Attachment 2 Illustrative Scope of Work.pdf

Illustrative Scope of Work

Objective: USAID seeks to understand digital ecosystem in Kazakhstan. The purpose of this task order (TO) is to support USAID’s internal efforts to identify development opportunities and risks in Kazakhstan’s digital ecosystem using USAID’s DECA toolkit.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT

The USAID Digital Strategy 2020–2024 charts an agency‐wide vision for development and humanitarian assistance in the world’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. The Strategy’s goal is to achieve and sustain open, secure, and inclusive digital ecosystems that contribute to broad‐ based, measurable development, and humanitarian assistance outcomes. USAID’s Digital Strategy has two core, mutually reinforcing objectives:

1) improve measurable development and humanitarian assistance outcomes through the responsible use of digital technology in USAID’s programming and

2) strengthen the openness, inclusiveness, and security of country‐level digital ecosystems.

The primary goal of the assessment is to support USAID/Central Asia to better understand Kazakhstan’s Digital Ecosystem and provide recommendations to 1) mainstream digital development into programming and 2) better understand, work with, and support the country’s digital ecosystem to meet critical Development Objectives. This task will be carried out through a combination of desk research and interviews focused around three pillars:

1. Digital Infrastructure and Adoption: Digital infrastructure and adoption refers to the resources that make digital systems possible and how individuals and organizations access and use these resources. Digital infrastructure includes geographic network coverage, network performance, internet bandwidth, and spectrum allocation as well as telecom market dynamics around security, interoperability and competitiveness. This pillar also examines behavioral, social, and physical barriers and opportunities for equitable adoption (digital divides, affordability, and digital literacy)—who uses and does not use digital technologies and why.

2. Digital Society, Rights, and Governance: Digital society, rights, and governance focuses on how digital technology intersects with government, civil society, and the media. This pillar is divided into three sub‐pillars: Internet Freedom; Civil Society and Media; and Digital Government. Internet Freedom explores factors that enable or constrain the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms online. This includes individual rights to freedom of speech, privacy, and free assembly, and the abuse of these rights through digital repression. Civil Society and Media identifies key institutions and how they report on, advocate around, and influence online freedoms. Digital Government looks at the government’s efforts to manage internal information technology (IT) processes and systems, deliver citizen‐ and business‐facing e‐services, and engage with the public through digital channels.

3. Digital Economy: Digital economy explores the role digital technology plays in increasing economic opportunity and efficiency, trade and competitiveness, and global economic integration. Areas of inquiry include digital financial services (credit or debit cards, payment apps, mobile money, and digital savings and loan products), financial inclusion, regulation of digital finance, digital trade, e‐commerce, and the financial technology (FinTech) enabling environment. This pillar also assesses strengths and weaknesses in the local digital talent pool and the tech startup environment; a healthy digital economy requires a supply of ICT skills that matches the demand and an ecosystem that promotes technological innovation.

Note that the following topics are cross‐cutting and affect all three pillars in the assessment:

Inclusion: Equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. This topic goes beyond digital divides in connectivity access to include things like the unique impacts of digital repression on marginalized populations and barriers to full participation in the digital workforce.

Cybersecurity: How people, systems, and technology protect information kept in digital formats from being taken, damaged, modified, or exploited. This topic also includes an exploration of cyber harms that exist in a country, who is responsible for harms, and who is targeted.

Emerging technologies: Including artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things, drones, robotics, and blockchain.

Geopolitical positioning: How the country’s digital evolution is being shaped by international relationships, particularly the global spread of technology‐enabled authoritarianism.

Approach The assessment includes three phases: 1) Desk Research and Planning, 2) Interviews, and 3) Analysis and Report Writing. The Offeror shall suggest the best approach based on the country context and resources.

Key Tasks, Activities and Deliverables

Conduct a Desk/Literature Review Refine questions for the fieldwork based on findings in the literature and finalize with

USAID. Note: The questionnaires must be developed in English and once finalized, translated into local language.

Develop Interview Protocol, including customization for different types of actors/ stakeholders, as needed

Identify an initial list of key stakeholders for interviews and focus groups and schedule accordingly

Confirm methodology, clarify initial questions, and develop research plan with USAID support

Conduct in‐brief with USAID and other stakeholders Undertake semi‐structured interviews with key stakeholders, including additional stakeholders identified during the research

Develop draft outline of report to share with USAID Analyze and synthesize qualitative information and data. The consultant(s) will consolidate and analyze their field work notes to produce two products: a presentation for USAID/CA and a written report, which includes the research questions, the methodology and interviewees, and the key findings and recommendations.

Finalize draft report to share with USAID Finalize report and present to USAID