TERMS OF REFERENCE- Consultancy for Upgrading TagMe App and its Webportal

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy for upgrading TagMe app and its webportal

About Youth Innovation Lab

Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering young minds through technology and innovation. Established on November 3, 2017, YI-Lab bridges the gap between science, policy, and communities, driving impactful solutions to contemporary challenges. By equipping youth with cutting-edge tools and fostering a culture of civic responsibility, YI-Lab plays a vital role in advancing climate action, disaster risk management, entrepreneurship, and data-driven advocacy.

With over seven years of expertise and collaborations with more than 70 local municipalities, YI-Lab has positioned itself as a leader in digital innovation, integrating technology to support evidence-based decision-making in disaster resilience and governance.

About TheYouthCAN.org

Nepali Yuwa in Climate Action and Green Growth (theYouthCAN.org) project is funded by the European Union and aims to create an impact where young people make their communities sustainable and resilient. TheYouthCAN.org is a four-year-long project that has been implemented in Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim provinces through the Consortium Lead - Youth Innovation Lab (YI-LAB), and Consortium Partners - Restless Development Nepal, CREASION, and CDMS.

TheYouthCAN.org focuses on working with young people, and empowering and providing them a platform to aid towards the post-COVID recovery and development process. Furthermore, the activities under Climate Fellowship, Climate Smart Entrepreneurship, Mentee-mentorship, Digital Advocacy, and Youth Sounding Board work towards empowering young people, providing them employment opportunities, generating innovative ideas to address climate and environmental issues, and advocating for policy changes to promote environmental protection.

The objective of the project is to promote the involvement of young Nepali people in green growth, environmental protection, and combatting climate change. The project has three outcomes as listed below: 

Outcome 1: To localize Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation plans, policies at the local level through the involvement of youth in policymaking, planning, and promote data-driven decision making.

Outcome 2: To engage young people in climate-smart entrepreneurial ventures to promote green jobs, enhance their livelihood, develop resiliency at local levels, and support them through professional mentorship.

Outcome 3: To develop a pool of data-driven climate advocates using low-cost technological tools to raise climate change issues in the country.

About the assignment

Through Climate Fellowship, Climate-smart Entrepreneurship, Mentee-Mentorship, Data-driven Advocacy, and Youth Sounding Board (YSB), the project aims to promote the involvement of young Nepali people in green growth, environmental protection, and combatting climate change. TagMe app and the web portal was developed in 2022 to support the evidence collection to support Data-driven Advocacy.

Using the citizen science approach and utilizing a peer-to-peer approach, young people have collected the data of identified environmental concerns of the targeted area through TagMe app. Coin and digital badge features have been incorporated in the app to gamify the data collection and incentivize young people to collect data and be part of the campaign. The app has been used in Madhesh Province to collect evidence of waste issues and in Karnali and Sudurpashchim to collect landslide data. The collected data through crowdsourcing by reaching out to young people are cleaned, analyzed, visualized in the web portal, and shared with concerned government authorities during policy dialogue.

Completing the three years of implementation, the assignment is looking at scaling up the app and upgrade as a campaign management platform where relevant agencies/organization can carry out campaigned in waste management, landslide mapping and safety mapping.

Objective

The Consulting Firm is responsible for upgrading and operationalizing the TagMe app available in IOS and Android as a campaign management platform and upgrade the web portal for data visualization that is user-friendly and dynamic. TagMe app should allow the user to collect geo-tagged data with pictures of identified environmental concern of the target area in offline mode. The firm will ensure integration of the project’s needs and requirements in the design and upgradation of the TagMe App and the web portal and will provide technical services to ensure continued maintenance and needed upgrade.

Scope of Work

The scope of work includes:

a. Desk Research: Assess existing TagMe mobile app and corresponding TagMe web portal for data visualization and prepare a report on features and designs that could be incorporated.

b. System Architecture and design of data collection app and the web portal: Following the desk research, use the current system architecture and incorporate the following features, design the data collection app and the web portal and share for feedback.

