4.1. Creation of the Partnership of Development Communities
4.1.1. Basic Principles of the Partnership
4.1.2. Cooperation with Systemic Partners
4.1.2.1. The Development Gateway Program
4.1.2.2. Government
4.1.2.3. Civil Society
4.1.2.4. Business
4.1.2.5. Research and Education community
4.1.2.6. Donors and Investors 4.1.3. Cooperation with Partners in Specific Areas
4.1.3.1. Content Partners
4.1.3.2. Technology Partners
4.1.3.3. Consulting Partners
4.1.3.4. Mass Media and PR Partners
4.1.3.5. Marketing and Distribution Partners 4.1.4. Regional Outreach
4.1.4.1. Pilot Regions
4.1.4.2. Approaches to the Regional Outreach Policy
4.1.4.3. Organization of PRIOR Regional Activity 4.2. Creation of the Russia Development Gateway
4.2.1. The Purpose of the Gateway
4.2.1.1. The Goals of the Gateway
4.2.1.2. The Mission of the Gateway
4.2.1.3. RuDG Target Audience
4.2.1.4. Unique Feature of the RuDG
4.2.2. Content of the RuDG
4.2.2.1. RuDG Content
4.2.2.2. RuDG Architecture
4.2.2.3. RuDG Taxonomy
4.2.2.4. Main Provisions of the RuDG Content Policy
4.2.2.5. Content Organization
4.2.2.5.1. Creators of the RuDG Content
4.2.2.5.2. Content Organization 4.2.2.6. Relations with Sponsors, Partners and Advertisers
4.2.2.7. Content Translation 4.2.3. RuDG services
4.2.4. RuDG technology 4.3. Organizational Structure Development
4.3.1. Collegiate Governing Bodies
4.3.2. Components of PRIOR Organizational Structure 4.4. Action Plan Implementation
4.4.1. PRIOR Role in Project Financing in the Public Sector
4.4.2. Main Principles of Project Selection
4.4.3. Making Decisions regarding Project Financing
4.4.4. Support of Projects and Actions 4.5. PRIOR Marketing Strategy and Public Relations
4.5.1. Goals and Objectives of the Marketing Strategy
4.5.2. Main target groups of PRIOR and RuDG
4.5.3. Implementation of the Marketing Strategy 4.6. PRIOR Financial Strategy
4.6.1. Key Principles of PRIOR Financial Strategy
4.6.2. Main Sources of Financing
4.6.3. The Fundraising Policy
4.6.4. Major Investment Needs
4.6.5. Major Revenue Sources
4.1. Creation of the Partnership of Development Communities
The key distinctive characteristic of PRIOR is formation of a nationwide consortium of public, private, and nonprofit organizations on a voluntary basis in order to unify the efforts of partners representing various development communities to achieve mutual goals and objectives.
4.1.1. Basic principles of the partnership
The activity of PRIOR is based on the following main principles:
- Openness - the opportunity to freely join PRIOR or withdraw from it; the transparency of decision making and implementation;
- Holistic approach - the reliance on a general strategy, reflecting the global development trends, the philosophy of the Development Gateway Program, and the priorities of the Russian national government policy;
- Sustainability - the ability to generate and implement ideas that appeal to sponsors and investors; integration and redistribution of the partners' own resources; providing products and services demanded by the society; and
- Ownership - the right of every participant making contribution to PRIOR activities to openly declare their input, to use the common brand, to participate in strategic and organizational decision-making, including decisions related to administrative and resource allocation issues.
The combination of the aforementioned principles forms an effective synergetic environment favorable for cooperation between various participants of the e-Development process. This interaction process aims to facilitate the emergence of a critical mass of ICT users and developers of new informational resources and services, thus contributing to the sustainable development of an Information Society in Russia.
4.1.2. Cooperation with Systemic Partners
PRIOR strives to facilitate and promote equitable collaboration between all the societal participants supporting e-Development. The initial stage prioritizes the cooperation between the key partners, such as the Development Gateway Program, government, business, civil society, research and education community, sponsors and investors. Over time the strengthened relationships among the participants of the Partnership will result in the greater number of communities and the elimination of the existing borders between them.
4.1.2.1. The Development Gateway Program
The Development Gateway Program, initiated by the World Bank, is one of the philosophical grounds for PRIOR activity, particularly in forming and developing the RuDG. As an independent national partner of the Development Gateway, PRIOR will become one of the sources of its content and innovative ideas. PRIOR activity will be conducted in close coordination and cooperation with the Development Gateway Team. This will be particularly relevant for content creation for the Russian and international gateways as well as development and implementation of technical solutions and online services.
4.1.2.2. Government
Given the national scale of the PRIOR mission, cooperation with government agencies is crucially important for the Partnership. PRIOR functions within the framework of the Russian governmental policy and provides relevant assistance to the state, such as:
- Participating in preparation of the conceptual and strategic governmental documents concerning the Information Society development;
- Providing expertise and drafting recommendations on improving laws and regulations to facilitate Information Society development and Russia's full-fledged participation in the global Knowledge Economy;
- Providing access to the most important sources of information, best technological solutions and know-how, advanced practical experience in the sphere of development;
- Participation in preparation and implementation of joint pilot projects intended to bridge the digital divide;
- Efficient and timely dissemination of current information through all channels of the Partnership and promotion of the governmental policy related to the Informational Society development; and
- Rendering consulting services and assistance in Russia's participation in the international initiatives that are crucial to its positioning as a world information power.
The government can use PRIOR as a public platform, expressing the consolidated position of institutes of the civil society, private sector, research and education community and sponsoring organizations regarding the development problems; as an experimental site for interaction between the government and society with the use of ICT. PRIOR can assist the government in providing financial and human resources for the development and implementation of initiatives corresponding with the common goals of Russia's development in the Information Age.
In its turn, PRIOR counts on the governmental support, which may include incorporating a number of PRIOR initiatives into the state programs and projects related to the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development.
4.1.2.3. Civil Society
Collaboration with the civil society organizations (civil society organizations) is rather important for PRIOR, because they help to resolve social problems, have a developed network of contacts with representatives of various communities, and are well aware of their needs. Representing interests of various social groups, civil society organizations can help the Partnership, on the one hand, to work out a broader view of the development problems and, on the other hand, to articulate concrete PRIOR aims and objectives taking into account the needs of specific user groups.
С ivil society organizations may act both as users of various PRIOR information resources and services and as experts and consultants, topic guides of the Russian Development Gateway, moderators of forums, leaders of initiative projects, etc.
PRIOR plans to facilitate the development of the Russian civil society by engaging in the following activities:
- Promoting the achievements and experience gained by civil society organizations in Russia and abroad;
- Supporting the key initiatives and projects of the civil society organizations aimed at facilitating development and bridging the digital divide;
- Providing a platform for an open national dialogue on development issues, exchange of experience as well as instruments for self-organization of different communities;
- Facilitating cross-sector exchange of information and increasing the potential of networking;
- Expanding the access to the information on the sources of funds for the implementation of development projects, potential sponsors and investors, etc.;
- Supporting the institutional competency of the civil society organizations through the use of ICT.
