About the Organization

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.

Background

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing technical assistance (TA) support to the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) to strengthen India’s labor market and social security systems to enhance worker protection, well-being, and employability. The TA will support MOLE in three areas: (i) policy analysis and recommendations to improve labor market and social security schemes, (ii) technical analysis and strategy to enhance the operations, analytics, and digital integration of systems, and (iii) capacity building of key stakeholders on evidence-based policy development and implementation.

India’s labour market ecosystem remains large, diverse, and institutionally complex, spanning a wide range of public and private actors involved in policy, regulation, service delivery, social protection, skilling, and labour market intermediation. MOLE plays a central role, overseeing labour policy, regulation, research, social security, and employment services, alongside key statutory bodies, state labour departments, other central ministries, and private-sector actors. Over time, the digital systems supporting these functions have evolved independently. The result is multiple databases operating in silos, inconsistent data standards, limited real-time data exchange, and fragmented service delivery. This imposes direct challenges for workers and employers who must navigate separate systems, while also limiting MOLE's capacity to generate integrated labour market intelligence for evidence-based policymaking.

The TA aims to strengthen MOLE’s digital architecture and institutional frameworks to improve labor market efficiency and social protection delivery. Under Output 2 of the TA, this will include: (i) developing an operational strategy for a unified Labor and Employment (L&E) Stack   (ii) preparing a roadmap and investment plan for a Labor Market Information System (LMIS), and (iii) Capacity development and trainings for MOLE on data and digital systems, including the proposed L&E stack and LMIS. MOLE, with support from individual TA consultants, is currently developing a vision document and initial concepts for these priority areas. The Digital Consultancy Firm engaged under this ToR will build directly on this foundational work to produce the detailed operational strategy, technical architecture, implementation roadmap, and procurement-ready documentation required for MOLE to develop and operationalize the L&E Stack and LMIS.

The proposed Labour & Employment (L&E) Stack & LMIS are not intended to replace existing systems. Instead, the aim is to provide a unifying digital infrastructure that enables these diverse platforms and datasets to work together more effectively. By establishing shared registries, common data models, and interoperable APIs, the L&E Stack will facilitate seamless data exchange, reduce duplication, and support integrated service delivery across the labour lifecycle, while preserving and enhancing the investments already made in existing systems, where possible.

Key Objectives:

• Operational Strategy and Technical Architecture for the Labour & Employment (L&E) Stack
• Roadmap and investment plan for a Labor Market Information System (LMIS)
• Capacity development and related workshops for MoLE on the proposed L&E Stack and LMIS
  
  

Scope of Work for the Consultancy Firm:

L&E Stack Implementation Strategy, Architecture & Specifications:

• Implementation Strategy
• Development of Detailed Technical Architecture and System Design
• Implementation Roadmap and Governance Framework
• Preparation of Procurement-Ready Documentation
• Incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the L&E Stack Architecture and Design

LMIS Functional Design and Roadmap:

Building on the preliminary LMIS concept, the firm will develop the detailed functional design and implementation roadmap, architecture and specifications for LMIS. The LMIS must be designed as the analytics layer of the L&E Stack, drawing data through the Stack's interoperability infrastructure, while maintaining a distinct institutional identity and governance arrangement.

 The firm will:

• Review the preliminary LMIS concept and align it with the L&E Stack architecture developed.
• Define LMIS functional modules: data ingestion and harmonization; indicator production; policy monitoring dashboards; and public dissemination interfaces.
• Specify the LMIS data ingestion architecture, including data flows from priority sources and API-based exchange mechanisms with the Stack's interoperability layer.
• Support the governance structure for the LMIS, including the institutional home within or affiliated to MOLE, coordination arrangements with MoSPI, and a proposed Steering Committee.
• Define the dissemination model: access tiers, public data portal requirements, researcher access protocols, and alignment with the national policies.
• Prepare a phased roadmap and investment plan, identifying the minimum Stack infrastructure required for an early-phase functional LMIS, and specifying how LMIS capabilities expand as additional Stack layers come online.
• Develop functional and technical procurement ready requirements and specifications for LMIS.

Technical and Capacity Building Support:

To strengthen MOLE’s readiness for the upcoming procurement and implementation of the L&E Stack and LMIS, the firm will deliver a structured program of capacity-development workshops focused on deepening institutional understanding of the proposed architecture, specifications, governance model, and implementation approach.

The firm will:

• Conduct a rapid needs assessment to identify priority knowledge gaps related to architecture, governance, procurement, and implementation.
• Develop and deliver workshops on data and digital systems, including explaining the L&E Stack vision, layered architecture, interoperability model, and LMIS integration.
• Build MOLE’s understanding of key considerations, including sequencing, packaging, vendor management, and specification interpretation.
• Introduce risk-management approaches for large-scale digital public infrastructure, including data governance, cybersecurity, and change-management risks.
• Facilitate sessions on phasing strategies for implementing the L&E Stack and LMIS, highlighting minimum viable components and dependencies.
• Prepare concise guidance notes, briefing decks, and reference materials to support MOLE during procurement and early implementation stages.
• Provide other technical and capacity building support needed for roll out.

Eligibility

The consulting firm must demonstrate substantial experience in architecting, designing, and delivering large-scale, user-intensive digital platforms or digital public infrastructure, preferably in India or comparable federal systems. The firm should have at least 10 years of proven experience in national-level ICT strategy, enterprise architecture, systems integration, and API-led interoperability across complex government ecosystems. Demonstrated capability in designing and operationalizing interoperable stacks, registries, data exchange layers, consent-based data sharing frameworks, and cloud-native architectures is essential. The firm must show strong expertise in data governance, cybersecurity, privacy-by-design, and compliance with India’s DPDPA 2023, along with experience developing AI-ready architectures, analytics platforms, and high-volume data processing systems. Prior work with labour, social protection, skilling, or public service delivery systems is desirable.  The firm should also have a track record of preparing procurement-ready documentation, and preferably experience working with Government of India ministries, state governments, and multilateral development partners

How to Apply

Deadline of Submitting EOI: 24-May-2026 11:59 PM Manila local time

For more information please check the Link