TERMS OF REFERENCE

Author for Primer: FOSS Small-to-Medium-to-Micro Enterprises

Duration: 5 months

Background

The International Open Source Network (IOSN) is a Center of Excellence for FOSS in the Asia-Pacific Region. It shapes its activities around Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) technologies and applications. Via a small secretariat based at the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok and three centres of excellence – IOSN ASEAN+3, IOSN PIC (Pacific Island Countries), and IOSN South Asia, based in Manila, Suva and Chennai respectively, the IOSN is tasked specifically to facilitate and network FOSS advocates and human resources in the region. The vision is that developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region can achieve rapid and sustained economic and social development by using affordable yet effective FOSS ICT solutions to bridge the digital divide.

The IOSN is producing a series of primers on Free/Open Source Software (FOSS). The primers serve as introductory documents to FOSS in general, as well as covering particular topic areas in greater detail. Their purpose is to raise FOSS awareness, particularly among policy-makers, practitioners and educators. The following are summaries of the primers have been published, or are currently being produced.

• General Introduction

• Government

• Localization

• Education

• Network, Security and Infrastructure

• Licensing

• Open Access Content

• Open Standards

The following primers are in process:

• Health

• Disaster Management
  

• Workbook on Mapping the Local ICT Ecosystem

It is common knowledge that the informal commercial sector outnumber the formal business sector in developing countries. It is not surprising that the informal sector comprises the majority of the economy in any developing country and that they employ many of the unschooled, poor and marginalized and offer them the opportunities to participate actively in society. Small-to-medium enterprises therefore are important developments in the Asia Pacific region. With their wide base, the impact of SMEs in the economic growth of the country cannot be overemphasized.

SMEs are expected to play a major role in addressing the poverty issues of the region. Likewise, FOSS can catalyze SME development by allowing them to take advantage of the technology's low-cost and high quality. FOSS can also open up new business models for SMEs as well as lower costs of operations by eliminating licensing fees. New products and services based on FOSS can also stimulate the creation of new SMEs and provide for more jobs and opportunities where there were none previously.

Enhancing SMEs with ICT or generating new SMEs offering ICT-based products and services can revolutionize the economy and contribute greatly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals¹. FOSS opens up the possibility for such phenomena to happen by lowering the cost of starting-up as well as the overhead of operations. This primer demonstrates how FOSS can assist SMEs in many ways and lists different business opportunities and models that can be adapted by SMEs in the Asia Pacific region.

Objectives

This paper will:

➢ Introduce Free/Open Source Software, Open Standards, and Open Content. It will refer to previous primers already published by the IOSN and explain the spectrum in which these co-exist.

➢ Provide a rationale for the use of Open Standards, Open Source, and Open Content for Small-to-Medium Enterprises

➢ Profile FOSS-based SMEs and their FOSS applications placing focus on those emanating or are being used within the Asia-Pacific region

➢ Provide case studies of SMEs that have successfully embraced FOSS as well as enumerating the determinants for success

➢ Determine how the local ICT ecosystem is able to nurture/enhance the SME-FOSS relationship (refer to the Berkman Roadmap to an Open ICT Ecosystem)

➢ Compare the aforementioned FOSS-based applications with proprietary equivalents and explain benefits and disadvantages.

➢ Provide a profile of SME umbrella/leader organizations in the Asia Pacific region

Sample Outline

• What is FOSS?
• What are SMEs?
• Why are SMEs important?
• How can FOSS enhance SMEs?
• How can SMEs enhance FOSS?

• What are successful case studies of SMEs using FOSS?

• What are successful case studies of FOSS-based SMEs?
• What made these SMEs succeed?
• Applications: What are applications commonly needed by SMEs?
• Business models: What business models can be built on FOSS?
• What are the components of the local ICT Ecosystem that must be in place for SMEs/FOSS to grow?

Duties and Responsibilities of the Author

The Author will be required to carry out the following:

➢ Conduct background research on Open Standards, Open Source, Open Content for Small-to-Medium Enterprises particularly in the Asia-Pacific context.
➢ Review and analyze existing FOSS-based applications (as above)
➢ Produce a first draft according to objectives as described above.
➢ Provide drafts of the primer taking into account the feedback provided by UNDP-IOSN according to the timeline below.
➢ Consolidate and compile feedback based on a select list of peer reviewers approved by UNDP-IOSN, and make the necessary revisions.
➢ Ensures that the publication material conforms to the UNDP Style Manual, December 2002 version.

Time Frame

The project will be undertaken based on the following timetable:

0th week	Contract signed – project kick off (IOSN)
2nd week	Annotated outline of the primer
3rd week	Feedback to primer outline (IOSN)
8th week	First draft of primer (Author)
9th week	Internal feedback to the first draft (IOSN)
12th week	Second draft of primer + response to the internal feedback (Author)
15th week	Peer and public feedback to the primer (IOSN)
18th week	Third draft (Author)
19th week	Feedback to the third draft (IOSN)
22nd week	Final draft (Author)

Rights

All the copyright of research papers, materials, documents, publications, and online resources collected and worked upon by the Author belong UNDPIOSN.

UNDP-IOSN will license this body of work to the general public under the Creative Commons Attribution license. Therefore the Author has full rights to use the content and findings, for any further work of similar nature that s/he wishes to perform in the future.

Qualifications and Experience

➢ Substantial knowledge of Free and Open Source Software movement particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
➢ Prior experience in research and publishing of papers on FOSS and in SMEs (including open standards, open source software, and open content)
➢ Good command of English language communication and writing skills.
➢ Good communication and interpersonal skills and experience in working effectively in a multicultural environment.
➢ A team player and self starter, able to work with minimum supervision, with sound judgment.

Terms of Payments

A lump sum amount will be paid upon submission and acceptance by APDIP, of the final prepublication version of the Report. No further claims will be considered.

Instructions

Interested authors are requested to send an e-mail to asean3 AT iosn DOT net attaching a curriculum vitae and a portfolio of creative works on or before February 28^th, 2007.