PRIOR activity will be chiefly geared towards coordinating and consolidating the existing initiatives of the civil society organizations rather than replacing them with the new ones. At the same time, the civil society is viewed as one of the major sources of new participants of the Partnership's activities.
4.1.2.4. Business
The private sector is one of the key driving forces of e-Development; therefore, collaboration with business is vitally important for the Partnership. PRIOR looks forward to finding loyal consumers for its products and services among private companies, which will provide the sustainability of the Partnership.
The most likely partners of PRIOR are hi-tech companies, interested in the development of the ICT industry; companies offering solutions and products related to e-Business, construction of corporate information systems, electronic systems for document processing, etc.; telecommunications companies; small and medium enterprises interested in e-Development.
The business community can use PRIOR as:
- A platform for displaying their goods and services, rapid dissemination of up-to-date information about their operations on the national and international markets;
- An instrument of obtaining investments and financing promising projects based on the use of ICT;
- An instrument for promotion of their brands, products and services;
- A source of information concerning trade, legislation and regulations as well as specific methods of e-Business;
- A source of information and expert knowledge on the state and development trends of various segments of the ICT market, as well as on tenders and contests within the framework of the most important national and international development programs and projects;
- A consulting center for ICT use in various spheres, e-Business, preparation of bids and grant applications, etc.;
- An instrument for feedback from the public in the course of implementation of their own innovative projects; and
- An instrument for establishing new contacts in Russia and abroad.
One of the first business proposals made by PRIOR will be to establish a pilot e-Procurement platform on the basis of the RuDG, including purchases for projects financed by international financial institutions and multilateral sponsoring organizations.
One of the most important tasks in terms of interaction between PRIOR and its partners from the private sector is to work out a system of coordinated measures to foster the development of the information and communication industry and creation of the market for information and communication products and services.
4.1.2.5. Research and Education Community
Russia is distinguished by its powerful and well-structured research and education communities, which are integrated in various professional and public organizations. Despite the difficult financial situation, they continue to actively generate new knowledge and disseminate it in the society. Given the high potential of this community for the Knowledge Economy development, PRIOR views it as one of the driving forces of the emerging Information Society.
In Russia, as well as in the rest of the world, research and education community has always been among the pioneer groups generating and utilizing the ICT. Most new technologies are applied by this community and are handed over to others afterwards. That is why PRIOR considers interaction with research and educational institutions extremely important.
PRIOR will provide assistance to the research and education community in the following areas:
- Access to distributed databases concerning the development problems;
- Promotion of the results of the community's work, popularization of its achievements in Russia and worldwide;
- Assistance in obtaining funds for scientific and educational projects that are in line with PRIOR goals and objectives;
- Provision of up-to-date information on sponsor organizations, contests, tenders, innovative programs;
- Organization of access to the latest teaching techniques based on ICT;
- Informational support for scientific and educational work (creation of digital libraries and specialized subject-oriented information systems, provision of access to national and foreign distributed sources of scientific and educational information, etc.);
- Assistance in organizing joint research activity based on ICT, in establishing and developing professional contacts.
Representatives of this community may act as users of various information resources and services provided by PRIOR as well as experts and consultants, topic guides for the Russian Development Gateway, moderators of forums, leaders of initiative projects, etc.
Attracting students of the higher educational institutions to work in the RuDG and other PRIOR institutions is regarded as one of the priority tasks.
4.1.2.6. Donors and Investors
PRIOR views public and private donor organizations and investment institutions providing financial support for projects and initiatives related to e-Development as its key systemic partners. Although they have different goals, these organizations need comprehensive and accurate up-to-date information on financial aid and investments provided for various sectors.
The major problems that donors and investors encounter include the lack of information and insufficient coordination of efforts, which sometimes result in duplication and inefficiency of the support provided. PRIOR emphasizes cooperation with donors and investors in the following directions:
- Presentation of PRIOR project portfolio to get financial support, matching funding or investments;
- Joint development of the development project database supported by sponsors and investors;
- Provision of information on the country and its social and economic development, as well as on the sectors that can be attractive to investors and those in need of the sponsor assistance;
- Organization of discussions of the results of implementation of projects supported by sponsors and investors, exchange of experience and ideas through the RuDG online forums and jointly organized offline events;
- Promotion of the activities undertaken by sponsors and investors, dissemination of information on the results of development projects implementation in Russia;
- Strengthening cooperation between sponsors and coordination of their aid policies; and
- Provision of a platform for announcing contests and tenders conducted by sponsors and investors, as well as for e-Procurement.
In its turn, PRIOR counts on establishing long-term partner relations with various sponsoring organizations and investment institutions, which will facilitate implementation of the Partnership's projects and initiatives.
4.1.3. Cooperation with Partners in Specific Areas
PRIOR recognizes the importance of building not only vertical partnership relationships with representatives of the key communities, but also horizontal ones, dealing with partners in specific areas. In order to achieve PRIOR's goals, it is crucial to engage experts and consultants from various fields, suppliers of various products and services, partners for public relations and marketing, distributors.
4.1.3.1. Content Partners
Using the national and regional portals, PRIOR will provide its partners with instruments and a platform for establishing and maintaining knowledge networks in the sectors related to development as well as for exchanging experience in different kinds of operations.
The content partners can do the following:
- Manage a thematic section in one of the subject areas (e.g., healthcare, education, etc.) and build up a respective development community;
- Cooperate with the respective sectional groups of the Development Gateway, Russia and regional development gateways by means of information and knowledge exchange;
- Recommend experts and consultants on certain topics;
- Participate in discussion forums, provide consulting services and materials, assist in the promotion of the Partnership; and
- Promote their products under a mutual brand with PRIOR and RuDG; the method of such promotion will correspond to the contribution made to PRIOR.
Cooperation with the Russia Development Gateway and the international Development Gateway in the area of content creation will allow organizations to expand their audience in various segments of professional activity, in the regions of Russia, and in other countries. It will also facilitate implementation of joint projects with other PRIOR participants.
4.1.3.2. Technology Partners
PRIOR technology partners can include the companies that provide the Partnership with assistance in specific technological spheres, such as IT, telecommunications, hardware, etc.
Cooperation with technology partners is important for PRIOR in terms of supplying the Partnership with computers, software, network services, as well as solutions for databases, e-Business, design for RuDG and regional portals, etc.
It is important to first establish cooperation with the leading national and regional Internet service providers and technology companies, which could support sustainable operation of RuDG and regional portals.
4.1.3.3. Consulting Partners
In order to gain competitive advantage, all participants of the economic relations have to use ICT nowadays; however, the technological generations replace one another very rapidly. Given the fact that activities of PRIOR involve various organizations that need qualified consulting services related to the use of ICT, it is important to establish sustainable partner relationships with the leading domestic and foreign consulting companies. In addition, many enterprises and companies participating in PRIOR need investments to organize or reorganize their business processes on the basis of ICT. Hence, they need advice on obtaining investment funds.
