Hiring An Individual Consultant / Firm for Child Development Content Creation And E-Learning Platform Tender at Catholic Relief Services

CRS-Rwanda 010 – FY26 – TN/2026

1. Project Background

In alignment with its vision to ensure every child has access to comprehensive care, the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) is committed to enhancing the capacities of all stakeholders involved in child development. Recognizing that traditional workshop-based training is not cost-effective in reaching the vast number of ECD caregivers and actors, NCDA is establishing a "Child Development Online Education Platform."

This platform aims to provide a standardized, consolidated, and transformative curriculum. To ensure the platform's success, there is a critical need to transform existing training materials, policies, and strategies into engaging, interactive, and self-paced digital content specifically tailored for Early Childhood Development (ECD) caregivers and other actors involved in childcare at different levels.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The primary objective of this consultancy is to provide expert services in Child Development and Early Childhood Education to support the creation of the e-learning platform. The consultant will be responsible for curating, adapting, and transforming existing NCDA materials into a comprehensive, interactive, and user-friendly self-paced curriculum. This includes defining the pedagogical structure, guiding the creation of supporting multimedia, and developing assessment tools to ensure effective learning and certification.

3. Scope of Work and Responsibilities

The expert will work under the direct supervision of NCDA and in close collaboration with the software development team (BK Techouse) and the two technical departments (Nutrition and Hygiene; Child Development, Protection and Promotion).

The specific tasks include:

A. Inception, Stakeholder Engagement, and Content Auditing (Weeks 1-3)

• Conduct a thorough review and audit of all existing NCDA materials relevant to ECD. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Training manuals and facilitator guides from past workshops.
  • PowerPoint presentations and policy briefs.
  • National ECD policies, strategies, and legal frameworks.
  • Existing awareness materials (brochures, posters).
• Facilitate workshops with the two NCDA departments to validate the scope of content and identify priority modules for the pilot phase.
• Identify gaps in the current materials and propose a comprehensive curriculum outline for the self-paced online platform.
• Define clear learning objectives, target audience personas, and a logical flow of modules and chapters.

Deliverable: Inception Report detailing the curriculum framework, content map, and work plan.

B. Content Adaptation and Instructional Design (Weeks 4-8)

• Rewrite and adapt the existing technical content into a concise, engaging, and easy-to-understand format suitable for online self-learning (e.g., short text blocks, bullet points, case studies, scenarios).
• Ensure the content is pedagogically sound and follows a logical progression for self-paced learners.
• Develop detailed storyboards and scripts for audio-visual materials (animations, short videos) that can enhance learning and engagement. These concepts will be handed over to the multimedia firm for production.

Deliverable: First draft of adapted digital-ready content for all modules.

C. Assessment and Certification Tool Development (Weeks 7-10)

• Design a robust assessment framework to control learner progress.
• Create a bank of assessment questions and quizzes for each module/chapter, primarily in multiple-choice format, but also exploring other interactive formats (e.g., drag-and-drop, true/false, scenario-based learning).
• Define the criteria for course completion and the requirements for the "Certificate of Completion."

Deliverable: Comprehensive assessment bank mapped to learning objectives.

D. Platform Configuration Guidance and Review (Weeks 2-12)

• Work hand-in-hand with BK Techouse to advise on the pedagogical configuration of the chosen LMS (Moodle, Canvas, etc.).
• Provide input on the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to ensure it is intuitive and conducive to learning.
• Recommend features that enhance self-paced learning while ensuring academic integrity (e.g., advising on how to structure the platform to encourage thorough reading before assessments).
• Review the platform during the development phase to ensure it aligns with the pedagogical goals.

Deliverable: Configuration guideline document and ongoing feedback reports to BK Techouse.

E. Content Finalization, Uploading, and Quality Assurance (Weeks 11-14)

• Finalize all text-based content based on feedback from NCDA technical teams.
• Collaborate with the multimedia firm to review produced videos/animations and ensure they match the storyboards and learning objectives.
• Oversee the uploading of all content and assessments onto the platform to ensure proper formatting and functionality.
• Conduct thorough testing of the platform and content to identify bugs or areas for improvement.

Deliverable: Finalized course content uploaded to the platform, ready for pilot testing.

F. Pilot Testing Support and Handover (Weeks 15-16)

• Support NCDA in facilitating a pilot test with a small group of end-users (e.g., ECD caregivers, journalists).
• Collect and analyze feedback from pilot users.
• Make final adjustments to the content and assessments based on pilot feedback.
• Develop a simple content update guide for NCDA staff to manage minor updates in the future.

