The increasingly widespread use of technology in the electoral process in countries around the world creates significant cybersecurity risks, ranging from simple hacks to sophisticated exploitation of hardware or software vulnerabilities. Governments, election management bodies (EMBs), candidates, and parties are often ill-equipped to prepare for and respond to cybersecurity attacks and key decision makers may not understand the gravity of the risks.

USAID’s Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) Center views electoral processes as pivotal to a country’s stability and aims to strengthen technical knowledge on addressing electoral cybersecurity threats.

Today, Digital Frontiers releases a request for proposals (RFP) to experienced organizations, firms, or individuals to develop and convene expert briefings and presentations for USAID DRG staff on cybersecurity in elections, including risks, threats, and mitigation strategies.

Who Should Apply?

Digital Frontiers is looking for organizations, firms, and individual consultants with the following qualifications:

  • Practical experience in assessing electoral cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats in a variety of electoral contexts.

  • Experience providing strategic and tactical guidance to election management bodies, policymakers, and/or other stakeholders on addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats.

  • Experience with developing country electoral contexts.

  • Experience developing practical, concise knowledge products for implementers and/or donors that have been operationalized.

  • Experience with developing and delivering effective trainings, presentations, and briefings for a variety of audiences, including through virtual platforms.

More information on qualifications and how to apply can be found here.

Proposals are due December 28, 2020 at 5pm EST to [email protected]. Questions regarding the RFP are due December 15, 2020 by 5pm EST to [email protected]. If you are interested in receiving updates and further communications regarding this RFP, please email [email protected].

Digital Frontiers is a $74.4 million buy-in mechanism available to USAID Bureaus and Missions from 2017-2022. DAI implements the Digital Frontiers project, which works closely with USAID Missions and Bureaus, the private sector, and international and local development organizations to identify successful and sustainable digital development approaches and scale their impact globally.