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* Atleast Project Title is Required.
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Project No. |
DESG 05 2022A
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Project Title |
Catalysing Stakeholders for Effective Implementation of Digital Licensing and Permitting Measures for Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery
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Project Status |
Completed Project
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Publication (if any) |
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Fund Account |
APEC Support Fund
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Sub-fund |
ASF: Digital Innovation
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Project Year |
2022
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Project Session |
Session 2
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APEC Funding |
97,993
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Co-funding Amount |
0
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Total Project Value |
97,993
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Sponsoring Forum |
Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG)
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Topics |
Digital Economy
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Committee |
Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)
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Other Fora Involved |
Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TELWG)
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Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved |
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Proposing Economy(ies) |
United States
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Co-Sponsoring Economies |
Australia; Chile; Chinese Taipei
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Expected Start Date |
01/01/2023
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Expected Completion Date |
30/06/2024
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Project Proponent Name 1 |
Shannon Coe
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Job Title 1 |
Director of Global Data Policy
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Organization 1 |
US Department of Commerce
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Postal Address 1 |
Not Applicable
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Telephone 1 |
Not Applicable
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Fax 1 |
Not Applicable
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Email 1 |
Shannon.coe@trade.gov
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Project Proponent Name 2 |
Clark Jennings
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Job Title 2 |
Managing Director, Asia
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Organization 2 |
Crowell and Moring International
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Postal Address 2 |
Not Applicable
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Telephone 2 |
Not Applicable
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Fax 2 |
Not Applicable
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Email 2 |
CJennings@crowell.com
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Declaration |
Shannon Coe and Clark Jennings
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Project Summary |
| The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how digitalization of government services is necessary, not only to engage with citizens in a more efficient and resilient manner, but also to help kickstart sustained economic recovery. Digitalization of government-mandated licensing and permitting (L&P), which is critical to facilitating and encouraging investment and promoting job creation, nevertheless continues to lag in the APEC region. | A previous DESG project ( DESG 03 2020S; completed in 2021) discussed the policy implications and provided actionable recommendations for APEC economies on digital government L&P best practices. With that high-level foundation complete, efforts may now focus on how to implement such digitalization efforts through effective stakeholder recruitment, education, and engagement within APEC economies. This project will build on earlier work by engaging public and private sector stakeholders to build capacity and create champions within APEC economies for digital L&P, who can amplify its benefits among relevant constituents and may be in a position to initiate a domestic initiative. |
Relevance |
Issues: A large part of government efforts to accelerate economic recovery following COVID-19 is centred around digitalization of society, and government functions and services. Such efforts focus on resource needs, processes, enabling policy and regulatory environments, and development of digital infrastructure. As essential as these elements are for a successful outcome, many digitalization initiatives do not take off as quickly or at the scale envisioned by governments because the human factor is often overlooked or underestimated. Individual stakeholders and end-users play a key role in driving successful adoption of technology and digital services, and more effort should be made to identify, engage, educate, and equip them with necessary knowledge and skills for long term project viability. This project will benefit all APEC economies that seek to sustain stakeholder energy and commitment for digitalization of e-government services by focusing on stakeholder engagement and capacity-building needs. Success on this front will see benefits such as improved user and agency experience, including better ICT literacy, reduced time and cost, as well as indirect positives, such as improved investor and business regulatory