RFP - Workforce Capability Development and Platform Solution

PLEASE NOTE: This is an RFP, not a job application. Proposals submitted through Greenhouse will not be reviewed. All submissions must be emailed to [email protected]. Who We Are Imagine Worldwide is a nonprofit organization on a mission to empower millions of children with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to reach their full potential. Imagine exists to demonstrate that children with personalized technology in their hands can become literate and numerate with little or no adult instruction. We are partnering with organizations across the globe to pilot promising autonomous learning solutions, building an evidence base on what works, why, and under what conditions, and using data to drive continuous improvement of content, approach, and implementation. We believe child-directed, tech-enabled learning can deliver foundational literacy and numeracy skills to hundreds of millions of children, increasing their educational opportunities and improving their health, wealth, and social outcomes. In our programs, learners use custom tablets and headsets that rotate among as many as eight children per day. Children drive their own learning at their own pace, using software developed by our partners onebillion, which provides a complete, research-based curriculum and pedagogy. The software can be adapted to each child’s cultural and linguistic context, enabling deployments in multiple countries, languages, and contexts — in-school, out-of-school, and refugee camps. Our evidence-based model, rigorously proven across nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs), currently operates in seven Sub-Saharan African countries, delivering measurable learning gains in some of the world’s most challenging environments. As we scale toward our goal of universal literacy, including massive initiatives like the BEFIT program serving 3.8 million children in Malawi, our internal operations must keep pace. To achieve this, we require a workforce development partner who can meet the same standard of precision and effectiveness we apply to our student-facing programs. Purpose of this RFP Imagine Worldwide seeks a comprehensive learning solution that supports organization-wide capability building across onboarding, mandatory policy training, operational processes, role development, and ongoing professional development for our 90-person global team. We invest significantly in recruiting and placing the right people in the right roles. That investment requires an equal commitment in how we onboard, train, develop, and equip our staff to strengthen core competencies, adapt to new responsibilities, and deliver at their optimal level throughout their tenure. To deliver on that commitment, we are issuing this Request for Proposals to identify a qualified African-based vendor to design, build, and deliver a competency-based learning ecosystem, including content creation, microlearning delivery, and a hosted platform. The solution must be grounded in evidence of its ability to drive operational excellence and strengthen the performance and capacity of our global team. We are looking for a partner who can provide role-specific learning paths, organization-wide mandatory training (e.g., Child Protection Policy, SWAP Process), and ongoing professional development, all delivered through a hosted learning platform and benchmarked against internationally recognized standards and frameworks. Where international competency standards exist, all skills-based training must be mapped against them, including but not limited to ISO 10015:2019, and vendors must clearly indicate which standard applies to each skill domain. Our standard is that every staff member is enabled to perform at a world-class level through relevant learning experiences, grounded in evidence, and aligned with recognized standards of competence. We invite qualified vendors to demonstrate their ability to meet this expectation and deliver a solution that can support our organization as it grows in scale and complexity. Core Objectives Our primary goal is to adopt a Competency-Based Workforce Model. We require a solution that delivers on four core objectives: Organization-Wide Mandatory Training: Concise, trackable modules for all staff on critical policies and processes, including HR and Child Protection Policies, SWAP Process, Deviations Management, Risk Management, Program Metrics, and Internal/External Reporting. Each module must carry automatic certification and full compliance reporting. Tailored Role-Specific Training: Learning paths designed specifically for the technical requirements of each role within Imagine Worldwide. This includes everything from Field Implementation and Government Liaison work to Data Analytics and Program Management. Ongoing, Measured Professional Development: Learning must be a continuous journey. We require a roadmap that includes micro-credentials and formal certification benchmarked against international standards to track and reward the growth of our staff over time. Exceptional and Culturally Relevant Onboarding: A rapid-deployment system that integrates new hires into our mission, culture, and operational philosophy. Scope of Work To ensure operational alignment and minimize deployment risk, this project will be executed in two distinct, iterative phases: Phase 1: Proof of Concept (PoC) – The SWAP Process: The vendor will design, package, and deliver a microlearning intervention focused exclusively on our priority capability: The SWAP Process. This initial phase will serve to test and validate the content framework, user engagement, and knowledge mastery mechanisms across global and country teams before full-scale deployment. Phase 2: Organization-Wide Strategic Scaling: Upon successful verification and completion of the PoC, the vendor will systematically scale the methodology to analyze, audit, and build out learning paths for all remaining organizational capabilities (estimated at approximately 20 core areas). The proposal must provide a comprehensive solution across these four specific components: Component I: Content Development using a Skill-Based Framework We seek a partner who can: Conduct a Skills and Capability Audit: Assess the current operational maturity and map existing capability gaps across all departments and functions. This baseline evaluation must explicitly pinpoint critical execution risks by role to guide content prioritization. Identify International Skill Standards: Map our internal roles against international competency frameworks to ensure our staff are performing and delivering at a world-class level. Develop Skill Taxonomies: Build