Cooperation with PRIOR can give consulting companies the following benefits:
- Broadening their client base by providing consulting services for the participants of the Partnership;
- Opportunity of accessing the accumulated experience in ICT use in various spheres of human activity;
- Discovering the needs emerging during the development process among participants of the Partnership - representatives of civil society, private sector, research and education community, etc.;
- Access to information on PRIOR projects, which could be of interest for the investors;
- Contracts for expertise, preparation and management of programs and projects, business models and business plans related to development; and
- Promotion of companies' activity, especially in terms of development projects they implement.
4.1.3.4. Mass Media and Public Relations Partners
Taking into account the need of public support for Russia's transition to the Information Society and the novelty of the initiative to establish a national development partnership, PRIOR recognizes the importance of interaction with the media and professional Public Relations (PR) companies.
Establishing partner relations with the leading media and the leaders of the PR services market in Russia, PRIOR hopes to get a broad coverage of its activities, assistance in gaining positive attitude from various social groups, and to draw public attention to the opportunities offered by the Information Society.
The leading traditional and electronic media, such as newspapers, magazines, TV channels, radio stations, news agencies, online news services, as well as professional PR companies can become PRIOR partners.
Cooperation with PRIOR may allow this group of partners to attract new clients and subscribers, to create new ideas and media events, and to become aware of their own involvement in Russia's transition to the Information Society.
4.1.3.5. Marketing and Distribution Partners
Companies interested in promoting the Partnership's activities and services via their market niches and cooperation networks can become PRIOR partners.
Cooperation with the Partnership can enable the marketing and distributor companies to:
- Broaden their clientele by including PRIOR participants;
- Increase their influence on the market through advertising their services under a mutual trademark with PRIOR and RuDG;
- Promote the companies' activities, especially in terms of development projects they implement;
- Discover the needs for marketing and distribution services emerging among the Partnership participants; and
- Access the accumulated experience in ICT use for marketing and distribution purposes.
PRIOR counts on professional distribution of its products and services as well as on promotion of the trademarks of the Partnership and Russia Development Gateway in cooperation with marketing and distribution partners.
4.1.4. Regional Outreach
4.1.4.1. Pilot Regions
A number of regions expressed the highest activity in the course of establishing regional partnerships for the Information Society development, drafting regional strategies for the Information Society development and creation of the regional development gateways at the initial stage of PRIOR activity. These regions include the North-Western District (federal district level); Republic of Tatarstan, Stavropol Territory, Kaliningrad, Novgorod, Perm, Tula and Chelyabinsk regions, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, St. Petersburg (subject of the federation level); the City of Magnitogorsk (municipal level). The Partnership will continue to put forth its best efforts to develop its activities in other regions ("subjects of the federation") and federal districts.
Based upon the analysis of project implementation in the pilot regions, PRIOR will expand its work to other regions of the country. Such an approach will allow to:
- Take into account specific conditions in different Russian regions while organizing informational and investment services within PRIOR;
- Correct the model for the creation of country gateways within the Development Gateway Program; and
Create an extensive network of branch offices within the PRIOR organizational structure.
4.1.4.2. Approaches to the Regional Outreach Policy
One of PRIOR's primary tasks is providing assistance to regions in developing and implementing development programs in close cooperation with local authorities, private sector, civil society organizations, research and education community, sponsors and investors.
The main provisions of the regional outreach policy shall correspond to PRIOR goals and objectives while also taking into account the specific conditions for their realization in each region. PRIOR will assist regions in identifying the main factors hindering their dynamic development in the Information Society as well as recommend the basic ideology and methodology for the preparation of regional development concepts and programs.
Accumulating the experience of the international Development Gateway and information on development activities in various countries, PRIOR can provide regions with know-how, technologies and knowledge banks on specific issues. PRIOR has its own substantial expertise and consultative and methodological resources to develop documents and solutions meeting international standards. With the international Development Gateway brand and the special status of a non-commercial initiative, it can request consultations from the leading experts and companies of the world.
On the one hand, PRIOR will provide assistance in attracting sponsor aid and investments to the regions and, on the other hand, it will represent regional interests in terms of their participation in federal or international programs. The Partnership shall facilitate the monitoring of the Information Society development in the regions and providing public access to the results of this process. PRIOR can also assist in the organization of awareness-raising campaigns in the regions, which could be addressed to decision makers and citizens.
4.1.4.3. Organization of PRIOR Regional Activity
PRIOR regional activity will be headed by a partner organization holding the status of the Regional Coordinating Organization (RCO) and possessing the following qualities:
- Knowledge of the key problems of the region;
- Strategic vision of the ways for the region's development in the emerging Information Society;
- Ability to hold a dialog, receive new ideas and recommendations;
- Capacity building approach and readiness to invest in the future; and
- Leadership qualities combined with a manifest ability to cooperate with partners.
The Regional Coordinators shall complete the following tasks:
- Form a coalition of partners consisting of representatives of regional administrations, businesses, civil society organizations, research and education institutions, sponsor and investment organizations;
- Assist in working out a common vision and "rules of the game" that would suit all partners;
- Take into account the specific conditions in a region, identifying areas of growth and "gaps in development;"
- Create a regional development gateway on the basis of consolidation and generation of regional information resources as part of the Russia Development Gateway and provision of services that are in demand;
- Facilitate preparation and/or implementation of a development program for the region, using domestic and international experience;
- Foster "horizontal" initiatives brought up by non-governmental organizations, private enterprises, and individuals;
- Hold consultations with representatives of all societal forces interested in the region's e-Development;
- Support establishment and operation of such services as e-Government, e-Learning, e-Procurement, Digital Library, etc. on the basis of regional development gateway portal;
- Facilitate search for partners and clients, as well as online consultations, e-Transfers, creating online communities, etc. on the basis of the regional development portal;
- Provide incentives for the regional partners to make their contribution in the form of content, technologies, ideas, or financial support; and
- Initiate regional projects aimed at bridging the Digital Divide and developing through the ICT, coordinate and/or manage these projects.
It is important for an RCO to gain the trust of local authorities and bring the activities that are part of the Partnership's work in line with the provisions of the regional policies. Participation of officially delegated representatives of the governmental authorities in PRIOR regional governing bodies can become an important factor contributing to the overall success.
An organization can obtain the RCO status either by the recommendation of local authorities or by its own initiative supported by local partners and approved by the PRIOR Coordinating Board.
An RCO recommends candidates for the positions of the Regional Coordinator and the Regional Representative, which can become PRIOR full-time staff members.
4.2. Creation of the Russia Development Gateway
4.2.1. The Purpose of the Gateway
The creation of the Russia Development Gateway (hereafter Gateway, or RuDG) commenced on March 1, 2001 and is conducted with the financial support of the World Bank info Dev Program as well as the Russian Federal Program "eRussia (2002-2010)" and the municipal program "e-Moscow".
