Terms of Reference For Development of Request For Information Online Management System

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Terms of Reference for Development of Request for

Information Online Management System

ABOUT INTEGRITY WATCH AFGHANISTAN


Integrity watch is an afghan civil society organization committed to increase transparency,
accountability, and integrity in afghanistan. Integrity watch was created in october 2005 and
established itself as an independent civil society organization in 2006. It has approximately 95
staff members. The head office of integrity watch is in kabul with provincial programmatic
outreach in balkh, bamyan, herat, kabul, kapisa, kunduz, nangarhar, paktia, and parwan
provinces of afghanistan.
Over the last one decade, integrity watch’s work has focused on three major components: (1)
community monitoring, (2) research, and (3) advocacy.
Ever since its establishment, integrity watch has tried to encourage active citizenship and
community mobilization through its programs. Our community monitoring work has included
development of community monitoring tools, mobilizing and training communities to monitor
infrastructure projects, public services, courts, and extractives industries. So far, more than 1000
construction projects, more than 3000 open trials, 150 schools, and around 9 different mines
have been monitored by more than 450 local monitors.
Our research work has focused on policy-oriented research measuring trends, perceptions and
experiences of corruption and covering wide range of corruption related issues including security
and justice sectors, extractive industries, budget and public finance management, and aid
effectiveness. The objective is to develop new, ground-breaking empirical research in order to
set the agenda, influence decision-makers, and bring to the public attention non-documented
and non-explored issues. So far, we have published 42 research reports and 10 policy briefs on
the mentioned topics reaching out to millions of people through media and thousands of people
directly receiving our reports.
The aim of our advocacy work has been to enhance integrity watch’s pioneering role in
advocating for knowledge-based decision-making and informed public debate on corruption and
integrity issues. Our advocacy work includes facilitation of policy dialogue on issues related to
integrity, transparency, and accountability. We have engaged in policy advocacy for issues that
communities experience on day-to-day basis while trying to hold the government and service
providers accountable. Such issues has included access to information, budget transparency and
accountability, aid transparency and effectiveness, effective public services, and other issues
related to anti-corruption.
Overall, integrity watch has proven itself throughout the years as the lead anti-corruption
organization both at local and at national level. In addition, integrity watch has also earned
international recognition and has contributed to the global fight against corruption through
knowledge sharing and joining coalitions working on global integrity and anti-corruption
agendas.
SUMMARY OF THE TASK
Develop an online system where citizens can request information based on the access to
information law from the government agencies and access to information commission is able to
oversee the process and make the necessary interventions based on the law.
The online system should fulfill the requirements of article 6 which says:
Request for information
Article 6
(1) the applicant shall request in writing or use the access to information form and refer to the
relevant institution in order to request information.
(2) the information request form shall be prepared by the commission and shall be made widely
accessible to the public for free in both printed and electronic format.
(3) the applicant is not required to give reasons for requesting the information or to name
specific documents. The applicant shall only be required to provide information necessary to
identify the information requested and to provide it to the applicant.
(4) institutions shall respond to applicants in a written or electronic format that is accessible to
the applicant.

In addition, the online system should entail features that records time of the requests, response
by the government agencies as well as those requests that are overdue or completed as
required by the article 8 of the law:

Timeframe of providing information


Article 8
(1) institutions shall provide the requested information to the applicant as soon as possible
within 10 working days beginning from date information is requested. In case the institutions
have a justifiable reason(s), this duration can be extended to another 10 working days. In case
of any extension of the period, the institution shall contact the applicant and provide him/her a
written justification including reasons for extension.
(2) institutions shall provide media and journalists with the requested news-worthy information
as soon as possible within one working day from the date of receiving the request for
information.
(3) institutions are responsible to provide the requested information that is necessary for the
safety, security and freedom of an individual within one working day of receiving a request.

Furthermore, the applicant of the information should be able to request the information in the
format he/she wishes as allowed by the article 10 of the law:

Procedure of providing information


Article 10
(1) institutions shall provide information to the applicant in the format requested provided that
it does not cause damage to the original document.
(2) an applicant can request information in any of the following forms:
1- a copy of the original document in either paper or electronic form.
2- an opportunity to inspect documents, models and samples at the premises of the public
institution.
3- a copy of the original document in a written, audio or visual form.
4- providing information in audio or visual form.
5- providing a sample.

The online system should have features that allow the public information officers to respond to
the requests including rejection as stipulated in article 14 of the law:
Rejection of information request
Article 14
(1) where a request is refused, in whole or in part, on the basis that the information is
prohibited from public access, the public information officer shall provide written notice to the
applicant, specifying the exact prohibition and legal provision relied upon.
(2) public information officer shall provide details regarding the right of the applicant to lodge a
complaint against a decision rejecting his or her request for information.

In case, government agencies do not provide information on the justified ground, an applicant
should be able to file a complaint online through the same system as stipulated in article 32 of
the law:

The right to complain


Article 32
(1) if an applicant feels that his/her request for information has not been addressed or is not
satisfied with the institution’s treatment, he/she can lodge a complaint to the same institution
or the commission.
(2) addressing the complaints as outlined in the clause 1 of this article shall be free of charge.

The online system should include features that allow the access to information commission to
respond to the complaints that are referred to it as stipulated in article 33 of the law:
Complaint of the applicant
Article 33
(1) the public information officer of the institution that the applicant has requested information
from, shall investigate the complaint and respond to the complainant based on the provisions
of this law in five working days.
(2) in case the applicant lodges a complaint first with the institution that he or she requested
information from, after receiving a written answer or after five working days can address
his/her complaint to the commission.
(3) the commission shall investigate the complaint within a maximum of twenty working days
and make a decision.
(4) if deemed necessary, the commission may facilitate participation of the stakeholders in the
complaint hearing process.
(5) the agency from which the complaint has been made, shall provide documents and evidence
that it has acted based on the provision of this law.
(6) the complaint redressal mechanism and assessment of related documents and evidences
shall be established in a separate procedure by the commission.

HOW TO APPLY
- Applicants are requested to appear in an information session that will be held on
October 6 by responding to [email protected] the following details: name of the
company, details of the representative including contact and email ID.
- Applicants are then requested to present their prototypes to a panel of judges on
October 10 and submit hard copy and sealed technical proposal at Integrity Watch
office.
- The panel decides the eligible applicants and then request each of them to provide their
financial proposal.
- The final winner is selected based on a combination of technical score (70) and financial
price (30).

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