a skills framework for each role that can be updated as our programs and field operations evolve. Ensure Practical Application: 100% of the content is tied to "on-the-job" performance, focusing on what staff need to do and what they need to know. Establish Competency Benchmarking and Proficiency Thresholds: Propose how they would define role-specific proficiency thresholds and competency benchmarks appropriate to Imagine Worldwide’s operating context. Deliver a Robust Existing Content Library: Bring a proven, field-tested content library that can be adapted to our roles, context, and standards. Please clearly describe what existing content you would draw from and how it would be tailored to Imagine Worldwide, and what, if anything, would need to be built from scratch. Enable Content Ownership and Internal Adaptability: Our programs evolve constantly, and our training must keep pace. We require a solution that allows Imagine Worldwide staff to independently create, update, and publish content without returning to the vendor for every revision. Vendors must describe what internal content and LMS management capabilities are included, and what training they will provide to ensure our team can manage the platform fully and independently. Component II: Packaging into Microlearning Materials We hold engagement to the highest standard. How content is packaged and delivered matters as much as the learning material. Content must be delivered in high-impact, short-form formats, including: Micro-Videos: Professional, 3–5 minute videos that simplify complex tasks. Active Assessments: Question-based checks that require the learner to demonstrate mastery before they can move to the next level. Low-Bandwidth Optimization: All materials must be designed to perform reliably in low-bandwidth environments, as internet connectivity across Sub-Saharan Africa remains inconsistent. Mobile Adaptability: All materials must render cleanly across screen sizes to accommodate the full range of how and where our team accesses content. Component III: The Learning Tool Platform We are seeking a learning management platform that serves as a central home for our learning ecosystem for all staff learning and development. It must feature: Extreme User-Friendliness: The platform must demonstrate a high degree of usability, requiring minimal onboarding for end users. Guided Learning Paths: The platform must assign and recommend content based on a staff member's role, progress, and assessment results, ensuring each person follows a learning journey that reflects where they are. Analytics & Reporting: A real-time dashboard that gives leadership a clear picture of skill gaps across the organization, tracking meaningful indicators including pre- and post-assessment scores, knowledge retention over time, module completion patterns, and skills mastery. Automated Refresher & Recertification Triggers: The platform must automatically re-engage staff with relevant and updated content at scheduled intervals and ahead of specified timelines, without requiring manual manager intervention. Component IV: Strategic Evaluation Framework (Kirkpatrick Model) To mirror the evidence-base of our student programs, the proposed solution must track data-driven insights across the four levels of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model for all staff, regardless of department or location: Level 1: Reaction & Engagement: Measure the perceived relevance of training to the specific professional challenges encountered by staff in their respective roles. Level 2: Learning & Mastery: Verify knowledge retention via adaptive assessments, enforcing a 90% proficiency threshold for certification across all departments. Level 3: Behavioral Application: Track skill transfer through standardized manager evaluations or peer-review protocols within daily workflows and departmental operations. Level 4: Organizational Results: Correlate staff proficiency with core organizational KPIs, including operational efficiency, project fidelity, and global reporting accuracy. Technical Requirements: Vendors proposing an LMS or digital platform must address the following minimum requirements: Concurrent Users: Must support a minimum of 120 staff members, with capacity to scale. System Integration: Must support integration with common HR, project management, and communication tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Slack, or equivalent); SSO (Single Sign-On) capability is preferred. Content Standards: The platform must support SCORM and xAPI content standards to ensure compatibility with third-party content and portability of learning data. Data Security: Vendors must describe their data security protocols, including where staff data is hosted, encryption standards, and access controls. Data Ownership: Imagine Worldwide must retain full ownership of all staff learning data and any custom content developed or adapted under this contract. Data Consumption/Bandwidth: Given that staff operate in low-bandwidth environments, the platform must minimize data consumption and support offline or low-data modes. Platform Certifications: Vendors must disclose relevant platform certifications, including but not limited to SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, or equivalent data security and privacy standards. Vendor Qualifications Proposals must include the following to be considered: Organizational Profile: A concise overview of your organization, its mission, and demonstrated expertise in workforce development, instructional design, and LMS platforms. Include the year of founding, the current team size, and the countries or regions in which your organization actively operates. Relevant Experience: A minimum of 8–10 years of demonstrated expertise in capability-led learning design, workforce development, and organizational performance management. Preference will be given to vendors with proven experience delivering scalable, role-based training solutions within nonprofits, INGOs, or organizations operating directly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Certifications: Vendors must list all relevant professional and platform certifications. This may include, but is not limited to: Instructional design credentials (e.g., ATD CPTD, CPLP) LMS/platform security certifications (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001) Industry accreditation for micro-credentials or digital badging (e.g., 1EdTech/IMS Global, Credly-compatible issuance) Client References: Please provide a minimum of two client references from comparable organizations. References will not be contacted unless a vendor advances to the shortlist stage. The Standard of Excellence