Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697800088942.pdf (Dominica)
Caribbean Digital Transformation Project IDA – 6685DM Terms of Reference Training/Grants Coordinator DM-MPWDE-200505-CS-INDV February 2022 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR TRAINING/GRANTS COORDINATOR A.

INTRODUCTION 1.Project number: P171528 3.

Project name: Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP) 4.

Contract duration: Beginning: End: 5.

Project Background: 2.

Organization name: Ministry of Public Works and the Digital Economy (MPWDE) 3.1.
Position: Training/Grants Coordinator 4.1 This position reports to: Project Manager Sitting halfway along the Eastern Caribbean archipelago, Dominica is located just a few miles from Martinique to the south and Guadeloupe to the north.

Stretching 751 km² (290 square miles), Dominica boasts 148 km (91 miles) of coastal line.
Dominica’s official name is the ‘Commonwealth of Dominica,’ which is mostly referenced in official communications and to further distinguish the island from the Dominican Republic, its northerly Caribbean sister.

Dominica is the most northernly of the Windward Islands grouping.
Following Hurricane Maria in September 2017, the Government of Commonwealth of Dominica (GoCD) has instituted resilience as a central theme to the country’s rebuilding efforts and socioeconomic development plans, with the aim to make Dominica the first climate resilient country in the world.

The hurricane resulted in losses and damages of over 200 percent of GDP, with the telecom sector alone suffering over US$40 million in losses and damages.
Furthermore, the GoCD lost data and records and suffered losses beyond its infrastructure, highlighting the need to make government more resilient so that it can better prepare for and respond to incidents and restore operations and services quickly.
The Government recognizes the role digital technologies and solutions can play in strengthening the island’s and its inhabitants’ climate resilience, as well as the importance of integration with the global digital economy to expand markets and drive sustainability of businesses, government, and individuals.

In small island countries such as those in the Eastern Caribbean region, in Dominica in particular, the resilience of governments has a very direct impact on the resilience of society at large.
The GoCD’s recovery and resilience building efforts include development of a Government Wide Area Network, and nodal digital infrastructure to lay the foundations for digitization of government.

The GoCD has engaged in a partnership with Digicel Dominica Ltd. to connect all government service locations (Government offices, schools, hospitals, and health centers) to high-speed connectivity delivered using fiber optic networks.
The network, being developed under the partnership, will provide multiple layers of redundant connectivity—underground and overhead fiber, microwave, and satellite at key locations—in addition to cloud services to host Government data and services.

The government connectivity project includes development of a primary data center to host the government cloud and applications, as well as a secondary location to serve as a backup site.
The improved connectivity can be leveraged to develop digital government services and increase the level of digitization of government operations, which is currently lagging.

Currently Dominica lacks the enablers of digital government, including an enterprise architecture, interoperability framework, identification and authentication, but has a recently built limited government payment portal.
Uniquely and securely identifying residents through a digital ID is fundamental to enable access to digital services, both public and private, but the current ID ecosystem in Dominica is fragmented and not interconnected.

In order to fully utilize and benefit from investments in cross-cutting enablers and specific digital government services, there is also a need for legal and regulatory reforms across key areas of the digital economy.
These enabling environment improvements are a key first step towards removing roadblocks to improved adoption of digital services among individuals and businesses, as well as contributing to the development of digital applications and services by emerging entrepreneurs in Dominica.
The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP) is to be funded through the World Bank and aims to enhance the use of technology in the public sector as well as the private sector to conduct business transactions, build a robust and resilient IT infrastructure and to develop modern platforms to facilitate and enhance these business transactions.
The development objectives are to contribute to increased access to digital connectivity, digital public services and the creation of technology enabled businesses and jobs in Dominica.

National-level activities will be financed from an IDA credit to Dominica in the amount of SDR20,500,000 (equivalent to US$28.0 million).
The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (called “project” going forth) comprises four components that address key bottlenecks and harness opportunities to develop the Eastern Caribbean Digital Economy as a driver of growth, job creation and improved service delivery.

