Terms
of reference for Implementing Scan-ICT Phase
II
Background
The Scan-ICT programme was launched
in November 2000 as a collaborative project between
the Acacia programme of the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC) and the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA), with financial support
from the European Union (EU) and the Norwegian
Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD). SCAN-ICT
monitors the penetration, impact and effectiveness
of information and communication technologies (ICT)
applications in pilot countries across Africa,
providing added value to the African Information
Society Initiative (AISI) implementation at the
national, regional and global levels . It is a
multi-partnership initiative that seeks to build
support for the phased development of a comprehensive
African capability to define, collect and manage
key information needed to support the growing investment
in ICTs as well as the transition of Africa to
an Information Society. In addition, Scan ICT describes
an opportunity to build capacity in Africa the
capacity for Africa to influence ICT investments,
to extend their impact, to develop sound policies
and to encourage the development of made in Africa
solutions, applications and content. The goal is
to create a pan African ICT network that would
collect, analyse and disseminate all levels of
ICT related knowledge in an open manner. The first
phase of the SCAN-ICT programme, which involved
six countries ended in 2004 and the concluding
workshop was organized in February 2004 .
ECA organized a workshop from
30 June to 2 July 2005 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
in order to launch the second phase of the Scan-ICT
programme. The workshop aimed to learn from experience/lessons/results
of the Scan-ICT phase I, discuss methodologies,
core indicators and framework for the second phase
of the Scan-ICT project under the coordination
of National Statistical Offices (NSOs), finalize
the guidelines for implementation and define the
way forward.
For the second phase of the SCAN
initiative, NSOs and national observatories for
information and communication technologies from
nine countries have been identified as implementing
partner agencies to undertake the Scan country
study. These countries are Cameroon, Ethiopia,
Gambia, Ghana, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swaziland
and Tunisia. The initiative is implemented with
the financial support from the Government of Finland.
.
Objectives
of the Scan-ICT Studies
General
Objectives
This project aims to assist member
States in their efforts to develop their information
society and economy through developing and compiling
suitable Information Society/ICT4D indicators that
will guide their ICT policy and plan development
and implementation process. It will also monitor
assess, evaluate and measure the impact of the
development of the their Information Society/Information
Knowledge Economy on the socio-economic well-being
of their citizens, the performance of their businesses
(the economy) and functioning of the public sector.
Expected Outputs
In order to achieve the objectives,
the project intends to produce the below expected
outputs:
1. Document on methodology: based
on the adopted SCAN methodology, the document will
address specific needs and conditions of each country
and detail priority theme areas, selected indicators,
data collection and analysis methodology, development
of survey instruments, geographical coverage, publication
and dissemination of the findings, among other
key methodological issues.
2. Scan Country Profile/baseline
data: the compilation of the Scan country profile
will include secondary source research findings
and primary research findings within the context
of the suggested framework. The project will pay
a special attention to the collection of gender
disaggregated data and information.
3. Scan Country Profile/analysis:
a qualitative analysis on the ICT use and impact
in the priority theme areas, such as education,
health, rural development, public administration
or e-economy, particularly within the context of
the country’s ICT policy and plan.
4. National Scan website: a Scan
website (as part of the institution’s website
if available) will be developed to post all the
relevant information mentioned above (in updateable
database format), as well as links to other Scan
websites. If the institution does not have a website,
the Scan-ICT website should be developed.
Activities
I-Development
of methodology
A. Organize a national consultation
workshop to agree on priority theme areas which
the SCAN-ICT study will focus on, based on the
methodology adopted during the July SCAN workshop,
the list of core indicators and the key sectors
identified in the national ICT policy and plan
of the country.
B. Identify what data are already
available (secondary data) and what data would
need to be collected in the field (primary data).
An approximation of the time and means to access
this primary data should be detailed.
C. Identify research and methodological
issues of concern to the study. This may include
the identification of new indicators, or the refinement
of suggested ones for example.
D. Examine the suggested framework
for the study and adjust the methodology to suit
the specific needs of the country.
E. Develop a detailed plan for
data collection
II- Data
and Information Gathering
F. Put in place a system for data
gathering and continuous updating of information.
This will include the development of a national
Scan website with a database of information and
links to other Scan nodes and other relevant information.
G. Undertake secondary source
desk research in order to answer some of the questions
asked in the suggested framework. Sources may,
for examples, include ECA’s NICI country
profiles, ITU’s database of African Telecommunications
Indicators, UNESCO’s statistical databases,
etc.
H. Undertake primary data collection
through surveys, based on the themes and indicators
agreed, when the secondary source data are not
available.
III-Analysis
I. Analyse the information, in
a thematic approach, in order to assess the ICT
usage and impact in the priority theme areas
J. Analyse the information according
to issues of concern to the country’s national
ICT strategy.
IV. Dissemination
K. Compile the results in a database,
publish the report of the study, and create a website
for its wider dissemination.
L. Organize a concluding workshop to discuss with wider stakeholder groups,
ICT policy and decision makers the findings of the research and a future plan
to mainstream Information Society indicators into the existing national statistical
framework.
Tentative Implementation Schedule
Implementation is expected to
start in Early-November 2005, with the organization
of the national workshop and advisory services
from ECA to discuss policy and implementation issues
as well as operationalization.
Outputs Timeframe
Output 1: Workshop and Methodology Document Early November 2005
Outputs 2 and 3: Scan Country Profile/baseline data/analysis November 2005 –March
2006
Output 4: National Scan web-sites Continuous
Proposed Budget
The project cost up to US$ 60,000.
Disbursement
of funds
Payment will be made based on
the following arrangements. ECA will transfer the
amount of US$ 60,000 (sixty thousand US Dollars)
to the Information and Communication Technologies
Access Networks and Infrastructures Department
of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
of Cameroon in the following manner:
1 – Upon submission of
the workshop outline and list of invited participants,
the first instalment of US$ 10,000 will be transferred
to the Information and Communication Technologies
Access Networks and Infrastructures Department
of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
of Cameroon to fund activities related to the organization
of national workshop;
2 – Upon completion of the
above-mentioned activities and submission of the
methodology document and workshop report, a second
instalment of US$ 30,000 will be transferred to
fund activities related to conduct baseline study
and analysis;
3 – Upon completion of
the above-mentioned activities and submission of
the required progress and financial reports, including
receipts, a third instalment of US$ 10,000 will
be transferred to fund activities related to publishing
the report and developing the website;
4 – Upon completion of
the activities above and submission of the required
final report and final statement reflecting all
expenditures incurred, a last instalment of US$
10,000 may be transferred on the basis of the full
utilization of the resources of US$ 50,000 received
from ECA.
5 - Upon receipt of each instalment,
the Information and Communication Technologies
Access Networks and Infrastructures Department
of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
of Cameroon shall in writing acknowledge receipt
of funds to ECA.
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