Terms of Reference (ToR)
For engaging a professional trainer Expert to organise PRIMER training content, develop a virtual
community platform and automate a pre-course assessment tool

1. Background
The Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) is a Ugandan not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to
strengthen health systems in Africa, with a strong emphasis on infectious diseases, through research and
capacity development. IDI has six operational areas through which it works to achieve its mission:
Prevention, Care and Treatment; Training, Research, and Laboratory services (including the CAP-certified
IDI Core Lab & Translational Lab); Global Health Security; and Health System Strengthening.
The Infectious Diseases Institute Limited implemented a Gates Foundation training program dubbed
“Principle of Management Excellence for Research training” PRIMER in francophone countries, namely,
Mali, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This training was delivered by content
experts and experienced practitioners, not professionally trained experts. As such, limiting the quality of
slide decks, which were largely fragmented with text rather than graphical and infographic elements that
suit a mature audience. To effectively deliver a research training program, advanced, engaging, and
efficient tools are critical for fostering audience engagement and participation, and for learning and
assessment in research management excellence. To achieve this, IDI seeks to hire an expert to:

1. design and deliver a set of integrated advanced slide decks combining text, visual learning
   materials (graphical and infographics) and case scenarios
2. develop a virtual bilingual community learning platform (VBCLP), i.e. with in-built French and
   English to engage alumni,
3. develop and automate a pre-course assessment system that potential trainees fill out, and it
   automates results that are presented in statistical form for easy interpretation and decision
   making

2. Objectives
The expert will:

1. Organise existing training materials on Principles of Management Excellence for research training, using graphics, infographics, and visual storytelling.
2. Design and implement a virtual community platform with French and English language support,
   enabling alumni engagement, networking, and knowledge sharing.
3. Automate a pre-course assessment tool for potential trainees, with results generated and
   presented in statistical form for trainers and program managers.

3. Scope of Work
WP: 1 Training Materials

1. Conduct a needs assessment of the work to be done including holding meetings with the IDI
   PRIMER. Training Coordinator to understand the context
2. Review existing material content and PRIMER Training curriculum so as to create visual learning
   resources: • Infographics
   • Slide decks
   • Illustrated case studies
   • Flowcharts and storytelling graphics
   • Produce trainer’s guide and participant handouts
3. Suggest modularized training in practice areas across grant management stages and the pricing
   and sustainability models

WP 2: Virtual Community Platform

1. Design and deploy a web-based platform accessible globally.
2. Integrate French and English language options and include the following features.

• Alumni directory and profiles
• Discussion forums and thematic groups
• Resource library (training materials, publications, recordings)
• Event calendar and announcements
• Secure login and data protection
• Provide training for administrators and users.

WP3: Automated Pre-Course Assessment tool

1. Develop an online assessment tool for trainees.
2. Automate scoring and generate statistical reports (e.g., averages, distributions, strengths/weaknesses).
3. Ensure compatibility with the training program’s database.
4. Provide dashboards for trainers to visualise results.
5. Pilot-test and refine based on feedback.

4. Deliverables

• High-level Training Material package with infographics, slide decks, case studies, and guides.
• Virtual community platform: Fully functional, bilingual, with user documentation.
• Automated assessment tool: Online system with statistical reporting and trainer dashboards.
• Final report: Documenting methodology, design process, and recommendations.

5. Expertise Required

• Advanced knowledge of management principles and research training contexts.
• Proven experience in instructional design and graphic/visual communication.
• Technical expertise in platform development (web-based, bilingual, secure).
• Skills in data automation, analytics, and visualisation.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.

6. Duration
The duration for this engagement is estimated at 12–16 weeks, covering design, development, testing,
and final delivery

Inception & Needs Assessment Weeks 1–2 Inception report
Training Materials Weeks 3–6 Final training package
Community Platform Weeks 5–10 Platform launch
Pre-course Assessment tool
Automation
Weeks 7–12 Tool deployment

Integration & Handover Weeks 13–14 Final report
Post-Implementation Support Weeks 15–16 closure

7. Reporting & Supervision

• The expert will report to the PIMER Training Program Coordinator.
• Share progress updates every two weeks.
• Draft deliverables reviewed before finalization.

8. Evaluation Criteria

• Quality and clarity of training materials (graphics and storytelling).
• Functionality, usability, and bilingual support of the platform.
• Accuracy and reliability of automated assessment results.
• Feedback from pilot testing and user satisfaction.

 Submit to:
Akankwasa Emilly
Procurement Officer
EAkankwasa@idi.co.ug
0781248404
Please convert your well-labelled application documents into PDF and put them in a zipped folder for
submission.