Russia Development Gateway is:
- A key project of PRIOR and
- A participant of an international network including development gateways of over 50 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America created within the Program.
A team of RuDG developers initiated its creation and is a part of the professional community of developers of the technological platform "Gateway in the box" (, DgCn).
4.2.1.1. The Goals of the Gateway
The goals of the Gateway correlate with the goals of PRIOR: the Portal serves the dynamic and full-fledged Russia's development in the course of transition to the Information Society and Knowledge Economy.
RuDG content and services are directed to provide the following:
- Development of the legal base for the Information Society, information processing and transfer infrastructure, effective national innovative system, the education and training system for the "knowledge workers," socially relevant information resources and services;
- Promotion and practical implementation of concepts and technologies of the Information Society, such as Governance, e-Government, Networked Society, e-Business, Distant Learning, Digital Libraries, etc.
- Active dissemination of innovations, knowledge and practical experience in the sphere of development on the international, national, regional and local levels;
- Involvement of international organizations, sponsors and investors in the process of resolving Russia's national and regional development problems; and
- Contribution to mutual strengthening of international, national and local initiatives through active distribution of development knowledge and experience.
4.2.1.2. The Mission of the Gateway
The mission of the Gateway is serving as a collaborative environment for the key development communities and as a tool for integrating expert knowledge in the development sphere.
The gateway strives to become:
- A platform for collaboration and interaction among the key development communities;
- A platform for discussing and developing the national strategy and the program of transition to the Information Society using international experience as well as providing the necessary publicity and support for its implementation;
- Knowledge warehouse accumulating the most important information on the development issues and providing efficient use of this information;
- Forum for a national dialog on the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development;
- Site for self-organization of the development communities;
- A tool for promoting Russia's positive image as a mature participant of the global Information Society.
4.2.1.3. RuDG Target Audience
The target audience of the Gateway includes the key development communities, which form the most active part of the Russian society, as well as foreign and international organizations and experts interested in the realization of the above mission. These include the representatives from:
- Governmental offices of all levels;
- Business, including members of the investment companies;
- Civil society and sponsor organizations;
- Educational, scientific, and cultural domains;
- Sphere of information production, processing and dissemination and other hi-tech industries and the service sector;
- Mass media.
4.2.1.4. Unique Feature of the RuDG
The Gateway's primary objective is becoming the tool for discussing and developing the national strategy and the program of transition to the Information Society using international experience as well as providing the necessary publicity and support for its implementation. Evolving as a unique expert resource on the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development in Russia, the RuDG offers its users the following tools and possibilities:
- Direct access to quality information necessary for better understanding of the issues and opportunities of the Information Society and specifics of the Knowledge Economy;
- Access to reliable information regarding the problems and level of development of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy elements in Russia;
- Access to advanced domestic and foreign experience on developing and implementing strategies and programs of the Information Society development on the national and regional levels;
- A platform where PRIOR integrates representatives of the key development communities to develop and disseminate its vision of the future for Russia and proposals regarding obtaining it;
- Tools for discussing the national strategy and the program of Russia's sustainable development in the course of transition to the global Information Society and Knowledge Economy;
- Mechanisms for resolving the most important issues for specific communities, knowledge and practical experience exchange;
- Information, consultative and other services needed by the target audience and contributing to the realization of the RuDG mission;
- Dissemination of information on the activity of development communities in Russia and abroad.
4.2.2. Content
4.2.2.1. RuDG Content
The core content of the Russia Development Gateway is comprised of the information and knowledge on the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development.
Creating of the Gateway Portal was geared towards professionally selecting and providing user access to various information and viewpoints and, as the result, ensuring constant access to new understanding and real possibilities (resources and tools) for development in the priority directions of Russia's transition to the Information Society.
4.2.2.2. RuDG Architecture
The RuDG Portal architecture is multidimensional, i.e. its content is organized by topic, type, region, user category and functional platform. This means that at the stage of publication of an information resource, it is assigned to a specific topic, a forecast for the audience (target communities) is given, the geographic relevance is defined, and the resource type (news, article, link, etc.) is recorded. Such a system allows for subsequent efficient filtering through the information during the search process.
In the course of content creation of the different level gateways, the key general principle is publishing the most valuable information of common interest on a higher-level portal in order to make sure that the users are well informed about local development processes.
Description of information resources shall be supplemented by coordinated sets of metadata; all the metadata of the network of regional and municipal gateways shall be also placed in the centralized stock of the RuDG metadata in order to provide efficient search mechanisms through the whole gateway network.
4.2.2.3. RuDG Taxonomy
RuDG content structure is determined by thematic rubricators (taxonomies), which represent an evolving system of rubrics and sub-rubrics coordinated with the , and development gateways.
The evolution of the taxonomy implies the following:
- Research and practical work on developing a balanced list and hierarchy of topics sections covering all the areas of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development and
- Technological support for a distributed system of taxonomies, including the possibility of maintaining them at the global, national and regional levels.
4.2.2.4. Main Provisions of the RuDG Content Policy
The main provisions of the RuDG content policy are listed below:
- Expert competency and quality of resources. Selection of information resources, topics, news, discussion issues and offered technologies is based on thorough professional analysis, factual information and forecasts of the target audience needs. RuDG creators seek the most valid and accurate information related to authoritative and verified sources, cooperation with highly qualified experts, and regular control of the information quality.
- Openness and objectivity. RuDG aims to create a high-quality resource representing different information sources and constructive points of view regarding the development problems. The Gateway creators establish contacts among different groups of experts and users to ensure free and fruitful exchange of ideas. The opinions contained in the materials published by the Gateway, represent only the opinions of the authors of texts or statements and are not always consistent with the position of the Partnership of RuDG editorial staff.
- Rejection of unacceptable information. Although RuDG creators strictly abide by the policy of neutrality in terms of political, scientific and expert views of all participants, the generally accepted norms of interaction should nonetheless be followed. RuDG editorial staff reserves the right of final decision on accepting materials for publication on the Gateway. If the information is viewed as propagating violence, containing offensive language, representing provocation, conflicting with the theme of the portal sections, or is objectionable for other reasons, then the material may not be approved for publication.
- Proper references to the origins of the information and citation of the sources. The RuDG Portal publishes both the original research and the references to the already published online resources. In all cases the brief summary is prepared. The original works include their author. The use of the hyperlinks in the Portal documents does not represent the support of a company, product or opinion not does it reflect the RuDG Portal's subscription to the corresponding materials containing the link. The RuDG Portal does not have an obligation to include the link to a website; this is done for convenience of access to relevant and useful information.
- Correction of errors. The editors of the RuDG Portal take an obligation to correct as quickly as possible any factual errors and misinterpretations. If a dispute occurs regarding an interpretation, the RuDG Portal staff should undertake active steps toward resolving the issue through negotiations and diplomatic coordination.
- Responsibility for the information. The Portal draws the information from carefully selected Russian and foreign sources. The initial selection process is based on the expert opinion of the RuDG Portal editorial board and external consultants. The sources and links are constantly checked for consistency with the Editorial Policy and information quality standards. However, the RuDG Portal cannot guarantee the absolute reliability and accuracy of the information received from other sources and, thus, does not take the responsibility for the dependability of the secondary information.
