CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Data for Development Innovation Fund
The Data for Development in Nepal (D4D) Program invites proposals from interested eligible organisations for the Data for Development Innovation Fund.
Data for Development Phase II
The Data for Development in Nepal (D4D) phase II is a 5-year development programme managed by The Asia Foundation and Development Initiatives with support from the UKAID. The program aims to improve the sharing and use of data as evidence for development. Through the D4D Program, the Asia Foundation and Development Initiatives want to contribute to the increased demand, supply, and use of data by government, civil society, and the private sector.
The goal of D4D Phase II Program is to develop data and information ecosystems at the provincial and local spheres with local stakeholders who have the knowledge and capabilities to demand, produce and use data for evidence-based decision-making that addresses local development challenges. The program supports government and non-government stakeholders to strengthen a functional, inclusive, and locally led data ecosystem in Nepal.
D4D is implemented in three provinces: Madhesh province, Lumbini province, and Karnali Province and five local government: Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, Birgunj Metropolitan City, Simta Rural Municipality, Lekbesi Rural Municipality, and Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City.
Data for Development Innovation Fund
Globally, information and communications technology have penetrated most sectors of development in an unprecedented manner. In this age of information, data has become one of the most valuable and abundant resources for effective planning and decision making. The penetration of data-based decision making, and policy formulation is slowly taking pace in Nepal as well. However, the overwhelming amount of data available requires effective harvesting, storage, update, management and utilization.
Data for Development programs have been supporting initiatives that facilitates or supports different kinds of data management and usage that aids developmental decisions and planning. These platforms are designed to aggregate different types of data to improve availability, access, reliability, and usage for local government.
Following this objective, D4D has supported the deployment of an Urban Data Portal – DMAPs at Janakpurdham Sub-metropolitan City based on DMAPs; a digital address geographic information management platform that generates unique metric-based addresses for individual households. Similarly, Integrated Data Management Platform (IDMS), is deployed in Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City. IDMS is a data aggregation platform that centralizes the data ecosystem of a local government. It allows controlled upload and maintenance of data that is generated at the local level. Further, Biomedical Equipment Management System (BEMS) is being deployed in Karnali Province for biomedical equipment status reporting and procurement assistance. BEMS is an inventory management system that allows storage, update, and auctioning of biomedical equipment in enlisted hospitals.
Despite the growing need of data generated by the system, there continues to be challenges full utilization of these data. The lack of public-private data exchange, intergovernmental data exchange, data silos formation, public awareness, capacity and resources, and bureaucratic processes are some of the identified challenges that contribute to the sluggish progress and adoption of such data systems.
Through the Data for Development Innovation Fund, locally led innovations that improve or collaborate for meaningful data utilization, or generation of the above-mentioned system in respective regions will be supported. Other innovation beyond this may also apply but priority will be given to the innovation built on the above mentioned system.
In addition to funding, awardees of the Innovation Fund will receive strategic guidance to support the realization of the proposed solution that are well-placed to demonstrate impact. Through this, the D4D Program aims to strengthen local leadership and momentum on the utilization of data for development. It aims to support the development of innovative solutions, approaches, tools, skills, and use cases that promote and enable the use of data.
This is the third year that the D4D Program has run an Innovation Fund. The previous Innovation Fund focussed on open data. This year, D4D innovation fund invites proposals from organizations and individuals with innovation that promotes or supports effective utilization of data generated from the above-mentioned system at the respective local level.
The brief detail of the platform is provided in the annex, and any question may be forwarded through [email protected] before NT 5:00 PM, Wednesday, June 21, 2024.
Innovation Fund Awards
The Data for Development Innovation Fund will award a total amount of NRP. 3,704,808, divided between 3 projects; 1 in each region. Awards made under the Data for Development Innovation Fund will be for a maximum of NPR. 1,234,936 per project. Funding will be awarded based on the assessment criteria below.
Assessment Criteria
Assessment of the applications will be based on the opportunity statement of the idea, use case realization, and the feasibility of implementation. Applications must relate to innovations aimed at improving the usage of data from the above-mentioned system for development. Applications are expected to demonstrate the following:
Use of an opportunity driven approach: The proposals will need to identify a specific opportunity of data application or identify a challenge that has hindered the effective utilization of the data and system. The solution should articulate how data will be utilized or will enable utilization capitalizing on the opportunity.
Technical methodology: The proposals will need to outline the technical methodology of the solution. The point of intervention, the methodology of intervention, the use case of data or expected use case of data, and integration or access level to the system required to realize the solution should be mentioned.
Process and use case innovation: The proposed interventions will need to be an activity, approach, or technology that will contribute to the data use case culture. This may include public-private data collaboration, data use-case implementation, business process streamlining with data, action research, policy engagement or awareness raising, system and process reviews for bottleneck identification, new tools to enable the use of data etc.
Contribution strategic, long-term, or widespread impact: The proposals will need to consider sustainability (and scalability if appropriate) of impact beyond the time of the funding and how strategic involvement with other stakeholders can support this.
Value for money: The proposals will need to demonstrate value for money based on economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.
Who can apply?
Any Nepali civil society organisations, academic organisations, companies, and media organisations can apply. Applicants local to Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City, Janakpurdhan Sub-metropolitan City and Karnali Province are encouraged to apply. An organization may propose more than one idea, but the Innovation Fund will support only one innovation per organization.
By accepting funding from the Data for Development Innovation Fund, awardees are expected to incorporate strategic guidance from The Asia Foundation and Development Initiatives throughout the project and secure formal permissions and/or agreements where other stakeholders are involved (e.g. government or NGO partners). The Asia Foundation will lay out a mutually agreed set of activities, deliverables and timeframe; conduct monitoring and impact evaluation throughout and after the project period; and communicate on project progress regularly in person and in writing. Please note that payment of funds will be based on the reimbursement of actuals.
Interested to apply?
To apply please complete the proposal template outlined in Annex. The proposal must be submitted in Word format and sent via email to [email protected]
The application must be submitted by NT 5:00 PM, Wednesday - July 10, 2024.
Please download the Attachment and fill the Proposal Template.
