INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA8628 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 07-May-2014 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 14-May-2014 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Pacific Islands Project ID: P148238 Project Name: P4: Pacific Regional ICT Regulatory Development Project (P148238) Task Team Natasha Beschorner Leader: Estimated 23-May-2014 Estimated 29-Jul-2014 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: TWICT Lending Investment Project Financing Instrument: Sector(s): Telecommunications (100%) Theme(s): Regulation and competition policy (75%), Infrastructure services for private sector development (25%) Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP No 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies)? Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Total Project Cost: 4.50 Total Bank Financing: 4.50 Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 IDA Grant 4.50 Total 4.50 Environmental C - Not Required Category: Is this a No Repeater project? 2. Project Development Objective(s) The development objective of the Project is to strengthen the capacity of Pacific ICT Regulatory institutions and enhance regional collaboration on regulatory issues. The primary beneficiaries of the Project are the Pacific island regulatory institutions. Indirect beneficiaries will include consumers, businesses (including telecommunications operators), Page 1 of 5 government agencies, researchers/academia and communities receiving improved ICT services as a result of enhanced regulatory outcomes. 3. Project Description Public Disclosure Copy The proposed Project is an IDA regional grant of $4.5 million to the University of the South Pacific (USP). USP is the region’s premier academic institution, established in 1968. During Project identification, the World Bank confirmed that USP is a regional organization that meets the eligibility requirements to receive IDA grants and that funds could be provided directly to USP. The Project will finance: (a) knowledge dissemination and cooperation among regulators, including training and capacity-building activities, collecting, analyzing and improving access to industry statistics and data; and (b) regional advisory services which will be used to finance the procurement of specialists who will advise regulators on issues with regional or multi-country spillover benefits— issues on which two or more regulators in the region need and request advice. Component 1: Regional ICT Capacity Building and Knowledge Management ($2.25 million) will focus on enhancing knowledge sharing and cooperation among regulators, taking account of their different levels of institutional maturity. It will support region-wide dissemination of knowledge products on priority ICT topics, regulatory best practices, improve access to quality sector data and provide a central mechanism (interactive portal/website) for sharing up to date knowledge and experience throughout the region. This will also be done in collaboration with other partners, where appropriate, including the International Telecommunications Union, regulatory institutions outside the region (e.g. in Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, Caribbean). Outputs will include "best practice" models such as: model regulations, policies, discussion papers, collections of industry statistics and data on access and service level penetration, international connectivity, investment levels, industry revenues, standard license terms, spectrum management, broadband service levels, access prices, retail prices, quality of service (QoS), macroeconomic impacts of ICT development, and gender-specific ICT access and issues. This will help to form the basis of a region-wide ICT monitoring and evaluation framework. Component 1 will finance the following inputs: (a) a full-time Project Director (consultant) responsible for: (i) liaison with regulator clients, external partners, USP Public Disclosure Copy management, and the Steering Committee, (ii) development and implementation of the Project’s work program and quality assurance—in consultation with the Steering Committee, and (iii) management of the regional advisory services program under Component 2; (b) a full-time research assistant (consultant); (c) consultants to provide advice to the Director, as needed, on specific issues (e.g., economics, technical, legal, communications, and gender/social development specialists); (d) website development and maintenance, including to design the advisory services application and database which is needed for the delivery of component 2; (e) training and associated resources; and (f) communications, outreach, and publications. Component 2: Regional Advisory Services ($1.75 million) will provide financing for quick-response advice delivered in the form of consultancies or specialized training to regulators on legal , economic, financial and technical issues in the ICT sector that have regional significance or offer a regional learning experience for the immediate benefit of two or more regulators. The component will support the provision of on-demand assistance where at lea st two regulators request assistance. Based on the work plans of regional regulators and specific market demands and conditions the scope is expected to include the following: � Licensing of service providers � Market definition and analysis � Interconnection Page 2 of 5 � Wholesale access � Market behaviour � Universal access issues and approaches � Public Disclosure Copy Consumer awareness and protection � Spectrum management and monitoring � Quality of service standards and monitoring � Convergence-related issues � Dispute resolution � Input on “next generation” reforms: cyber-security, data protection, privacy, e-commerce � Regulatory human resource planning and skills development Detailed Governance rules and administrative procedures will be developed by the Project Director, in consultation with the Steering Committee, within six months from Project Effectiveness. The mechanism for this assistance will be as follows: regulators seeking specialized advice will approach the Project Director for support using an online application form. This supports more efficient management and monitoring of requests and transparency of procedures. A key requirement is that the same topic is also of interest to at least one other regulator in the region, and that at least two regulators request formally support on this issue. The entire process will be managed online via the Project website. Knowledge will be captured in an Advisory Services Database. The component will finance: (a) specialist consultant services to deliver advisory services; and (b) training services. It is envisaged that a co-financing contribution (totaling at least 20 percent of the total cost) will be required from the requesting regulators for each assistance package delivered to increase the leverage of the component, improve allocative efficiency and promote ownership of issues by regulators accessing support. No single regulator may contribute more than 15 percent of the total cost of an assignment. Component 3: Project Administration ($0.5 million). This component will finance Project administration, including financial management and procurement support, audit, and incremental operating costs. Public Disclosure Copy 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The Project will be located at the offices of the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Juan Martinez (EASIS) Ross James Butler (EASNS) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ No There are no physical investments. All activities BP 4.01 relate to advisory services (consulting), training, and office administration. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Page 3 of 5 Pest Management OP 4.09 No Public Disclosure Copy Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No BP 4.11 Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No The activities consist of technical assistance and training for telecommunications regulators throughout the Pacific region. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No There are no physical investments. All activities 4.12 relate to advisory services (consulting), training, and office administration. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The Project will finance technical assistance to be delivered by means of consultant services, training, workshops and office administration. It will not involve any physical investments. The Project proposes not to trigger any of the safeguard policies. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities Public Disclosure Copy in the project area: Not applicable. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. Not applicable 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. The Project will finance technical assistance to be delivered by means of consultant services, training, workshops and office administration. It will not involve any physical investments. The Project proposes not to trigger any of the safeguard policies. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. Key stakeholders are the University of the South Pacific and regional ICT regulatory institutions in the Pacific region. B. Disclosure Requirements If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/ Audit/or EMP. Page 4 of 5 If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] World Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Natasha Beschorner Approved By Public Disclosure Copy Regional Safeguards Name: Josefo Tuyor (RSA) Date: 14-May-2014 Advisor: Sector Manager: Name: Randeep Sudan (SM) Date: 14-May-2014 Page 5 of 5