environment, potential for greater tax revenue due to reduced leaks within the system, and greater transparency and accountability in the business environment. The project will work with government agencies responsible for developing, promoting, and effectively implementing e-government services, including L&P, in engaging stakeholders and developing recommendations. Eligibility and Fund Priorities: Specific to AIDER, as required by the Digital Economy Sub-fund, the project directly supports and provides knowledge and capacity building for development of digital infrastructure, the development of government policy frameworks for the internet and digital economy, and promotes adoption of innovative technologies and services. The project will benefit all economies, particularly developing APEC economies, by building on, and complementing earlier digitalization initiatives both within the DESG and other APEC committees, as outlined in the earlier sections, ultimately building capacity and supporting the foundation for inclusive, integrated and sustainable economic growth. It will engage a broad range of stakeholders, including policy makers and regulators, the private sector and relevant private sector organizations, and civil society, where appropriate. Participants in the digital L&P project in 2021 identified potential benefits, particularly for women, vulnerable groups and minorities, who might appreciate the safety and security of applying for licenses and permits online, as opposed to travelling in-person to the respective government agencies. The current iteration of the project will examine further such indirect advantages of digital L&P, especially for women, in its ability to empower women by providing access and agency, promote their participation in the workforce and strengthen leadership, as well as the skills necessary to do so – key priorities highlighted in the La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth (2019-2030). The project also contributes to the Cross-Border E-Commerce Facilitation Framework priority to encourage and facilitate MSME participation in global commerce by reducing the time and costs associated with business permit and license applications. Capacity Building: This project will build long term capacity in APEC economies that will contribute to more sustainable and equitable economic development. It will do so by sharing information and best practices for stakeholder identification and engagement, including training needs for technology solution users and implementers, and showcasing digital technologies and innovative solutions that other economies have employed to effectively implement e-government services related to L&P. This will include guidance on how governments can deploy incentives to facilitate and encourage the private sector to adopt digital L&P initiatives quickly and in the most efficient manner. In addition, it will illustrate how success can be achieved through effective stakeholder engagement and policy communication, leading to lower costs, transparency, and efficiency for businesses and contributing in the long term to overall economic and social well-being of citizens. The planned workshop will also allow participants – both government and private sector – to build mutually supportive networks across the region for digitalization. In terms of beneficiaries, the project will have value-add for all APEC economies, but for purposes of funding requirements, this concept note identifies Chile; China; Indonesia; Malaysia; Mexico; Papua New Guinea; The Philippines; Peru; Russia; Thailand; and Viet Nam. |
Objectives |
This project will help build domestic capacity to promote a more resilient, transparent, and accountable business and investment in APEC economies by developing relevant recommendations for policy makers and industry stakeholders. At a macro level, digital regulatory improvements will lead to overall economic and social well-being of citizens, and improved governance and inclusion.
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Alignment |
Alignment to APEC: The project is particularly relevant as APEC seeks to help economies adjust to the “new normal” post COVID-19, and the applicability of its theme of innovation and digitalization to APEC’s multiple workstreams and priorities. The APEC 2022 Host has identified improving the business environment and leveraging digitalization and innovation as priorities under its key themes. Separately, the 2021 Leaders’ Declaration notes that economic recovery from COVID-19 will be built on a macroeconomic environment that “supports innovation, dynamism and improved productivity.” In this context, Leaders: a) Welcomed the Enhanced APEC Agenda for Structural Reform, which, among others, aims to boost “business recovery and resilience against future shocks”; and harness “innovation, new technology, and skills development to boost productivity and digitalization;” b) Committed to fully implement the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap, to create a “more open and predictable environment for access to services markets;” and c) Pledged to “promote transparency, accountability, and integrity as a basis for preventing and combatting corruption”. This project contributes to the above objectives, and complements and advances previous workstreams within APEC Committees. It builds upon the DESG project in 2021, Implementing Digital Permitting & E-Government Measures to Advance the Post-COVID Economic Recovery (DESG 03 2020S), which had a broader focus on factors affecting success of digitalization initiatives and associated recommendations. The Economic Committee’s (EC) Public Sector Governance Friends of the Chair (PSG FotC) group held two relevant policy dialogues in 2019, titled "Applying Emerging Technologies for Better Governance and Regulation of the Digital