Introduction and background

CLASP improves the energy and environmental performance of the appliances and equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world. CLASP serves at the epicenter of collaborative, ambitious efforts to mitigate climate change and in the global movement for clean energy access, through appliance efficiency. We work hand-in-hand with governments, experts, industry, consumers, donor organizations and others to propel policies and markets toward the highest quality, lowest resource-intensive products possible.

Since its inception in 1999, CLASP has worked in nearly 100 countries, collaborating with key stakeholders to design and implement high-impact policies and programs that catalyze markets and protect consumers. CLASP is headquartered in Washington DC, with teams based in New Delhi, Nairobi, Jakarta and Brussels.

In 2005 CLASP launched a standard and labelling (S&L) Policy Database – a comprehensive resource of appliance and equipment energy efficiency policies for policy makers and other stakeholders. Since then the database has evolved in scope and coverage, and currently includes policies for 92 economies and 115 product categories.

Throughout the years, CLASP Policy Database has been an extremely valuable resource for the energy efficiency space offering unique in-depth S&L policy information for governments, non-governmental and international organizations, as well as researchers to conduct policy analyses and inform policy making. Also, the Policy Database served as reference and facilitated collaboration with implementing partners, including the World Bank and IEA, informing their tools and analyses.

CLASP would like to expand the scope of the policy database from a policy library to a “Policy Hub”. The Policy Hub will provide the energy and water community with exclusive tools and resources to inform analyses and evidence-based policy making to advance climate change action.

To this end, CLASP seeks to hire a qualified contractor (IT, website, database developer) to build an “Energy and Water Efficiency Policy Hub for Appliances and Equipment” (Policy Hub) on a new platform, which is separate from, but linked to, the CLASP website, clasp.ngo. Currently the Policy Database is hosted on CLASP website. CLASP will continue maintaining the ownership and oversight of the Policy Hub and provide the content for it.

Scope of Work and Budget

The contractor will work closely with CLASP and will be responsible for discovering, conceptualizing, developing the Policy Hub platform. CLASP envisions the development and launch of the Hub in several phases, based on funding cycles, CLASP’s timeline for the creation of content, and on the successful delivery of each phase. The contractor will not be responsible for the development of any content for the platform, but may support the storytelling.

This current RFP covers the discovery process and the first phase of the development of the Policy Hub, as described below. The estimated budget range for this contract is between USD 50,000 – 65,000. The expected timeline is six months, starting in July 2020.

CLASP would like for the applicants to suggest their approach for the discovery process and the development of Hub concept, as well as to build and launch one or more features listed below as part of this first contract. Among the features, the priority should be given to developing a well-functioning policy library both for end-users and for administrators (back-end).

Following the launch of Phase 1, we expect the contractor to develop other features and ensure maintenance of the platform during the subsequent Phases.

We envision the final product to include the following features:

• A policy library (policy database) that provides access to complex water and energy efficiency policy information through an intuitive interface, including a user-customizable policy search function and possibility for users to personalize and download the results page information.
• Interactive data visualization based on the policy information in the database. Functionalities should include the generation of charts and tables summarizing policy information by country and among countries (e.g. for comparison purposes), and depending on users’ selection.
• A feedback feature to receive feedback and send responses to the feedback received, as well as to crowdsource policy information to incorporate in the policy database or other sections of the policy hub.
• Country policy profiles. The content of the policy profiles will be provided by CLASP at different stages.
• An FAQ section
• A resource library (details are still to be determined with the CLASP team)
• Link to the CLASP modelling tool (later Phases)
• For the back-end management:
  • An easy-to-use content management system for policy uploads that best responds to our needs.
• Multiple user access with various permission levels (e.g. administrator and contributor) who can update policy hub content.

In addition to the features listed above, the Policy Hub must respond to these requirements:

• It must be easy to use and navigate for users in different countries
• It incorporates relevant storytelling
• It is accessible by users with limited/narrowband access
• It is linked to a web analytics tool

Task 1: Policy Hub concept discovery phase and development plan

The contractor will work in close collaboration with CLASP to lead a discovery phase to understand CLASP’s needs and inform the Hub concept. At the end of the discovery phase, the contractor will deliver a Policy Hub plan that will fully develop the Hub by the end of 2021.

The contractor will:

• Work closely with CLASP for the discovery of the Policy Hub concept and provide options and recommendations for features, interface, and visual design.
• Present the Policy Hub concept which will outline the development of the features listed above and any other details agreed during the discovery process.
• Prepare a Policy Hub Development Plan and timeline for the development, beta testing, and launch of the Policy Hub and its components in phases, along with the outline of the team responsible for the tasks.

CLASP will:

• Provide the contractor with existing information collected on the use of the current Policy Database through the 2019 Database User Survey, which CLASP conducted to understand the database value and issues, and inform its improvements. Provide the contractor with existing Google Analytics information, if deemed necessary, in relation to the use of the existing Policy Database.
• Collaborate with the contractor to jointly discover and define a comprehensive Policy Hub concept.
• Provide feedback.

