ABOUT DORAS: 

Doras is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation working to promote and protect human rights since the year 2000. Our core areas of work include Direct Support, Advocacy & Campaigns and Integration Planning.

ABOUT SAORED: 

SaorEd is a free online education platform for international protection applicants, refugees, and other underserved communities in Ireland. Learners can access hundreds of courses on the platform, including English lessons and IT skill booster programmes. SaorEd currently enables over 5,500 learners in Ireland to access courses on an external partner website, in addition to providing access to our own Learndash-based courses.

Summary

Doras invites tender submissions from experienced Learning Management System (LMS) and Website Designers to upgrade and enhance the existing SaorEd platform. The objective of this project is to develop the SaorEd website with an integrated LMS, and to make the platform more user-friendly, improve accessibility, and implement a standardised course creation template. The improved system should be intuitive for learners with varying levels of digital literacy and optimised for mobile use.

We welcome applicants to propose a budget for this contract no more than €20,000, including licensing and running costs for year one.

Project Scope & Key Deliverables

The successful contractor will be expected to:

• Redesign and enhance the current SaorEd website to improve user experience and accessibility.
• Implementation of an integrated learning management system.
• Implement a streamlined template for course creation that allows for easy content upload and management.
• Ensuring system developed is affordable on a yearly basis.
• The system should be scalable in terms of learner enrolment capacity.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness and optimisation of all elements.
• Ability to manage learners and data.
• Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and best practices for online learning.
• Provide multilingual support to accommodate diverse learner backgrounds.
• Seamless integration to external learning systems with whom we have existing agreements.
• Provide documentation and training materials to enable the SaorEd team to manage and update content effectively.

Technical Requirements

• Experience with open-source Learning Management Systems (e.g., Moodle, Canvas, Learndash, or similar platforms) or website-building tools that support educational content.
• Strong understanding of UX/UI principles for diverse user groups.
• Mobile-first design approach.
• Capability to integrate third-party tools and services for enhanced learning experiences.
• Compliance with web accessibility standards (WCAG).

Tender Requirements

Interested applicants must submit a proposal that includes:

1. Proposed approach to upgrading the website and implementing a course creation template.
2. Contractor/company background and relevant experience, including similar past projects.
3. Details of key personnel who will be involved in the project.
4. Portfolio samples demonstrating expertise in LMS design and web development.
5. Proposed project timeline, including key milestones.
6. Budget proposal for the development work and an indication of projected running and licensing costs after year one, including VAT if applicable.

Submission Process

Completed tenders should be sent to k.mccarthy@doras.org with ‘SaorEd Web Designer’ in the subject line by 18th April at 17:00.

For any queries regarding this tender, please contact k.mccarthy@doras.org.

We look forward to receiving your proposals.