Gambia Angel Investors Network (GAIN)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

GAIN WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

• Organizational Background

The Gambia Angel Investors Network (GAIN) is a “not for profit” entity set up for the purpose of organizing seed funders (“Business Angels”) to invest in Gambian businesses. GAIN facilitates the introduction of Gambian entrepreneurs to potential investors through presentations and other mechanisms. It consists of individual angel investors interested in financing privately held companies or ventures typically in an early stage of development. GAIN is an association of committed members that provide not only early-stage seed funding but also mentoring for start-up entrepreneurs. 

GAIN was established through an ongoing project supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC) with operational partners helping to incubate the network.

• Project Summary

GAIN plans to launch its own website as part of its marketing and branding initiatives to ensure accecessibility to all materials related to the work of the Network. The website platform will provide key information on GAIN to interested persons across the world but also provide a platform for  members of the network to get privileged information as well as provide a conduit for companies that are interested in raising capital to register their interest with GAIN.

The primary users of the site will be the business angels (both registered members and potential members), companies wanting to raise financing, potential corporate and individual sponsors, donors, partners and the general public. 

• Objective

The management of GAIN is looking to engage a company (“Service Provider”)  that will design and build an interactive website for the Network that will promote interaction and collaboration among key users of the site. GAIN is inviting proposals from reputable and qualified companies with a track record of success in designing and producing digital solutions to develop a website for GAIN that will be attractive, have functionalities pertinent to the operations of the Network, display content is an organized manner and be user-friendly.

This consultancy will be undertaken under the supervision of GAIN management in collaboration with relevant officers at ITC and YEP.  

• Work Setting

The work setting for the assignment will include different aspects:

Timing and Duration of the Assignment

• The duration of the contract will be within 60 days.
• The developed website must be ready in 60 days from the date of signing the contract.
• The user manual, webinar and the maintenance of the website will be ready in 1 month from the date of signing the contract.

Briefing/Debriefing Arrangements

• A first meeting/conference call will be scheduled for the GAIN team to brief the Service Provider on the background information to develop each of the requested deliverables.
• Periodic briefing will be arranged for presentation on updates and feedback on the website development

Reporting Relationships and Identification of Responsibility for Assessment of the Services/Outputs

• The Service Provider will work in close consultation and under the supervision of the GAIN Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director who will follow up the design process answering questions related to the ToRs of this assignment.
• The GAIN team in collaboration with relevant project teams at YEP and the ITC will assess the services and outputs of the Service Provider.

Support Provided

The GAIN team will share sample websites that can be used as a reference, a proposed website address, website content and all documents, themes and additional files required by the Service Provider for the successful execution of the mandate. In addition, the GAIN team will also share the brand guide for the fonts and logos to be be embedded in the web development process. 

• Work Plan

Approach

The development process can be summarized as follows:

• The Service Provider will be expected to deliver a basic website that will provide information about GAIN’s updates on its activities and information on key stakeholders on a user-friendly interface. It will promote visibility for the Network’s operations and allow for feedback, access to information such as reports, press releases, access to the Network’s newsletter and allow businesses to apply for funding. 

Deliverables

The selected Service Provider will be expected to guide the Network through a discussion of its needs in order to build the site’s architecture. However, some of the expectations on features, capabilities and general web layout for the first phase will include and are not limited to: 

• An attractive graphic layout that embodies the Network’s corporate character and meets its branding specifications;
• Interactive, user-friendly, mobile friendly and responsive design;
• A design that is accessible across most popular browsers and is testable with validation tools;
• A design that allows regular improvements on look and features;
• The CMS should be dynamic and allow information to be easily updated by administrative staff without specialized web development skills;
• Ability to incorporate all the Network’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) with live update options;
• Integrate an effective search function;
• Social bookmarking to allow users to organize their favourite content and share it on their social media accounts through social media shortcuts;
• Search Engine Optimization and ability to work well with search engines;
• Incorporate Google analytics;
• A personalized e-newsletter function with email and text blasting options;
• A function that allows members to apply for membership and companies to submit application to the Network with a view to get funding from the Angels.

Suggested pages for the website include: 

• Page 1: Home Page
  • Summary Features of entire website. 
• Page 2: About Us: 
  • Mission And Vision Statement.
  • What We Do.
  • Our Core Values.
  • Management.
  • Governance. 
  • Our Partners (including logos).
• Page 3: Membership 
  • Angels Pagewith an overview of membership that details 2 things: Target angel profile and reasons to join the Network. It should also have a link to a new page with an application form for people interested in applying to be angels.
  • Sponsors Page with an overview of sponsorship that details 2 things: Sponsorship criteria and reasons to sponsor the Network. It should also have a link to a new page with an application form for people interested in applying to be sponsors. It should also also have logos of sponsors in a section of this page.
  • Affiliates Pagewith an overview of affiliates that details 2 things: Affiliate criteria and reasons to be an Affiliate of the Network. It should also have a link to a new page with an application form for people interested in applying to be affiliates. It should also also have logos of affiliates in a section of this page.
  • Our Portfolio Page: Have information and logos on the companies that the Network has provided with financing.
• Page 4: Entrepreneurs/Companies
  • It should provide an overview of the services that the Network can offer to entrepreneurs, outline the criteria that GAIN is looking for in its partner entrepreneurs, and a link where entrepreneurs can submit information on their business if they want to proceed with an application to the Network.
• Page 5: GAIN Resource Centre
  • It will have information on resources that entrepreneurs or members may find useful which the GAIN team will provide more detail on.
• Page 6: GAIN in the Media
  • Have one page with links to other pages or sources that have stories on GAIN.
  • Have a page where a GAIN prepared newsletter can be reviewed and along with press releases and other information on upcoming GAIN events.
• Page 7: Gallery
  • Page with select pictures of GAIN events.
• Page 8: Contact Us Page 
  • Page with Contact Address, Contact Form and a google map with a pin to GAIN’s address.

• Qualifications

The Service Provider that will be selected for this mandate must meet the following qualification criteria:

• A solid understanding of brand development and brand positioning; 
• Adequate knowledge and at least five years of progressive experience with web design proven through portfolio of designed products;
• A solid understanding of user experience, user-interface design principles, and conceptual design;
• Expert knowledge of HTML, Java Script and CSS;
• Expertise in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design And Dreamweaver;
• Excellent attention to detail;
• Experience with CMS – open-source, proprietary and custom solutions;
• Experience developing interactive websites that allow for user-engagement and online donations;
• Experience with Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) systems who can share relevant examples of establishing CRMs for multi-national non-profit organizations;
• Experience in the development and maintainance of websites for large non-profit organizations. 

• Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights

In consideration of the fees paid, the Company that will be engaged for this mandate expressly assigns to GAIN any copyright arising from the works that they will provide while executing this contract. All images (whether used for online or print purposes) must however bear the Company’s photo credit, as specified by international intellectual property rights. The Company may not use, reproduce or otherwise disseminate or authorize others to use, reproduce or disseminate such works without prior consent from GAIN. 

• Application Process

All applications should be sent to yep@intracen.org  by October 2^nd, 2019 with “Web Development Service Provider” on the subject line. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above, and those unable to meet these requirements will not be considered.