New National Digital Strategy, which will constitute Cyprus’ comprehensive, unified strategic framework for digital transformation, fully integrating the new National Broadband Plan, the new National Digital Governance Action Plan, the new National Digital Skills Action Plan, and the new National Semiconductor Strategy, is being prepared by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.
In this context, a tender has been launched through the Electronic Procurement System for the provision of specialised consulting services for the development of the new Strategy.
As stated in the tender documents, the new Strategy will be fully aligned with the European Union’s Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 and will take into account:
- The European Commission’s annual “State of the Digital Decade” reports, including findings concerning Cyprus.
- Cyprus’ approved National Roadmap for the Digital Decade 2030, as formulated and updated up to 2026.
- The European Commission’s country-specific recommendations to Cyprus within the framework of the European Semester and the Digital Decade programme.
- The Commission’s horizontal recommendations to all Member States regarding the four key pillars of the Digital Compass (skills, infrastructure, businesses, public services).
Under the contract, the selected contractor will carry out a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, formulate proposals for strategic priorities and policy measures, develop appropriate implementation and monitoring mechanisms, and establish an evaluation framework using suitable performance indicators (KPIs) and economic impact assessment tools.
Objectives
According to the documents, the new Strategy aims to:
- Accelerate the digital transformation of the state, the economy and society,
- Strengthen Cyprus’ resilience, competitiveness and sustainability,
- Leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things, and
- Establish Cyprus as a regional digital hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.
General and Specific Objectives
It is noted that the overall objective of the project is the development of a unified, coherent and measurable National Digital Strategy for Cyprus for a five-year period, covering all areas of digital policy and integrating the new National Broadband Plan, the new Digital Governance Action Plan and the new Digital Skills Action Plan.
The Strategy will guide the digital transformation of the state, the economy and society, aligned with the four pillars of the European “Digital Compass” framework and with national development and social priorities.
At the same time, the specific objectives of the project include:
- Assessing the current situation and Cyprus’ performance across the four pillars of the Digital Decade
- Integrating horizontal European policies (e.g. digital rights and principles, green transition, inclusion)
- Defining a vision and strategic priorities up to 2030 within the Digital Decade framework
- Developing individual strategies and integrating them into a final strategic framework, including a specific, costed and time-bound Action Plan with policy measures, investment projects, necessary institutional interventions and potential funding sources (national and European)
- Ensuring inclusion and alignment with existing and emerging policy strategies (such as the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, National Data Policy and Governance Framework, National Research and Innovation Strategy, Cybersecurity Strategy, and Space Strategy)
- Developing a governance and monitoring framework for the implementation of the strategy, including KPIs, roles, responsibilities and timelines
- Strengthening Cyprus’ administrative and institutional readiness to implement the strategy and to leverage support instruments under the Digital Decade and other funding programmes
- Conducting participatory consultations with all relevant stakeholders
Expected Deliverables
The tangible outputs of the project are expected to include:
1/ The preparation and final submission of six specialised policy documents, forming the core foundations of Cyprus’ National Digital Policy for the five-year period:
- The National Digital Strategy, covering all four pillars of the Digital Decade 2030 and serving as a unified framework for direction, coordination and monitoring of the state’s digital transformation
- The National Broadband Plan, focusing on very high-capacity infrastructure, 5G, rural connectivity and accessibility enhancement
- The National Digital Governance Action Plan, including initiatives and projects aimed at advancing digital governance and transforming public services, with emphasis on human-centric service redesign
- The National Integrated Action Plan, including measures, actions and projects across the four pillars of the Digital Compass (skills, infrastructure, businesses, public services), as well as selected horizontal axes for Cyprus’ digital transition over a five-year period
- The National Digital Skills Action Plan, including initiatives to upgrade basic and advanced digital skills and promote full inclusion in the digital society
- The National Semiconductor Strategy, focusing on identifying and strengthening roles Cyprus can develop in the semiconductor sector and enhancing the country’s position
2/ The development of a comprehensive, time-bound and costed Action Plan, incorporating the planned interventions, responsible authorities, estimated funding needs and funding sources (national, European, blended).
3/ The establishment of a functional governance and monitoring mechanism for the strategy, aligned with the Digital Decade framework and the European Commission’s proposed KPIs.
4/ The active participation of stakeholders through structured consultation workshops and the incorporation of feedback into the strategy and action plans.
Preconditions
For the smooth implementation of the contract, the following conditions must be met:
- The contractor must fully understand the requirements of the Contracting Authority. A shared understanding of the project scope between both parties is essential.
- Deliverables must meet all requirements outlined in the tender documents, as well as any additional needs arising during implementation.
- The Contracting Authority’s Project Team must actively participate in all implementation phases, guiding and supporting the contractor’s work and monitoring progress.
- Effective cooperation and participation of officials from relevant departments/services, as well as strong collaboration with the contractor’s team, are critical for successful implementation.
- Adherence to the project timeline is essential.
Risks
Failure to meet the above conditions may lead to the following risks:
- Partial fulfilment of the Deputy Ministry’s needs
- Deliverables of lower-than-expected quality
- Lack of coordination and communication between contractor and Contracting Authority
- Personnel changes on the contractor’s side
- Delays in contract execution
- High user expectations
Estimated Value
According to the tender, the estimated value of the contract is set at €500,000, excluding VAT, while the contract duration will be 26 months.
Interested economic operators may submit their bids until 30 April at 13:00.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
