Programa e-Brasil - parte I

The e-Brasil Program is derived from papers prepared for the book e-Desenvolvimento no Brasil e o Mundo: Subsídios e Programa e-Brasil, to be published shortly byYendis. This program was already published in Chapter 1 of the book e-Brasil – Um programa para acelerar o desenvolvimento socioeconômico aproveitando a convergência digital (São Caetano do Sul, SP: Yendis, 2006). Small adaptations in the text have been made to take into account the validity of the program its validity for the municipal elections of 2008.

The e-Brasil Program

Translation by Peter Knight

Below we present the e-Brasil Program, inspired by international and Brazilian experience analyzed in papers specially prepared for the e-Brasil Project. The summary of these papers was first presented in Chapter 2 of the book e-Brasil: Um programa para acelerar o desenvolvimento socioeconômico aproveitando a convergência digital. The program is organized into four major themes, detailed in 13 sub-themes. Each theme is approached from first in terms of a strategic vision for the desired future and then proposals for guidelines and actions necessary to implement this vision. These guidelines and proposals are synthesized in the Ten Point Program for e-Brasil Candidates, originally prepared for the 2006 elections, but which we consider valid for the municipal elections of 2008.

The proposals are ambitious, reflecting a perspective of strong alignment of government agencies to implement e-government within the context of other policies and actions to build e-Brasil. The initial temporal horizon is a single government term at the federal and state levels, but we can project two terms, ending in the year 2014 and the beginning of a third in 2015, the key year for the Millennial Development Objectives of the United Nations. The program's implementation supposes significant progress in the capacities of Brazilian governments for coordinated and articulated action and the building of truly innovative strategic visions linked to coherent policies, programs and projects. We know that this is a very optimistic assumption, but carrying out the e-Brasil strategy only makes sense if undertaken in this way.

1. Strategy and Communication

The e-Brasil Program is conceived within the framework of visions of the future which include the intensive use of ICTs in the country's socioeconomic development through 2015. The most desirable scenario projects Brazil as a global player capable of using the most advanced technology to successfully attack its social problems at the same time that it becomes a major participant in the world market, exporting software, hardware and ICT solutions in quantity. To mobilize the political support necessary for realizing this optimistic scenario, it is crucial to develop a national consensus. For that, we need to mobilize the diverse segments of the ICT sector and generate a national debate on the subject of e-development, mobilizing not only elites and political leaders, but also the general population. What is possible? How to achieve it? What it will mean for bettering the life of Brazilians and future generations? These are questions that need to gain ever broader public visibility, in a democratic and pluralistic debate. It is also important to form national leadership with a good knowledge of the possibilities offered by ICTs, of political economy, and of modern public administration techniques.

Proposals

• Carry out a strategic communication campaign through the print and electronic media and other means to encourage a national debate and raise the consciousness of both elites and the general population concerning the strategic importance of the e-Brasil Program as one of the central priorities of its socio-economic development strategy.
• Begin a series of two-week seminars for representative national leaders, including legislators, civil servants, business people, labor leaders, academics, and leaders of the media and civil society on great issues related to the future of the country to help develop a national consensus on the major strategic lines for national development.
• Establish a Committee on the Future as a joint committee of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies to study the country's future and propose legislation necessary to realize Brazil's potential in the long term.

2. Infrastructure and digital inclusion

Without an infrastructure of interlinked terrestrial and satellite information highways it is impossible to achieve digital inclusion of all Brazilians, which in turn is a fundamental means for achieving the other objectives of the e-Brasil Program.

2.1. Universal Internet access and digital inclusion

Universal citizen access to the Internet and new tools of electronic communication is an essential precondition for equitable development of e-government, e-commerce, and e-society. Digital inclusion makes possible a significant broadening of access to information and the exercise of citizen rights for education, culture, and entertainment. The new technologies represent a facilitating and driving factor to reduce socio-economic exclusion, through digital inclusion implemented through creative and democratic solutions, inserted in a broader process of economic development in tune with the building of the information society.