The Program will also be financed through a regional IDA grant, and implemented by a regional Project Implementation Unit (RPIU) housed at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
RPIU will work with other regional institution stakeholders as relevant depending on the technical area being supported.

Regionally implemented activities will focus on strengthening the enabling environment to promote investment, competition, and innovation in telecoms and digital financial services, regional cybersecurity collaboration, and a modernized and harmonized data protection and privacy regime across the region.
It will also be complemented by a regional level advanced digital skills program open to high potential digital specialists from Dominica.

It aims to ensure that every individual and business in Dominica is empowered with the access to broadband, digital financial services, and skills needed to actively participate in an increasingly digital marketplace and society.
It leverages public sector modernization and digitization to improve service delivery and to drive creation of a digital culture across Dominica.

To support the improved management of digital risks, the project will bolster cybersecurity policy, capacity, and planning tools in the region.

It will facilitate technology adoption to improve productivity of flagship industries and create demand for digitally enabled jobs.
It aims to foster regional integration and cooperation to capture the economies of scale and scope required to increase impact and value for money of the project interventions and to create a more competitive, seamless regional digital market to attract investment and provide room for growth of digital firms.
A brief description of the project components is as follows: that drives competition, Component 1: Digital Enabling Environment This component will support the development of a positive enabling environment innovation for Dominica’s digital economy while promoting trust and security of online transactions.
It will focus on legal, regulatory and institutional reforms telecommunications and digital financial services sectors while mitigating growing risks of a digital economy including cybersecurity and data protection and privacy.
1.1 - Telecommunications: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions and Capacity Support 1.2 - Digital Financial Services: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions, and Capacity 1.3 - Cybersecurity, Data Protection and Privacy: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions and Capacity Support to support modernization of investment and the Component 2: Digital Government Infrastructure, Platforms and Services This component will support public sector modernization, resilience and delivery of digital public services to individuals and businesses.
It will aim to ensure that Dominica has put in place the core infrastructure, platforms, institutions and human capacity needed to efficiently and effectively manage internal government operations, and to build on these core enablers to make public services widely accessible online from anywhere within the country, region or across the globe.
It will also prepare Dominica’s government for deeper interconnectivity and interoperability of data and information systems across borders to smooth administration of regional trade, immigration and other services.

Finally, it will aim to ensure continuity of government operations and services, enable real-time data driven decision making and ability to rapidly target and deliver payments and social services to citizens and businesses in the event of natural disasters.
2.1 – Development of Cross-Cutting Enablers of Digital Government Operations and Services 2.2 - Government Productivity Platforms and Citizen-Centric Digital Services Component 3: Digital Skills and Technology Adoption This component aims to better equip individuals and businesses in Dominica for the jobs and economy of the future and to spur innovation and productivity growth.

It aims to create a pool of advanced digital talent to better position Dominica to attract investment by digital firms.
It takes a comprehensive supply and demand side approach, supporting greater technology adoption and utilization of digitally enabled business models to drive demand for newly skilled employees and well as making connections with global employment opportunities through online working platforms.
3.1 - Workforce-Ready Digital Skills 3.2 - Technology Adoption Component 4: Project Implementation Support This component includes support to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the implementation and management of national level project activities, including for staffing of the PIU, capacity building and training initiatives as well as recruitment of a technical advisory and implementation support firm.
Key technical functions to be supported can include but will not be limited to project manager, technical specialists, procurement specialists, financial management specialist, environmental and social specialists, monitoring and evaluation and communications.

B.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Arrangements: The Project will be implemented by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Ministry of Public Works and the Digital Economy (MPWDE).
The PIU will be responsible for the overall implementation of the Project with emphasis on reporting and monitoring and evaluation, financial management, contracts management, safeguards oversight, and procurement.

The PIU will report directly to the Project Steering Committee for the lifetime of the project.
It will be responsible for coordinating and managing all the technical aspects of the project, facilitating inter-ministerial coordination, and implementing digital initiatives across the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the GoCD.

