The Open Knowledge Network
India Pilot Project
Invitation
to Participate
The Open Knowledge Network (www.openknowledge.net) is an initiative of the G8 Digital Opportunity
Taskforce (DOTForce, www.dotforce.org) 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 (www.oneworld.net) 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 five 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 â 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 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 operatorsâ meeting
15â 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)
- 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
- Embedded technology within a very clear thematic focus and objectives based in their values and mission and needs of the community
- 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
- Mainstream gender concerns
- Be committed to the importance of locally generated
content
- Have an internal culture that values information sharing and the ability to mobilize other organisations to share knowledge
- Consider basing delivery mechanism on existing local methods for information exchange
- Conduct information/knowledge work in Hindi or any other north Indian languages
- Have staff capacity to work in English as well as the relevant local languages, i.e., Hindi or any other north Indian languages
- 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)
- Offer research and editing skills (hubs identify, aggregate and disseminate information â they are both source and dispatcher of information)
- Have existing links to community information Access Points which are open o the public and have working computers
- 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)
- Be able to promote services to community (marketing skills)
15.
Take an entrepreneurial approach to
sustainability â 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)
- Hubs should be able to adopt a flexible approach to bringing in outside capacity where required, eg. for translation work
- It is desirable but not essential that hubs are able to provide a âbouquetâ 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
- 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 â a description of the organization, its involvement in ICT for
Development/ promotion of local content.
2. Statement of Work â whether
organization has hub requirements.
3. Project Plan â 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 Porgrmamme Manager, Asia by email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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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