Background

The European Union Global Diaspora Facility (EUDiF) is an EU-funded project, implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), running from June 2019 until December 2022. EUDiF is the first EU-funded project that works towards fostering an informed, inclusive and impactful diaspora-development ecosystem.

To achieve this, the project has four interlinked components:
I. Mapping, research and evidence on diaspora engagement;
II. Capacity development laboratory (CDL) for governments and diaspora actors;
III. Outreach and partnership activities;
IV. Diaspora Professionals for Development (DP4D), a roster of diaspora experts to be deployed for development projects.
As part of EUDiF’s component related to capacity development for diaspora engagement, EUDiF will undertake several Actions to empower diaspora organisations, partner governments and regional organisations to foster development in the country of origin over 2021-2022.

Action AFPI x Berytech
EUDiF is providing technical support under the Action within CDL “Developing Lebanon’s Tech Sector through the Lebanese Diaspora” that is led by the Lebanese diaspora organisation in France “Association Franco-Libanaise des Professionnels de l’Informatique” (AFPI) and is in partnership with Berytech, a local incubator and accelerator in Beirut. The objective of the Action is to equip the Lebanese diaspora in France with knowledge, skills and tools to support the development of the Lebanese tech sector.
AFPI and Berytech launched the Cedars Tech Label initiative alongside other partners to support Lebanese tech companies that wish to enter the EU market, particularly France. The Cedars Tech Label aims to unite innovative Lebanese companies around a common and strong identity, and to build upon a shared set of values to promote “Made by Lebanese” quality engineering. The specific objectives of the Action are as follows:
1. Strengthen the credibility of the Lebanese tech sector by supporting AFPI in drafting the guidelines for the Cedars Tech label; and
2. Ease the access of Lebanese companies to the French market by building on the diaspora’s expertise to tailor a training tool, the “French Market Acceleration Program”;
3. Develop the capacities of AFPI to promote its services and the Lebanese tech sector locally and internationally.

The focus of this assignment is related to specific objective 1: to support AFPI and Berytech in drafting the Cedars Tech label guidelines and rules of eligibility.

Tasks
In line with the mandate of the EUDiF project, and in cooperation and coordination with the Project Team, the expert will develop the following activities:

Activity 1: baseline assessment workshop
• Location: Virtual
• Working days: 2 (1 day for preparing the workshop, 0.5 days for conducting the workshop and 0.5 days for the brief)

The objective of this activity is to organise a workshop with AFPI, Berytech and the EUDiF team (up to 10 participants) to evaluate the standing of the Cedars Tech label and its objectives in order to develop the guidelines and rules of eligibility in activity 3 (see below).
The Expert will take the lead to prepare the content of the workshop, including the agenda, guiding questions, presentations and supporting material as deemed adequate.
Key considerations to explore in the baseline assessment:
– Main objectives of the Cedars Tech label, including the target audience and mandate;
– Rules of eligibility to access the label and rules of conduct;
– Brief overview of the main characteristics of successful existing tech labels adapted to the vision and capacities of AFPI and Berytech;
– Elements to guarantee the sustainability of the Cedar Tech Label;
– Other relevant thematic area(s) to be covered in the guidelines.

Estimated results of Activity 1:
Baseline assessment brief (internal document not for public dissemination), which summarises the findings, identifies and defines the needs and priorities of AFPI and Berytech’s core team with regards to label guidelines and rules.

Deliverable(s):
• Workshop package (agenda, guiding questions, presentations and supporting material
• The baseline assessment brief (2-3 pages) is shared with EUDiF team no longer than 1 week after Activity 1.
• The exact date for delivery of the brief will be fixed once the work plan has been agreed with the AFPI and Berytech.

Activity 2: Peer-to-peer thematic exchange meeting on tech label guidelines
• Location: Virtual
• Working days: 2.5 (2 day for preparation, 0.5 day for the peer-to-peer session)

The objective of this activity is to conduct a peer-to-peer session on tech labels. This session’s goal is to facilitate the exchange of experiences between a small number of experts on label guidelines and AFPI and Berytech (up to 15 participants in total). After the baseline assessment, the expert will organise this session by drafting the agenda, formulating guiding questions and moderating the session.

The peer learning session will consist of 2 hours of interactive exchange, which will focus on best practices, challenges and lessons learned in relation to tech labels. The first part of the session will focus on presentations by selected experts (up to 3), while the second part will be dedicated to group reflection on the topics presented and its relevance to the local contexts in Lebanon and in France.

Estimated results of Activity 2:
• Organisation of a peer-to-peer session.
• Strengthening the core group’s knowledge of practices and procedures implemented by tech labels at the regional and/or international levels.

Deliverable(s):
• The agenda for the peer-to-peer exchange including suggested participants should be developed in close coordination with the project team and core group. The expert will have to moderate the session.
• The peer-to-peer session materials in PowerPoint and/or other formats have to be developed in close coordination with the project team prior to the session and have to be shared no later than 1 week before the start of Activity 2.

Activity 3: Label guidelines drafting
• Location: Virtual
• Working days: 9.5

The objective of this activity is to develop the label guidelines and rules. The expert will draft them remotely. The document will be based on activities 1 and 2, as well as tech label guidelines best practices at the regional and international levels. Special attention in the guidelines will be given to the rules of eligibility and conduct, as well as sustainability elements. The expert will submit a first draft to the core group and the project team to obtain their comments. The expert will review and consolidate the document no later than one week after receiving comments from the project team and the AFPI & Berytech .

Estimated results of Activity 3:
Production of a final draft (maximum 15 pages) based on a desk review and activities 1 and 2.

Deliverable(s):
• The final version of the guidelines should be submitted no later than 1 week after receiving comments from the core group and the project team;
• The exact dates for delivery of the final version will be fixed once the work plan has been agreed with the core group.

Activity 4: Label guidelines validation presentation
• Location: Virtual
• Working days: 1 (0.5 day of preparation, 0.5 day of presentation)

The objective of this activity is to validate the label guidelines. In close coordination with the project team and the core group, a virtual session will be organised to present the finalised guidelines to the core group.

Estimated results of Activity 4:
• Presentation of the guidelines to the core group.

Deliverable(s):
• The agenda for the presentation event should be developed in close coordination with the project team.
• Materials for the presentation of the guidelines in PowerPoint and/or other formats have to be developed in close coordination with the project team and have to be shared no later than 3 days prior to the start of Activity 4.
• Reviews to the guidelines, if any, would be addressed after the session and delivered to the core group and project team no later than one week after the presentation.
• The exact dates for participation in the presentation of the guidelines will be fixed once the core group have agreed upon the work plan