The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has kicked off evaluating internet voting (i-Voting) mechanisms and solutions to digitalize the electoral process of Pakistan.
The MoITT has invited consultancies for the design, analysis, and implementation of internet voting for overseas Pakistanis to maximize user/voter participation by allowing them to vote from anywhere, and allowing them access from different computer systems and devices that have an internet connection.
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The MoITT intends to select well-established, experienced, and innovative consultants to provide consultancy for the design, analysis, and implementation of internet voting for overseas Pakistanis.
An Expression of Interest (EoI) has been prepared on the basis of the available information and the recommendations of the Internet Voting Task Force (IVTF) and other publicly available documents.
The sole objective of the document is to solicit responses from interested consultants to participate in the upcoming electoral process for overseas Pakistanis. Interested consultants may carry out their own study/analysis/investigation which is required as part of their due diligence before the submission of their responses.
Consultants that are technically and financially strong have been invited to partake in this venture in which the ministry will also participate to the extent of facilitating/sponsoring the project (with machinery/equipment/development/installation/functioning/operations, etc.).
The MoITT is in the process of selecting the desired consultants through a competitive bidding process.
Based on the prequalification criteria stated in this document, prequalified consultants will be allowed to participate in the subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP).
The prequalified consultants will have to complete the consultancy report/services within forty-five days after being awarded the contract. It is expected that only consultants with proven experience in development/design, building, analysis, operation, and maintenance of internet voting, and having executed i-Voting projects will respond to this EoI notice.
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The objective is to analyze the prevalent i-Voting solutions/technologies along with the existing i-Voting system developed by the NADRA, and propose internet voting solutions/recommendations maximize the user/voter participation of overseas Pakistanis by allowing them to vote from anywhere, and allowing them access from different computer systems and from any device using the Internet.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the process include:
- Conducting a detailed study of the prevalent i-Voting solutions and approaches used across the world;
- An analysis of the internet electoral processes and procedures in Pakistan;
- An analysis of the i-Vote solution developed by the NADRA, and identification of its shortcomings and propose improvements;
- The performance of a technical benchmarking exercise of countries with similar voting processes/procedures and the technology deployed;
- Proposal for the methodology, standards, and best practices for implementing or configuring the i-Voting system for overseas Pakistanis, keeping in view the recommendations by the IVTF;
- Provision of recommendations for continuous improvements to the proposed internet voting methodology;
- Proposal for procedures to ensure the integrity of the i-Voting process;
- Proposal for solutions/mechanism to maintain audit trails without compromising the anonymity of users;
- Proposal for solutions to maintain the secrecy of the ballot in terms of i-Voting;
- Proposal for solutions/mechanism to ensure the security of i-Voting solutions;
- An analysis of various E2E internet voting solutions;
- Proposal for a solution that is best suited to Pakistan, analysis of various blockchain internet voting solutions, and a proposal for a solution that is best suited to Pakistan; and
- Any other additional propositions that will add value to the desired i-Voting mechanism/solution.
