REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Consultancy on Africa Information Highway : Expert to Support Field Work in Data and Statistics in Regional Member Countries
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Statistics Department (ECST)
Avenue Joseph Anoma 01 B.P. 1387
Abidjan 01 Cote d’ivoire
Email : K.L.KOUAKOU@AFDB.ORG; B.ADINGRA@AFDB.ORG ; M.KOUTA@AFDB.ORG
Background :
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) holds that if the fight against poverty has to be won, there must be improvements in the quality and quantity of statistical data on all components of development. Reliable data is critical to setting goals and targets as well as evaluating project impact. Reliable data constitutes the single most convincing way of getting the people involved in what their leaders and institutions are doing. It also helps them to get involved in the development process, thus giving them a sense of ownership of the entire development process.
Through its Statistics Department, the AfDB is contributing to the effective development of the statistical capacity and systems of its regional member countries for the provision of timely and reliable data for policy formulation.
The individual consultant will be recruited to serve the Statistics Department through its Africa Information Highway (AIH) initiative.
The Africa Information Highway (AIH) initiative was launched by the Bank in 2012 with the primary objective of improving statistical data access in Africa by providing all African countries with an Open Data Platform (ODP).
Objectives of the Assignment :
The main objective of this assignment will be to assist countries to continue improving AIH implementation.
One key feature of the AIH to be further developed during this assignment is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Data Hub Platform, which allows all African countries to manage and report data relating to progress made on SDGs. In this regard, the AfDB has provided each African country a SDGs Reporting Platform and created a Regional Hub to facilitate management and easy access to SDGs data across Africa. The SDG Data Hub is a key addition to the AIH, as it helps to facilitate the monitoring of several regional initiatives, most notably the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across Africa. This tool has already been developed and installed, with additional enhancements to soon be included to facilitate tracking data at sub-regional levels. Technical assistance will be provided to countries to install a mechanism, with the participation of all sector ministries, to review data availability, identify relevant data sources, take stock of benchmark data, and periodically update data on the SDG Data Hub to track progress towards the SDGs.
The consultant will also participate in the implementation of the Statistics Department’s Data Innovation Lab, which aims to support African countries in building their capacities to compile augmented statistics from new data sources and big data using the most updated technologies. In addition to capacity building, the Lab will also aim to foster collaboration with different actors involved in statistics. Input from these actors, gleaned from platforms such as regional and national brainstorming initiatives hosted by the Lab, will also enable the Bank to better address the targets in development frameworks like Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The consultant will be part of the core team working on the implementation of the project jointly funded by the Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation to support AfDB’s effort in implementing the Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA).
Main activities and deliverables :
Activities :
The consultant will be recruited to complete the following activities :
- Undertake missions to RMCs to train and/or support the implementation, update and management of their Open Data Portals ;
- Ensure that all portals falling under his responsibility contain up to date content ;
- Undertake AfDB/IMF joint missions to introduce countries to the Data Submission Tool (DST) and to the ODP ;
- Assist countries with the update and management of their SDGs hub ;
- Actively participate in research activities under the Innovation Lab for the use of new sources of data to complement official statistics ;
- Actively participate in the implementation of the activities planned under the joint AfDB and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project ;
- Actively participate in organizing infographic competitions in RMCs using RMCs’ Open Data Platform ;
- Actively participate in organizing competitions in RMCs to engage youth in statistics ;
- Assist RMCs in establishing the governance structures necessary to enable a coordinated update of the portal with a special focus on SDGs ;
- Assist RMCs in enhancing data use for evidence based policy and decision making by capitalizing on the AIH ;
- Conduct Open Data portals performance assessment and propose new strategies to best support countries to upgrade their portal performances ;
- Assist/Guide RMCs in preparing progress reports on the AIH implementation, and analyze these reports in terms of problems and actions needed ;
- Identify barriers to effective data portal management and work with the AIH focal persons to develop appropriate supportive strategies/solutions ;
- Identify equipment needs, delivery systems, and personnel requirements that ensure broad country support for the AIH ;
- Regularly prepare a storyline for the ECST newsletter after conducting missions ;
- Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Task Manager.
The Statistics Department (ECST) invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.).
The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Procurement Policy for Recruitment of Corporate Consultants. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist.
The estimated duration of services is twelve months (12) and the estimated starting date is 22 January 2022.
Expressions of interest must be received at the following email addresses (ADINGRA@AFDB.ORG and M.KOUTA@AFDB.ORG) no later than 30 November 2021 at 15:00 hours Abidjan local time.
Requests for clarifications may be sent to : M.KOUTA@AFDB.ORG
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SHORT LIST :
A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end the request of expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria on the basis of their updated resume :
| Level of education in general | 20% |
| Educational level compared to the field of mission | 20% |
| Years of experience in general | 20% |
| Number of years of experience relevant to the mission | 40% |