This procurement concerns the engagement of one or two experts to support the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippines in strengthening institutional cybersecurity capacity and secure digital infrastructure practices through practical implementation, pilot development, and operational capacity building. The assignment will be implemented as an on-site secondment in the Philippines, with a maximum duration of 130 person-days over approximately six months, of which up to 30% may be delivered remotely, and may include organisational backstopping support from the experts’ home organisation. The estimated start of the assignment is August–September 2026.

HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management Ltd implements this procurement on behalf of the Finnish Digital and Green Transition (FDGT) project. As part of FDGT, HAUS assigns short-term experts on secondments to support the digital development of public organisations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Secondments provide a means to promote Digital and Green Transition in these regions by offering technical assistance based on Finnish good practices in digitalisation, while also providing a unique opportunity to forge professional partnerships with local stakeholders. Finnish experts may represent public sector organisations, private sector entities (ranging from individual entrepreneurs to larger firms) or civil society organisations.

The assignment takes place in a context where the Philippines is advancing its digital transformation agenda while strengthening resilience against increasingly complex cybersecurity threats. Recent cybersecurity incidents affecting public institutions have highlighted the need for stronger operational cybersecurity practices, secure digital infrastructure, and interoperable governance mechanisms. In response, DOST is advancing a digital transformation programme focused on secure connectivity, digital governance, data protection, and modernisation of public digital services.

The secondment offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the operational strengthening of cybersecurity and digital governance within one of the Philippines’ leading science and technology institutions. The assignment focuses on practical implementation rather than high-level policy development and includes areas such as incident response operationalisation, CSIRT workflows, IAM practices, secure network architecture, interoperability mechanisms, and operational governance processes. The work will align with international good practices and the EU Digital Economy Package (DEP), particularly priorities related to secure digital infrastructure and digital public services.

Cooperation between Finland and the Philippines in digitalisation and secure digital governance continues to grow through international digital cooperation initiatives and increasing interest in Finnish expertise in cybersecurity, interoperability, and public-sector digital transformation. This creates a strong foundation for long-term institutional collaboration and future engagement between Philippine stakeholders and Finnish organisations.

The contract for the assignment will be concluded between the tendering Finnish organisation and HAUS, and all payments for approved expert input will be administered and disbursed by HAUS in accordance with agreed contractual terms. The host organisation, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), is the Philippine government’s lead institution for science, technology, and innovation, ensuring strong institutional ownership and operational relevance for the assignment.

A more detailed description of the procurement is provided in Annex 1 (TOR).