Economy," and "Digital Government: Transforming to meet the needs of the citizens." The project also contextualizes to the present post-COVID-19 environment earlier commitments by APEC, such as the EC-produced Good Practice Guide on Public Sector Governance (APEC#211-EC-03.1) in 2011, which discusses the benefits of e-government implementation, and the EC’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) group’s 2010 workshop on "Reforming the Regulatory System for Construction Permits", that identified permit issuance as one of the group’s five priority areas for regulatory reform (2009). Alignment to Forum: The project contributes to the DESG’s implementation of the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap (AIDER), and its pillars. These include: (1) Development of digital infrastructure; (4) Development of holistic government policy frameworks for the Internet and Digital Economy; and (6) Promoting innovation and adoption of enabling technologies and services. It is notable that the 2021 DESG Report on the Implementation of AIDER identified Pillar 1 as an area for further development. In addition, commenting on AIDER, the 2021 Leaders’ Declaration committed to, “further develop digital infrastructure, encourage the development and application of new technologies, and work towards a digital business environment that is open, fair and inclusive.” Given the oversized role and influence of government policies on any economy, digitalization of L&P and other government services have the potential to catalyze wider adoption of digital technologies, including in other sectors such as health, trade / digital economy, education, and manufacturing, among others. |
TILF/ASF Justification |
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Beneficiaries and Outputs |
| Output | Description | | Recommendations Report | A recommendations report, approximately 10-15 pages, will be developed for circulation to the DESG, TELWG, GOS, EC’s EoDB FotC, EC’s PSG FotC, and any other relevant CTI Committees, and for upload onto the APEC website. The first draft of the report will be developed via desktop research and discussions with experts. These experts will be identified through an open call to APEC economies, and engagement with non-governmental organizations such as the OECD, World Bank, and the OAS. The tentative structure of the report is as follows: a) Importance of stakeholder engagement for successful digital L&P initiatives; b) Common problems, challenges, or misconceptions in stakeholder engagement, which will also include accurate stakeholder identification; c) Case studies of successful digital L&P initiatives from APEC economies and/or projects undertaken by entities like the OECD, OAS, and the World Bank; d) Distilling key recommendations on stakeholder engagement, including actions government can undertake to promote adoption of digital L&P initiatives such as incentives; and e) A resources section – a list of regional/international organizations undertaking digital L&P work, brief information on and links to projects in APEC economies, and steps involved in the process of stakeholder engagement – for public and private sector reference. The draft report is meant to capture key ideas and any preliminary findings will be raised or discussed at the workshop so that it is corroborated by participants. | | Workshop | The full-day in-person workshop, “Catalyzing Stakeholders for Effective Implementation of Digital L&P” is tentatively scheduled at the sidelines of SOM 3 in the U.S. The workshop’s overall objective is to strengthen implementation of, and support long term sustainability of domestic digital L&P initiatives by impressing upon both private and public sector the importance of stakeholder engagement. Prior to the workshop, participants will be requested to complete a questionnaire, which will be sent along with invitations to the workshop to relevant APEC working groups and committees (see “Beneficiaries” below), as well as industry and industry associations. The questionnaire will aim to establish the extent and range of stakeholder engagement and / or involvement in development and implementation of digital technology solutions. At minimum, all attendees will be required to complete the questionnaire and workshop organizers will follow up individually to maximize the number of responses. This will establish a baseline to assess current engagement, and will help ascertain the impact of the workshop, together with the post-workshop questionnaire. The workshop will tentatively comprise the following: a) Expert panel sessions sharing instances of digital L&P initiatives from other Asia-Pacific economies and regional/international organizations, focused on how stakeholder engagement and sustained involvement contributed to their successful implementation. This would involve conversations on contributing factors and / or supporting measures such as stakeholder identification, education and training, method of engagement, encouraging ownership, and means to ensure long-term sustainability of initiatives. Case studies raised at the workshop will also be included in the recommendations report. Experts will include APEC economies and non-governmental organizations such as the OECD, World Bank, and OAS. b) An interactive, hands-on segment, with participants divided according to their economies. Participants will review the results of the pre-workshop questionnaires completed by their respective economies, discuss how they would identify stakeholders within their own domestic constituencies, and develop ideas for engagement and measuring success. This is meant to be an “action plan” that participants can implement once they return home. Experts may be attached to individual groups to facilitate and guide discussions. c) Presentation by participants on their