Deliverable: Final Report summarizing the process, outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for future expansion, including a handover note for NCDA.

4. Expected Deliverables 

6. Qualifications and Experience

A. Education:

• Master’s degree in Educational technology, Instructional Design, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field.

B. Professional Experience:

• At least 5 years of proven experience in curriculum development, instructional design, or content creation, specifically in the field of Early Childhood Development (ECD).
• Deep understanding of ECD core concepts, including nutrition, health, hygiene, child protection, and positive parenting.
• Demonstrated experience in converting traditional training materials into engaging digital/online learning content.
• Experience in developing assessment tools (quizzes, tests) for certification programs is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with e-learning authoring tools and Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Moodle or Canvas is a strong asset.
• Previous work experience with government agencies, UN bodies, or international NGOs in the area of child development is an added advantage.

C. Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent analytical and writing skills with the ability to simplify complex technical information.
• Strong creative and visualization skills to storyboard engaging multimedia content.
• Ability to work collaboratively with technical teams (software developers, multimedia producers) and government departments.
• Highly organized and able to deliver high-quality outputs within a structured timeframe.

6. Management and Collaboration

• The consultant will report directly to the Deputy Director General of NCDA.
• The consultant will work closely with the BK Techouse software team and the designated Multimedia Firm (for content creation).
• Regular progress meetings will be scheduled to ensure alignment with NCDA’s strategic goals and technical requirements.

7. Duration and Timeline

The consultancy will be for a period of four (4) months from the date of contract signing.

8. Payment Schedule

Payment will be linked to the successful submission and approval of deliverables:

• 20% upon submission and approval of the Inception Report (Deliverable 1).
• 30% upon submission and approval of the Draft Course Content and Assessment Bank (Deliverables 2 & 3).
• 30% upon successful uploading and QA of finalized content (Deliverable 4).
• 20% upon submission and approval of the Final Report and successful handover (Deliverable 5).

10. Reporting and Coordination

• The Consultant will report directly to the NCDA with day-to-day coordination through the Deputy Director General.
• NCDA will facilitate access to documents, stakeholders, and required data.
• A Technical Working Group will review draft outputs and provide guidance
• NCDA and CRS technical staff will work with the consultants at all stages

11 Technical Evaluation

11.1. Minimum Technical Threshold

The minimum technical score required to pass the technical stage shall be 70% of the technical score, equivalent to 49 out of 70 points. Only bidders scoring 49/70 or above in the technical evaluation shall proceed to the financial evaluation stage.

11.2. Financial Evaluation

The financial proposal shall account for 30% of the total score. The financial score for each bidder shall be calculated using the following formula:

FS = (LF / Fi) × 100

Where:

• FS = Financial Score of the proposal under evaluation
• LF = Lowest evaluated financial proposal
• Fi = Financial proposal of the bidder under evaluation

11.3 Final Combined Score

The winning bidder shall be determined by combining the normalized technical score and the financial score using the following formula:

S = (TS × 0.70) + (FS × 0.30)

Where:

• S = Final Score
• TS = Normalized Technical Score
• FS = Financial Score

12. Submission Details

Interested and qualified firms are invited to submit their proposals electronically to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as outlined below.

A. Submission Package: Bidders must submit three separate PDF documents:

1. Administrative Evaluation

Applicants must provide the following:

1. Legal registration and operation in Rwanda. 
2. At least one page of company profile (for consultant firms)
3. A copy of full registration certificate (RDB certificate), if applicable
4. Data Controller/Processor certificate provided by the National Cyber Security Authority
5. VAT and/or tax clearance certificates, if applicable.
6. At least three completion certificates of similar services.
7. Submission of required documents as listed above.

2. . Technical Proposal

The technical proposal should include:

• Understanding of the assignment;
• Proposed methodology and technical approach;
• Work Plan and implementation schedule;
• Approach to coordination with NCDA and the separate content development firm;
• Company profile and relevant institutional experience;
• CVs of proposed key personnel;
• At least two examples of similar assignments completed;
• Contact details of two professional references.

3. Financial Proposal

The financial proposal should include:

• Detailed budget in Rwandan Francs (RWF);
• Breakdown of professional fees and estimated costs;
• Cost by deliverable or milestone;
• Proposed payment terms aligned with the deliverables in the ToR.

B. Submission Email and Subject Line: 

Proposals should be submitted by email to:

Email: Rwandabids@crs.org with Subject line: “Proposal – Child Development Content Creation and E-Learning Platform Setup “no later than May 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Rwanda time. Late submissions will not be considered.