Background

A fundamental government responsibility is providing information and services aimed at improving the social and economic welfare of its citizens. During the first phase of the Access to Information (A2I) Project, fundamental progress was made in improving access to public services through electronic means. However, it is critical to expand the breadth and width of such simplified services and improve the service delivery model to counter the impact of widespread outdated manual processes, resistance to change by civil service staff and a lack of transparency that still frustrates citizens in their attempts to avail of government information and services.

The objective of the 2nd phase of the project is to increase transparency, improve governance, and reduce the time, difficulty and costs of obtaining government services for under-served communities of Bangladesh. This is to be achieved by the following 4 components of the project:

Component 1: Strengthening existing e-services and launching a second generation of integrated, inter-operable e-government applications; (e-Service)

Component 2: Sensitizing government officials, training for service providers and expanding digital literacy among the general public; (Capacity and Awareness)

Component 3: Forging strong policy and strategy links to ensure implementation of needed legal and regulatory changes in support of the project; (Enabling Environment) and

Component 4: Promoting innovation in the delivery of e-services. (Innovation)

The project is funded by the Government of Bangladesh, UNDP and other development partners, and is implemented by PMO and Cabinet Division.

‘Access to Information II is looking to recruit Jr. Consultant Technical Assistance, iLab for technical support on innovative projects incubation.

Objectives:

The overall objective of the assignment will be the following:

• Providing technical support and incubation of 10 Service Innovation Funded (SIF) innovative projects.
• Ensure to keep update of Idea-Bank portal for 10 projects in the time periods.
• Study and provide support for different innovative idea from Innov-a-thon.
• Providing technical support to innovator to develop their project prototype according to user need.
• Prepare technical document for different technological invention to filing of patent.
• Ensure technical support on different type of events such as Innov-a-thon, Challenge Fund, Innovation Summit, International Conference etc.
• Study and find a best platform for AI based Chat bot for better health services.

Duties and Responsibilities

Access to Information (a2i) Project-II, has taken initiatives to create technical support space for innovative products and services. For this purpose, the assignment will take initiatives

• To provide technical support to innovative projects through study present technology, like
  • Machine Learning
  • Internet of Things
  • Block Chain          
• Identification of problems, root cause for innovative project (Service innovation funded projects) and recommending solutions based on study.
  • Root Cause analysis
  • Cost analysis
  • Study available solution of identified problems
• Use of latest technology for local problem solving.
  • Low cost solution
  • Proven Technology
  • Involve domain experts
• Identify key issues defining detail level requirements and challenges for the innovative product.
  • Design Thinking
  • Ensure frugality
  • Ensure Scalability
•  Establish initial communications with innovator and beneficiaries.
  • Through mobile phone and email
  • Identify beneficiaries
  • Listing beneficiaries for impact survey
• Promote with right contents and information to hunt quality innovations.
  • Ensure quality content for promotion
  • Funnelling target group
  • Ensure relevant text and audio visual context
• Engage social media and youth to maximize good quality innovations.
  • Communicate with Universities
  • Ensure relevant activity in social media
  • Response question from innovators
• Arrange consultations, round table discussions with the innovator and other stake holders, to ensure better technology
  • Meeting with domain experts
  • Meeting with mentors
  • Meeting with stakeholders
• Prototype to make any idea visible.
  • Ensure workable prototype
  • Arrange prototype showcasing
  • Preserve prototypes inside iLab

The assignment will focus on the following areas and activities:

• Provide technical support to 6 Service Innovation Fund (SIF) Projects and ensure service delivery-based design - 20 Days
• Provide technical support to 4 SIF Projects and ensure service delivery based design. Ensuring technical support for Innov-a-thon’18 - 20 Days
• Provide technical support to 1 Challenge funded SIF Projects and ensure service delivery-based design - 20 Days
• Idea Bank Update for 10 given SIF projects. Technical support for Innovation Summit - 20 Days
• Providing technical document for 3 SIF projects patent filing - 20 Days
• Finding a best platform an AI based chat bot - 20 Days
• Providing technical document for 4 SIF projects patent filing - 20 Days
• Study and prepare document for 3 SIF projects scale-up (Device) - 20 Days
• Study and prepare document for 4 SIF projects scale-up (Application) - 20 Days
• Study and prepare document for 3 SIF projects scale-up (Other Category) - 20 Days

Supervision and Performance Evaluation.

The activities done by the incumbent will be regularly monitored by the Innovation Expert.

Timeframe and deadlines:

The assignment will be for 200 working days over 10 months.

Activities/Reports:

The activities done by the incumbent will be regularly monitored by Innovation Expert of Access to Information-II Project. The incumbent will be paid in 10 installments, after completing each of the deliverables.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Knowledge in working with governance issues will be get advantages.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Familiar with and shares the vision of human development as laid out in the flagship HDR series

Functional Competencies

• Encourages Knowledge Sharing and Learning
• Disseminates specialized knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Able to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported
• Able to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems
• Able to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work
• Has good knowledge of financial rules and regulations.
• Able to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system.

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client
• Has demonstrable leadership skill.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Batchelor Degree in CSE, EEE or equivalent

Experience:

• At least 02 years’ job experience in technical domain in the development sector.
• Experience in Core Application development.
• Experience of working with government/international organization/ donor funded projects

Evaluation of the Candidates:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
• Technical Criteria weight; 70 marks.Only candidates obtaining a minimum 49% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks):

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)

All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below.

The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:

p = y (µ/z)

Where:

• p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated;
• y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal;
• µ = price of the lowest priced proposal;
• z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

 Financial Milestone:

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.

1. Brief letter explaining why the incumbent is best suit for the position (sample works/ links/any other evidence)
2. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
3. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references; P11 can be downloaded from the link below: http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/jobs/ 
4. Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:

 http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.