For Digitalization of Wash Field Operations Management and Services Performance Tracking Under the Rohingya Response.
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACT
Title of the assignment
DIGITALIZATION OF WASH FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES PERFORMANCE TRACKING UNDER THE ROHINGYA RESPONSE
LTA Number
Purpose
This service contract aims to provide technical support to the WASH team and implementing partners on the digitalization of field operations and services performance tracking to enhance efficiency, accountability, and facilitate transition to a more community-led operation that is responsive and quality assured using digital tools.
Location
CxB/Dhaka
Estimated Duration
This contract is intended to last for 12 months, starting from 1st September 2025 to 31st August 2026
Reporting to the Technical Supervisor of this assignment
WASH Specialist
Abrehet M. Omer, ICT specialist
1. Background
In 2025, UNICEF's responsibility for WASH services increased from 29 percent to 50 percent of the total Rohingya population as IOM and UNHCR scaled down WASH operations due to funding cuts. UNICEF supports the delivery of comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in the camps to ensure more than half a million refugees in 15 camps have access to a safe water supply for drinking and domestic needs, live in a clean environment and practice improved hygiene behaviours. UNICEF supports one of the largest humanitarian WASH responses globally, maintaining 107 water networks, over 4,000 hand pump wells, 16,900 latrines, 7,000 bathing facilities, and 79 Faecal Sludge Management sites, including a mega faecal treatment plant. UNICEF works with and engages the Rohingya refugees in the overall management and sustainability of WASH services.
UNICEF is working with six implementing partners (having direct contracts with UNICEF) and 17 new operational partners in UNICEF's Areas of responsibility with their own funds to streamline monitoring and reporting systems across the 15 camps. Each of these partners submits monthly progress reports on the WASH activities to UNICEF. These include data on over 25,000 service points, the volume of waste and fecal sludge collected, the number of beneficiaries reached, hygiene promotion activities, supplies distributed, complaints and feedback, and so on. Collecting and analyzing this vast amount of WASH information is a cumbersome task, considering that there is no harmonized system across partners for managing and reporting on these service points, particularly for the new camps where UNICEF has just taken over. There is therefore a need for a robust information management system to support the collection, analysis, and reporting of WASH information across the 15 camps and 23 partners (6 IPs and 17 OPs). The development of this system is critical in the face of dwindling resources. Furthermore, the WASH team is working to automate key work processes, aiming to enhance accountability and efficiency in the delivery of WASH services across the 15 camps. The digitization of these work processes is part of the team's efficiency drive as UNICEF gradually transitions to a more community-led field operations and services tracking that is responsive and quality assured using digital tools to manage the multiple operations and provide remote support.
This system will build and consolidate on the gains made in the development of the National Planning, Monitoring, and Reporting System (NPMRS) to support and automate various WASH operations, promoting efficiency and accountability, and driving evidence generation for decision-making in both development and humanitarian contexts.
2. Description of Assignment
The assignment will cover the following thematic areas with the following tasks:
2.1. DEVELOP E-CARD-BASED SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND INFRASTRUCTURE MONITORING TOOLS
- Develop an affordable and scalable module for managing service distribution to enrolled users via secure e-Cards.
- The system must support multiple concurrent service subscriptions per user, with real-time tracking and access-controlled dashboards.
- The system must support configurable reporting and rule-based notifications tailored to each service type.
- The system must support seamless integration with existing systems and technologies such as UNHCR GDT, Water ATM, and other supply distribution tools.
- Develop a progress supervision tool to manage work progress and quality for large infrastructure projects.
- Develop an operations and maintenance services logging tools to manage field operations, schedule maintenance, and track facilities' downtime.
2.2. DEVELOPMENT OF INFOGRAPHICS AND EXECUTIVE BRIEFS
- Design and deploy data visualizations adhering to sector branding (colour palette, typography, and layout grid).
- Conversion of Data to Information for Action using Infographics and Executive Briefs
- Synthesize survey results, develop and upload infographics.
2.3. DEVELOP IOS AND WINDOWS APPLICATION FOR APPLE AND WINDOWS DEVICES
- Develop iOS and Windows versions of the existing application
- Ensure full feature parity, responsive UI/UX, and seamless performance on the latest iPhones and iPads.
- Ensure compatibility with Windows 10/11 desktops and tablets, packaged for streamlined distribution through the Microsoft Store.
