Digital Liberia and Electronic Government (eGov) Activity Annual Work Plan

in collaboration with the USAID Global Development Lab (Lab) and USAID/Liberia. The program aims to strengthen the Government of Liberia's (GoL) ICT capacity, improve connectivity, and prepare the GoL to prevent, detect, and respond to potential future health crises. The program is designed to align with GoL priorities, support existing GoL policy and strategies, and develop and coordinate broader ICT programs to improve development outcomes for Liberian communities across multiple sectors. The program will focus on three key areas: improving ICT infrastructure, increasing the availability and effective usage of ICT services, and establishing a national chief information officer (CIO) regime. The Ebola Crisis of 2014/15 exposed a fundamental fragility in the social contract and the inability of the central government to provide essential services, including information to Liberian citizens. The crisis highlighted the need for improved ICT infrastructure, availability, and effective usage of ICT services, as well as a national CIO regime. The GoL eGov Strategy document states that the national CIO regime is saddled with challenges and requires immediate revamping to make the offices viable. The program will support the implementation of e-initiatives approved by the Project Advisory Council (PAC), focusing on capacity development in Change Management, Communications, Project Management, MIS, and other targeted competencies required to successfully deliver the benefits of the initiatives. The program will also work with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) to expand the use of mobile money for the payment of civil servant salaries. Chemonics' work will support the provisioning of internet, the ongoing rollout and expanded usage of the Government Network (GovNet), and the provision of guidance on the procurement of internet services. The program will also provide technical assistance to the GOL for the development of a National Data Center and connectivity of e-initiatives. Additionally, the program will procure and install equipment for 51 Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) to enable secure and continuous connectivity. The program's theory of change is based on the understanding that local stakeholders are best positioned to lead and implement reform, using available resources, appropriately organized, and skilled in designing and navigating reform. The program aims to support the GoL in navigating the "wicked" challenges it faces in improving connectivity and providing and sustaining improved e-services. The program will be implemented over a period of 12 months, from October 1, 2018, to September 27, 2019. The program will be monitored, evaluated, and learned from through a robust MEL system, which will track progress against key performance indicators and provide insights for adaptation and improvement. The program will also engage with local stakeholders, including the GoL, civil society organizations, and the private sector, to ensure that the program is responsive to their needs and priorities. The program's geographic focus is Liberia, with a specific emphasis on improving connectivity and e-services in the Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs). The program will also work with the University of Liberia to accelerate the implementation of a National Research and Education Network (NREN). The program's budget plan is outlined in the appendices, with a total budget of $X million allocated over the 12-month period.