REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Consultancy on Africa Information Highway : 01 Technical Expert to support field
work in English speaking 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 ; c.baradandikanya@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 support English speaking 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).
Finally, the consultant will be heavily involved in the work on e-GDDS in collaboration with partner international organizations. He/she will be primarily in charge of developing and disseminating National Summary Data Pages.
Main activities and deliverables :
The consultant is expected to travel extensively within the region, and will be primarily involved in supporting the AIH work in the field.
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 their responsibility contain up to date content ;
- Develop National Summary Data Pages as requested by the IMF and disseminate them to the public ;
- Undertake AfDB/IMF joint missions to introduce countries to the Data Submission Tool (DST) and the ODP ;
- Develop SDGs pages in line with the needs of RMCs and disseminate them to the public ;
- Assist countries with the update and management of their SDG hub ;
- Actively participate in the activities of the Innovation Lab for the use of new sources of data to complement official statistics, particularly through the development of queries for data collections ;
- 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 assessments 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 04 December 2019 ;
- Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: from 08:00 to 17:00 Hours, Abidjan Local Time.
Expression of interest must be received at the following address no later than 20 November 2019 at 15:00 hours Abidjan local time, and specifically mentioning : Consultancy on Africa Information Highway : 01 Technical Expert to support fieldwork in English speaking Countries For Attention of Mrs. ADINGRA Bossoma Rose-Marie
Statistics Department (ECST)
Avenue Joseph Anoma
01 B.P. 1387
Abidjan 01
Côte d’Ivoire
Phone : (+225) 20 26 46 34
E-mail : B.ADINGRA@AFDB.ORG
Requests for clarifications may be sent to : C.BARADANDIKANYA@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% |
TERMS OF REFERENCE :
Consultancy on Africa Information Highway : 01 Technical Expert to support fieldwork in English speaking Countries
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Statistics Department (ESTA)
Avenue Joseph Anoma
01 B.P. 1387
Abidjan 01
Cote d’ivoire
Email : k.l.kouakou@afdb.org; B.ADINGRA@AFDB.ORG ; c.baradandikanya@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 Assignement :
The main objective of this assignment will be to support English speaking countries to continue improving the 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).
Finally, the consultant will be heavily involved in the work on e-GDDS in collaboration with partner international organizations. He/she will be primarily in charge of developing and disseminating National Summary Data Pages.
Main activities and deliverables :
The consultant is expected to travel extensively within the region, and will be primarily involved in supporting the AIH work in the field.
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 their responsibility contain up to date content ;;
- Develop National Summary Data Pages as requested by the IMF and disseminate them to the public ;
- Undertake AfDB/IMF joint missions to introduce countries to the Data Submission Tool (DST) and the ODP ;
- Develop SDGs pages in line with the needs of RMCs and disseminate them to the public.
- Assist countries with the update and management of their SDG hub ;
- Actively participate in the activities of the Innovation Lab for the use of new sources of data to complement official statistics, particularly through the development of queries for data collections ;
- 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 assessments 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.
Deliverables :
The consultant will be required to submit a written report after each country implementation mission outlining key recommendations.
Administration and Reporting :
Under the overall guidance of the Division Managers of ECST.1 and ECST.2, with the general supervision of the project’s Task Manager.
Duration of the Assignment :
The duration of this contract is twelve months (12) renewable based on performance.
Qualifications and Experience Required :
The successful candidate should have demonstrated superior skills in working effectively with a wide variety of Statistical platforms. He/she must be capable of providing training to counterparts in RMCs and build capacity on the management of the AIH.
In addition, the successful candidate should have :
- A University Degree in Database Management, IT, Statistics or related field ;
- Demonstrated capabilities associated with a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in IT development using .Net and Java for front-end ;
- A minimum of five (5) years working experience in RMCs ;
- Excellent knowledge of Information and Technology Systems, especially as used in developing countries for statistical purposes ;
- Demonstrated experience in data mining and scrapping and their use for development projects ;
- Familiarity with and a supportive attitude towards processes of strengthening local capacities and Statistical agencies ;
- Expertise in field data collection, statistical analysis, and data dissemination ;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills ;
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly within Africa.
Other Competencies :
Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships with national partners.