CALL FOR EXPERTS
for
“EU Knowledge Hub Digital (Part I)”
Procedure number: INTPA/2022/EA-RP/0048
Location – Countries eligible under the NDICI Global Challenges programme
Provisional date of invitation to tender: June 2022
Provisional commencement date of the contract: December 2022
Period of implementation of tasks: 36 months
Deadline for submission of applications & CVs: 10th June 2022
DAI is currently preparing an Expression of Interest for this high-value project and is therefore publishing this Call for Experts to solicit applications from interested and qualifying specialists.
The Overall Objective (Impact) of this action is to contribute to the fulfillment of EU global ambition of promoting a fair, inclusive, gender-responsive, green and human-centric digital transformation worldwide, inspired by the principles enshrined in the EU Digital Single Market, EU values, communications, regulations and standards for data and technology. The action will carry out actions which ultimately contribute to the relevant SDG’s (3 (Health), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), 10 (Reduced inequalities), 13 (Climate Action), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
The Action aims through the provision of high level and targeted technical assistance to achieve the below: The Specific(s) Objective(s) (Outcomes) of this action are:
1. A Knowledge Hub on digital for development and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is established.
2. The role of EU in international partnerships as regard to STI and digitalisation is strengthened through improved collaboration and policy dialogue among EU and non-EU key actors also through the D4D Hub.
3. knowledge-management regarding the European Commission’s role in the Digital for Development and STI domain is strengthened.
In line with the above overall and specific objectives, DAI welcomes applications from all interested specialists who have a minimum of 10 years of experience in at least 3 of the following fields of expertise (listed below) required for this contract:
Generic tasks for specific topics/ thematics:
Analysis, background research, assessment; and design, formulation and evaluation of programmes; support knowledge sharing and capacity building in the areas of:
1) Digital governance and policies, EU and partner’s strategies (Digital Single Market, Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, Data Act(s), AI act, etc, ) building on EU values and best practices.
2) eGovernance, e-ID, policy and infrastructure, Development of e-government architecture and the identification of priority projects,
3) Data governance and policies for the use, storage, sharing and reuse of data (e.g. free flow of data, data access and markets, data integration and exchanges, data sovereignty, data privacy and protection, and data localisation), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),
4) Connectivity for affordable and high-speed stable secure internet access, including Submarine fiber cables and regional backbones for international connectivity, including mapping,
5) Addressing the rural-urban divide, Last-mile connectivity and network infrastructures, in general, and for public institutions (e.g. schools, health centers, universities, training centres, community centres),
6) Digital and Space entrepreneurship support services (e.g. incubation and acceleration services, financial support mechanisms) and ecosystems (e.g. technology hubs and innovation stakeholders, access to finance), building on EU best practices and specifically targeting start-ups and Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs),
7) Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystems, national and regional innovation funds and collaborations between research, education & innovation actors,
8) Digital and Space/Earth Observation technologies, skills and entrepreneurship for the green and circular economy,
9) Digital Public Goods and Open source software for sustainable development,
10) Digital literacy and competences for digitally empowered citizens (e.g. EU DigComp framework) and teachers (e.g. EU DigCompEdu), and digital skills training and education for a digitally skilled workforce,
11) Technology-enhanced learning and teaching (e.g. Learning Management System (LMS), virtual labs, gamification, etc.) for learner-centered and active education,
12) The use of digital technologies and solutions to support the effective management of education systems from school and training center level to ministry level, including Education Management Information Systems and/or Labour Management information systems
13) Digital gender divide,
14) Geo-politics of Internet Governance, Open and free internet principles, Internet standard setting, engagement in multilateral and multi-stakeholder processes and for a,
15) Artificial intelligence for sustainable development, public and private e-services, ethical standards. Emerging technologies such as blockchain and machine learning from space data,
16) Digital finance, ePayments,
17) Cyber security, policies, prevention and response strategies,
18) Digital rights and principles,
19) Policy development and formulation of mobility, capacity building and exchange actions for students, researchers and innovators in partner countries, more specifically with regards to digital skills, STI, space and earth observation,
20) Entrepreneurship, research and innovation related to space and earth observation data and big data,
21) Scientific collaboration (including through the use of digital connectivity) and Science Diplomacy,
22) Research capacities, scientific collaboration, STI policies and governance, technology and knowledge transfer, knowledge triangle, mobility of researchers and open science/knowledge/innovation/data
Specific tasks are only foreseen for some thematics/ topics:
23) Engineering design of digital, and Space/Earth observation projects and programmes;
24) Design and implementation of feasibility studies for sustainable digital infrastructure actions and investments (e.g. Connectivity infrastructure – inter-continental, backbone and/or last-mile-, data Centres (data storage and cloud computing), Internet Exchange Points, etc) and e-government projects (e.g. e-ID systems, e-government services, data integration and exchange solutions, etc.)
25) Economic appraisal and financial sustainability analysis of digital infrastructure, digital entrepreneurship financial support mechanisms and e-government actions, for financial institutions; including also the EU’s European Fund for Sustainable Development + (EFSD+),
26) Knowledge management and sharing on the digital transition at the multilateral (including UN) level, including the UN Digital Roadmap, our common Agenda, its implementation and the Tech Envoy
27) Analysis of programme-specific cyber security, data protection and privacy risks and identification of corrective measures
28) Analysis of the environmental impact of digital transformation programmes, and development of sustainable digital transformation strategies and projects
29) Analysis and development of sector-specific digital transformation strategies and action plans, including in the areas of digital education, e-health, e-finance and e-agriculture
30) Development of public and private sector-specific e-services, including in the areas of digital education, e-health, e-finance and e-agriculture
DAI is the largest single provider of development services to the European Commission.
From corporate locations in Ankara (Turkey), Belgrade (Serbia), Brussels (Belgium), Cologne (Germany), London (United Kingdom), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Vienna (Austria), our team of 100+ employees oversees a portfolio of more than 95 EU projects in more than 80 countries.
Our EU Business Unit covers the whole spectrum of DAI operations, from project delivery, framework contract implementation, and global facilities management to business development, communications, and knowledge management. The EU team is seamlessly integrated into DAI’s global organisation, tapping the full range of technical specialists and support staff from our United States, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, and other locations.
This team orchestrates a network of some 800 in-house and external experts currently engaged on short- and long-term assignments encompassing all EU technical areas, including governance and public administration reforms, sustainable economic growth and agriculture, resilience, conflict and security, gender and social inclusion, climate change and green growth, digitalisation, global health, education, and social protection.
DAI has extensive experience working with the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the EU’s External Action Service (EEAS), and European development financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
We partner with these and other clients to support the European Consensus on Development and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, we report on our contributions to achieving the SDGs in our annual Communication on Progress. In 2021, we signed up to the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) for greenhouse gas emission reductions. As an employee-owned and mission-oriented enterprise, we are wholly committed to upholding the highest standard of responsible and sustainable business.”
As an employee-owned and mission-oriented enterprise, we are wholly committed to upholding the highest standard of responsible and sustainable business.