- Run tests to ensure compliance with App and Microsoft Stores submission requirements and platform guidelines.
2.4. DEVELOP FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES TRACKING MODULES
- Enhance and scale up the supplies inventory and assets management module for the Rohingya response, ensuring it covers all categories of supplies procured by UNICEF and includes a fully developed interactive dashboard.
- Enhance and scale up the infrastructure inventory management module to enable mapping and updating of facility attributes (e.g., location, capacity, condition) under the Rohingya response.
- Incorporate improved workflows and tracking features to capture detailed information on supplies, assets, and facilities management.
- Enhance digital forms and rationalize item categories to improve data accuracy, usability, and simplify catalog management.
- Enable multi-format document generation and templates directly from the application to support operations and efficiency.
2.5. DATA MANAGEMENT AND VISUALIZATION PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT/UPDATES
- Design and expand the database architecture to ensure seamless operation, including data integration, harmonization with other databases, and API development for interoperability.
- Develop new modules and tools, including data collection components, dynamic query-building with graphic/spatial presentation, and enhanced user rights and access controls.
- Implement dynamic, data-driven dashboards using responsive web technologies, ensuring compliance with modern UI/UX standards.
- Enable dashboards with role-based access control, asynchronous data loading, client-side filtering, and intuitive visualization features.
- Integrate interactive dashboards with existing datasets, supporting trend analysis, real-time reporting across modules, and multi-tenant reporting;
- Develop dashboards for new surveys and assessments and integrate them with broader system workflows.
- Ensure dashboards and reporting tools support CRUD workflows and offline synchronization for field-level operations
- Ensure compatibility and interoperability with other relevant UNICEF digital systems.
2.6 CAPACITY BUILDING
- Development of interactive training videos and other learning tools (English and Bangla) to support active mentoring and capacity development for systems utilization and optimization
- Develop a cross-platform training suite that includes screencasts, printable PDF documentation, and in-app contextual help (such as tooltips and embedded videos). Content should follow modular instructional design for reuse and scalability.
- Support for physical users on the application modules for planning, monitoring, and reporting.
- Provide users with remote and on-site technical assistance, as well as ongoing mentoring support, for using the application.
- Revise and update training materials based on system improvements
- Document and update the monitoring and reporting protocol based on user experiences
- Ensure effective onboarding of all sections involved in supply, logistics, programme implementation, and facility management.
- Develop user manuals and quick reference guides to support long-term adoption
- SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE
- Conduct quarterly evaluations of system performance and implement upgrades and enhancements.
- Integrate capabilities and functions to improve performance. Fix bugs and glitches that may arise.
- Enhance system capabilities by introducing advanced features to improve deployment maintenance and support service
- 3. Deliverables
Tasks/Milestone
Deliverables/Outputs
Timeline
Payment
- Inception meeting and report
Approved inception meeting report
Within 4 weeks of resumption
10%
- Capacity building workshop for program focal person /supply team – as part of requirement gathering on exiting Inventory management module and other relevant modules.
Workshop conducted
Inventory module enhancement requirement document
Within 6 weeks of resumption
The payment will be on actual based on the number of sessions provided as per LTA price for training
- Conduct consultative meetings with key actors (at least two meetings). Meetings for inventory management will include all program focal persons and for all components.
At least two consultative meeting reports submitted
Within 8 weeks of resumption
30%
- Develop cross-platform apps for iOS and Windows to support system accessibility on Apple and Windows devices.
Fully tested and deployed iOS/window Application integrated with the system
Within 12 weeks of resumption
- Develop an asset management system for programme support/ enhancement of inventory management module
Asset management tool/enhanced Inventory management module and dashboard deployed and fully tested
Within 16 weeks of resumption
- Develop a field operations management and services tracking modules
Database Compiled
Within 16 weeks of resumption
- Capacity building workshop for all section focal persons
Training conducted for the new and enhanced modules completed
Within 18 weeks of resumption.
On actual basis on the number of sessions
- Develop and test an e-card-based service management system
e-card-based services developed and tested
Within 20 weeks of resumption
20%
- Data integration and dashboard development/updates
Dashboards developed to integrate existing data.
Within 24 weeks of resumption
- Development of infographics and executive briefs
Infographics and executive briefs developed.
Within 26 weeks of resumption
- Database management and maintenance
Integration with relevant databases.
