Request for Proposals, Front End Automation Test Development

We are accepting submissions until October 3rd however, the opportunity may close earlier if we receive a sufficient number of qualified proposals. We encourage you to submit your proposal at your earliest convenience. Please see submission instructions below.

Who we are
Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all. 

Context 

Global Fishing Watch (GFW) seeks proposals for the development of new automated tests and modifications to the existing ones of our main front-end product, the GFW map (https://globalfishingwatch.org/map), functionalities. The purpose of the automated tests is to introduce them in our CI/CD flow so we guarantee that changes made during development do not break existing map features. The consultant will work closely with internal QA and engineering teams to expand the automated test suite and ensure consistent quality across front-end features.

The GFW map is a custom tool developed by GFW. It is a geo-temporal dataset exploration tool that enables going from big data visualization to specific and granular data points. It also has different features that simplify the analysis of the data for our different audiences, like: adding/removing/filtering data layers, turning on-off context polygons, adding custom polygons, adding datasets, saving current state, etc. 

Note: The output of this RFP doesn’t include doing QA of the data being displayed or APIs being consumed, only of the features displayed/analyzed in the front-end tools.

Objectives

Main deliverables of this project: 

1. Deliver a list of UI automated tests to be implemented during the project that covers the main user flows of users using our products. The list needs to be developed and agreed upon between the provider, the GFW QA lead, the GFW front-end developer lead, and the GFW CTO.
2. Design and implement automated UI tests using tools such as Playwright or Cypress.
3. Ensure cross-browser compatibility and test reliability.
4. Collaborate with the GFW QA team for reviewing and prioritizing automated scenarios.
5. CI/CD pipeline configured with automated test execution, reporting and a way of monitoring the results of running the tests on a regular basis.
6. Implement and document the test automation architecture, covered workflows, validation strategies, execution steps, and maintenance guidelines.

Scope

The consultant will:
1. Review functional test cases and user workflows for the map application.
2. Implement front-end automation scripts for priority test cases.
3. Set up and maintain test execution pipelines.
4. Contribute to documenting automated test coverage, test configuration, and testing strategy.
5. Participate in weekly 30-minute catch-up with the GFW QA lead and front-end lead and provide daily/bi-daily async progress reports and regular JIRA ticket updates. 

Acceptance Criteria

Functional Quality:

• Automated tests run reliably and consistently in CI/CD pipelines.
• Automated tests cover critical front-end user flows with validated cross-browser support (e.g., Chrome, Firefox).
• Test failures are traceable and provide actionable feedback for debugging.

Code Quality & Documentation:

• Test code follows clean, maintainable practices and includes proper documentation.
• Automation framework and test scripts are integrated into the existing repository structure and follow project conventions.
• Test coverage reports are available and meet quality thresholds defined by QA.
• Documentation includes clear setup instructions, execution steps, and contribution guidelines to support future maintenance and onboarding.

Success Metrics

• Test Coverage: At least 80% of critical front-end workflows are automated and executed in CI/CD pipelines.
• Reliability: Automated test suite maintains >95% pass rate across supported browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox).
• Integration: Automated tests are fully integrated into CI/CD, running on every build with clear reporting.
• Collaboration: Regular reports of the progress of the implementation of the test framework and tests using JIRA/Slack.
• Documentation Quality: All test scripts and frameworks are delivered with clear contributor guidelines and setup instructions.
• Knowledge Transfer: Handover is completed with sufficient documentation and training so that the GFW QA team can maintain the test suite independently.

Timeline 

The duration and weekly time commitment for this consultancy will be determined based on the candidate's availability and project scope. The estimated duration is 2 months, with the possibility of extension up to 3 months depending on project needs. Proposed timeline below:

The following examples represent key user flows:

Examples of High-Priority Flow Test Cases

1. Given I am a logged-in user on the map,
   When I activate the Presence layer,
   Then I can see vessel presence displayed on the map.
   
   
2. Given I am a logged-in user with special permissions on the map,
   When I activate a private layer,
   Then I can see private vessel activity displayed on the map.
   
   
3. Given the Presence layer is active,
   When I select a cell on the map,
   Then I can see the names of vessels present in that cell.
   
   
4. Given I select a vessel on the map,
   When I pin it to the map,
   Then I can see its track and events on the timebar and the map.
   
   
5. Given a vessel is present in my workspace,
   When I click on the vessel's name,
   Then I can view its complete information in the Vessel Viewer panel.

Example of Medium-Priority Flow Test Cases

1. Given I am using the vessel search tool, with different permissions
   When I enter the name of a vessel (e.g., "Saga Sea"),
   Then I see the vessels I have access to listed in the search results.
   
   
2. Given I have an activity layer and a reference layer active (e.g., Presence and EEZs),
   When I click within the boundaries of an EEZ area on the map,
   Then I can create an area analysis based on that selection.
   
   
3. Given I am in the Marine Manager workspace,
   When I select the CMAR core MPAs,
   Then the map displays with a preconfigured viewport and layer filters for that specific area.

Project tracking: 

• Weekly checkpoints with GFW product manager, QA, and engineering representatives. 
• Tasks and bug tracking will be maintained in a Jira project.
• Daily/Bi-daily progress async reports through Slack.

Terms and Conditions 

- The consultant will work under a time-bound contract with clearly defined deliverables.
- All automation code produced will be property of Global Fishing Watch.
- Consultant is expected to follow organizational practices regarding repositories, code reviews, and security.

Vendor qualification requirements 

- Proven experience with front-end automation frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Cypress).
- Experience testing interactive maps or data visualization applications.
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and test integration.
- Strong collaboration and documentation skills.
- Ability to identify gaps in test coverage and suggest enhancements to improve overall testing strategy.
- ​​Interest or experience in exploring the use of AI to enhance test automation, such as test generation, visual validations, or intelligent selectors.
- Proven ability to deliver maintainable, well-documented test automation frameworks that can be supported by in-house teams.
- Experience collaborating with distributed, international teams across multiple time zones.

Submission requirements

Interested parties should submit a proposal via email as a Word or PDF attachment to. The proposal should consist of: 

• A cover letter detailing the provider’s interest and qualifications, including previous experience relevant to the RFP.
• A narrative proposal outlining the approach to fulfilling the responsibilities outlined in the RFP.
• A descriptive budget outlining the total cost of fulfilling the terms of the RFP. While we are open to a range of approaches, proposals should not exceed USD 40.000,00 for the estimated duration
• A proposed timeline for completing the consultancy.
• Resumes/CVs of key project personnel.

Submission deadline

We are accepting submissions until October 3rd; however, the opportunity may close earlier if we receive a sufficient number of qualified proposals. We encourage you to submit your proposal at your earliest convenience.

Equal Opportunities: Global Fishing Watch is an equal opportunities employer. Global Fishing Watch is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization and in the greater ocean management and conservation community. We believe that diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger organization. Bringing together professionals who possess broad experiences and a spectrum of perspectives will enable us to reach our goal of improved ocean governance faster. We hire and promote qualified professionals without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organizational goals match the urgent challenges facing our global ocean, and our mission is designed to help secure a healthy ocean for all. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of humanity’s diversity, by providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees of Global Fishing Watch and for our partners, vendors, suppliers and contractors.