discussions during the hands-on segment and feedback from experts / speakers. d) Presentation of the draft recommendations report, and identification of areas that may be revised or bolstered based on discussions and points of view expressed at the workshop. e) Circulation of APEC’s Monitoring and Evaluation survey. Project organizers expect approximately 50 participants and experts at the workshop. A post-workshopquestionnaire will be circulated to participating economies focused on metrics to measure project impact, including the extent of stakeholder involvement, and use of tools and resources introduced at the workshop. It will gauge: (i) stakeholder (public and private) involvement in design, development and implementation of initiatives; (ii) how engagement has changed (requiring a qualitative response); (iii) use of tools and resources introduced at the workshop; (iv) use of information that participants drafted on domestic constituents and ideas for engagement; and (v) outreach to relevant government and non-government stakeholders to advocate digital L&P. | | Virtual Check-in | There will be a short virtual check-in (approx. 2hrs) in 2Q/2024 with participants of the workshop. The check-in is meant to discuss the results of the post-workshop questionnaire, seek feedback, troubleshoot outstanding challenges, and identify additional tools and resources that might help with digital L&P implementation. Participants will be informed of the check-in in the General Information Circular, with a reminder at the close of the Workshop. Additional details, including the tentative agenda and dial-in information, will be shared approximately two weeks prior by the organizers. A summary report of the check-in (2-3 pages) will be prepared as an addendum to the Recommendations Report and circulated to the APEC Secretariat and participants. | Outcomes: This project will directly contribute to development of more effective and sustainable digital L&P initiatives by promoting engagement between public and private sector stakeholders. Both parties will have a better understanding of the need for collaboration to achieve success. This will be made possible through engagement at the workshop with a range of organizations and actors, such as policymakers involved in issuing licenses and permits and / or domestic digital transformation initiatives, industry (e.g. architects, engineers, auditors), and industry associations. At the macro level, the project will lead to overall economic and social well-being of citizens, and improved governance and inclusion. The following outcomes are expected: a) Improved awareness of the need to involve key stakeholders throughout the entire chain – from design to development to implementation – of the digital L&P initiative. Most economies and governments classify stakeholders as end-users (in the case of the general public or businesses/business associations) or implementers (in the case of agency officials), without engaging them in the design and implementation phases, or ensuring they have adequate information and skills to adopt the digital solution. Such practices dramatically lower the likelihood of success of new and innovative digital L&P initiatives, and in some instances cause further delays, costs, and frustration. b) Better knowledge of best practices for engagement of stakeholders based on sharing of experience from counterparts in APEC and regional/international organizations. The open and interactive format of the workshop will encourage knowledge-sharing among participants. Selected expert speakers will present on best practices and challenges faced within their own economies and in dealing with governments to assist with implementation of digital initiatives. These best practices can be adapted to local circumstances by participants. c) Better knowledge and understanding of tools and resources available to help resources more effectively engage stakeholders and implement digital L&P initiatives. Entities such as the World Bank, OECD, and Organization of American States (OAS), among others, have worked on implementing digitalization initiatives, and are able to offer guidance and templates based on past work at the workshop. APEC member economies can also connect with relevant focal points within these organizations to take forward their own domestic L&P digitalization. Further, the workshop will affect a tangible change by having participants undertake an exercise to identify stakeholders within their domestic constituencies and propose ideas for engagement. Experts will be able to provide feedback on these ideas. Impact from the project / workshop and success of outcomes will be measured predominantly through questionnaires. A questionnaire will be circulated to economies prior to the workshop to establish a baseline on stakeholder engagement and / or involvement in development and implementation of digital technology solutions. The post-workshop questionnaire will be circulated three to six months following the workshop. [Note: This is separate from APEC’s Monitoring and Evaluation survey, which will be circulated at the close of the workshop.] Results will be discussed at a virtual check-in with workshop participants to troubleshoot remaining challenges and identify additional tools and resources. Beneficiaries: Primary beneficiaries. Target participants are public and private sector representatives from APEC economies, non-governmental organizations, and industry and industry associations who will benefit from understanding the need for effective stakeholder identification and engagement, and participation in, government initiatives related to digital L&P, and are in a position to advocate and promote stakeholder engagement in their design and implementation. This will include mid-to senior-level policymakers tasked with developing