Web development – Export Directory Extension

About QOOT Cluster

QOOT is Lebanon's leading agrifood cluster, catalyzing sustainable growth, enhancing capabilities and competitiveness, and opening world markets to Lebanese agrifood businesses. To fulfill our role as facilitator of agricultural innovation, we undertake a wide range of activities at the local, regional, and international levels. Besides strengthening technical prowess and nurturing a culture of collaboration and mutual exchange within the Lebanese agrifood sector, we are constantly at work to bring international opportunities to the innovative enterprises that are part of our cluster.

Background and Objectives:

We propose the development and implementation of an Export Directory as an integral expansion of the existing QOOT Cluster website. The Export Directory aims to facilitate connections between local and international buyers and QOOT Cluster members, fostering trade and collaboration within the agri-food sector in Lebanon. The current website, built on WordPress CMS with Jet Engine filtering capabilities, will be extended to accommodate this feature.  

Scope of Work:

The project encompasses the following key components:  

• Export Directory Integration: Develop and integrate a dedicated Export Directory section within the QOOT Cluster website using the same tech stack (see Technical Requirements). 
• Enhanced Member Profiles: Enhance the existing Member module to allow QOOT Cluster members to have comprehensive company profiles. This includes features such as downloadable brochures, introduction videos, detailed product listings, sector/category classification, and current export markets. 
• Buyer Profiles: Implement a buyer profile section to capture relevant information including contact details, sector/interest, target markets, and other pertinent data. 
• Profile Editing Access: Develop a secure and user-friendly interface that allows the QOOT Cluster team to edit and update the profiles in the Export Directory. 

3. Directory Structure: 

Profiles 

• Company Profiles Directory (With Advanced Search & Filtering) 
• Buyer Profiles Directory (With Advanced Search & Filtering) 
• Individual Company Profile 
• Individual Buyer Profile 
• (Optional) Search Results Page - If Search is not fully dynamic (AJAX based) 
• (Optional) Specific category/industry/location sub-directories 

4. Functionalities: 

The Export Directory shall provide the following functionalities:

• Advanced Search & Filtering: Implement Jet Engine-powered filtering capabilities to enable users to refine searches based on categories, products, certifications, current markets, and other relevant criteria.
• Enhanced Member Profiles: Allow the QOOT Cluster team to create and manage detailed profiles, showcasing their offerings, certifications, and export history. 
• Buyer Profiles: Enable the QOOT Cluster team to create Buyer profiles, indicating their areas of interest, sectors, and target markets. 
• Profile Management: Provide user-friendly profile management interfaces for the QOOT team.

5. Deliverables: 

The project is expected to deliver:

• Fully integrated Export Directory within the QOOT Cluster website.
• Enhanced Member module allowing comprehensive profile creation and updates by the admin team.
• Buyer profile section with relevant fields.
• User-friendly profile editing interfaces.
• Training materials for QOOT Cluster members and buyers.

6. Timeline: 

The duration of the QOOT Cluster Export Directory Project as estimated.  

• Requirements Gathering and Planning: This phase involves detailed discussions with stakeholders to define project requirements, scope, and functionalities. It may take around 1-2 weeks to gather all necessary information and create a detailed project plan. 
• Design and Mock-up Creation: The design phase includes creating mock-ups and user interface (UI) designs for the new Export Directory and enhanced member profiles. This phase might take around 2-3 weeks, depending on the complexity of the designs. 
• Development: The actual development of the Export Directory, enhanced member profiles, buyer profiles, and profile editing functionalities could take 6-9 weeks. This includes coding, testing, and integration into the existing WordPress CMS (if applicable). 
• Testing: Rigorous testing is crucial to ensure that all features work smoothly, and there are no bugs or compatibility issues. Testing might take around 1-2 weeks. 
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): This phase involves letting QOOT Cluster members and registered buyers test the new features and provide feedback. UAT could take around 1-2 weeks. 
• Refinement and Iteration: After UAT, there might be a need for additional refinements and iterations based on user feedback. This phase could take around 2-4 weeks. 
• Deployment: Once all testing and refinements are complete, the new features can be deployed to the live website. Deployment might take around 1-2 weeks, including backup and migration procedures. 
• Training and Documentation: Training materials for QOOT Cluster members and buyers on how to use the new features should be prepared. This phase could take around 1-2 weeks. 
• Launch and Post-Launch Monitoring: The launch of the new features should be carefully monitored to ensure everything is functioning as expected. Any issues that arise during the initial days can be addressed promptly. This phase could last around 2-4 weeks. 

Based on the estimates provided for each phase, the entire project might take 17 to 33 weeks. Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate, and you are welcome to provide your own estimate in your proposal. 

7. Technical Requirements: 

1) The Export Directory extension shall be developed within the current tech stack: 

• WordPress + WPEngine 
• Elementor 
• ACF Plugin 
• Ultimate Member (User Registration Plugin) 
• Crocoblocks JetEngine, JetSearch, JetSmart Filters 

additional functionalities are welcome after consulting with the QOOT Communications Team 

2) Security measures should be in place to safeguard user data and prevent unauthorized access. 

8. Reporting and Communication: 

Regular progress reports shall be submitted on a biweekly basis, outlining achievements, challenges, and upcoming milestones. Communication channels shall be established for effective collaboration and issue resolution. 

9. Budget: 

A detailed budget proposal should be provided, including a breakdown of costs related to development, testing, deployment, and any ongoing maintenance and support. Kindly note that hosting and domain for qoot.org are already established.

10. Evaluation and Selection: 

Proposals will be evaluated based on technical expertise, relevant experience, proposed approach, and budget considerations.