Regional : Support for Innovation and Technology Partnerships in Asia and the Pacific

Project Name

Support for Innovation and Technology Partnerships in Asia and the Pacific

Project Number

52307-001

Country / Economy

• Regional
• Bangladesh
• Cambodia
• Micronesia, Federated States of
• India
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Thailand
• Viet Nam

Project Status

Active

Project Type / Modality of Assistance

• Technical Assistance

Source of Funding / Amount

TA 0039-REG: Support for Innovation and Technology Partnerships in Asia and the Pacific

Source	Amount
Technical Assistance Special Fund	US$ 400,000.00

TA 0039-REG: Support for Innovation and Technology Partnerships in Asia and the Pacific (Supplementary)

Source	Amount
Technical Assistance Special Fund	US$ 250,000.00

Strategic Agendas

• Environmentally sustainable growth
• Inclusive economic growth

Drivers of Change

• Governance and capacity development
• Knowledge solutions
• Partnerships
• Private sector development

Sector / Subsector

• Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agriculture research and application

• Energy / Energy efficiency and conservation

• Health / Health system development

• Transport / Multimodal logistics

• Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Other urban services

Gender

No gender elements

Description

This knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) cluster will support developing member countries (DMCs) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in effectively identifying high-level technology (HLT) solutions for development projects. The TA cluster will enable collaborations with technology providers from the public and private sectors, academia, and research institutes, while building capacity in DMCs to develop sustainable projects and programs with HLT applications.

In line with the objective, eligibility criteria, and scope of the High-Level Technology Fund, the TA cluster will support DMCs' decisions to introduce HLT into projects and provide guidance on how to proceed to project preparation and due diligence. Under the TA cluster, technology providers will be invited to offer proposals on HLT prefeasibility studies and innovative solutions to address specific development challenges.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

Asia and the Pacific has made great progress in economic development and poverty reduction. As a result, the region's development needs have become more diverse, and new development challenges have emerged as several DMCs have graduated to middle-income status. Many DMCs expect infrastructure with high efficiency, functionality, and faster service delivery. Less-developed countries are expanding infrastructure with conventional technology, while they aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in line with climate change goals. Advanced technologies and innovative solutions could provide these DMCs with a range of social, economic, and environmental benefits while expanding infrastructure.

HLT includes new and advanced technologies or innovative solutions that can reduce the life cycle cost of infrastructure, lower operation and maintenance cost, and increase durability. Modern and advanced equipment can improve efficiency and productivity, thereby saving resources. The adoption of innovative construction methods and technologies can minimize negative environmental and social impacts. Innovative approaches and a combination of different technologies can also improve the delivery of social services.

However, many DMCs find it challenging to employ HLT in meeting their infrastructure development needs. HLT often originates in developed countries, and HLT companies are often not familiar with the policies and decision makers of emerging market DMCs. Although these companies have better solutions for these DMCs' development needs, they may not enter these markets. In addition, the skills and experience required to develop detailed technology specifications, evaluate HLT solutions, and identify relevant technology providers are often limited in DMCs. But there are several middle-income countries that are becoming technology innovators and can share important lessons learnt with other DMCs from developing and implementing solutions. They can provide insights on needs and requirements for HLT companies to enter DMC markets.

The TA cluster will create a platform for novel engagement with technology providers to enable HLT adoptions in collaboration with DMC agencies. The TA cluster will build the capacity of DMC counterparts to (i) design projects with HLT applications; (ii) understand the HLT market in specific sectors; (iii) assess HLT ecosystem readiness; and (iv) leverage ADB's sector-, thematic-, and DMC-specific knowledge.

Impact

Use of advanced and innovative technologies across ADB operations promoted and capacity-building support to DMCs provided

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

DMCs ability to evaluate HLT solutions for country-specific development challenges enabled

Progress Toward Outcome

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

ADB innovation knowledge sharing enabled

Application of HLT solutions in the energy sector assessed

Application of HLT solutions in other sectors assessed

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Geographical Location

Bangladesh - Nation-wide; Cambodia - Nation-wide; India - Nation-wide; Indonesia - Nation-wide; Micronesia, Federated States of - Nation-wide; Philippines - Nation-wide; Thailand - Nation-wide; Viet Nam - Nation-wide

Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Aspects

Involuntary Resettlement

Indigenous Peoples

Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation

During Project Design

During Project Implementation

Business Opportunities

Consulting Services

Individual consultants will be recruited to support the implementation of subproject 1. International consultant inputs (technical writer and web content producer, visual communication expert and graphic designer, and technology innovation expert) and national consultant inputs (administrator and finance expert, and auditor) are required to support the identification of the development challenges and the assessment of ongoing innovations in selected DMCs. This will inform the subproject preparation and the engagement with DMCs, while creating knowledge related to the innovation context in selected DMCs. Output-based and/or lump-sum contracts will be considered, but time-based contracts will be used as appropriate. The consultants will be engaged in accordance with the ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time) and the associated project administration instructions and/or staff instructions. The estimated cost and requisite fields of expertise are indicative; estimates will be finalized before subproject approval in consultation with the sector and thematic groups.

Procurement

The TA cluster will follow the ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time). Lessons learned and best practices in the procurement of HLT will be reviewed and adapted as appropriate, for example, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's framework of public procurement for innovation. ADB will customize procurement documentation to fit the purpose. This would include specific procurement arrangements, with corresponding risk-mitigation measures, to (i) not exclude the participating HLT providers from supplying the solutions in response to downstream tenders in ADB-financed projects and (ii) provide the ability to award pre-commercialization gap-mitigation contracts to more than one qualified proponent. The submitted extended EOIs will be evaluated by a team of experts from SDCC; the regional department sector or thematic experts; SDCC-KS; the Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department; and the HLT Fund manager. Each subproject will require the endorsement of the head of the respective regional department and the respective country director. Detailed procurement arrangements, emphasizing fair competition and transparency and addressing any intellectual property rights issues, will be finalized before approval of each TA subproject.

Contact

Responsible ADB Officer

Roth, Susann

Responsible ADB Department

Department of Communications and Knowledge Management

Responsible ADB Division

Department of Communications and Knowledge Management

Executing Agencies

Asian Development Bank

Timetable

Concept Clearance

03 Oct 2018

Fact Finding

03 Oct 2018 to 03 Oct 2018

MRM

-

Approval

07 Dec 2018

Last Review Mission

-

Last PDS Update

12 Dec 2018

Funding

TA 0039-REG