Proposals

• Support programs to reduce the cost of Internet access and equipment for families and micro and small businesses through financial and fiscal measures, through the information technology industry and retail trade, to reduce taxation, promote sales, change system of charging for Internet access, and develop technological solutions to reduce price of personal computers (PCs).
• Encourage competition among broadband providers and technologies (optical fiber, coaxial cable, Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, PLC) and hardware and software (including open source software) to lower the costs of connectivity, computers, software and peripherals -- for use in homes, businesses and telecenters.
• Disseminate community access in the form of community telecenters, allowing for multiple formats and managerial autonomy of projects. Allow complementary use of spaces for shared use in computerizing the school network, taking advantage of spare capacity in the public administration's network and refurbished equipment being replaced by businesses, governments, and individuals.
• Find a legal and organizational solution for public, efficient and transparent use of the resources accumulated in the Fund for Universalization of Telecommunications Services (Fust), suitably updated. Redesign this fund from the strategic perspective of a communications policy compatible with technological advances and the growing convergence between media. Update the scope and destination of these resources for helping build an information society.
• Establish a national program of digital cities based on universal access to the Internet, assuring that digital communication networks are established in each município.

2.2. Integration of systems and databases

The information systems relevant for the delivery of priority services to citizens and for the management of public policies as well as for the support of management (including planning, budget, financial administration, general services and personnel) should be aligned with an integration strategy that leads to a progressive sharing of data and inter-linking of data flows and processes. This integration makes it possible to obtain clearly perceptible improvements in service delivery to citizens and improved quality of decision-making. Furthermore, they spur the redesign of structures and processes involving administrative units, organs, and the different levels of government.

Proposals

• Strengthen the policy and standards of interoperability (E-Ping), especially through the building of interoperable service agendas. To define processes and areas of integration including services with a critical impact on meeting citizens' needs and the competitiveness of the economy, and economic development.
• Deepen the integration among corporate systems (management support systems) in tune with the construction of management information systems and performance indicators and metrics for organs and/or projects and governmental activities.

2.3. Infrastructure for electronic communication

The physical base for the development of electronic government requires creating a high performance network infrastructure, integrated and reaching down to the grass roots in the whole national territory, creating a space for virtual communication and work, impacting public policy implementation and service delivery to society. This infrastructure will permit more rational cost structures, reaping returns to scale and consequent reductions in expenditures for telephony and network access by incorporating conventional telephony into advanced voice, data and video networks all running on Internet Protocol.

Proposals

• Interlink governmental units with a federal administrative infostructure, unifying the present ministerial and agency intranets, providing advanced communications resources (voice, data, image and video traffic) and virtual work environments for civil servants, with tools for collective work and consultation and intensive information exchange.
• Adopt shared formats for cost rationalization, involving units of the federal public administration both direct and indirect (semi-autonomous agencies) that would jointly contract for network infrastructure (especially in the areas of public finance, social security, health and education) to create shared infostructures.
• Restructure the contracting for contracting telephone services in the federal public administration (both direct and indirect) with a view to moving to a more advanced technological standard (integrated voice, data and video networks running on IP), thereby rationalizing costs and reducing expenditures.

3. e-Government

Electronic government, or e-government, is a concept that reflects the potential of ICTs to transform public administration, with substantial improvement in its organization, service delivery, and relationships with society. This concept is framed within a progressive view of democratic governance, transparent and open to citizen participation.

3.1 Estratégia, coordenação e liderança do governo eletrônico

E-government policy should be part of a priority agenda of the federal, state, and municipal governments aligned with other policies directed toward creating an information society. The e-government policy should be guided by a strategic vision and supported by an federal intragovernmental coordination unit with a mandate and resources to act, and with links to other levels of government and with society. Public information technology companies and administrative information technology units in governmental agencies should be aligned with the e-government policy and restructures for updating their technologies and operational procedures.