Our standard of excellence is defined by: A mastery-based approach: Moving away from passive video-watching toward question-based active learning, where a staff member must demonstrate a skill to progress. International Benchmarking: All training must be mapped against recognized international competency standards, including ISO 10015:2019, where applicable. Operational Integration: The solution must fit seamlessly into our Sub-Saharan African field operations, accounting for low-bandwidth environments and high-stakes implementation. Implementation and Support: Vendors must describe their implementation approach, expected go-live timeline, ongoing technical support model, and platform uptime guarantee. We expect a structured handover process that does not leave our team dependent on the vendor for day-to-day operations. Time to Competency: Vendors must demonstrate how their solution tracks the time it takes any staff member to reach proficiency, whether joining the organization, moving into a new role, or completing a mandatory or skills-based training module. Proficiency thresholds will be defined collaboratively during the implementation phase. This is a primary performance indicator for us. Manager Visibility: The platform must provide managers with regular, up-to-date insight into staff learning progress and assessment performance, enabling proactive support and targeted intervention where needed. Every member of our team deserves a learning experience built for their role, and we do not accept "one-size-fits-all" training. Budget and Duration Budget: A fixed budget ceiling is not disclosed for this procurement. All pricing proposals will be evaluated against our 'Cost Effectiveness & Value' criterion, which constitutes 15% of the total evaluation score. We are a nonprofit organization and welcome mission-aligned and nonprofit pricing structures where applicable. Please clearly itemize your pricing, including: Content development or adaptation costs Platform licensing or subscription fees (per user, per year, or alternative model) Implementation and onboarding support costs Any optional add-ons or tiered service levels Contract Duration: The initial contract term is 12 months from project commencement. Contract renewal for subsequent capability scaling will be contingent upon performance outcomes, delivery metrics, and successful completion of the Phase 1 milestones. Selection Criteria: The Evidence-Based Live Demo Imagine Worldwide will evaluate proposals through a two-stage process designed to assess both theoretical capability and practical performance. Stage 1: Technical & Commercial Written Evaluation (Paper Shortlist) Written proposals will be scored out of a baseline of 100 points using the following weighted criteria to determine the competitive shortlist: Technical Approach & Pragmatism (30%): Evaluation of the proposed competency-based methodology, microlearning packaging, and alignment with our organizational goals. Relevant Experience & Capability (30%): Assessment of the vendor’s organizational track record (8–10 years) in global workforce development, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa or the NGO sector. Work Plan & Risk Management (25%): Evaluation of the implementation timeline, including the operational readiness of the Phase 1 Proof of Concept (SWAP process). Cost Effectiveness & Value (15%): Assessment of commercial sustainability, transparent pricing structures, and nonprofit considerations. Stage 2: Holistic Live Demonstration (The Final Selection) Vendors who pass the written threshold will be invited to a live demonstration. This stage allows the evaluation panel to holistically experience the platform's functionality, content relevance, and User Experience (UX) all at once. The demo will be evaluated against these core operational experiences: Role Customization: Show us how the learning experience is built differently for two distinct roles (e.g., a Data Coordinator vs. a Field Manager). Mandatory Training: Show us how a staff member is assigned, completes, and is certified on an organization-wide mandatory training module, and how compliance is tracked and reported to leadership. Ongoing Skills Development: Show us how a staff member follows a role-specific learning path, earns a micro-credential, and is automatically re-engaged with refresher content over time. Onboarding Strength: Show us how a new hire's journey becomes mission and role-ready. Platform Usability and User Experience: Prove that your platform is modern, clear, engaging, and user-centric. Certification: Demonstrate how a staff member earns a digital certificate after mastering a skill set. Operational Reliability: Demonstrate how the platform performs under low-bandwidth conditions. Proposal Format Proposals must be submitted in a PDF format and remain concise and focused with a maximum of 6 pages. Proposals should include: Cover Page: Each proposal must open with a cover page including the following: Organization name and logo Primary contact name and title Email address and phone number Organization website Registered office location and country of incorporation Date of submission Organizational overview: Who you are and your relevant experience Technical approach: How you would address each of the four components in the Scope of Work Platform Demo: A link to a pre-recorded platform walkthrough or demo video. Shortlisted vendors will subsequently be invited to present a live demonstration to the Imagine Worldwide team. Certifications: List of all relevant credentials and platform certifications Pricing proposal: Clearly itemized Client references: Minimum two, with contact details Submission Vendors should note the following key dates and plan their submissions accordingly. Milestone Submission Timeline RFP Release June 12, 2026 Deadline for Vendor Questions June 19, 2026 (11:59 PM GMT) Responses to Vendor Questions Issued June 26, 2026 Proposal Submission Deadline July 10, 2026 (11:59 PM GMT) (Round 2 submissions) Shortlisted Vendor Notification July 24, 2026 Shortlisted Demos July 31, 2026 Contract Award August 14, 2026 Onboarding and Scoping with Vendor September 1, 2026 Target Implementation Start October 1, 2026 All proposals must be submitted by July 3, 2026, in PDF format via email to Karabo Moloko and Sane Ngidi at [email protected]. Please direct all inquiries to the same address. Shortlisted vendors will be notified by July 24, 2026, and contacted directly to schedule their live demonstration. Imagine Worldwide looks forward to reviewing proposals that demonstrate a genuine commitment to staff excellence and operational precision as we scale for impact. Apply To This Job