Features to include (but not limited to) in the app and the web portal:

• For data collection app
  • Updated Android/IOS app and released in play store and app store.
  • Campaign Enrolling feature for the user
  • Campaign based reward redeem feature
  • Off-line data collection and synchronize with online system.
  • User profile with the individual campaign data collection progress and tracking.
  • Gamification with badges and digital coins to incentivize data collectors.
• For web portal
  • Visualization of collected data with interactive graphics and pictures.
  • Visualization in map.
  • Download graphs and data.
  • Login with User Access Role
  • Global data collection progress with leader board for each campaign.

c. Development of the app and the web portal: On finalizing the design, develop the app and the web portal. 

d. Testing and capacity transfer: After testing the app and the web portal, present it to the Consortium Team (YI-Lab, Restless Development, CREASION, and CDMS) and orient them in operating and managing the app and the web portal. Based on the testing and feedback, carry regular bug fixing and feedback incorporation. Prepare a user guide and share with YI-Lab. 

e. Report on work progress: Discuss the monthly progress and action plan for a subsequent month with YI-Lab. Submit final report including the progress of the app and the web portal development, good practices, challenges encountered, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Approach

The Consulting Firm is expected to utilize the following approaches while undertaking these tasks:

• Ensure collaborative design and development process throughout the consultancy period including working closely with YI-Lab to ensure the integration of requirements and recommendations in the design, full development/enhancement, capacity enhancement, and deployment of systems.
• Agile Development: Develop design spirits to help stakeholders visualize the type of platform intended and agile spirits to collate regular inputs for the evolving prototyping and developing the web portal.

Current System Architecture Specification

• Overall considerations
  • Flexible and dynamic (including open source) framework for system development.
• Platform and technology
  • Developed mobile application with Flutter.
  • Use of open-source libraries for mobile applications.
  • Use of open-source development language and web framework based on Python for sufficient security and manageability for the web portal; the consulting firm may propose an alternative development language, providing the details and reasons.
  • Use of open-source databases PostgreSQL
  • Use of open-source spatial data visualization platform and infographic Mapbox with responsive design that works on common digital devices (smartphones, tablets, computers).
  • Use of map-based technology such as GeoDjango, PostGIS
  • Use of free/open-source analytics and monitoring platforms/tools.
  • Cloud-based hosting.
  • Development and implementation of security policy (including aspects of cybersecurity and privacy).
  • Database scripts, setup, and release notes for each new release.
• Data policy
  • Collected data shall be placed under data protection policy in the system and secured and restricted access shall be provided to different user groups.
• Quality assurance
  • Well-commented source code for all system enhancement work.
  • Test plans and test cases (including Unit Test Plan, User Acceptance Test Plan, System/Integration Test Plan, Security Test Plan, Load Test Plan, Regression Test Plan).
  • Unit testing, load testing, integration testing.
  • Testing documentation (including details of defects/bugs/errors and their resolution).

Expected Deliverables

Mobile Application Update (Android & iOS)

1. Enhancement of the existing mobile application to support the Campaign Participation feature.
2. Seamless user experience across both Android and iOS platforms.
3. Integration with the campaign system, allowing users to join campaigns and track their participation.
4. Reward distribution mechanism based on coins collected within campaigns.
5. User-friendly interface with notifications and progress tracking.

Website Development with Login & Campaign Management

1. Development of a web platform with secure login functionality.

2. Registration feature allowing organizations to sign up as Campaign Organizers.

3. A Campaign Management Dashboard where organizers can:

• Create and manage campaigns.
• Monitor participant engagement.
• Set reward criteria based on collected coins.
• Disperse rewards efficiently.

4. Secure authentication and data protection mechanisms.

5. Responsive design for accessibility across various devices.

Application Process

While submitting the proposal, the applicant shall ensure to attach the following:

• A technical proposal (maximum 5 pages) including
  • Background
  • Objective
  • Methodology
  • Deliverables and outputs
  • Work Plan and Time Frame
  • Team Composition
  • Organizational Profile with Portfolio of Completed Projects
  • CVs of core team members
• A financial proposal (maximum 2 pages): should include a detailed budget sheet with breakdowns of per workday remuneration.
• Copy of firm registration certificate and renewal documents and profile/experience of the consultancy firm.
• VAT registration certificate.
• Latest Tax clearance certificate.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Process

Interested VAT registered consultants/firms are requested to submit the technical and financial proposal along with required documents to YI-Lab by 12:00 am 13 March 2025. For queries, write to YI-Lab at info@youthinnovationlab.org. Find the detailed ToR here: ToR_TagMeAPP

APPLY HERE