Framework Agreement with International Experts in ICTs for WBG analytical and operational work, e-Government and emerging ICT supported citizen participation and social accountability approaches

Electronic Submissions through World Bank Group eConsultant2
https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
Assignment Title: 1085792 - International Expertise in the area of ICTs to support the World Banks analytical and operational work, including both e-Government as well as newly emerging ICT supported citizen participation and social accountability approaches.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
(i) The World Banks ICT Unit is part of the Transport, Water and ICT Department (TWI) of the Sustainable Development Network. The ICT Unit operates globally across the six regions of the World Bank Group; (1) East Asia and the Pacific; (2) South Asia; (3) Middle East and North Africa; (4) Europe and Central Asia; and (5) Latin America and Caribbean.

The ICT Sector Unit's work program includes investment and policy lending activities, non-lending technical assistance, analytical work, knowledge sharing and global initiatives in the following three areas: 1) Connectivity Infrastructure; 2) ICT-enabled Transformation; and 3) ICT Innovation. These are described in more detail in the new ICT Strategy of the World Bank. 

(ii) The World Bank Institute (WBI) is a global connector of knowledge, learning and innovation for poverty reduction. WBI connects practitioners and institutions to help them find suitable solutions to their development challenges. With a focus on the reform processes, WBI links knowledge from around the world to scale up innovations. WBI offers three areas of support to its developing-country clients:
Collaborative Governance: supporting clients to leverage collective action processes and institutions
Innovative Solutions: identifying and incubating of innovations to tackle key development challenges
Open Knowledge: connecting clients to global knowledge on reform processes and open development. 
GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The World Bank has embraced openness as an essential feature of its organizational model. The World Bank is systematically opening up its datasets and is promoting open government / open data approaches in its client countries. In keeping with this spirit, providers of expert services are expected to adopt open development principles, as illustrated below :
1.Participatory and user-centric design

a. Projects incorporate the end users into the planning process through the entire cycle
b. Projects are developed in small increments and tested with the end users during the process
c. Projects are modified based on iterative testing with end users

2. Open Standards, Open Data and Open Source

a. Projects adopt open standards, working with standards bodies and expanding standards when possible
b. All data is open by default, with a strong rational being provided if another approach is taken. Data and functionalities are exposed in documented APIs where use by a larger community is possible
c. Software development leverages open source where appropriate. Open source solutions mean more than just the license and extend into the code being available in public repositories and favoring projects with large active communities.

3. Networked Approach

a. Projects participate in networks and communities of like-minded developers announcing their projects and doing due diligence on existing projects and approaches before moving forward.
b. Projects make a strong effort to document their work, results, processes and best practices and share them widely.
c. Projects publish materials under a creative commons license by default; with a strong rationale if another licensing approach is taken.

4. Scale and Sustainability

a. Projects take into account scale and sustainability from the beginning of the project and examine their projects for dependencies that might limit them as they move forward.
b. Local communities and developers are utilized by default with a strong rationale if another approach is taken. Projects build long term local support into their budgets from the beginning.
c. Hardware choices are analyzed through the lens of national and regional scale as well as by the effort it takes to maintain and support the hardware chosen.

5. Strategic Reuse

a. Projects use approaches that avoid duplication of investments by encouraging reuse of existing approaches and tools, where appropriate.
b. Software developed is done in modular ways favoring approaches that are modular and interoperable over those that are monolithic by design.

INDICATIVE SCOPE OF WORK 

Members of the selected entities will be expected to operate in the World Bank environment and collaborate with Bank staff and its consultants, working as a seamless team. They will be expected to perform the following tasks :
Analytical work: Provide input to analytical products such as economic and sector work, technical assistance to clients, publications
Operational Work: Provide input to World Bank teams during project preparation, identified the component, assist World Bank teams with project supervision, and accompany World Bank teams on project initiation, preparation and supervision missions. Provide technical advice to clients.
Customization and tailoring: Provide support with technical customization and tailoring of tools and solutions for demonstration and / or experimental purposes. 
Quality assurance: draft, review and comment on technical documents.

FOCUS AREAS

The World Bank is seeking expertise in the following broad areas: 

1. Citizen Engagement and Feedback Mechanisms
2. Asset Verification and Tracking
3. Open Data 
4. Information Systems and Processes 

The above areas are defined very broadly, and there may be overlaps between them. The exact scope of each of these areas will be defined in more detail in the Terms of Reference that will form part of the Request for Proposals (RFP) that will be issued to organizations selected from among those that express interest. 

ELIGIBILITY
There are no Eligibility restrictions to participate in the REOI stage. However, firms need to meet the World Bank's vendor eligibility criteria prior to being awarded a contract. 

INDIVIDUAL / FIRM PROFILE
The consultant will be a firm. 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT
The evaluation committee will review expressions of interest and issue a full RFP to shortlisted firms. The following criteria will be used to shortlist the firms that will respond to this Request for expression of interest: 
Track-record assessed on the basis of the number and quality of projects in selected focus areas mentioned above, and evidence of previous compliance with open development principles. 
Capacity for international deployment on the basis of geographical coverage of previous and current projects and capacity for international deployment of staff across one or more regions of the Bank, and across linguistic boundaries. 
Partnerships with private, academic, non-profit and government organizations as well as the ability to bring in new partners on per need basis evidenced by prior projects designed/implemented in partnerships. 
Ability to quickly mobilize relevant experts to undertake assignments in the focus areas described in this Request for EOI;
Prior experience demonstrating adherence to the principles laid out in this Request for EOI.

The World Bank, now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing expert services in areas described above. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). Consultants may associate with other consultants to enhance their qualifications.
The Expression of Interest should contain the following: 

Section 1: Description of your organization, including geographic coverage and linguistic capabilities (2 pages max); 

Section 2: Description of the existing partnerships with private, academic, non-profit and government organizations as well as ability to bring in new partners on per need basis (2 pages max);

Section 3: Description of projects that demonstrate a track record in the focus areas named in this Request for Expression of Interest (5 pages max);

Section 4: Up to 15 CVs of associated consultants who are well suited to perform the type of work described in this Expression of Interest. Each CV should have a summary of qualifications highlighting most relevant experience;

Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.
Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through World Bank Group eConsultant2 (https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html)
NOTES
Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding. The World Bank will be assessing the reasonableness of Consultants rates based on the maximum rates that shall be specified for different categories of consultants as part of this procurement. 

Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.

Qualification Criteria

• 1. Provide information showing that they are qualified in the field of the assignment (See above for complete requirements).
• 2. Provide information on the technical and managerial capabilities of the firm.
• 3. Provide information on their core business and years in business.
• 4. Provide information on the qualifications of key staff.

* - Mandatory

Selection and contracting will normally be made from responses to this request for expression of interest. The consultant will be selected from a shortlist, subject to availability of funding.