5th Innovation Challenge Scheme 5 Contest: Calling Digital Ideas (Moldova)

Deadline: 15-Nov-22

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with E-Governance Agency (EGA), through the Accelerating Digital Transformation Project in Moldova, hereby announces an Expression of Interest for selecting innovative digital ideas under Innovation Challenge Scheme 5 contest, based on Digital Public Goods (open-source software, open data, open AI models, etc.), with impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Digital Transformation in Public and Private Sectors.

Digital transformation is as an enabler towards human development and as a cross-dimensional process, cutting through a range of sectors. In Moldova, digital transformation is viewed as a systemic transformation of the entire Moldovan society through both Digitalization and Digitization processes to build an efficient, secure, and transparent ecosystem.

Aims

The project aims to surface, connect, build, and implement Digital Public Goods/ opensource solutions in a range of priority areas under private and public streams, including but not limited to:
- Crisis Response: Solutions aimed at leveraging and/or making datasets available to the public, including related to high level security, mobility/movement data, electricity consumption data, etc.
- Supporting socio-economic Recovery: in particular, digital solutions supporting economic growth;
- Education and Health
- Information Pollution: Solutions aimed at tackling information pollution online, including factchecking tools, misinformation/disinformation tracking tools and content moderation and analysis solutions.

Objectives

The main objectives and areas of support of the 5th Innovation Challenge Scheme are to surface, connect, build, and implement Digital Public Goods/ opensource solutions in a range of priority areas including but not limited to:
- Under Economic Growth Stream:
  - Improved access to health, health practices and well-being;
  - Education and digital literacy;
  - Improved practices in agricultural and food industries;
  - Energy, green economy, circular economy, and clean environment;
  - Improved practices in manufacturing industries and product quality;
  - Logistics automation;
  - Tourism digitalization;
  - Access to markets (information, logistics, business management, skills);
  - Introduction of competitiveness-enhancing practices (such as digitalized inventory management);
  - Digital Certification;
  - e-commerce and improved supply chains;
  - Cyber security and fintech;
  - Financial inclusion (such as agricultural insurance);
  - Other areas related to SDGs;
- Under Public Services Stream:
  - MobiGov specific modules;
  - e-KYC and Facial Recognition as a central solution: feasibility, TOR and business case;
  - Enterprise chatbot;
  - Update to data.gov.md; Government Enterprise Search Service;
  - e-Notary Core;
  - FOD components – Sectorial implementation and adoption;
  - Electronic Official Gazette (Official announcement portal);
  - Electronic auction platform;
  - e-Health solution (e-HR, e–Recipe, medical registers);
  - Register of registers;
  - Accounting solution for SMEs;
  - Stamp platform (Acize pentru produse);
  - Digitization of the appeals settlement process;
  - e-Reporting portal update;
  - M-Operations;
  - e-Legislation;
  - e-Inventory;
  - Platform for freelancers;
  - Platform for IT parks;
  - Scanning central solution;
  - Wood traceability;
  - Improve the SIME electronic grades register;
  - Develop and implement a unique diploma register;
  - Develop the interactive digital version of existing textbooks;
  - Develop reusable and scalable solutions for the use of VR solutions in the academia process especially in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.;
  - Develop a e-Research platform to publish and share information about ongoing and completed research initiatives, programs, grants, projects etc.;
  - Develop a national digital literacy program for adults and young people through short video lessons broadcast live on Facebook / Instagram / TV and other available media channels;
  - Create digital literacy courses and tests for public sector employees through elearning.gov.md;
  - Develop accessibility tools / toolsets for disabled people (especially Deaf and Hearing Impairments and Blindness and Visual Impairments), designated to improve the level of access to the public services, social life and the information associated them.

Types of Innovation Projects Supported

The preferred projects applying to challenge are innovative solutions aligned to the objectives stated. Projects should satisfy all the criteria:
- A developed idea of the innovative services/products/solutions ready for prototyping and testing; or a prototype ready for testing and/or scale up. For the prototype solution, the applicant will provide evidence that it is technologically and economically feasible;
- Innovative, including new on the market, or possibly a solution that is significantly improved, having a digital component in it;
- Scalable and replicable, i.e. could be easily used and replicated by the public sector agencies/institutions in delivering better services to people, businesses, or inter-agency services, or, if solution is developed for private sector needs, it is sectorial and could be replicated within a short period of time on same market/country, or exportable (depending on the solution).
- Feasible, i.e. the solution does not require changes in the current legislation and could be anchored within the existing legal framework;
- With measurable impact on Moldova digitalization and SDGs. A preliminary estimate of SDG impact will be done by the applicant, which will further be detailed with support from UNDP BCtTA’s and Impact Lab toolkits.

Funding Information

A single award will cover maximum 40,000 USD.
Duration: The project and the project budget must be designed so to be completed within 10 months(not exceeding December 31, 2023). However, the project may be extended for maximum of additional six (6) months under exceptional circumstances, upon prior notification and approval from UNDP Moldova.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants to the Innovation Challenge Scheme are:
- The main Applicants are legal private sector entities from ICT sector of Moldova (or mixed groups). Moldovan companies shall be registered (or be in process to be registered) under the applicable Moldovan Entrepreneurship Law:
  - Moldovan privately owned IT companies, registered and operating in Moldova;
  - Start-ups and groups of initiative in the process to register the IT company under Moldovan legislation (registration shall take place before contract signature).
- In case the application is submitted by CGC:
  - The main applicant is a Moldovan privately owned IT company;
  - Co-applicants from private sector are operating in any industry sector in both countries except: catering services providing only alcoholic beverages; casinos, gambling and similar activities; construction/purchase of residential and commercial space for housing/sales; gas stations; production and distribution of tobacco products; sales and service of cars;
  - Co-applicants can also be an Association, Governmental Agency, LPA, school, hospital, University or other research institution, other institutions representing public, private and/or associative sectors from Moldova;
  - The entities forming the CGC have no shared economic and financial interest; one company/institution is not owning shares or other interest in the other company/institution in the same CGC and this applies for the entire CGC independently from the number of participating companies/institutions.
- The Applicants (and co-applicants) must not possess outstanding debts in terms of public contributions.
- The Applicants (and co-applicants) must not have accumulated losses the equity value.
- The Applicants and individual owners have not been convicted for crimes connected to business operations.
- Priority will be given to proposals that are based on using Digital Public Goods

For more information, visit https://sc.undp.md/tnddetails2/2538/