United States of America: Technical Writer (ICT Accessibility)

Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 07 Feb 2015

Statement of the consultancy:Develop ToR for RFP exercise for AT devices and User Guidelines to develop accessible contents.

Background:UNICEF works on disability guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Both conventions prohibits discrimination and stereotypes of any kind, including on the grounds of disability and also emphasizes on enhancing accessibility to enable persons with disabilities to realize their potential. Accordingly UNICEF undertook a project for "enhancing Information Technology accessibility and support to staff members with disabilities". As part of the project, policy and guidelines on accessibility support and general guidelines on Assistive Technology have been developed. The next phase of the project is to write ToRs for the future Request for Proposal exercise in view of selecting a company that will provide assistive technology devices to UNICEF.**Key Assignments for the consultancy:**

1. Develop a Terms of Reference document to use in a Request for Proposal exercise for establishing Long term agreement with competent vendors for supplying Assistive Technology devices to UNICEF. a) Include AT devices for all major disability profiles e.g. Vision impairment, Motor skill impairment etc.

b) Include high level specifications for AT devices needed at workspace. Specification must be agnostic of specific vendors.
c) Formulate a strategy to attract vendors who can provide non-standard and specialized AT devices/solutions.
d) Develop criteria for evaluation of vendor responses e.g. Mandatory criteria and Scored criteria.

e) Participate in the technical evaluation of RFP responses as an SME to the evaluation committee formed by UNICEF***.**

1. Develop a user guide on how to produce accessible content

a) Using word, excel, PowerPoint.
b) How to make tables, charts, forms, graphs accessible

c) How to make .pdf files accessible.

1. Develop a user guide on how to make Web and multimedia content accessible.

Expected Deliverables:

• ToRs for the RFP-
• User guidelines on generating accessible content
• User guidelines on developing Web and Multi-Media content.

Duration of the consultancy:40 business days from the start of the contract until July 31, 2015. Payment will be made based on a deliverables.

Remuneration:Applicant to include proposed daily rate with their submission.

Required Qualifications:

1. Advanced University degree in Information technology, or, Business Administration or Social Sciences etc.
2. At least eight (8) years of proven experience in the areas of ICT Accessibility related technologies, industry best practices on Accessibility enhancement, accommodation and support etc.
3. Proven experience developing user guidelines.
4. Excellent writing skills
5. Knowledge of ICT Accessibility enhancement in the Workplace and Assistive Technology for ICT products.**Additional Terms:**

*Selected consultant (or their company) cannot bid for the AT devices project.

How to apply:

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications along with a C.V. with subject line "Accessibility Project" to isspost@unicef.org no later than 7 February 2015. In your response, kindly indicate your proposed daily rates. Depending on the outcome of the selection process, the contract will be awarded to an individual or a corporate. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

U.S. citizens and all those authorized to work in the U.S. are encouraged to apply.

The Organization does not sponsor for the H1 Visa.