Developing a Virtual Gene Bank in West Africa at African Union (AU)

The project "Strengthening the Capacity of African Countries to Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of African Animal Genetic Resources" aims at strengthening the capacity of African countries and Regional Economic Communities to sustainably use and conserve animal genetic resources (AnGR) through institutionalizing national and regional policy, legal and technical instruments and implementing actions that will result in judicious exploitation of AnGR in Africa. This is achieved through:

• Establishing the status and trends of animal genetic resources in Africa
• Developing policy frameworks for the sustainable utilization and conservation of AnGR
• Establishing national and regional utilization, conservation and improvement strategies and initiatives
• Increasing knowledge, attitude and practice on the use and contribution of livestock to economic growth, food security and poverty reduction.

Context of the Consultancy

Just as libraries are resource centers for information, gene banks are resource centers for living genetic material. The gene banks keep germplasm collection for the purpose of keeping them alive and maintaining their characteristics for the future well-being of mankind and the environment. A regional gene bank is established among a number of countries located in the same geographic region and willing to work together cooperatively. The bank keeps the region’s germplasm and supports research. Although all gene banks store germplasm, they are not just cold storage facilities for preservation of seeds. These banks are involved in many other activities, adding more value to germplasm when used by other scientists. Documentation and the exchange of information about the germplasm they hold and collaboration with other genetic resource centers are important aspects to consider when establishing a regional gene bank. The gene bank works in conjunction with other banks or genetic resource programmes in the region. Institutional gene banks often cooperate with national banks as part of a national activity programme on genetic resources. These national gene banks also cooperate with international centers. This cooperation favors mutual development and enables effective action at the international level in the field of genetic resource conservation. Collections management within gene banks is problematic if no reliable, accurate and up-to-date information is available that is systematically recorded and easily accessible. Such a documentation system enables gene banks to use information to plan daily activities, and to maximize often limited resources. That’s why gene banks which do not have an effective documentation system cannot develop in a clearly defined direction, nor can they easily communicate and cooperate with other institutions. The gene bank established at the Centre International de Recherche et de Développement de l'Élevage en zone Subhumide (CIRDES) in Burkina Faso exemplifies regional gene banks. As part of the implementation of the AU-IBAR Genetics Project activities, designing a database for the management of genetic material held in the regional gene bank was planned. It is a database to be accessible to users, researchers, and partners, to ensure the effective management of farm animal genetic resources. This database will consist of information on the characteristics of all the bank’s genetic resources and information on the genetic material reception in the bank, the quantities entering and leaving, the responsibilities, the storage containers management and any other information required to ensure the traceability of the material held in the bank.

In this context, the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) seeks to identify and hire a qualified consultant for developing a documentation and information exchange system for the preserved germplasm and a collaborative network with other animal genetic resource centers in West Africa.

Objectives

The objective of the consultation is to develop a documentation and information exchange system for the preserved germplasm and to provide a collaborative network with other animal genetic resource centers in West Africa. Specifically, the consultant, in close cooperation with the member states and the CIRDES, will have to:

• Make an inventory of the current documentation system at CIRDES (as regards the website, data synchronization, document scanning, indexing and storage, the filing system plan for physical documents, the policy on disclosure of information...).
• Carry out a study of the existing situation and the scenario selection by taking stock of the IT infrastructure in the member states and at the CIRDES (Hardware: PCs, servers, etc .; Networks: LAN, Frame Relay, current overall system architecture; the safety aspects and assessing staff competencies).
• Help in designing and structuring of a documentary information system (database, portal) in view of an identified use (standard electronic document production, catalogue, inventory, etc.).
• Draw up functional, organizational and ergonomic terms of reference and / or technical clauses with the view of acquiring a tool or developing an application related to an existing tool.
• Propose an internal and external Communication Plan.

Expected Results

In close cooperation with the member states and the CIRDES, and in the light of the foregoing, the expected results for the consultation will be as follows:

• The current status of the documentation system at the CIRDES (as regards the website, data synchronization, document scanning, indexing and storage, the filing system plan for physical documents, the policy on disclosure of information...) is available.
• The study of the existing situation and the selection scenario by taking stock of the IT infrastructure in the member states and at the CIRDES (Hardware: PCs, servers, etc .; Networks: LAN, Frame Relay, current overall system architecture; the safety aspects and assessing staff competencies) is available.
• A documentary information system for identified use is available.
• functional, organizational, ergonomic terms of reference and / or technical clauses, with the view of acquiring a tool or developing an application related to an existing tool is available.
• An internal and external Communication Plan is available.

Deliverables

Inception Report (IR)

An inception report (IR) within 5 days of signing the contract. The IR coming in no more than 10 pages should include the proposed methodology, the timetable and activity schedule, the sites to be visited, the persons to interview and an overview of the contents of the final technical report.

Technical Interim Report (TIR)

The technical interim report is considered the initial draft of the Final Technical Report (FTR) before a final copy is formally and officially submitted to AU-IBAR for acceptance.

Final Technical Report (FTR)

The final technical report (RTF) should take into account inputs and comments from relevant stakeholders and AU-IBAR. The draft final report must be submitted at the end of the time allocated to task performance. Once validated, three (03) copies of the consultation’s final report, in which the raw data obtained is annexed, must be submitted to AU-IBAR.

Term of Consultation

The consultation will be carried out within 30 working days, from the day of the signing of the contract.

Payment

The total cost for the consultation will be 9000 (nine thousand) US$, covering all the tasks undertaken.

Consultant Profiles

General qualifications and competences:

• Be a national of West Africa.
• Knowledge of West African countries’ physical, socio-economic and political characteristics.
• Ability to communicate and write fluently in French and / or English with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.

Specific qualifications and competences:

The consultant shall have an excellent knowledge of information systems management; he or she shall be a network and computer systems specialist.
In particular, he or she should:

• Hold a post-graduate degree in the design and creation of IT applications or in computer systems and networks.
• Have a very strong knowledge of intrusion detection and detection and / or intrusion prevention software.
• Have a very good knowledge of security in TCP / IP, a good knowledge of operating, administering and securing a server under Linux and Windows.
• Have a very good knowledge of open source multi-tiers web development languages - good knowledge of relational databases.
• Strong experience in the field of system interconnections and automatic data transfer.

• Have excellent organizational skills, for facilitation and communication.