Business

Oman seeks consultant to design National Innovation Platform

(Picture for illustration only)
 
(Picture for illustration only)
Leading local and international consultants are lining up to bid for a contract to support the Omani government in the development of a National Innovation Platform, which will drive the growth of an innovation-based ecosystem in the Sultanate of Oman.

Also known as the Oman Tabtakir Platform project, the initiative is the brainchild of the Ministry of Higher Education Research and Innovation (MOHERI). But its development and implementation are being overseen by a partnership of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT) and ITHCA Group (Oman Information and Communication Technology Group) – part of Oman Investment Authority (OIA).

The platform initiative stems from an agreement reached by MTCIT and ITHCA in March to oversee the management of the Government Digital Transformation Programme. DTM, an entity created out of this strategic partnership, will not only provide executive management services in the delivery of the programme, but also serve as the investment arm of MTCIT with a commitment to delivering on all objectives by 2025.

Now, as a first step in the development of the Oman National Innovation Platform (Tabtakir), the Ministry of Higher Education is preparing to appoint a suitable consultant to undertake a comprehensive study covering the design and implementation aspects of the platform.

“The Oman Tabtakir Platform project includes, but is not limited to, the strategic plan, operation plan, its business processes: internal and external, services, IT systems, operation framework, etc. to guide the fruition of an effective and unique innovation platform for the National Innovation Ecosystem as part of its digital transformation journey,” the DTM partnership noted in an overview on the project.

The Innovation platform, when fully operational, will support the uptake of modern digital technologies and create the underpinnings of a future digital economy in Oman.

Significantly, the Innovation Platform project adds to a growing portfolio of initiatives being supported by ITHCA Group as part of the government’s digital transformation goals. These projects harness the power of ICT to stimulate the growth of the national economy, drive modernization and globalization of the economy and create the conditions for the optimal participation of all section of the Omani population.

The final submission date for bids for the consultancy tender is July 3, 2023.