, legislative updates, and parliamentary news, reducing the burden on administrative staff and improving public access to information.

5.    Modernization of Parliament: Implementing a state-of-the-art website aligns with global best practices for parliaments and demonstrates Somaliland's commitment to modernizing its governance structures.

6.    Support for Multilingualism: A website can effectively cater to Somaliland's linguistic diversity by providing information in multiple languages, ensuring wider accessibility.

7.    Historical Record: The website can serve as a digital archive, preserving the parliamentary history and legislative records of Somaliland for future generations and researchers.

8.    Remote Access: Given Somaliland's geographical spread, a website would allow citizens from all regions to access parliamentary information without the need to travel to the capital.

9.    Media Relations: A comprehensive website would serve as a reliable source of information for journalists, promoting accurate reporting on parliamentary affairs.

10. Civic Education: The platform can include educational resources about the parliamentary system, encouraging civic engagement and political literacy among the population.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Assignment Overview

Develop a comprehensive, user-friendly website for the House of Representatives of the Somaliland Parliament that adheres to international standards for parliamentary websites.

2. Objectives

•       Enhance transparency and accessibility of parliamentary information

•       Facilitate citizen engagement with the parliament

•       Provide up-to-date information on legislative activities

•       Ensure the website is accessible to all, including those with disabilities

3. Scope of Work

3.1, Build the Structure of the website giving special consideration to requisite, key categories, menus, and sub-menus

a) Must be a fitting structure to positively reflect Information about Parliament that considers:

•       Access to parliament (physical and virtual)

•       History and role of the Somaliland Parliament

•       Functions, composition, and activities

•       Elected leaders' profiles

•       Information on parliamentary committees and commissions

•       Detailed profiles of Members of Parliament

•       Political parties represented in parliament

•       Electoral system and past election results

•       Parliament Secretariat details

•       Training, seminars and webinars

•       Resource materials for parliamentarians

•       Publications and documents repository (including Acts passed and related national and international instruments)

•       Media and News

•       Relevant external links

•       Develop a content strategy with regular updates of multimedia elements

b) Legislative, Budget, and Oversight Information

•       Overview of legislative, budget, and oversight activities

•       Legislation tracking system

•       Budget and public financing information

•       Oversight activities and reports

•       Committee activities and documentation

•       Plenary session records and documentation

3.2 Technical Features

a) Search and Information Retrieval

•       Advanced search engine for all website content

•       Live broadcasting and archived webcasts of sessions

•       Email and SMS alerting services for updates

•       Mobile-responsive design and dedicated mobile services

•       Optimize for fast load times, scalability, and performance testing

•       Implement SEO best practices and integrate analytics tools for monitoring

b) Security and Authentication

•       Implement robust security measures

•       User authentication system for restricted areas

•       Comply with Somaliland data protection law

•       Develop a risk management plan with backup and disaster recovery

c) Communication Tools

•       General feedback mechanisms

•       Platforms for direct communication between MPs and citizens

3.3 Design and Usability

•       Intuitive navigation and user-friendly interface

•       Compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

•       Multilingual support (Somali, English, and Arabic)

•       Consistent and professional design elements

•       Ensure seamless integration with existing databases and digital platform

•       Ensure compliance with copyright laws, include terms of use and privacy policy

4. Deliverables

•       Fully functional website meeting all specified requirements

•       Content Management System (CMS) for easy updates

•       User manuals for website administration

•       Training sessions for parliamentary staff responsible for updating the website.

•       Ongoing maintenance and technical support post-launch for updates, security, and troubleshooting

  5. Timeline

•       Project duration: Two months

•       Key milestones and project phases to be agreed

Evaluation Criteria

•       Be a reputable firm with at least 7 years of prior experience designing visually appealing and user-friendly web sites.

•       Technical expertise and experience in developing government websites

•       Understanding of parliamentary processes and needs

•       Proposed methodology and approach

•       Quality of proposed design and user experience

•       Project timeline and cost-effectiveness

•       Key professional staff qualifications and competencies required for the assignment

8. Submission Requirements

•       Detailed technical proposal

•       Portfolio of relevant projects

•       Team composition and qualifications

•       Proposed timeline and budget

Interested consultants or consulting firms are invited to submit a technical proposal, portfolio of relevant projects, team composition and qualifications, proposed timeline, and budget. Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] copied to [email protected] with the subject line "Website Development" by 29 August 2024, 18:00 EAT.

Please protect both your technical and financial proposals with a password. Send the password to the above emails one hour before the opening session scheduled for 1 September 2024, at 9:30 am (Hargeisa Time).