and administering L&P process and procedures, or those responsible for digitalization of government services in general and / or digitalization of L&P processes (e.g. permits and licensing officers, IT officers, payment processors, and auditors etc.). It will involve industry and industry associations who have to deal with L&P challenges in their day-to-day work and have an interest in streamlining such processes through digitalization. Secondary beneficiaries. It will benefit all individuals who require licenses and permits in order to conduct their personal (e.g. marriage licenses) or professional (e.g. construction and business permits) lives. It will benefit females disproportionately more, as it as digital services provide an added safety aspect by allowing them to apply for required licenses and permits from the comfort of their homes. Safety of females having to apply for these documents in person was a factor of concern cited by participants in the first instalment of the project in 2021. At the broader level, it will benefit economies on the cusp of, or in the midst of planning digitalization of government services by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and resources to improve their chances of success. The project organizers anticipate representatives from the DESG, TELWG, GOS, EC’s EoDB FotC, EC’s PSG FotC, and other CTI Committees focused on digital government efforts at the workshop, but all policymakers for whom this topic is relevant are welcome. The recommendations report will be uploaded onto the APEC website for access by all members of the public, broadening its reach further. |
Dissemination |
A softcopy of the recommendations report, approximately 10-15 pages, will be circulated to the DESG for endorsement, and subsequently circulated to TELWG and other relevant working groups / committees for information. It will also be available on the APEC website as a resource not just for policymakers, but all members of the public with an interest and stake in digitalization of L&P. Project organizers will also work with the APEC Secretariat Comms team to develop a social media post on the objectives and outcomes of the workshop. |
Gender |
This project is expected to meet three out of the five Guide on Gender Criteria for APEC Project Proposals in the Guidebook on APEC Projects (see below). The information-sharing on best practices and resources / tools available will contribute to skills and capacity building, while the focus on building sustainable and enduring digital initiatives will contribute to the innovation and technology pillar and promote opportunities for women and other vulnerable groups to overcome societal challenges or disadvantages and exercise agency and leadership. Project organizers will proactively seek balanced participation and engagement of both genders in the development and implementation of the workshop. This will include identifying female experts and encouraging female participation in the workshop. Organizers will also collect sex-disaggregated data for all speakers and participants, which will be included as part of the Project Completion Report to the Secretariat. Digitalization of government services, in general, lessens burden on, and improves the safety of women, since required services can be procured or applied for in the security of their homes, as elaborated above. The workshop itself will be able to share the opportunities, avenues, and tools and resources available to women (and men) to influence the design, development, and implementation of these L&P services in a way that benefits them. | Targets | | Female Participants (%) | 50% | | Female Speakers/Experts (%) | 50% | Referring to the Guide on Gender Criteria for APEC Project Proposals in the Guidebook on APEC Projects, please tick the pillar or pillars that this project supports, in promoting women’s economic empowerment: | | 5 Pillars (you may tick more than one) | | 1 | Access to Capital and Assets | | | 2 | Access to Markets | | | 3 | Skills, Capacity Building, and Health | ü | | 4 | Leadership, Voice and Agency | ü | | 5 | Innovation and Technology | ü | |
Work Plan |
| Timeline | Tasks | Deliverables | | February-March 2023 | Begin recruitment of experts and stakeholders Development of initial recommendations and resources based on desktop research | Outreach to APEC economies and regional/international organizations for nominations Draft Recommendations Report, which will be basis for discussion at workshop and adjusted accordingly thereafter | | April 2023 | Circulation of the draft Recommendations Report to DESG for comments | Draft Recommendations Report circulated | | April 2023 | Submit APEC Project Monitoring Report to Secretariat | APEC Project Monitoring Report | | April – June 2023 | Organization and planning of workshop, including identifying venue and managing logistical arrangements for speakers and participants | Venue Issuance of invitations to experts
Workshop agenda General Information Circular | | June/July 2023 | Circulation of invitations and pre-workshop questionnaire to participants (with reminder two days before Workshop) | Invitations to participants, including DESG, TELWG, GOS, EC’s EoDB FotC, EC’s PSG FotC, ABAC) Questionnaire to establish baseline metrics on stakeholder engagement | | August 2023 (sidelines of SOM3) | In-person workshop on “Catalyzing Stakeholders for Effective Implementation of Digital L&P” | Workshop APEC-mandated Post-workshop evaluation | | September 2023 | Develop the final draft of the Recommendations Report and submit to the Secretariat | Draft Recommendations Report, submitted to the Secretariat | | September – November 2023 | Review of the final draft of the Recommendations Report by the Secretariat and circulation to DESG for comments Endorsement of the recommendations report by DESG | Draft Recommendations Report endorsed by DESG | | January-February 2024 | Circulation of post-workshop questionnaire to gauge impact of workshop | Post-workshop questionnaire | | April 2024 | Submit APEC Project Monitoring Report to Secretariat | APEC Project Monitoring Report | | April 2024 | Virtual check-in with workshop participants | Closed-door virtual event with workshop participants to take stock of progress | | May 2024 | Drafting and submission of Summary of virtual check-in to APEC Secretariat | Summary of virtual check-in | | August 2024 | Submission of APEC Project Completion Report and supporting documents | Project Completion Report and supporting documents | | 6 to 12 months after Project Completion Date (PCD) | Participation in the Long Term Evaluation of APEC Projects (LTEAP) conducted by the Secretariat | Long Term Evaluation of APEC Projects (LTEAP) | |
Risks |
| No. | Risks | How will it be managed? | | 1 | COVID-19 situation | While most economies are re-opening travel, with most of their populations vaccinated and appropriate health measures in place, there continues to be risk of new COVID-19 variants which might prompt imposition of travel restrictions again. This might affect the in-person workshop. In this case, the workshop will be held virtually. | | 2 | Identifying the right participants | The project’s focus is on digitalization of L&P processes. While the DESG is mandated to deal with digital issues, it may not have the right representatives adequately familiar with L&P processes. This may impact the effectiveness of the project. In order to mitigate this, project organizers have, and will continue to emphasize the right profile of participants with the DESG to ensure that the appropriate participants attend the workshop. Organizers are also engaging the TELWG, and will make efforts to reach out to individual economies to advise on participation. | | 3 | Lukewarm response to questionnaires | Assessing the impact of the project requires responses to two questionnaires (pre- and post-workshop) from participants. In a situation where a substantial number of participants do not respond, it will be challenging to assess the utility of the project. In order to maximize the number of responses, project organizers will engage DESG focal points and participants directly to encourage them. Organizers will also continue to begin engagement with stakeholders as early as possible and maintain touchpoints to keep up the level of interest. | | 4 | Lack of Implementation | The project advocates effective implementation of L&P initiatives by catalyzing stakeholders. It is possible that following the workshop, policymakers do not make additional efforts to involve other public and private sector partners. In order to minimize this effect, questionnaires will be circulated three to six months after the workshop to assess change and encourage participants to put into practice what they have learnt. The hands-on session at the workshop to identify participants and develop ideas for engagement aims to make it easier for participants to implement learnings from the workshop. | |
Monitoring and Evaluation |
| | Evaluation Focus | Indicators | Target Goals | Evaluation Method | Reporting Method | | Outputs | 1. Pre-workshop questionnaire | 1. No. of respondents | 60% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 2. % of male/female respondents | 50/50 | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 3. No. of economies that responded | 11 | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 4. Questionnaire developed and circulated | June 2023 | Certification by PO | Workshop | | 2. Workshop | 1. No. of participants (excl. speakers/ experts) | 50 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 2. % of participating men/women (excl. speakers/experts) | 50/50 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 3. No. of speakers/
experts engaged | 6 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 4. % of speakers/
experts (men/women) | 50/50 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 5. No. of attending economies | 12 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 6. No. of travel eligible economies | 7 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 7. Implementation | SOM 3 | Certification by PO | Completion Report | | 3. Post-Workshop Questionnaire | 1. No. of respondents | 60% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 2. % of male/female respondents | 50/50 | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 3. No. of economies that responded | 11 | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 4. Questionnaire developed and circulated | January/February 2023 | Certification by PO | Completion Report | | 4. Virtual Check-in | 1. No. of returning participants | 75% | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 2. % of participating men/women | 50/50 | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 3. No. of economies represented compared to workshop | 75% | Event Attendance List | Completion Report | | 5. Recommendations Report | 1. No. of pages | 10-15 | Certification by PO | Email to the Secretariat | | 2. Submission to the Secretariat | September 2023 | Submission to the Secretariat | Email to the Secretariat | | Outcomes | 1. Improved awareness of need to engage stakeholders | 1. Increased engagement of stakeholders by policymakers | >50% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 2. Better knowledge of best practices | 1. % of participants report substantial knowledge increase | 65% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 2. Developing APEC economies report substantial knowledge increase | 75% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 3. Women report substantial knowledge increase | >70% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 3. Better understanding and knowledge of tools and resources | 1. % of participants report substantial knowledge increase | 70% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 2. Developing APEC economies report substantial knowledge increase | 75% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | | 3. Women report substantial knowledge increase | 70% | Questionnaire Results | Completion Report | |