The PIU will support development of key policies and regulations and inter-agency coordination to enable consensus building together with other key agencies like the ICT Unit and the Digital Transformation Unit of the GoCD.
Core technical responsibilities include adoption of digital technologies, effective coordination of departmental information system development and implementation.

The Project Steering Committee will determine if technical committees are required for policy formulation and convene such committees as necessary (i.e.

for Cybersecurity, Data Protection and Privacy, Service Delivery, ePayments, Digital Identity, Interoperability, etc.).
The PIU, with guidance and support from the management firm, will also be responsible for promoting change management practices and stakeholder engagement, developing effective programs for digital Government skills development, knowledge exchange and awareness-raising.

The consultant is expected to work with the PIU to ensure that the Component 3 is executed in order to build capacity for the sustenance the digital transformation agenda beyond the life of the Project.
C. FUNCTIONS Key duties of this position: The Training/Grants Coordinator will assist with the delivery of activities under Component 3 and be responsible for the management and oversight of the training and grants program under the Caribbean including overall coordination, Digital Transformation Project processing of applications and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of disbursed grants.
Responsibilities Training/Grants Coordinator The Training/Grants Coordinator will assist with the delivery of activities under Component 3 and be responsible for the management and oversight of the grants program under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project including overall coordination, processing of applications and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of disbursed grants.
The duties will:  develop grants manual, procedure and guidelines for the implementation of the skills training and technology adoption grants sub-component to include a monitoring and evaluation system;  develop work plan detailing the delivery schedule of each grant award;  develop communication plan to include budget for the implementation of the grants program as well as design and provide content for promotional materials for advertisements in collaboration with the Communications Officer to ensure adequate publicity of grants competitions and awards;  assist with the preparation of calls for proposals for grants and coordinate review process for the proposals received;  ensure all applicants meet the eligibility criteria in accordance with the grant manual;  prepare reports making recommendations of proposals for grant funding approval to the Grants Approval Committee;  assist with preparation of contracts and grant agreements for awarded grants/ approved business plans;  disburse, administer, monitor and provide monthly report on all approved grants;  verify/ certify all invoices prior to submission for payment  assist with the coordination and delivery of the digital skill development and technology adoption training(s).
C. REQUIREMENTS Education Work experience & skills Language skills Computer literacy Other skills  Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field required, an MBA will be an asset.

- Ability to manage beneficiaries.

- Excellent negotiation skills.

- Experience with business continuity plans and procedures and Business Case Development.
- A minimum of five (5) years of experience in the delivery of business development services - Previous experience in managing grants or similar technical assistance programs.
- Knowledge and experience in promoting, supporting, managing and mentoring enterprises - Knowledge of World Bank/ Infodev support for Business Incubator activities would be an asset; - Experience with Business Incubator operations including: o Sound business recruitment framework o Business performance indicators and assessment methodologies o Establishing clear exit strategies o Effectively integrating ICT throughout their incubator operations and within the new business development cycles o Sound financial management and micro-finance experience with start-up companies - Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.
- Understanding of gender issues within the context of development projects; - Understand how government processes work/function; - Knowledge of related laws and policies Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean region; High proficiency in spoken and written English High proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project etc,) and excellent web navigation skills.
- High professional and personal integrity; - Ability to submit information in a clear, concise manner and in formats suitable for non-specialists - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and proven ability to apply these in carrying out operational tasks, identifying issues, presenting findings/ recommendations and contributing to resolution of sector and country issues; - Capacity to work simultaneously on a variety of issues and tasks, independently adjusting to priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines; - Ability to use one’s initiative and be proactive; - Ability to be flexible with work assignments; - Ability to stimulate and manage change and develop strong teams; - Ability to uphold ethical standards; - Familiarity with the World Bank environmental and social safeguards; - Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with internal/external partners; - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; - Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team; D. CONTRACT DURATION AND ESTIMATED TIME INPUT The assignment will be on a contractual basis for two (2) years in the first instance and renewable upon satisfactory performance.