TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONLINE OR MOBILE BASED CITIZENS’ FEEDBACK PLATFORM ON THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE PROVISION AT DISTRICT LEVEL

1. INTRODUCTION

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts. Our work is grounded in the commitment to the universality of human rights. Driven by diversity and founding our asks in evidence and experience, we take sides against poverty and injustice everywhere. Feminist approaches guide all.

OXFAM is currently implementing a European Union funded project dubbed “Beyond the numbers: Making the national budget work for the people”. Collaborating with Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) and the Non-Governmental Gender Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC), this project aims to promote active citizen engagement and the involvement of non-state actors in the national planning and budgeting processes as well as promotion of accountability in the implementation of the national budget by building their capacity and facilitating opportunities for them.

2. BACKGROUND

Citizen feedback plays a pivotal role in the relationship between government, transparency, accountability, and the quality of public service delivery. It is a mechanism that empowers citizens to actively participate in the evaluation and improvement of government services. Citizen feedback enhances transparency by shedding light on inefficiencies or areas needing improvement within government agencies. When citizens express their opinions, concerns, or suggestions about public services, it prompts government institutions to provide greater transparency. Citizen feedback is one of the accountability measures and serves as a catalyst for increased openness and disclosure, which, in turn, empowers citizens to engage with a better-informed perspective. This transparency-driven feedback loop encourages accountability as citizens hold public servants and agencies accountable for their actions. Ultimately, this accountability promotes service quality, as public service providers are incentivized to take corrective actions and make improvements in response to the feedback. The result is a continuous cycle of service enhancement, better public service delivery, and increased citizen satisfaction, reinforcing the trust between citizens and their government.

The [Your Organization Name] is seeking proposals from qualified consultants or firms to design and develop an interactive mobile application or online platform that will enable citizens to provide feedback on the quality of  public service provision and the performance of the national budget at the district level. The platform will serve as a means for citizens to engage with government agencies and provide valuable input to enhance public service delivery and transparency.

OXFAM, therefore, wishes to engage a consultant to  Develop Of Citizens’ Feedback Platform On The Quality Of  Public Service Provision And National Budget Performance At District Level to support the work  of Oxfam and its partners on the beyond the numbers project.

3. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

a. Overall Objective

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop an online or mobile based Citizens’ Feedback Platform that empowers citizens to provide feedback on the quality of public services like healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructure  in their respective districts. The districts include Mpika, Monze, Rufunsa, Lusaka and Mufulira districts.

b. Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the consultancy are as follows:

• To design and develop an online and/or mobile based platform for citizens to provide feedback.
• To create a user-friendly interface for citizens to easily submit feedback structured and/or unstructured feedback.
• To establish a secure and confidential mechanism for citizens to share their feedback.
• To periodically collect and analyze feedback data to assess the quality of public service provision.
• To provide periodic reports to Oxfam and its partners based on feedback data to assess

4. SCOPE OF WORK

The consultancy will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

1. Design and develop a user-friendly mobile application or online platform that allows citizens to submit feedback
2. Conduct testing and Quality Assurance of the platform
3. Provide training to community budget groups, interest groups, CSOs/CBOs/FBOs and other relevant citizens on how to use the platform.
4. Assist in the launch and promotion of the platform
5. Generate regular reports on citizen feedback and trends

5. DELIVERABLES

The consultant(s) will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:

1. Detailed Platform concept Plan
2. User-friendly app or web or mobile platform for citizen engagement
3. User training materials or guide
4. Launch and rollout plan.
5. Regular reports on citizen feedback and platform usage.

6. DURATION AND TIMELINE

The consultancy is expected to be conducted over a period of 18 months. The detailed timeline for each task will be agreed upon during the inception phase.

7. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The consultant or consultancy firm should possess the following:

1. Proven experience in developing similar citizen engagement platforms.
2. Expertise in app or web or mobile based platform development.
3. Strong project management skills.
4. Understanding of data security and privacy.
5. Knowledge of public service delivery and government budget processes is an advantage.

8. Budget:

The total budget allocated for this consultancy is Euros 16,920.00. The consultant or consultancy firm should provide a detailed budget proposal which should be inclusive of all costs related to the development of the platform; launch and promotion of the platform;  training to community budget groups interest groups, CSOs/CBOs/FBOs and other relevant citizens; data collection and generation of regular reports on citizen feedback and trends, analysis, and reporting. The budget should also consider any necessary travel expenses for field visits.

9. REPORTING AND COORDINATION

The consultant(s) will report directly to the Governance Programs Coordinator and Beyond the numbers Project Manager who will serve as the primary point of contact throughout the consultancy period.

10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• All intellectual property rights, including the final report and any related materials, will be transferred to Oxfam in Southern Africa upon completion of the consultancy.

11. CONFIDENTIALITY

The consultant(s) shall maintain the confidentiality of all data, information, and discussions related to the consultancy and ensure the security of any data collected during the review.

12. ETHICS AND SAFEGUARDING

Oxfam has a zero-tolerance policy towards inaction against sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse.  Oxfam’s ethics for safeguarding will be emphasized and remain mandatory throughout the process of the undertaking of the study. Engagements and support will aim to create and maintain safe, equitable, and inclusive culture where all those who work for and with Oxfam as well as those in the communities where Oxfam operates are treated with dignity and their rights and voices are heard and respected.

Selected consultants will be expected to read, sign, and adhere to the Oxfam Code of Conduct for no Oxfam staff and follow Oxfam’s Ethical Content Guidelines.

13. EVALUATION AND SELECTION

The selection of the consultant(s) will be based on their qualifications, relevant experience, proposed methodology, and budget.

14. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Interested academic consultant (s) should submit technical and financial proposal (not more than 20 pages excluding annexes-failure to adhere to this may lead to disqualification), detailing how they will undertake the assignment. Attach up-to-date CVs of the core team as annexes. Proposals should be submitted to the address below in electronic form ONLY and must be clearly indicated “ DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONLINE OR MOBILE BASED CITIZENS’ FEEDBACK PLATFORM ON THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE PROVISION AT DISTRICT LEVEL” by 17:00 hours CAT time on 24^th  November, 2023.

All correspondence for the consultancy should be addressed to the Logistics Unit through the email: ZambiaLogistics@oxfam.org.uk