€4.6 million EIS self-service platform to be developed
The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) is seeking a partner to develop its digital services and self-service platform, with up to €4.6 million earmarked over three years.
EIS says its new concept envisions a customer-centric approach, meaning its services should be available in a way that enables users to handle a large share of their affairs independently.
One component of that approach is the self-service environment, through which businesspeople can access EIS's services, submit applications, manage data, and track the status of proceedings. This is expected to curb the administrative burden for both the foundation and businesses.
EIS does already operate a self-service platform. However, the institution's communications manager, Kasper Elissaar, told ERR that it currently lacks a solution that could improve customer experience, support companies better in increasing their knowledge intensity, and help widen export opportunities.
EIS on Thursday launched a public procurement process to find a provider who will develop and maintain the self-service platform over the next three years. Elissaar said the €4.6 million contract is a framework agreement intended to ensure that EIS has the capacity in the coming years to develop digital services for entrepreneurs and enhance various self-service functionalities, adding that the full amount may not be required.
"The framework agreement's value reflects the maximum possible volume of orders, not a sum that will necessarily be spent. Each specific development project will be defined, evaluated, and commissioned separately according to actual needs and available funding," Elissaar added.
He said the broader objective of the developments is to create a unified digital environment for entrepreneurs, where clients can start using all EIS services, manage their data, track proceedings, and get personalized recommendations and offers based on their profile and needs.
"All of this is aimed at creating increasingly measurable economic value for the Estonian state," the communications manager said.
The procurement budget covers the entire development cycle, from analysis and design to software development, integrations, testing, information security, documentation, and deployment, Elissaar said.
Created in 2022 through the merger of KredEx and Enterprise Estonia (EAS), EIS says it has spent the past six months streamlining its operations, including reducing the number of services and employees while increasing the volume of guarantees and loans made available.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Andrew Whyte
