Request for proposal – Ref No. UNDP-NPL-00335: Designing and scaling Chatbot for Promoting E-governance and Better Government Service Delivery in Nepal

Terms of Reference

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Designing and scaling Chatbot for Promoting E-governance and

Better Government Service Delivery in Nepal

Date: 6 August 2024

Duty Station: Kathmandu with frequent travel to the assigned locations

Contract Duration: 3 months from September 2024 – 15 December 2024

Contract Modality: Institutional Contract (NGOs/ Firms/ Companies)

Background:

The UNDP Nepal is working together with governments agencies, like-minded organizations (I/NGOs), academia and the private sectors to reduce the development gap and support the Government of Nepal (GoN) on achieving its development priorities. Currently, one of the challenges the GoN is facing is related to governance issues aggravated by inefficient information sharing/dissemination and service delivery. Many GoN agencies are resorting to digital technologies to share their information, deliver eservices and establish better relationship with their people. There is much information published on the website and most of the websites consists of grievance, complain and queries submission mechanism. However, many users face difficulty navigating the websites and most of the complains and queries submitted through the websites are never addressed due to lack of grievance redressal process. There is insufficient human resource dedicated to handle online queries and guide people to get service from the local government. As a result, many people must visit physically to the local government offices to get answer to simple and repetitive queries that could easily be handled online.

On the other hand, digital transformation is changing lifestyles of many people and the way they communicate and share information. In recent days, many businesses and government agencies, both nationally and internationally, are adopting instant messaging applications as a tool to stay connected with their customer and people. Increasing internet connectivity, mobile phone connection, use of social media and instant messaging are accelerating communication through instant messaging apps like facebook messenger, whatspp, viber and so on. With the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in instant messaging apps to auto reply, use of Chatbot is increasing to get connected with people to provide better services.

A Chatbot is a software application that’s used to engage in human conversation in a natural way using digital application. It uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to help users to interact with web services or apps through text, graphics, or speech. Chatbots can understand natural human language, simulate human conversation, and run simple, automated tasks. Chatbots are currently being embraced by many private businesses and government agencies around the world to facilitate better connection with customers and service seekers. It is available 24/7, allows for easy navigation to the user, brings consistency in response and enhances efficiency and economic value. Although AI powered chatbot promises to provide lots of value, its integration in the GoNs services is almost none-existent. Few examples of chatbot integrated in GoNs digital system exists but they are mostly transactional rather than conversational. To ameliorate this situation, UNDP Nepal is piloting chatbots in two local government (LG) of Nepal (namely Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City and Lalitpur Metropolitan City). Integration of chatbot system in these selected local governments are in different stages. However, analysing the system’s potential to establish two-way communication between LG and people and to generate impact from it, many other LGs are interested to integrate it into their digital system (mostly on official facebook page and website). To facilitate this process, UNDP Nepal is inviting application from interested firms/companies to develop the chatbot system and integrate it in additional local governments of Nepal.

This request for proposal is published as part of Strengthening E-Governance for Inclusive and Accountable Society initiation plan to invite application from interested companies/firms with strong research and chatbot development team to develop and integrate chatbots in digital systems of the selected local governments of Nepal. The project will have two components. First, the project will scaledeep by developing better version of chatbot system while also working on including additional comprehensive information about the services provided by LGs. The system should also include additional features like options to receive response in English, grievance handling, form fill up and website link integration system. Secondly, the project should also ensure scale-up of the chatbot system in additional local governments of Nepal (including in Lalitpur, Butwal, Dhangadi, and other adjacent LGs with digital citizen charter readily available). The final local governments for integration of the system shall be decided in consultation with UNDP Nepal. The major criteria for selection will be availability of digital version of citizen charter and the willingness to fund the chatbot system post project completion. In total 7 or 8 LGs will be selected for scale-up as suitable.

In this context, UNDP requests experienced institutions/ firms who can develop, refine, and integrate chatbot in the local government’s digital system.

Objectives and Scope of the Assignment:

The main objective of the assignment is to develop fastest, easiest, and simplest system to access information about local government through chatbot system promoting Nepali Natural Language Processing (NLP). The specific objectives are to:

• To develop robust chatbot system for local government using NLP and Machine Learning model that can be scalable and replicable all over Nepal and beyond.
• To establish a model project for e-government using AI system that supports data driven decision making and improvement in service delivery through chatbot.
• To generate resources for Nepali NLP that will be open sourced.
• To engage with diverse stakeholders in advocating about AI for better service delivery based on data driven results.
• To generate data driven results through chatbot for its scale-up

Required Qualification

• A minimum of 3 years of experience in the AI based technological development particularly on conducting different technological assessment and implementation.
• Proven track record of scientific research and development in Nepali Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI for Nepali Language.
• Must have Natural language processing model compatible to understand English, Nepali Unicode and Nepali types in English script. The system should not use or include direct API integration for translation like google translate.
• Experience in developing and integrating chatbots in government of Nepal’s digital system is an asset.
• Experience of working on Large Language Model (LLM) in Nepali language will be an added advantage.
• Prior experience of working with the development organizations and/or the UN will be of added advantage.
• Female representation in the proposed team is mandatory. Diversity in terms of ethnicity is highly desirable.
• Knowledge on issues and concept of gender, social inclusion and disability in the context of Nepal will be of added value.
• Fluency in English and Nepali, both oral and written is required.

Click on the link below for detailed TOR:

TOR for Chatbot Experimentation

Deadline: 29-Aug-24 @ 07:15 AM (New York time)

For additional information and documents and for further application procedures, click on the link below:

Procurement | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org)