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Open Knowledge Network expands, proposals invited
Open Knowledge Network India Pilot Project: Invitation to Participate
The Open Knowledge Network is an initiative of the G8 Digital Opportunity Taskforce linking existing grassroots information and knowledge sharing initiatives through shared standards and software tools. Its aim is to promote both the creation and the exchange of local content as widely as possible across the South, supported by a range of different information and communication technologies (ICTs). The collaborative development of the programme is coordinated by OneWorld International and its network of southern centres, and funded by the UK and Canadian governments, through DfID and Industry Canada respectively.
As part of the OKN initiative, OneWorld South Asia office has identified M S Swaminathan Research Foundation as the first hub in South Asia in October 2003. The hub started its operation on 1 December 2003, and is functional ever since. As per the plans, OWSA aims to identify two hub organizations in North India that would participate in the OKN programme for a period of 5-months (test - phase), and thereafter, function as full-fledged hubs for a period of at least 12 months working towards sustainability.
The pilot in North India will aim to test local content generation, processing and dissemination and knowledge sharing as activities in vernacular languages, working closely with OneWorld South Asia office based in Delhi and the OKN hub in South India in Chennai. On successful completion of the OKN pilot, the hub organizations will function as full-fledged hubs linking up a number of info-kiosks in North India.
Project Process
As a governance principle, the OKN operation in India is at present being steered by a steering group in India constituting members from MSSRF and OneWorld South Asia. The members of the Steering Committee are recognized experts in the area of ICTs, and local content development. The Steering Committee also works with selected software developers that will design and develop prototypes, verify that these products meet required packing standards, and ensure that the fixtures are produced and made available to the organisations, and access points managing the Pilot. Upon selection, the north Indian hub organizations will join this steering group.
Project and Timelines
Respondents must be able to adhere to the following timelines:
Expression of interest from organizations: 5 Oct 2004
Proposal from potential hub organizations: 6 Oct 2004
OKN South Asia steering group to evaluate applications: 7 Oct 2004
Selection of hub organization(s): 15 Oct 2004
Agreement signed between OWSA and hub organization(s): 31 Oct 2004
Baseline study initiated: 1 Nov 2004
Hub-OWSA to support software development: 1-30 Nov 2004
Baseline study completed: 1 Dec 2004
Access point operators meeting: 15 17 Dec 2004
Software installation completed at Access Points: 31 Dec 2004
OKN hub and content generation starts: 1 Jan 2005
Review of operation of pilot operation: 1-10 Feb 2005
Pilot phase ends: 31 Mar 2005
OKN hub signs a new contract with OWSA: 1 Apr 2005
Funding commitment ends: 31 Mar 2006
Hub Requirements
Have experience and legitimacy in the field of ICTs and information exchange for development. Organization may need to partner in order to bring together all the expertise that is required (Experience to be qualified by some indicators)
1. Have at least 3 years experience and legitimacy in the field of ICTs and information exchange for development. Organisation may need to partner in order to bring together all the expertise that is required.
2. Embedded technology within a very clear thematic focus and objectives based in their values and mission and needs of the community.
3. Working experience of five years, according to a clear pro-poor understanding of development (bottom-up, participatory and community ownership approach that extends to access points and other collaborators) and a democratic organizational structure and processes.
4. Mainstream gender concerns.
5. Be committed to the importance of locally generated content.
6. Have an internal culture that values information sharing and the ability to mobilize other organisations to share knowledge.
7. Consider basing delivery mechanism on existing local methods for information exchange.
8. Conduct information/knowledge work in Hindi or any other north Indian languages.
9. Have staff capacity to work in English as well as the relevant local languages, i.e., Hindi or any other north Indian languages.
10. Have a reasonable level of connectivity as well as technical skills and infrastructure (whilst potential hub organization might not currently be online 24/7, they must be able to achieve this level of connectivity in order to join the network. OKN funding may need to be used to upgrade Internet coverage in some cases).
11. Offer research and editing skills (hubs identify, aggregate and disseminate information they are both source and dispatcher of information).
12. Have existing links to community information Access Points which are open o the public and have working computers.
13. Have the capacity to manage knowledge workers (experience suggest that 3-4 per hub will be enough at the outset but as the work evolves it may be necessary to supplement this capacity).
14. Be able to promote services to community (marketing skills).
15. Take an entrepreneurial approach to sustainability ie be prepared to accept responsibility for developing an independent business model for the hub operation (ultimately seeing themselves partly as a small business and moving beyond dependency on donor funding).
16. Hubs should be able to adopt a flexible approach to bringing in outside capacity where required, eg. for translation work.
17. It is desirable but not essential that hubs are able to provide a bouquet of information products, rather than focusing only on one thematic area (for example Agriculture, health, small business, etc.). If necessary this could be achieved through having the capacity to employ other specialists.
18. The hub should be able to show fiscal responsibility to OKN in the line of management capacity, accountability and transparency.
Proposal Response
Participants must meet and address most of the hub requirements. Proposals are required to have the format beneath of not more than 5 pages:
1. Introduction a description of the organization, its involvement in ICT for Development/ promotion of local content.
2. Statement of Work whether organization has hub requirements.
3. Project Plan how, and with whom the organization will work in implementing the project.
4. Project Cost.
Project Funding
Funding in the form of software, training, additional staff, and administration will be available for this project.
Selection Process
The Steering Committee will be responsible for ranking the proposals. The selection process and criteria for ranking will be based on:
Adherence to invitation to Participate format and willingness to comply with all requirements.
Ability to meet timelines.
Experience in ICT for Development Projects.
Willingness to partner with other organizations.
Demonstrated familiarity in development and management of local content.
Willingness to participate in the sustainability model being developed by OKN.
Intention to Participate
Interested organizations are asked to respond in writing, their interest and ability to meet the participation requirements identified within this invitation. Expression of interest and a full proposal in the above format should be submitted to OneWorld South Asia on or before 6 October 2004 to the OKN Programme Manager, Asia by email:
basheerhamad.shadrach@oneworld.net or by post at the following address:
Dr Basheerhamad Shadrach,
Director,
OneWorld South Asia,
C2/6, Safdarjung Development Area,
New Delhi 110016,
India.
The selection of hub organizations will take place on 15 October 2004. Shortlisted hub organizations will be intimated by 20 October 2004.
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