4.2.2.5. Content Organization
4.2.2.5.1. Creators of the RuDG Content
RuDG is a controlled system of public presentation of the most important information on the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development. The system is based on coordinated efforts by individual experts and organizations that are acknowledged specialists in a specific area from the standpoints of objectivity and openness. The experts are attracted through the process of interaction with various partners representing the key development communities.
RuDG encourages active cooperation in the sphere of content creation (publishing) between organizations and individuals with expert knowledge and practical experience in different aspects of development.
The RuDG content is regulated by a specific document - Editorial Policy of the Russia Development Gateway.
RuDG content is provided by the Russian Corps of Development Experts (RCDE) - association of experts on a number of issues concerning the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development. An RCDE expert can fulfill one or several functions from the following list:
- Member of the RuDG Editorial Board;
- Chief Editor of the RuDG;
- Head of one or several thematic pages;
- Member of the editorial team of one or several themes;
- External expert attracted to provide consultations on a temporary basis.
RuDG Editorial Board is the highest governing body regulating the process of publishing content on the Gateway and created within the PRIOR Expert Council.
Chief Editor is a person facilitating content publishing on particular thematic page(s) including all subsections and responsible for the quality of the content and controlling maintenance of publication standards.
Head of a thematic page is responsible for content creation for specific topic/topics, including all the relevant subtopics and responsible for the quality of the content and controlling maintenance of publication standards.
Editorial team of themes are groups of experts issuing recommendations regarding the general editorial policy, regarding a particular thematic page including recommendations on setting publication standards and materials selection criteria; assisting in determining information providers and strengthening cooperation with them.
The content for thematic pages can be obtained from the following sources:
- Contributions by topic guides and heads of editorial boards;
- Contributions by communities when any user registered for the respective thematic page of the RuDG Portal shall be able to add information, which will later be reviewed by the topic guide, and, upon meeting the acceptance standards, published on this page;
- Discussions and debates on key problems, initiated by topic guides on the basis of recommendations given by editorial boards and suggestions made by users;
- Commentaries by topic guides and users;
- Requests from users for specific information and answers to these requests given by other members of the topic community;
- News bulletins prepared by topic guides and authorized partners;
- Statistical data and information from databases on development projects, provided by the international Development Gateway.
4.2.2.5.2. Content Organization
Decentralization. The RuDG provides an opportunity to publish content via the Internet, using:
- Forums available for all users;
- Administrative interface available only for the editorial staff.
Users and RCDE can publish content from any computer having the Internet access.
Access division. One of the main peculiarities of the RuDG content publishing is access division. Depending on the function he or she fulfills, an RCDE member can perform the following activities:
- Add or delete content on any thematic page of the Gateway both through the forum and administrative interface - first category of access (RuDG Chief Editor);
- Add or delete content on any thematic page within the section of the first level both through the forum and administrative interface - second category of access (head of a thematic page);
- Add or delete content on one or several particular thematic pages within the section of the second level both through the forum and administrative interface - third category of access (topic subsection guide);
- Any registered user can add content through the discussion forums on any thematic page of the Gateway - fourth category of access.
4.2.2.6. Relations with Sponsors, Partners and Advertisers
RuDG can attract additional support in the form of various grants, equipment and services provided by development agencies, foundations, individuals and companies. RuDG publishes the list of all organizations and persons providing gratis contribution; however, such contribution is only accepted if the editorial independency is preserved. The logos of those who provide uncompensated contribution are marked as "partner" or "sponsor."
The staff involved in selecting information content should reject offers that can be misinterpreted by those who provide them in case of their acceptance, or that can give an impression to the users that RuDG is in any way obliged to particular sponsors or companies.
RuDG can place paid advertisements in the form of banners and special advertising sections. The relations with advertisers should be transparent and clear to the Gateway users; therefore, the informational and commercial content should be clearly separated. A necessary condition of financial support is prior agreement by the provider to the RuDG's full freedom to select the information provided to the users. Advertising materials should be clearly marked on the Gateway Portal.
4.2.2.7. Content Translation
In order to cover the largest audience possible, the RuDG Portal shall publish information in Russian and English. The Russian and English versions shall de identical in those parts that are of interest to both domestic and foreign users. In addition to Russian and English, regional gateways within RuDG can also publish information in local languages. The selection of materials to be translated is the responsibility of the topic guides, editorial boards of the RuDG Portal, and editorial councils of the regional development gateways.
There shall be two translation methods, depending on the type of information resource:
- Translation made by people (for the most important documents requiring qualified translation and editing by the experts) and
- Machine translations (for documents that can be adequately translated automatically).
Specially selected experts shall conduct scientific editing of translations related to their respective fields.
Taking into account high cost of translation and editing work, the RuDG shall provide instruments for machine translation of the documents published on the Portal as one of its services.
4.2.7. RuDG Services
A distinctive feature of the RuDG is high concentration of various modern services and functional elements provided by various Internet portals.
The attractiveness of the RuDG will depend primarily upon the set of services offered to users and developers. In providing these services, the RuDG shall try to implement the "one-stop-shop" principle so that a user could receive the maximum number of services without leaving the Gateway. At the same time, the RuDG should provide not only for its users and clients but also for the participants of the Partnership who make substantial contribution to its development. Therefore, the services to be offered by the Portal are tentatively divided into two groups: a user group and an administrative group.
The RuDG Portal offers the following kinds of services to its users and clients:
- Personalization;
- Information about development problems;
- Instruments for cooperation;
- Sub-portals;
- Database of development projects;
- Consulting center;
- Virtual university;
- Digital library;
- E-commerce market place;
- Navigation instruments;
- Automatic translation;
- Help.
The following key services will be provided to support PRIOR and RuDG Portal operation:
- Instruments for content management;
- Instruments for informational support of PRIOR and RuDG activities;
- Instruments for the monitoring of RuDG Portal users.
The set of RuDG administrative services is not limited to the above list since their composition will evolve as the Portal develops.
In order to ensure effective interaction between partners within the organizational structure of PRIOR, the common access to corporate data will be provided. This will help to solve the following tasks:
- Developing a common interface for individual information systems of PRIOR participants;
- Creating a digital library with a convenient internal structure, an efficient search system, and a reliable scheme of delineation of users' rights;
- Establishing a starting point for retrieving the Partnership's internal information; and
- Providing application developers with an architecture integrating the newly-created components into the overall system.
As interaction with users and clients evolves, the range of RuDG Portal services will enlarge and adjust to the new needs emerging in the process of the Information Society development.
4.2.4. RuDG Technology
RuDG shall represent a single distributed system of the national and regional portals, which have a common information infrastructure and technological architecture.
