TERMS OF REFERENCE

Author for Workbook: Mapping the Local FOSS Ecosystem

Duration: 6 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 has produced 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

In 2006, the IOSN helped publish the “Roadmap to an ICT Ecosystem” by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society. This roadmap details the process by which local stakeholders can interact to promote the promotion of ICT in many aspects of society. Its intent was to be as a “a user-friendly tool for understanding what open ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) ecosystems are, why they are embraced and how to evolve them.”

Although there are numerous FOSS advocates in most countries, these discrete groups generally do not interface effectively in a way that facilitates FOSS adoption with a wider range of end users. Following the initiatives shown by the Roadmap, this proposal aims to commission a workbook that will assist local stakeholders map their country’s ICT ecosystem, and subsequently, clarify how FOSS can support as well as be supported by this ecosystem. The workbook serves as both an awareness tool as well as a management tool where local stakeholders map themselves to specific components of the roadmap and commit to their role in maintaining an open ICT ecosystem.

The workbook is intended to be used by FOSS and/or ICT advocates in any given country (civil society, consumer groups, small-to-medium enterprises, government, etc) with the intent of organizing the body of knowledge and relevant aggregates towards a deeper understanding of how FOSS can nurture a vibrant ICT-oriented society.

Objectives

• Provide a structured and programmed approach to mapping the stakeholders in an ICT ecosystem fostering greater awareness and interaction among these stakeholders

• Create interest between stakeholders in the FOSS ecosystem and nurture mutually beneficial relationships among themselves

In addition 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 many aspects of society

➢ Provide case studies where a healthy local ICT ecosystem has contributed to faster adoption of FOSS and vice-versa

➢ Profile FOSS-oriented organizations worldwide in general and in the Asia Pacific region, in particular describing how these organizations play out in their own loco-regional environments

➢ Enumerate the steps to take to organize the mapping activity and how stakeholders can benefit from such. It will also recommend activities to organize post-mapping which can help nurture the ecosystem.

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, and ICT ecosystems, 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 UNDP-IOSN.

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 ICT ecosystems (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 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.