New data collection tools and modules developed as required
Quarterly technical summary report on application updates and maintenance developed and shared.
Within 28 weeks of resumption
- Capacity building for users
Development of interactive learning tools
Two training workshops conducted- for the full system
Remote assistance and mentoring support provided to users.
Within 28 weeks of resumption
- Capacity building and transfer (Part II)
Two retraining sessions conducted
Remote assistance and mentoring support provided to users.
Revised training materials based on improvements
Monitoring and reporting protocol and training manuals developed based on user's experience
Within 42 weeks of resumption
- Database management and maintenance
New data collection tools and modules developed as required
APIs for automating data harmonization and interoperability developed.
Quarterly technical summary report on application updates and maintenance developed and shared.
Within 48 weeks of resumption
- Final compilation and handover of system and submission of a final report
Final report submitted (including revised SRS, test reports, admin/technical documents, deployment /system restore procedure, source code with comment, executable code and maintenance tools)
End of Consultancy
10%
5. Reporting requirements
- Inception Report
- Quarterly Progress Report to UNICEF
- Monitoring and reporting protocol and Training Manual/Guidelines
- Final Consultancy Report
6. Payment Schedule
10%, 30%, 30%, 20% and 10% payments of the total contract amount will be made following satisfactory completion of the requisite milestones according to the table of deliverables
DSA and transport reimbursements will be paid for participation in UNICEF-organized workshops based on approved UNICEF rates. The firm will be responsible for the safety and insurance of its staff members during the delivery of this assignment.
The UNICEF ICT section will provide oversight and monitoring of the platforms' performance in line with the Software Requirement Specifications (SRS). The final payment (10%) will be made upon confirmation by the ICT/T4D unit that all documentation has been submitted.
7. Qualification requirements of the company/institution/organization
The firm should have at least four years of experience and show that it has already been providing related services, and should have competent and committed staff to deliver this service with the following minimum qualifications and expertise:
Team Leader:
- A minimum of eight years of professional experience in related ICT-based solutions for developing countries, with at least five years of senior-level work experience in the areas of systems application development
- Experience in digital platforms involving card systems, individual tracking, or digital payments
- Familiar with the deployment of multiple data input sources across channels
- Experience in scoping, user testing, and training for ICT4D-related projects
- Capable of deploying interactive learning tools for training purposes
- Ability to align technical goals with UNICEF's strategic goals
- Strong communication skills and fluency in spoken and written English
- Experience in leading similar consultancies and assignments
The firm should equally possess other key staff with expertise and experience in:
- Development of tools and templates for data collection and overall data management
- ICT expertise in the development and management of online databases, web server administration and security
- Experienced with Linux ubuntu 14.04 LTS Server operating system (OS)
- Experienced with databases, web design and dashboard management
- Expertise in Computer/Software Engineering or any other related technical field
8.0 Evaluation criteria for technical proposal
CATEGORY
POINTS
OVERALL RESPONSE
* Understanding of, and responsiveness to, UNICEF Bangladesh Office requirements.
* Understanding of scope, objectives and completeness of response
* Overall concord between UNICEF requirements and the proposal
(5)
2
2
1
METHODOLOGY AND DETAILED TIMELINE
* Quality of the proposed approach and methodology: Understanding of data collection, storage and visualization for optimizing programme management.
* Suitability of the approach: To what extent does the methodology on the technical proposal suited for the delivery and management of the programme actions and results described in the ToR. And also the approach for adding new modules to the current system without disrupting or negatively impacting ongoing functions and operations.
* Quality of proposed implementation plan: How the bidder will undertake and deliver each task with realistic timeline and clear outputs
* The risk assessment is well presented, and the mitigation strategy is well explained.
(35)
10
15
5
5
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND PROPOSED TEAM
* Professional expertise of the firm/company/organization, knowledge, and experience with WASH Information and Performance Management tool and should have previous working experience with similar projects and context
* Team leader: The contractor should appoint an English-speaking project leader with at least 8 years of proven work experience in leading similar projects and deal with sensitive and confidential information
* Team members - Have at least 2 years of experience in large-scale WASH Information System implementation including the use of field monitoring tools.
* Organization of the team and roles & responsibilities: Clear presentation of roles and responsibilities amongst team members with complementary functions and skill sets.
(30)
10
5
10
5
TOTAL MARKS
70