The national and regional portals should be technologically compatible with the international Development Gateway and other countries' national portals; therefore, the technological strategy for the RuDG Portal development is based on the following principles:
- Use of technologies based on open system standards and using open software [25];
- Scalable and modular architecture of the technological platforms used;
- Decentralization and distributed nature of content management and the portals system administration;
- Use of metadata to standardize data representation and exchange;
- Organization of information classification and retrieval on the basis of thesauri and metadata;
- Use of the XML/RDF standards to ensure interaction between development gateway portals and outside portals, regardless of their technological platforms;
- Support for personal adjustments and the high level of personal information security;
- Support for multilingualism based on the Unicode.
The technological platforms and designing tools offered by the international Development Gateway correspond to the aforementioned principles. The components of the Development Gateway technological platform are open software, which allows for transferring technologies and inviting partners for collaborative design work.
In order to support further interaction between development gateway portals on all levels, the corporate metadata standard for the description of information resources should be developed and adopted. Implementation of such a standard will allow for efficient search throughout the whole network, because the regional portal metadata will be transferred to the centralized RuDG metadata bank.
For the purposes of coordinated development of technological platforms of national development gateway portals, including RuDG, a collaborative effort should be organized between the Development Gateway and country technology teams; this will allow for coordination of plans for the introduction of new functional modules and standards, transfer to new versions, etc.
4.3. Organizational Structure Development
The Partnership for Information Society Development in Russia is established on the basis of a partnership coalition formed during the Planning Phase of the Russia Development Gateway Project supported by the info Dev Program of the World Bank.
PRIOR is a voluntary association of legal entities and individuals sharing common goals and objectives, which were listed in a previous section. The Partnership's activity is regulated by a Memorandum on PRIOR Creation approved at the PRIOR Organizational Conference and modified by the decision of the PRIOR Coordinating Board.
4.3.1. Collegiate Governing Bodies
In order to implement the above stated partnership principles - openness, holistic approach, sustainability and ownership, the collegiate governing bodies of PRIOR are to be established. At present the governing bodies include: the Supervisory Board, the Coordinating Board and the Expert Council, their activity is regulated by the following provisions.
The Supervisory Board is created to guarantee public support for the Partnership's activity as well as for general control and supervision of the Partnership's work.
The Coordinating Board is established to define the development strategy and priority goals of the Partnership activity.
The Expert Council is created to provide expert advice and consultations for the PRIOR Supervisory and Coordinating Boards.
On the regional level, PRIOR regional governing bodies are formed; their responsibilities and membership are defined with respect to the specific conditions and needs of a particular region. The organizers' assumption is that the necessary balance of opinions for making decisions will be achieved with the assistance of a supervisory (advisory) council, consisting of representatives of the government and influential people of the region, and an expert (consultative) council, which will include specialists from various sectors of ICT development and use.
4.3.2. Components of PRIOR Organizational Structure
PRIOR aims and objectives are to be achieved within the framework of the organizational structure, which is comprised of several main components:
- Coordinating Organization
- Regional Coordinating Organizations (RCOs)
- PRIOR Foundation
- Information & Analytical Center
- Technical Support Center
- Information & Publishing Center
- Ad Hoc Groups
- New Organizations founded during the implementation of specific projects.
In the future, the Coordinating Board can make decisions regarding changes in PRIOR's organizational structure.
At the initial stages, one of PRIOR members is charged with managing its administrative and business operations. Upon expiration of the agreement period, the Coordinating Board can make a decision to transfer this responsibility to another member of the Partnership or to found a new legal entity as a Coordinating Organization . The Coordinating Organization creates PRIOR Directorate within its structure.
PRIOR Foundation is intended to facilitate the e-Development process in Russia and to stimulate the innovative activity in the sphere of ICT use for comprehensive development. The Foundation's chief goal is supporting promising projects aimed at attaining the aforementioned PRIOR goals.
PRIOR Information and Analytical Center (hereinafter - IAC), as well as the Foundation, has been established to facilitate Russia's e-Development and to stimulate innovative activity in the sphere of ICT use for comprehensive development. The main goals of the IAC is conducting a wide range of research, informational, analytical, consultative, and organizational work intended to achieve the aforementioned PRIOR goals as wall as providing Russia's e-Development monitoring.
The Partnership, represented by its Coordinating Board, authorizes one of more of its partners to perform the functions of IAC for a certain period. At the end of this period the Coordinating Board makes a decision either to extend this authority or to transfer the functions of IAC to another member of the Partnership, or to found a separate legal entity to perform IAC functions.
The main purpose of PRIOR Technical Support Center (hereinafter - TSC) is to ensure smooth continuous operation of the RuDG and cooperation with the international Development Gateway, to provide technological support for the regional development gateways as well as PRIOR activities in general.
At the same time, TSC can play the role of an online business center, providing services for "renters" to increase PRIOR efficiency and sustainability.
The Partnership, represented by its Coordinating Board, authorizes one or more of its members to carry out the functions of TSC for a specified period. At the end of this period the Coordinating Board makes a decision to either extend this partner's authority or to transfer its functions to another member of the Partnership, or to establish a separate legal entity as TSC.
PRIOR Information and Publishing Center (hereinafter - IPC) is created to prepare, collect, and disseminate original e-Development information, to provide content for the Russia Development Gateway Portal and regional development gateway portals, and to implement PRIOR publishing projects, such as analytical magazine on the Information Society development and PRIOR newsletter both in electronic and print versions.
The Partnership, represented by its Coordinating Board, authorizes one or more of its members to carry out the functions of IPC for a specified period. At the end of this period the Coordinating Board makes a decision to either extend this partner's authority or to transfer its functions to another member of the Partnership, or to establish a separate legal entity as IPC.
As part of PRIOR's work on specific projects and actions, ad hoc working groups are formed. Members of these groups can work on the basis of contracts with PRIOR Coordinating Organization or PRIOR Foundation, or be delegated by partner organizations (in which case their salaries can count as contributions to the Partnership), or participate on a voluntary basis.
Some PRIOR projects may require establishing new organizations , affiliates of the Coordinating Organization, business entities established by the Foundation, or separate legal entities as a part of PRIOR organizational structure.
4.4. Action Plan Implementation
PRIOR activity shall be based on its Action Plan, which includes specific projects and activities. National and international experience in using program methods for the implementation of different-scale projects accumulated by the participants of the Partnership will be taken into account when implementing this Action Plan.
4.4.1. PRIOR Role in Project Financing in the Public Sector
By this time, a rather comprehensive system of support for various type projects on competitive basis has been formed out in the public and private sectors. Rapid dissemination and adoption of this approach is due to the fact that government and business have recognized the selective investment as one of the key factors in overcoming the economic crisis.
The support of e-development and ICT projects in the non-government sector was carried out mainly by various non-governmental foundations, including international ones (e.g., the Soros Foundation, the Eurasia Foundation and others.) The private capital is not inclined to invest sufficient funds in e-development projects partly due to the high level of inherent financial risks.
Hence, currently there is virtually no mechanism for supporting ICT projects in the non-governmental sector, and PRIOR strives to fill this gap.
