Subcomponent 2.1: Cross-Cutting Enablers of Digital Government Operations and Services

1. Digital Government strategy, standards, business continuity, and protocols: This activity supports the development of necessary strategy and frameworks to guide public sector digitization along the three dimensions of technology, processes, and people.

This includes the development of targets for government digitization, a roadmap for its implementation, and standards and protocols to enable the automatic flow of information and data across government. This will also strengthen and streamline the enabling environment for public sector digitization,

support coordination and the development of an integrated approach towards digital public service delivery. It will also support resilience and business continuity in the event of natural disasters. Specific tasks include the following –

• Development of a digital government strategy and milestone-based roadmap for implementation, aligning with key policy documents such as the climate resilience action plan and economic development policies and strategies.
• Development of a government-wide Enterprise Architecture (EA) and interoperability framework to govern the public sector digitization process and enable the development of an integrated approach to public sector operations and service delivery.
• Development of a continuity of operations plan for the public sector.
• Training of enterprise architects and ICT Unit staff on the EA and interoperability framework to facilitate implementation of digital government; Awareness raising among the public service, particularly mid and senior management, on the existing IT policies and newly developed standards and processes for development, maintenance, and upgrade of IT systems.

2. Unique digital identifier and citizen authentication: The ability to digitally identify and authenticate individuals is key to delivering public services digitally, as it enables safe, secure, and legally verifiable access to public services. The activity will build on previous efforts around the development of a regionally standardized identifier - the multi-purpose ID number (MPID) - by utilizing the same numbering system to facilitate regional interoperability. The use of the MPID number as the unique identification number (UIN) will enable the back-end integration of various identification registries in the country, and when combined with an authentication layer and payment platform, will facilitate digital public service delivery. Specific tasks include the following –

• Legal and regulatory assessment and recommendations on necessary reforms to implement an integrated ID system and authentication platform.
• Assignment of the MPID numbering system based UIN to individuals on a foundational ID registry (civil registry, as currently agreed)
• Development of a digital authentication layer to access digital government services and linked with currently accepted forms of ID.

3. Digital infrastructure strengthening: This activity will fill infrastructure gaps in supporting the implementation of government digitization efforts. The activity includes enhancing data storage capability and improving resilience of digital government and ability for civil servants to work remotely. Specific activities include –

• Support for development of a government datacenter or use of commercial cloud services to host government data and services, including migration from existing arrangements of fragmented storage at the level of individual ministries and agencies to the selected platform/infrastructure. All storage solutions (whether new infrastructure or services) will follow best practices for green energy, mitigation of climate related risks (siting servers out of flood plains, etc.) and ensuring automated backup and disaster recovery of data.
• Financing support to upgrade and install in-building connectivity solutions—wiring and WiFi routers—for government locations connected to the Government Wide Area Network (CARCIP infrastructure).

4. Government payment platform: The activity will support the deployment of an integrated electronic payment system to enable Government, citizens, and businesses to transact electronically in a seamless and secure way, facilitating end-to-end digital public service delivery. This will also ensure a continuity of funds flow in the event and aftermath of a natural disaster. Specific activities will include –

• Support to develop a government payment platform to enable e-payment for government services, licenses, permits etc. by individuals and businesses.
• Technical Assistance for negotiations with banks and other financial institutions to reduce fees charged for transactions in order to support uptake.

5. E-Document management system: The activity will support the development and implementation of an e-document management system. Such a system will improve public sector productivity and reduce paper consumption in government operations. The activity will also include support to review and update policy, legislation, and regulation governing digital signatures and authentication to facilitate integration of the system with digital signatures infrastructure. Associated training and awareness raising programs for users of the system will also be financed by the activity.
6. Capacity building of public sector IT professionals and civil servants: Financing for awareness raising and training program to support technical capacity development of the Government Information Technology Services Department (ITSD0 and other ICT staff as relevant. Capacity building activities will be financed on the basis of development and approval of an annual training program.

Subcomponent 2.2: Government Productivity Platforms and Citizen-Centric Digital Services

7. End-to-end digitization, business process re-engineering, and integration of priority services and systems: This activity will finance the digitization of specific citizen facing services, development of a data exchange platform and back-end integration of key systems, registries, databases, and platforms with each other. Such an integrated data exchange platform and service bus can enable interlinkage of the cross-cutting enablers of digital government (identification, authentication, and payment platforms) as citizen facing public services are digitized. Specific tasks include –

• Back-end integration and clean-up of existing ID systems, registries, and databases using the tokenized MPID number based UIN assigned to individuals in the selected foundational ID registry (civil registry).
• Development of a government portal (web/mobile) for citizens to access digital government services.
• Business process re-engineering and end-to-end digitization of citizen facing services such as drivers’ license, passport, business registration, motor vehicle registration and other as identified.
• Development of an enterprise service bus/data exchange platform interlinking the various systems, databases, and services within Government (including those digitized above), and support for integration with the authentication layer and government payment portal.
• Capacity building and training of ICT Unit staff on the use, maintenance, and enhancement of the data exchange platform developed.
• Integration of newly digitized databases and services with the government web/mobile portal for secure access to citizens.

8. Single window for land/property transactions: The activity will support the development of a one-stop-shop for land and property transactions. This includes –

• Development and implementation of an Integrated Geospatial Infrastructure Framework (IGIF) and national action plan covering areas such as governance, institutions, policy, legal, financial, data, innovation, standards, partnership, capacity, education, communication and engagement
• Implementation and maintenance of a National Multipurpose Cadaster including cartography development and cadastral surveying.
• Recovery of paper deeds (when applicable), digitalization and indexation.
• Design and implementation of a parcel-based Land Information System with a standardized parcel-based data architecture (as recommended in the interoperability framework developed under sub-component 2.1) that enables interoperability of Cadaster and Land Registry information with other key datasets such as disaster risk management, building permits and other planning information.
• Standardization and streamlining of the land transactions workflow and business processes, based on a citizen-centered, service-oriented approach (“One-stop-shop”) to reduce transaction time and costs of land transactions.

9. Single window customs clearance: Financing for the extension of the ASYCUDA World platform and integration with necessary systems for permits and authorizations. Activity will also include support for training, business process re-engineering, and ongoing technical support from the vendor.
10. Tax system development: The activity will finance the implementation of a tax administration system following a modular approach (prioritizing modules/functions based on criticality). This includes –

• Feasibility study to assess needs and technical requirements for the tax administration system, and develop terms of references and bidding documents.
• Design and implementation of a tax administration system, following a modular approach.
• Business process re-engineering and associated training for Civil Servants and ITSD staff, for operating and maintaining the system.