Linkages |
This project is related to earlier APEC efforts, but does not duplicate them because it focuses on: (i) the implementation of digital L&P in a post-COVID-19 context; and (ii) one specific facilitative aspect of implementation of government services – stakeholder engagement – in creating advocates for digital L&P services. This is a follow-up to the DESG project, Implementing Digital Permitting & E-Government Measures to Advance the Post-COVID Economic Recovery (DESG 032020S), which had a broader focus on factors affecting success of digitalization initiatives and associated recommendations. The Economic Committee’s (EC) Public Sector Governance Friends of the Chair (PSG FotC) group held two relevant policy dialogues in 2019, titled "Applying Emerging Technologies for Better Governance and Regulation of the Digital Economy," and "Digital Government: Transforming to meet the needs of the citizens." The project also contextualizes to the present post-COVID-19 environment earlier commitments by APEC, such as the EC-produced Good Practice Guide on Public Sector Governance (APEC#211-EC-03.1) in 2011, which discusses the benefits of e-government implementation, and the EC’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) group’s 2010 workshop on "Reforming the Regulatory System for Construction Permits", that identified permit issuance as one of the group’s five priority areas for regulatory reform (2009). Within APEC, project organizers will circulate information on the workshop and encourage participation from relevant officials in the DESG and the GOS, TELWG, EC’s EoDB FotC, EC’s PSG FotC, and other CTI Committees focused on digital government efforts. Non-APEC experts, including economists, experts on digital government initiatives at multilateral institutions (e.g., World Bank, OECD), and other expert thought leaders, will be recruited to participate and share best practices and technical assistance. There is potential for substantive engagement with the APEC Business Advisory Council, since we expect active interest from the private sector seeking to work with governments to accelerate adoption of digital tools. The project’s alignment with APEC and the DESG’s goals and priorities are established at Sections 1 (b) and (c), respectively, and the beneficiaries of the project outcomes are APEC governments and citizens. It is fitting that APEC funds are utilized for this project. |
Sustainability |
The project lays the groundwork for continuity by having participants identify domestic constituents and plans for engagement at the workshop. The expectation is that when officials complete the workshop, they will make use of their newfound knowledge, tools, and resources to implement concrete strategies. Additional support will be available from regional and international organizations involved in the project; e.g. OECD, World Bank, and OAS through focal points who will be able to assist participants with implementation. Participants will also be encouraged to leverage on the APEC platform, as well as the relationships and networks developed with these stakeholders, to conduct follow up engagements. Organizers will encourage potential participants from travel-eligible economies to take up APEC funding as long as they are committed to being advocates for digital L&P within their economies. The post-workshop questionnaire, and virtual check-in will help measure the impact of the project, how it has translated to progress towards the outcomes, and support accountability among workshop participants. As mentioned, this project is follow-up work from the self-funded project DESG 03 2020S, which concluded earlier in 2022. Project Organizers intend to keep the momentum going by initiating future projects that aim to improve implementation of digital L&Ps even further. |
Project Overseers |
Shannon Coe, U.S. Department of Commerce – International Trade Administration Shannon is the Director of Global Data Policy in the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. In this capacity, she manages a team that focuses on policy issues affecting global cross border data flows that support international trade. Shannon oversees the U.S. efforts to implement the APEC Cross Border Privacy Rules System. She leads the U.S. delegation in the APEC Digital Economy Steering Group and the Data Privacy Subgroup. |
Cost Efficiency |
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Drawdown Timetable |
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Direct Labour |
| No. | Specific Tasks | No. of Hours | | 1. | Venue set-up - Event Backdrop - Podium - Stage set-up for panel-style and armchair-discussion configuration - A/V equipment set-up and testing, including monitor screens for presentations - Setting up theatre-style configuration for attendees - Preparing extension power cords | 2 hrs | | 2. | Manpower / logistics assistance during workshop - Managing A/V equipment, including troubleshooting issues with monitor screens and microphones - Switching the standing/seating configurations on-stage, as required | 8 hrs | | 3. | Teardown - Resetting the venue; packing up equipment and chairs/tables set up in No.1 above | 1 hr | | Total: | 11 hrs | |
Waivers |
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Are there any supporting document attached? |
No
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Attachments
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