4.4.2. Main Principles of Project Selection
The official procedure of PRIOR competitions is approved by the Coordinating Board following the recommendations provided by the Expert Council. The main principles guiding the selection process procedures are as follows:
- Openness of the concept, goals and objectives of a competition;
- Opportunity and equal participation requirements for all applicants;
- Competent and unbiased expert council interested in the selection of high-quality projects;
- Evaluation and selection criteria set beforehand;
- Properly organized anonymous scientific and technical examination of applications and results of project implementation;
- Immunity of the Expert Council members and independent experts against any outside pressure;
- Guaranteed confidentiality of personal data and commercial information not specified for dissemination;
- Protection of intellectual property and copyright of researchers and developers.
4.4.3. Making Decisions regarding Project Financing
The suggested procedure provides for the following:
- Self-registration of an application in a special PRIOR information system;
- Initial assessment of an application by at least two anonymous experts working independently from each other;
- Reviewing the results of the initial review by appropriate sections of the PRIOR Expert Council;
- Reviewing the results of the assessment by the PRIOR Expert Council;
- Approving the project budget by the PRIOR Coordinating Board.
The main criteria for the selection of application are the following:
- Innovativeness;
- Focus on user needs;
- Sustainability;
- Transferability: possibility to transfer the results, methods and ideas of the given project in Russia and abroad;
- Co-funding available (30-50% of the total project budget).
Evaluation and other procedures shall be financed by the PRIOR Foundation.
4.4.4. Support for Projects and Actions
PRIOR projects, activities and events are financed from the funds of PRIOR Foundation, partners' resources, and other co-funding sources.
Further support for the selected projects requires constant cooperation with organizations and ad hoc groups. This is a specific, rather complex and laborious managerial procedure, requiring constant efforts by the PRIOR Directorate and Foundation.
Methodological support in organization of competitions and project management can be provided by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), Russia's leading expert organization in this sphere.
4.5. PRIOR Marketing Strategy and Public Relations
PRIOR marketing strategy is aimed at positioning the Partnership as a prominent nationwide organization, which has a unique instrument for supporting its activity - the Russia Development Gateway. The latter represents an extensive network of partners in Russia and a powerful expert resource, which allows for substantial influence upon the Information Society development in the country.
PRIOR positioning as an independent public-private initiative serves as a basis for consolidation and coordination of efforts aimed at fostering development. In addition, Partnership's positioning as the leader of project support in the public sector allows it to occupy unique social and market niches. Accordingly, a "different" or unique approach shall be used as the central marketing strategy, which focuses primarily on promoting distinct and unique characteristics of the PRIOR and RuDG brands.
4.5.1. Goals and Objectives of the Marketing Strategy
The Partnership's marketing strategy follows three main aims:
- Establishing PRIOR brand and subsequent promoting of the RuDG brand to the target audience;
- Attracting new partners and clients, including users of the RuDG and regional development gateways;
- Tuning PRIOR activities according to the needs of the society.
These aims are to be achieved through monitoring, advertising and PR activities conducted with assistance of the mass media.
The key tasks of PRIOR marketing strategy include the following:
- Reaching and maintaining high level of awareness of the brands, logos and missions of PRIOR and RuDG among the target audiences;
- Forming an adequate idea of PRIOR and RuDG aims and objectives, PRIOR Action Plan, products and services, advantages of participation in the Partnership and using the RuDG;
- Promoting PRIOR and RuDG as stable formations;
- Providing an incentive to the target audience to collect and analyze additional information on PRIOR activity so as to make a decision on cooperation with or purchasing products and/ or services from PRIOR and RuDG; and
- Ensuring flexibility in providing products and services on the basis of regular monitoring of domestic and foreign users' needs.
4.5.2. Main Target Groups of PRIOR and RuDG
PRIOR marketing strategy shall be aimed at the following target groups:
- The World Bank and other multilateral international organizations;
- Sponsors and investors (international and domestic);
- Government of the Russian Federation of all levels;
- Civil society organizations;
- Large businesses and industry;
- Small and medium enterprises;
- Research and educational institutions and organizations;
- Russian contestants for investments.
Given the heterogeneous target audience of PRIOR, the marketing activity shall be adapted to specific characteristics of the members of each group listed above taking into account regional specifics and PRIOR priorities.
The socio-demographic profile of the target audience is characterized mainly by active men and women aged 25-60 years old, holding university degrees, earning incomes above the average level, and leading active lifestyle.
4.5.3. Implementation of the Marketing Strategy
One of the main directions of PRIOR marketing strategy will be the monitoring of Russia's readiness for the Information Society and the Knowledge Economy and analyzing related needs through sociological surveys and questionnaires, expert evaluations, focus groups, user feedback via the RuDG and regional development gateways.
In order to form the user demand for PRIOR products and services, various kinds of advertising channels will be used, which shall depend upon PRIOR's tactical goals: the Internet, PR actions, the media (newspapers, magazines, radio and TV), presentations, forums, and exhibitions.
RuDG and the network of regional development gateways shall become the main carriers of information about PRIOR; therefore, the attention should be focused on the corporate design and style of PRIOR / RuDG.
The main channels of PRIOR and RuDG promotion include the following:
- Publishing PRIOR bulletin and newsletter;
- Publishing presentation, informational and advertising materials;
- Placing advertisements in well-known catalogues and reference books with wide circulation and broad geographical distribution;
- Making presentations;
- Disseminating press releases among the leading mass media;
- Publishing challenging, research, and popular articles in well-known journals and newspapers highlighting PRIOR and RuDG;
- Supporting public events organized by other parties but attended by representatives of PRIOR target groups;
- Creating activities and events that can be attractive for the press, radio and TV.
To create PRIOR brand and to further promote the RuDG one a number of targeted actions will be implemented, such as:
- Attracting the most recognizable brands and trademarks to join the Partnership;
- Active participation in public events (forums, exhibitions, competitions, etc.);
- Establishing regular working contacts with mass media;
- Conducting press conferences and meetings with journalists;
- Conducting regular PRIOR events (conferences and seminars);
- Issuing and distributing periodicals, books and video recordings of PRIOR activities; and
- Issuing and distributing CD-ROMs providing free time-limited access to RuDG commercial services.
The franchising mechanism can be used as a method of raising awareness of the PRIOR and RDG trademarks, as well as for increasing the influence of PRIOR and RuDG on the regional level. Franchising opens broad opportunities for reaching regions and building a partnership network at a low cost, since the cost of its creation is much less than that of building a network of regional branches and offices.
An additional method of attracting public attention to PRIOR and RuDG will be establishing a national Information Society award under their aegis. It would be feasible to position this award as a national initiative within the framework of international awards and contests, such as Stockholm Challenge Award, European IT Award, World Summit Award, Global Junior Challenge and others.
A special department of public relations, whose responsibility will be to implement and tune the marketing program, will be established within the PRIOR Directorate.
