Call for Expression of Interest for development of the Integrity Watch digital platforms for four Western Balkan Countries and Turkey

Invitation for Prequalification No.: 001-2023-KDI

Project: Integrity Watch in the Western Balkans and Turkey: civil society combating corruption with political integrity data

Project Number: IPA/2022/ 440-922

Client: Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI)

Country: Kosovo

Issued on: 7 August 2023

Application Closing Date: 23:59 CET (GMT+2) on 21 August 2023

Type of Contract: Services

Award Type of Procedure: Restricted Procedure

Award Criteria: Most Economically Advantageous Tender [Best Value]

Estimated Award Value: NTE [Not-to-Exceed] 62,500.00 EUR

Award Start and End Date: October 2023 until 28 February 2026 (project end date)

Location of Works: Remote

1.1 Background

Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI) is a non-for-profit organization, and its work is guided towards a corruption free environment where institutions, business and citizens exercise their rights and roles with integrity and dignity. Its mission is to support the development of participatory democracy and the fight against corruption through promotion of transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and sectors of society.

The regional project “Integrity Watch in the Western Balkans and Turkey: civil society combating corruption with political integrity data” funded by European Commission is an innovative civil society initiative in the field of anti-corruption and political integrity implemented in the region by national chapters of Transparency International (TI). It is led by Kosova Democratic Institute in partnering with Transparency International chapters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye, whilst Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin provides thematic and technical support. The action is built upon the existing Integrity Watch 3.0 action conducted in most of the European Union Member States and adjusted to domestic needs of the Western Balkans and Turkey. This action focuses on the following most relevant areas for anti-corruption and political integrity in the region: 1) the opacity of political finance, 2) the undue influence of vested interests in law-making, and 3) favoritism in public contracting. Therefore, overall objective of this regional project is to empower citizens and civil society actors organized at large in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey to hold their political office holders to account for the integrity of political finance, law-making and resource allocation. Hence, strengthened political integrity shall foster more public decisions consistent with the common good.

1.2 Objective:

Kosova Democratic Institute (accredited chapter of Transparency International in Kosovo) intends to develop the online platform that monitors integrity in political decision making in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. The platform shall mirror the already existing platforms of other TI Chapters, which include types of data such as public contracting, business ownership, legislative voting, etc.). Additionally, the platform shall have built-in detection tools of conflicts of interest, undue influence and flows of criminal money by cross-referencing them. Kosova Democratic Institute aims to identify potential suppliers/offerors who can provide cost-effective, reproducible detection and visualization tools in each of the partner countries in line with the visual identity and functionality developed for Integrity Watch EU and Integrity Watch 3.0.

The purpose of this Call for Expression of Interest is to identify and prequalify eligible individual experts and/or businesses for prospective award supporting activity implementation under project “Integrity Watch in the Western Balkans and Turkey: civil society combating corruption with political integrity data”], Pr. No. IPA/2022/ 440-922, financed by the European Commission. Interested expert individuals and businesses specialized in Information Technology (see below 1.3, for more details) are invited to submit their letters of interest for consideration in the procurement procedures [request for proposals] highlighting their relevant capacities, expertise, skills, and ability to support the delivery of sought specific results as outlined in section 1.3 below.

All interested parties that wish to participate in this Open Call for Expression of Interest are requested to send their submission (Completed attachments I, II and III (ALL sections)) by email with the Subject clearly marked “KDI Open Call for Expression of Interest – for development of the Integrity Watch digital platforms for four Western Balkan Countries and Turkey” at the following email address:

procurement@kdi-kosova.org

OR delivered in a sealed envelope clearly marked “KDI Open Call for Expression of Interest – for development of the Integrity Watch digital platforms for four Western Balkan Countries and Turkey” at the following address:

Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI)

Str. “Bajram Kelmendi”, #239

Pristina, 10000

Kosovo

not later than the 21 of August 2023.

Applications must be submitted in English.

Any requests for additional information should be addressed in writing before 14^th of August 2023 at the same e-mail: procurement@kdi-kosova.org. KDI responses to any queries or clarification requests will be made available to all online www.kdi-kosova.org on or before 18^th of August 2023.

Applications will be assessed by an evaluation committee to identify individual experts and businesses that have the mandate, capacities, and comparative advantage to support the achievement of results for development of the Integrity Watch digital platforms for four Western Balkans’ countries and Turkey using criteria outlined in section 1.3 below.

It should be noted that participation in this Open Call for Expression of Interest does not guarantee the individual experts and/or businesses will be ultimately selected to receive the Request for Proposal.

1.3 Deliverables

Selected individual experts and/or businesses will be invited through a specific Request for Proposal to submit their detailed technical and financial proposals for implementation of the activity “development of the Integrity Watch digital platforms for four Western Balkan Countries and Turkey.”

Individual experts and businesses with experience and expertise in information technology field and tools listed below are encouraged to apply:

• The external full stack developer/company together with KDI and TI-S, will provide guidance and feedback on considerations when picking key datasets for each domestic platform.
• After selecting the key datasets for each domestic Integrity Watch platform, the external full stack developer/company with close cooperation with the implementing partners will turn the data sources into digital datasets in formats such as csv. or Json. to prepare them for platform development.
• The full stack developer service provider will produce scripts for the harvesting or scraping of data from government websites, files and other sources.
• Once the data has been harvested, cleaned and organized in standardized datasets, the external developer in cooperation and coordination with project partners will start web development of domestic Integrity Watch platforms. Once the design and list of functionalities are approved, the coding of each platform will begin.
• The external developer/company in coordination with KDI and TI Secretariat will conduct 1:1 consultation with each project partner to discuss the shape and functionality of their domestic platforms. The external developer/company will produce static wireframes or visual mock-ups of the websites. After feedback from each co-applicant, the external developer/company will conduct the necessary coding and development work to deploy the platforms.
• The external web developer, KDI and TI-S will provide technical support in setting up the workshops. Depending on costs, the web developer may attend the workshops, otherwise, user feedback will be gathered by co-applicants. The external developer will implement the feasible changes following the pilot workshops.
• Under the guidance of KDI and TI-S, the external developer will implement the feasible red-flagging features resulting from the risk indicators in the Integrity Watch platforms.

For successful implementation of the activities underlined under deliverables, the applicants are expected to possess the minimum of the following qualifications:

• Experience and expertise in communication design, computer science, information technologies, in web or software development
• At least 5 years of relevant experience front- and back-end in development and data visualization tools
• Expertise in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (knowledge of Vue.js essential)
• Expertise with data visualization and knowledge of D3.js essential
• Knowledge of Python for the purpose of data-parsing scripts desirable
• Expertise with PHP and database management systems
• Experience with Git-hub
• Professional language proficiency in English

Proof of the applicant’s technical capabilities should be clearly underlined in section 3 of the application form.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their submissions by communication sent out to the email/postal address that is indicated in the applicant’s submission.

Mandatory Attachments:

1. Attachment I – Applicant’s Profile and Due Diligence Verification Form
2. Attachment II – Application Form (to be completed by the Applicant)
3. Attachment III – Declaration on Conflict of Interest

*Failure to complete and submit any of the attachments will be considered as grounds for disqualification.

Download application form – KDI Call for Expression of Interest_Aug 2023