Terms of Reference
The AI Expert Team, consisting of one Lead AI Expert and one Technical AI Expert, to design and deliver a comprehensive capacity-building program to help Vietnamese public servants use AI to improve economic forecasting, policy consultation, and data-driven reporting
February 2026
BACKGROUND
Vietnam’s public sector is undergoing a significant digital transformation, with increasing emphasis on evidence-based policymaking and the responsible use of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance government efficiency, improve service delivery, and strengthen policy analysis, but its adoption requires both technical capacity and institutional safeguards. The Data to Decision: Enhancing Public Sector Innovation for Economic and Private Sector Development project, implemented by The Asia Foundation in collaboration with the National Innovation Center (NIC), is designed to build these capacities by equipping public servants with practical AI skills, piloting use cases, and developing protocols for responsible AI integration. Project activities will be implemented in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Can Tho, covering three key regions of Vietnam—the North, the Centre, and the Mekong Delta. Beneficiaries will include public servants and officials from both central-level agencies and provincial departments in these three cities and surrounding provinces.
The Asia Foundation seeks a qualified team of AI Experts – including the Lead AI Expert and the Technical AI Expert – to take on a central role in ensuring that training, coaching, and knowledge dissemination activities are technically sound, contextually relevant, and aligned with government priorities. Their expertise will guide the design and delivery of training modules, hands-on toolkits, and coaching sessions, while also supporting the use of Google’s Gemini accounts, facilitating webinars, and fostering peer learning through knowledge-sharing hubs. By combining technical instruction with applied mentoring, the AI Experts will help public servants move beyond basic exposure to AI tools towards meaningful behavioral, institutional, and systemic change in how data and AI are used for governance.
SCOPE OF WORK
This project is designed to provide an introduction to a plethora of tools that are already available with a special focus on Gemini as we are supporting our local partners in preparing for their collaboration with Google, which will enable them to use their AI platforms. Additionally, this initiative will not only innovate, but also demonstrate measurable impact, having potential for replication.
The AI Expert Team, consisting of one Lead AI Expert and one Technical AI Expert, will design and deliver a comprehensive capacity-building program to help Vietnamese public servants use AI—specifically Google Gemini—to improve economic forecasting, policy consultation, and data-driven reporting. The training program must ensure compliance with Resolution 57, Decree 13 (Personal Data Protection), and the 2026 Vietnam AI Law.
The Lead AI Expert will take primary responsibility for curriculum design, delivery of three offline workshops and three online training sessions, and oversight of one-on-one and small group coaching. The Lead Expert will also contribute to pilot documentation, facilitate webinars, and provide technical input into advisory notes and the Year 2 roadmap. The Technical/Team AI Expert will support the Lead Expert by preparing training materials, co-facilitating workshops and online sessions, leading breakout groups, and providing technical coaching to participants. This role will also focus on troubleshooting AI dashboards, NLP tools, and visualization platforms, as well as documenting participant engagement and feedback.
Deliverables include:
- Comprehensive training curriculum and materials package.
- Delivery of the designed blended training program.
- Reports for each workshop and online session.
- Delivery and documentation of coaching activities and participant feedback.
- Contributions to consolidated training evaluation and pilot case reports.
- Inputs to knowledge dissemination activities, including webinars and knowledge-sharing hubs.
The assignment will require 70 working days in total for the Lead AI Expert and the Technical/Team AI Expert over the project period. This allocation covers curriculum design, training delivery, coaching, knowledge dissemination, and reporting. The distribution of days will be coordinated with TAF and NIC to align with the project’s activity schedule and departmental needs.
QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS
Given the scope of work mentioned above, a qualified team of AI Experts should be established with specific qualifications as follows:
Lead AI Expert
- Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
- At least 7–10 years of professional experience in AI application, machine learning, or data analytics, with demonstrated expertise in training and capacity-building.
- Proven track record in designing and delivering curricula, workshops, and coaching programs for government, academia, or international development projects.
- Strong knowledge of natural language processing (NLP), data visualization platforms, and AI dashboards, with ability to translate technical concepts into practical applications for non-technical audiences.
- Familiarity with ethical AI frameworks, data privacy standards, and responsible AI practices in governance.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and mentoring skills, with experience engaging diverse stakeholders.
- Prior experience working with government agencies or international organizations is highly desirable.
Technical/Team AI Expert
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or related field.
- At least 3–5 years of professional experience in AI tools, data visualization, or technical training support.
- Hands-on experience with NLP tools, AI dashboards, and visualization platforms, including troubleshooting and user support.
- Demonstrated ability to prepare training materials, co-facilitate workshops, and provide technical coaching in small group or one-on-one settings.
- Strong documentation and reporting skills, with ability to capture participant feedback and translate it into actionable insights.
- Familiarity with knowledge-sharing platforms and peer learning approaches.
- Experience working in multi-stakeholder environments, preferably with government or development projects.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Interested consultant teams are requested to submit a 2 to 3-page expression of interest (EOI) in English together with CVs of team members. The EOI should clearly describe the candidates’ understanding of the tasks, outline your approach, organizational/personal profile, skills and experiences relevant to the tasks as well as proposed quotation/budget.
Note that during the selection process, The Asia Foundation may ask the short-listed candidates to submit their previous work as one of the considerations for making the final selection decision.
Please submit your application to both email addresses below:
The Asia Foundation – Inclusive Economic Development Program
Email: [email protected] AND [email protected]
Title: Data to Decision: Enhancing Public Sector Innovation for Economic and Private Sector Development
Closing time for applications is 5.00 PM (Hanoi time, GMT+7) on February 27, 2026.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.