4.6. PRIOR Financial Strategy
4.6.1. Key Principles of PRIOR Financial Strategy
PRIOR is a non-commercial initiative focusing its efforts on achieving socially relevant goals. Such a mission implies certain obligations regarding the implementation of the financial strategy, which is guided by the following main principles:
- Use of the entire spectrum of accessible financial sources for sustainable operation of the RuDG and regional development gateways, implementation of PRIOR projects and actions;
- Attracting material, informational, organizational, technological and other support from the partners, which can be considered a financial contribution;
- Gaining revenues from entrepreneurial activities exclusively for achievement of PRIOR's socially relevant goals.
4.6.2. Main Sources of Financing
The following sources are viewed as the main sources of financing for PRIOR:
- Grants from foundations and other financial institutions, international organizations and programs to support non-commercial socially important projects and actions;
- Federal budget funds of the Russian Federation as part of special federal programs;
- Regional and municipal budget funds as co-financing of partnership projects supported by the local authorities as priorities for e-Development;
- Voluntary financial and property contributions made by participants and founders of the Partnership and PRIOR Foundation;
- Partners' contributions in the form of consulting, informational resources, hardware and software, network services, research results, organizational support, office space, and other values facilitating PRIOR development;
- Revenues from business operations conducted by PRIOR structural components - Directorate, Foundation, IAC, TSC, IPC and newly established ventures;
- Venture investments , provided by investment companies and groups for the implementation of hi-tech projects with long-term payoff periods;
- Loans granted on preferential terms by the World Bank and other financial institutions for the implementation of large projects, guaranteed by the Government of the Russian Federation and regional governments.
Most of the funds shall be accumulated in the PRIOR Foundation and allocated in accordance with decisions of the Coordinating Board, based on recommendations made by the Expert Council. In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, the Foundation must publish annual reports on its operations, including on the allocation of its financial resources.
4.6.3. Fundraising Policy
Fundraising is regarded as a business priority, which supports the functioning of PRIOR and RuDG.
The main provisions of the fundraising policy include the following:
- Implementation of the principle of participation in the Partnership on the basis of a specific contribution in the form of financial, technological, organizational, intellectual, and other necessary support;
- Organization of co-financing for PRIOR projects and actions from various sources, using the potential of the Partnership;
- Implementation of the principle of equal stakes in the investment development projects by PRIOR Foundation and other foundations and/or investment funds;
- Analysis of PRIOR participants' needs to support development projects and initiatives;
- Conducting regular investment forums within the PRIOR Action Plan.
PRIOR fundraising program includes the following main aspects:
- Active interaction with government agencies at the federal, regional and municipal levels, including exchange of information on planned or active initiatives, analysis of opportunities to include PRIOR's actions in special development programs and projects, and joint implementation of specific projects and activities;
- Regular contacts with representatives of government agencies of all levels, sponsor organizations, investment companies and large businesses to persuade them to participate in PRIOR's actions, to place information about their operations on the RuDG and regional development gateways, participation in these organizations' actions and initiatives;
- Participation in competitions announced by foundations and programs that support development initiatives as well as federal and regional authorities as part of the specific corresponding programs;
- Proposals on financing PRIOR project portfolios and actions for national and international investment companies and venture funds;
- Involvement of organizations interested in promoting their services;
- Search for organizations interested in lobbying laws and standards facilitating the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development; implementation of joint programs;
- Involvement of organizations that actively use or intend to use ICT in their work in order to increase their attractiveness to investors and build the image of an innovative hi-tech company;
- Identification of organizations interested in attracting resources of international sponsor organizations and financial institutions, consulting these organizations on optimum financial plans, assistance in attracting grants, loans and credits;
- Selection of promising services for potential investors, preparation of a cooperation program, elaboration of profit sharing principles.
4.6.4. Major Investment Needs
PRIOR activity inevitably requires investments in its expenditure components, which include the following activities:
- Creation and maintenance of the RuDG and regional development gateways;
- Implementation of projects and events focused exclusively on social needs, for example, establishing facilities of public access to the ICT, including the Internet; organizing awareness-raising campaigns; providing ICT-based services for disadvantaged social groups, etc.;
- Organization of a marketing campaign;
- Payment of salaries for PRIOR permanent staff;
- Expenditures on purchasing books, analytical materials, consulting services, etc.;
- Maintaining equipment and technical support for PRIOR organizational structures: office rental, payment for communication channels, purchasing and maintaining software and hardware, purchasing office equipment and supplies, furniture, payment for Internet access.
Any organization or individual interested in cooperation with PRIOR can act as an investor. Advantages of such cooperation for various organizations are described in detail in Paragraphs 4.1.2.1 - 4.1.2.6, 4.1.3.1 - 4.1.3.5. of the present document.
4.6.5. Major Revenue Sources
During the Planning Phase of the Russia Development Gateway Project an e-Needs assessment was conducted, based upon:
- Review of open public sources used during the preparation of reports on the Russia's e-Readiness;
- Analysis of the information obtained from workshops and negotiations with different organizations and companies;
- Polling of numerous participants of events organized by the PRIOR Team or with its active assistance;
- Vast practical experience of the RuDG partners.
In terms of meeting the potential users' needs, the following services to be implemented on the basis of the PRIOR Foundation, IPC, IAC, and TSC appear to have the most promise and use:
- Provision access to materials of sociological, socio-psychological and marketing surveys and reviews of ICT impact on the development of the Russian economy, society and state;
- Development and expert analysis of laws, bills and standards related to the Information Society development;
- Providing consultations on e-Development issues and opportunities for growth for various groups of users;
- Provision of services dealing with preparation of e-Development concepts, business models, business plans, grant applications, feasibility studies, system projects, etc.
- Conducting applied research and design work related to the Information Society and Knowledge Economy for development;
- Examination and management of projects aimed at ICT and knowledge use for development;
- Publication of periodicals: a popular magazine, a specialized analytical bulletin on the Information Society development, PRIOR newsletter, etc.;
- Organization of conferences and seminars on various aspects of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy development;
- Provision of services dealing with recruitment of qualified personnel in the sphere of ICT for development;
- Provision of analytical information and news, results of monitoring of the Information Society development in Russia;
- Preparation and implementation of modern solutions and know-how in the sphere of development;
- Examination and preparation of efficient business models implying ICT use, organization of experimental production facilities for their testing and implementation;
- Receiving interest from servicing the investments;
- Revenues from paid services provided on the basis of RuDG and regional gateways, including revenues from displaying other organizations' ads, fees for transactions as part of implementing e-Procurement function, rent for the Market Place, fees for electronic document delivery, etc.;
- Hosting for servers (placed at the TSC facilities) and sites (placing partners' information resources and applications at the TSC servers);
- Provision of individual and collective communication services (e-mail, mailing lists, forum, forum archive, chat, video conferencing, Internet telephony, network broadcasting);
- Application service providing (ASP);
- Provision of DNS services (registration of domain names and support at primary and auxiliary servers); and
- Provision of call-center services and others.
RIOR Directorate and PRIOR Foundation are authorized to develop, implement, and modify PRIOR fundraising and revenue generating programs.
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