Proposals

• Encourage the strategic insertion and institutional and technological strengthening of the coordinating unit for e-government policies at each level of government.
• Develop a strategic vision and policy through broad discussion and participation.
• Bring about a convergence of the visions and strategic agendas of e-government and the modernization of public administration
• Restructure public information technology companies and providers of information technology to the agencies and services of strategic importance. Direct the companies toward seeking new technologies, making use of outsourcing, with direct administration limited to services or activities involving the state security and secrets.
• Restructure the administrative information technology units to realign them within public administration organs and agencies, in harmony with the e-government policy. This realignment should be contemplate improving strategic involvement in designing and implementing e-government projects cutting across organs and agencies of government.

3.2 Delivery of e-government services to the citizen

Electronic government allows evolution to a new standard of relations between citizens and governments. This standard brings advances in service delivery over the Internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with multiple forms of access: personal computer (PC), digital television, public access terminals, bank ATMs, service delivery companies, telephone, mobile devices like mobile phones and PDAs, fax and mail. The majority of demand for standardized services and information can be met through these new channels made possible by information technology. Face-to-face service should be retained, but directed to highly complex demands, offering personalization and greater quality.

Proposals

• Consolidate a single portal integrating access to government services and information, without eliminating sites established by governmental units or by theme, having their own addresses on the Internet.
• ·Create units and means to assure integration, monitoring and evaluating e-government services, including through standardization of performance indicators.
• Promote integrated management of information on citizens using public services, following the principle of not asking the citizen for information which the State already has.
• Broaden the offer on the Internet of public services offered by the federal, state and municipal governments, with review and simplification of processes, migrating toward electronic means, offering in all of them at least complete and up-to-date information and /or electronic appointment making. Prioritize inclusion of services relevant to the life of the citizen that facilitate their lives and interactions with government.
• Integrate routines and procedures across services to better serve citizens, meeting their needs in a convenient way. Deepen the ability to provide complete services, with quality and reliability through integration of work processes, overcoming formal barriers between government agencies and between the levels and spheres of government.
• Interlink the services of integrated service centers (one-stop shops like the Poupatempo, in São Paulo, SAC in Bahia, Vapt Vupt in Goiás, Super Fácil in Amapá, Tudo Fácil in Rio Grande do Sul) where all relevant services are offered at the federal, state and municipal level, and make them available on Internet, through web access.
• Regarding the executive branch of government, take strong actions to integrate services and processes, coordinating with the other powers, the states, and municípios, building partnerships to favor the citizen and offering technical and financial support when necessary.
• Set up secure electronic payment channels for all forms of taxation, using the Internet or public access terminals.
• Offer electronic processing of documents, to be implemented on a priority basis, as soon as legal requirements are met, making use of this form of communication in transactions with the government.
• Broadly disseminate resources, like magnetic cards and e-mail addresses, using the mail service and social service agencies like the Federal Savings Bank and the National Social Security Institute (INSS).
• Develop or extend and improve the electronic employment services in states, based on the São Paulo model, already in use.
• Unify the labor market, reducing transaction costs and expanding employment opportunities for citizens by establishing an Internet portal interlinking employment databases in all units of the National Employment System (SINE). Assure the supply of information on employment and training opportunities and resources for forwarding resumés and request for employment, by interested members of the labor force.

3.3. Transparency, social control and governance

Implementing e-government broadens and deepens the possibilities and formats of opening government information on its decisions on policies, services, administrative processes, budget, financial execution, and decision-making processes. This opening should be compatible with preserving the security, privacy and the public interest. Transparency portals on the Internet and the ability to access reports and indications from computerized systems of public administration are powerful tools for promoting transparency. Electronic governance practices can be developed in the form of Internet consultations and the continuous dissemination of information for the policy communities in each segment of government activity.

