BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
Spotlight on Transparency
FIPA has added a new public resource. Transparency Spotlight can be found under the Research and Resources Section. This is a searchable table of over 6,500 news stories informed through Access to Information requests that will be added to and expanded going forward.
Transparency Spotlight shows the important role access to information plays in research and reporting to keep our institutions transparent and accountable. It catalogues the government decisions, municipal policies, university governance, police surveillance, provincial energy sector projects, national security, and other decisions and actions that were hidden until revealed through access to information requests. These stories empowered all of us to keep people and institutions accountable.
Journalists often make extensive use of transparency laws to go beyond official talking points and dig deeper into issues of public interest. Researchers and organizations also share the results of records requests with media outlets in order to inform a public conversation. The stories highlight the breadth of topics that can be explored through access to information, supplies inspiration for researchers interested in following up on earlier investigative work, and serves as a reminder of why we must act to defend and improve transparency laws through law reform.
FIPA contracted veteran FOI journalist Stanley Tromp to compile the first list. Mr. Tromp’s original research can be found in these Excel sheets informed by this Introduction.
On the Transparency Spotlight webpage, users can click on tiles to view stories in a specific category or scroll down to use the search function to locate particular items of interest.
Recognizing the value of the work already done, FIPA is treating this as a fantastic opportunity to further develop the resource. For that we need your help.
FIPA is seeking contributors who can bring their insights to this collective living resource. We hope to collaborate with a successful applicant to maintain, develop and expand what is available.
That gives rise to the following request for proposal. A brief summary is below. The full details including Plans, Criteria, and Qualifications can be found in the following PDF.
Goal
Our goal is to develop and maintain a user-friendly database of news stories that is accessible and searchable showcasing the breadth of material that Access to Information requests and research have informed across the country.
Statement of Objectives
We are seeking a partner to collaborate with who can:
- Develop a clear and repeatable methodology to maintain the underlying database on an ongoing basis.
- Design metrics to measure and demonstrate effectiveness of the methodology.
- Apply the methodology by contributing findings to the existing body of work (Transparency Spotlight) and expanding the table and its functionality.
There are identifiable areas we would like to expand upon in this work. For example:
- There may be alternate sources of stories that can be examined and alternate methods to search for these stories.
- There is an underrepresentation of BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ authors and publications despite extensive work and research by these communities using Access to Information.
- The list captures Federal and BC stories. We would like to expand the coverage of news stories from other provinces and territories.
- The categories (taxonomy) of stories could be refined.
As work progresses, new areas of expansion may be found.
Our Process
We ask that you send a brief (max 1,000 word) proposal outlining how we could partner and collaborate with you and how you meet the criteria and qualifications in this PDF.
As part of the submission, please include a supporting document(s) that breaks out key personnel, contact information, perceived scope of work to address the identified objectives with major project milestones, expected budget allocation and payment schedule, and any initial additional requirements from FIPA.
Please send your proposal to: FIPARFP at FIPA.bc.ca
The deadline for application is: Midnight PST September 15, 2021
FIPA’s Executive Director along with a selection committee from its Board of Directors will be considering applications on an ongoing basis and reviewing based on the qualifications.
All applicants will receive a response. The successful applicant will be recognized on our site as a partner.
If you have questions, please submit them to FIPARFP at FIPA.bc.ca. They will be addressed with attention being paid and efforts made to ensure a fair selection process.
FIPA has added a new public resource. Transparency Spotlight can be found under the Research and Resources Section. This is a searchable table of over 6,500 news stories informed through Access to Information requests that will be added to and expanded going forward.
Transparency Spotlight shows the important role access to information plays in research and reporting to keep our institutions transparent and accountable. It catalogues the government decisions, municipal policies, university governance, police surveillance, provincial energy sector projects, national security, and other decisions and actions that were hidden until revealed through access to information requests. These stories empowered all of us to keep people and institutions accountable.
Journalists often make extensive use of transparency laws to go beyond official talking points and dig deeper into issues of public interest. Researchers and organizations also share the results of records requests with media outlets in order to inform a public conversation. The stories highlight the breadth of topics that can be explored through access to information, supplies inspiration for researchers interested in following up on earlier investigative work, and serves as a reminder of why we must act to defend and improve transparency laws through law reform.
FIPA contracted veteran FOI journalist Stanley Tromp to compile the first list. Mr. Tromp’s original research can be found in these Excel sheets informed by this Introduction.
On the Transparency Spotlight webpage, users can click on tiles to view stories in a specific category or scroll down to use the search function to locate particular items of interest.
Recognizing the value of the work already done, FIPA is treating this as a fantastic opportunity to further develop the resource. For that we need your help.
FIPA is seeking contributors who can bring their insights to this collective living resource. We hope to collaborate with a successful applicant to maintain, develop and expand what is available.
That gives rise to the following request for proposal. A brief summary is below. The full details including Plans, Criteria, and Qualifications can be found in the following PDF.
Goal
Our goal is to develop and maintain a user-friendly database of news stories that is accessible and searchable showcasing the breadth of material that Access to Information requests and research have informed across the country.
Statement of Objectives
We are seeking a partner to collaborate with who can:
- Develop a clear and repeatable methodology to maintain the underlying database on an ongoing basis.
- Design metrics to measure and demonstrate effectiveness of the methodology.
- Apply the methodology by contributing findings to the existing body of work (Transparency Spotlight) and expanding the table and its functionality.
There are identifiable areas we would like to expand upon in this work. For example:
- There may be alternate sources of stories that can be examined and alternate methods to search for these stories.
- There is an underrepresentation of BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ authors and publications despite extensive work and research by these communities using Access to Information.
- The list captures Federal and BC stories. We would like to expand the coverage of news stories from other provinces and territories.
- The categories (taxonomy) of stories could be refined.
As work progresses, new areas of expansion may be found.
Our Process
We ask that you send a brief (max 1,000 word) proposal outlining how we could partner and collaborate with you and how you meet the criteria and qualifications in this PDF.
As part of the submission, please include a supporting document(s) that breaks out key personnel, contact information, perceived scope of work to address the identified objectives with major project milestones, expected budget allocation and payment schedule, and any initial additional requirements from FIPA.
Please send your proposal to: FIPARFP at FIPA.bc.ca
The deadline for application is: Midnight PST September 15, 2021
FIPA’s Executive Director along with a selection committee from its Board of Directors will be considering applications on an ongoing basis and reviewing based on the qualifications.
All applicants will receive a response. The successful applicant will be recognized on our site as a partner.
If you have questions, please submit them to FIPARFP at FIPA.bc.ca. They will be addressed with attention being paid and efforts made to ensure a fair selection process.