POLHN Website and Moodle Management and Enhancements
Background
The Pacific Open Learning Health Net (POLHN) was created to deliver online learning and continuing professional development opportunities for geographically dispersed and remote health workers in the Pacific. POLHN partners with academic institutions, course providers, independent contractors and Ministries of Health to provide equal opportunity and greater access to range of accredited and non-accredited learning activities both online and via e-learning for health workers across the Pacific.
POLHN website, learning management system and user base plays a highly important role in its functionality. POLHN’s , learning management system; Moodle holds critical user and course-related information. In recent months, there have been several failed attempts of hacking and forceful introduction of adware and malware.
The frequent attacks of spam and malware have also increased POLHN website and Moodle downtime. Due to the increase in traffic and users, the server is now more vulnerable to such attacks. Both Moodle and the POLHN website itself require a dedicated technical specialist to monitor and resolve the increased chances of being targeted by spam, as well as losing student information and website content. Previously, the website and Moodle were managed in-house, however due to the current increased website load, external management and expertise are necessary.
Planned timelines
Start date: 15/07/2017
End date: 15/12/2017
Method(s) to carry out the activity
Virtual from the suppliers’ location, POLHN has two main live platforms:
- POLHN website; and
- Moodle-based LMS
Output/s
In collaboration with the WHO Pacific Health Systems and Policy team, the contractor will be required to perform the below tasks:
A. Website maintenance and updates;
B. Moodle development and updates;
C. Website and Moodle security, hosting and administration;
D. Search engine optimization (SEO) and reporting of results; and
E. Google Analytics and reporting of findings.
More specifically, the contractor will be responsible for the following:
- Continual virus scanning and protection: providing comprehensive website malware scanning and removal on an ongoing basis to ensure websites are free of possible infections at all times;
- Layer 7 firewall: ensuring compliance of the layer 7 application firewall to protect against hacking and infectious activities. This firewall should be capable of implementing geographical location-based (GEO) blocking, accessing permission controls, and IP blocking. The contractor is required to provide ongoing monthly firewall activity log;
- SSL: providing SSL compatible protection to both the POLHN website and Moodle;
- Website and Moodle: conducting updates and upgrading both platforms on daily/weekly bases;
- Website audit: providing quarterly complete security audit of the current website with a detailed analytical report regarding vulnerabilities and risk levels;
- Website hardening: patching and updating code based on above audit report. If the code updates or patches are unavailable, the contractor will provide virtual patching solutions to reduce the risk of website exploitation;
- Web hosting: managing the host server by facilitating regular security updates and patching as well as a backup system that backs up the website every 8 hours. These backups should be accessible and restorable without hosting admin intervention;
- DDOS protection: ensuring the host platform has a DDOS firewall to protect against denial of service attacks;
- SEO: providing SEO analyses reports and recommendations in coordination with relevant aspects of the website.
As such, the contractor will:
i. Use SEO analyses to fix all issues found regarding page SEO status, in addition to providing detailed reports on current site links, and assisting in fixing keywords and related SEO tags;
ii. Perform keyword research in coordination with objectives in order to optimize existing content and uncover new opportunities for SEO;
iii. Help to create marketing content for social media purposes (e.g. customer videos briefs, customer case studies, promoting website blog posts);
iv. Monitor and administer web analytics dashboards, reports and key reporting tools, in addition to pointing out areas of importance in accordance with goals; and
v. Provide monthly reports on keyword improvements. - Enhancement: the contractor should add layouts and new enhancement features as required;
- Design: the contractor must provide the design of all the images on the website including course thumbnails, banners, and news-related images for better optimization. All the images on the website shall have proper SEO features and caption titles that are also visible at its front end;
- Configuration and maintenance of the newsletter application: the provider will be responsible for the selection of a third party newsletter application, the content will be managed by POLHN. It will ensure the distribution of said newsletters and manage their analysis of performance;
- Updates of courses information pages: in coordination with POLHN, the contractor will ensure the regular updates of course information pages, the content of which is directly fetched from Moodle and is integrated with the POLHN website. The contractor will be responsible for managing and updating the courses both on Moodle and the website. This also includes:
- Course development: working closely with POLHN’s course development team to finalize new courses and then add these to Moodle and the POLHN website;
- Course content: managing the content of all the courses; and
- Course certificates: re-designing course certificates as per POLHN’s requirements, and ensure their integration with Moodle.
- Moodle plugin development: the contractor shall develop certain plugins for Moodle to perform specific tasks;
- Layout fixing: the contractor will be required to fix layouts for different pages on Moodle as well as on the website, as per the advice from the POLHN team;
- Search functionality: the contractor will be required to improve website searching functionality;
- 24/7 support service: for various mission critical components and services, the contractor shall ensure 24/7 support service in order to assist the POLHN team and health professionals as necessary; and
- Regular documentation and orientation: shall document the performed changes in any of the components and shall ensure the communication of these with POLHN staff through appropriate means.
Technical supervision
The selected consultant will work under the supervision of:
Responsible Officer: Mohammed Yasin, Technical Officer Pacific Open Learning Health Net, Pacific Health Systems and Policy, Division of Pacific Technical Support
Email:yasinm@who.int
Manager: Kunhee Park, Acting Team Leader, Pacific Health Systems and Policy, Division of Pacific Technical Support
Email: parkku@who.int
Specific requirements
The following experience is required for this contract: at least 5 years of work experience in the field of website management with specializations in website security, development, maintenance, hosting, SEO, and design. Experience working with WHO or related organizations would be an asset.
Competencies
- Communicating in a credible and effective way;
- Producing results as measurable by specific outputs;
- Moving forward in a changing environment; and
- Fostering integration and teamwork.
Location of assignment
Remote; work and communication to be conducted virtually from the contractor’s location.
Timeline and duration of assignment
The duration for of the assignment is from 15 July, 2017 to 15 December, 2017
Proposed activities
Report of activities and updates as listed above 15th of each month
Progress report based on Google Analytics and SEO results (outputs D and E) Every three months
Deliverable(s) to be submitted during and after the period of the assignment including manner of delivery and payment
- Monthly in 5 instalments upon submission of progress report
Detailed cost breakdown
Routine service; 99.99% uptime = (60 hours/ month) X (submit your expected hourly rate) = ___________
Upgrades and updates; all plugin and upgrade cost included = (45 hours/ month) X (submit your expected hourly rate) ___________
Administration = (15 hours/ month) X (submit your expected hourly rate) = ___________
Fixed cost – (Renewal, licensing, hosting, security...) = To be discussed with selected supplier
Miscellaneous (if any, specify) = ______________
TOTAL = _____________________
Applications
Interested institutions / companies should submit an application letter with an expected quotation and portfolio of previous works in relation to TOR to wpfjidpsprocurement@who.int . Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications close on Friday 21 July, 2017. Please use Tender Notice No 59037 as subject to all submissions