Proposals

• ·Release information to the citizens as a continual and obligatory practice of all all agencies of government, embracing all administrative units, projects and activities, making this a direct responsibility of each manager. Assure correct, structured and easily understandable information which is regularly updated.
• Release information on the Internet at the same time it is released by any other means. Take the necessary care to preserve privacy and security as well as other matters of public interest, whenever relevant.
• Encourage opening information from computerized systems supporting public management and administration for continual dissemination on the Internet, through reports of public interest available in government portals. Specifically, supply information on budgets, revenues, expenditures and accounts on the Internet.
• Spread the use of systems for citizen relations, of call centers and ombudsmen, taking advantage of their interlinking through electronic means of communication and using multiple media, as tools of e-government for social control of the State.
• Carry out public consultations on the Internet as a stage in decision-making processes on policies, whenever there is a foreseeable impact on specific sectors of society or when the complexity and/or relevance of a matter justifies the opening of na exchange of views.
• Establish integrated monitoring of public policies for following all government actions, online and by area of activity, to be made available to the legislative branch, accounting courts, and society.

3.4 Redesign processes and structures

Making available intensive communication structure across the whole government will facilitate organizational arrangements allowing horizontal coordination of civil servants and managers and their teams, overcoming formal barriers between agencies and units. Networked organizational forms will able to spread rapidly, generating gains in agility and performance. As well as spurring redistribution of power in public organizations, they can attenuate the vertical and hierarchical nature of traditional government structures.

Proposals

• Link redesign of processes and structures with integration of computer systems and databases and with the improvement of service delivery through application of ICTs.
• Align e-government measures with public administration reforms.
• Define and implement an agenda for organizational restructuring related to interoperability of services and integration of computer systems and databases. This agenda will lead to integrated change processes and be progressively spread to other areas.
• Integrate computer systems and supporting applications for management in the states (budget, financial execution, planning, multi-year planning, payroll, etc.) with redesign and integration of processes, improving quality and making possible the establishment of automatic controls, more effective and deburocratized.
• Improve service delivery and management of agencies and units by restructuring administration and processes through intensive use of information technology, deepening the relationship between e-government and modernization of public administration.

3.5 Government purchases and contracting (e-procurement)

Government purchasing and contracting can be carried out by intensive use of information technology, all passing through a computerized system integrating all stages of the process, with major gains in efficiency, performance and transparency. Implementing advanced systems of sourcing requires computerized systems, crucial if these systems are to be viable.

Proposals

• Establish and perfect e-procurement portals on the Internet and supporting computerized systems for the management of contracts and bidding processes, spreading to all the states those techniques which are already consolidated: electronic bidding, publicizing requests for purchases of goods and services on the Internet, simplification of supplier qualification, registry of prices paid and broad dissemination of contracting on the Internet.
• In connection with the previous item, advance in revising legislation and norms to allow the using the full potential of ICT in the procurement.

3.6 Legislative branch

The Internet can emerge as an important channel to make available information and for citizens to manifest their preferences to government. Parliaments are institutions with the potential to host a variety of forms of discourse with society which are made possible by electronic communication channels, especially the Internet. Developing these channels directly improves accountability and responsiveness of the state to citizens. Far from substituting traditional mechanisms of democracy, e-legislation processes can be important institutions for consolidating parliamentary institutions in Brazil

Proposals

• Adopt standards and a compatible technological platform to interlink the information systems of Congress, the state assemblies and the municipal chambers, establishing a virtual forum for legislators and citizens.
• Offer and develop electronic communication channels with citizens in various forms, exploiting the potential of ICTs, especially the Internet: direct contact with legislators and advisory units of Congress and state and municipal legislative bodies, forums, discussions, electronic voting, expressions of preferences, channeling complaints and denunciations and accompanying the legislative process.

Provide information to citizens on the Internet concerning behavior and preferences of legislators and on legislation moving through the legislatures.

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Publicada em: 11/1/2006