Delivery Requirements and Outputs of this task:

1. Lead the discovery process and identify 2 or more options and recommendations to develop the various features, interface, and visual design in collaboration with the CLASP team.
2. Present the final Policy Hub concept as a final outcome of the discovery process that includes the agreed options for features, interface, etc., in the form of a presentation and written document (max 10-15 pages) and commit to revise, as applicable.
3. Present a Policy Hub Development Plan and timeline for its development, with particular focus on Policy Hub development under Phase 1, beta version testing, and launch of the P Hub.
4. Develop a BETA version of the Hub by working together with CLASP and following the Hub concept and Development Plan
5. Share a BETA version of the Policy Hub for testing with CLASP and other identified stakeholders
6. Revise/update and policy hub incorporating feedback, and prepare it for launch.
7. Launch Policy Hub with features developed under Phase 1
8. Develop one backend user manual with guidance information for back-end uploads, updates, maintenance (covering Phase 1 features)
9. Coordinate with the contractor responsible for the CLASP website and ensure compatibility between the two platforms

Task 2: Development, testing and launch of the Policy Hub under Phase 1

The contractor will be responsible for developing one or more features of the Policy Hub listed above, and for testing the platform. The contractor will be responsible for launching the Policy Hub and ensuring its functionality.

The contractor will:

• Develop a BETA version of the Hub by working together with CLASP and following the Hub concept and Development Plan
• Share a BETA version of the Policy Hub for testing with CLASP and other identified stakeholders
• Revise/update and policy hub incorporating feedback, and prepare it for launch.
• Launch Policy Hub with features developed under Phase 1
• Develop one backend user manual with guidance information for back-end uploads, updates, maintenance (covering Phase 1 features)
• Coordinate with the contractor responsible for the CLASP website and ensure compatibility between the two platforms

CLASP will:

• Closely collaborate with the contractor to develop the Policy Hub features as defined in the Concept/Development Plan and provide inputs
• Test the features that are developed under Phase 1 and provide feedback
• Review backend user manual and provide feedback
• Participate in weekly check-ins or share weekly updates with CLASP on progress with the platform development and challenges (if any)
• Provide timely and detailed responses to questions and comments from CLASP team.
• All written documents should be submitted first as drafts for review and comments by CLASP and revised within a period of two weeks following CLASP submission of comments.
• Coordinate with the contractor responsible for the CLASP website as necessary.

Delivery Requirements and Outputs of this task:

1. BETA version of the Policy Hub under Phase 1 is designed and delivered for testing
2. Feedback collected, incorporated and the policy hub is revised accordingly
3. Policy Hub Phase 1 launched and developed features are fully functional
4. User manual delivered
5. Demonstrated compatibility of the Policy Hub platform with the CLASP website

General Project Requirements

• Participate in weekly check-ins or share weekly updates with CLASP on progress with the platform development and challenges (if any)
• Provide timely and detailed responses to questions and comments from CLASP team.
• All written documents should be submitted first as drafts for review and comments by CLASP and revised within a period of two weeks following CLASP submission of comments.
• Coordinate with the contractor responsible for the CLASP website as necessary.

Key Milestones and Deliverables

• Discovery process completed
• Policy hub concept developed
• Development plan developed
• Policy hub Phase 1 BETA testing conducted
• Policy Hub Phase 1 launched
• User Manual Phase 1 developed
• Detailed budget that includes all direct and indirect cost estimates for executing the project, including a breakdown (in days) of the level of effort and costs associated with each team member that will be engaged in the project.

Timeline

We expect this first contract to last 6 months and be completed by the end of 2020, with flexibility depending on specific contractor’s requests necessary for the development of the Policy Hub to be discussed in close coordination with CLASP.

Evaluation Procedure

A committee appointed by CLASP will evaluate proposals received from respondents. Selection of qualified organizations will be based upon the following criteria:

• Technical Evaluation Factors
• Cost Evaluation Factors

All bids will be evaluated and ranked using Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS), with 80 percent of the score accorded to the technical proposal, and 20 percent to the financial proposal. The detailed evaluation criteria can be found in Annex A.

SUBMITTAL

Interested parties must:

1. Demonstrate experience leading similar activities
2. Register as a CLASP Implementing Partner (click here to register).
3. Complete the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire using the online form. Note: Organizations that have already completed the PQQ do not need to complete it again

Interested parties should submit separate technical and financial proposals as electronic files (preferably in PDF format). The file should be named as per the following example:

• [CONTRACTOR_NAME]_TechnicalProposal_RFP4-20
• [CONTRACTOR_NAME]_FinancialProposal_RFP4-20

The deadline for application is July 9^th, 2020. Proposals must be submitted online via the CLASP website, filling out all the requested information and attaching both a technical and financial proposal.

The proposal length should not exceed 20 pages total.

The technical proposal should include:

• Background and experience in conducting similar projects.
• Detailed work plan and methodology, considering the required outcomes, and specifying the rationale for the identified approach (creative ideas are welcome).
• Identification of the team that will execute the project, including an organizational chart and accompanying brief description of key team members and their qualifications and relevant work experience.
• Detailed timeline for all project activities, tasks, milestones and deliverables within the timeframe indicated above.
• CVs and related summaries of experience and qualifications of proposed project team staff should be included in an Annex[1].

The financial proposal (in USD) should include:

All questions may be addressed to sdemartini@clasp.ngo. The last date for submission of questions related to this RFP is July 8^th, 2020. We request all inquiries to be made by e-mail and not by phone.

[1] Annex is exempt from the 20-page limitation.