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It is my distinct pleasure to present to the OGP community the Government Points of Contact (POC) Manual 3.0 (Spanish). This is the third iteration of the guidance materials for government officials that the Support UnitThe OGP Support Unit is a small, permanent group of staff that work closely with the Steering Committee and the Independent Reporting Mechanism to advance the goals of the Open Government Partnership.... has developed since 2014.  Every year, we have issued a slightly revised version of the Manual with more information and updated guidance based on best practices and decisions made by the Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru....

Drafting the 2017 version of the POC Manual was an interesting challenge. Earlier in the year, we presented the new Participation and Co-Creation Standards that update and raise the bar on the basic and advanced co-creation practices that OGP participating countries are expected to follow throughout the OGP cycle. (If you would like more information on the Participation and Co-creation Standards, don’t forget to visit the recordings of our four regional #OGPcocreate Week webinars: Africa, Americas (in Spanish), Asia, and Europe.)

We at the Support Unit used the publication of the Standards as an opportunity to revamp and upgrade the POC Manual. First, you will notice that we have updated the general format, trying to make it more attractive and accessible (we are particularly proud of the calendar in section two). Second, we have drafted four brand new sections to provide guidance in the different areas covered by the new Participation and Co-Creation Standards, and that include basic requirements, best practices and, for the first time, examples of how different countries have achieved stronger co-creation processes. Finally, we tried to tighten up guidance on development of National Action Plans and Self-Assessment reports. This included tweaking popular items like the Commitment Template (for which we now have an example), and a Commitment Completion template. As you can see, we have also provided links to editable versions of this template so they are easier to access and use.

Given the title of the Manual, it would be easy to assume that its content is only relevant to government points of contact. But we have seen civil society organizations from several countries use it to have better understanding of OGP rules and guidance, and to develop commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... proposals and shadow reports. We encourage all actors within the OGP community to keep it at hand and use it as much as possible.

The manual is broken up into eight sections, and contains the following information:

Section 01: The Role of an OGP Government Point of Contact

Have you ever wondered what an OGP government point of contact does? See the first section of the manual for information on the main domestic and international responsibilities of an OGP POC based on the Articles of GovernanceThe OGP Articles of Governance establish the mandate and high-level policies of the Partnership, including the Steering Committee, the Support Unit, and the Independent Reporting Mechanism. They also ... and Support Unit Guidance.

Section 02: OGP Calendars and Timelines

Not sure when your government is developing its next NAP, or what happens if it isn’t delivered on time? This section of the Manual outlines the timeline and key dates for all activities and products related to your country’s participation in OGP, including OGP country calendars and rules regarding delays, extensions, and consequences of late delivery of OGP NAPs or Self-Assessment Reports.

Section 03: Participation and Co-creation in the OGP Process

Curious about how participation is measured, or how to prepare to start a participative exercise? Look no further! The third section outlines the core values and considerations regarding public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... and co-creation in the OGP process.

Section 04: Participation and Co-creation Throughout the OGP Cycle

If you want to know the basic activities that all OGP countries have to carry out to ensure participation throughout the OGP cycle, this section is for you. In section four, you can find information on the basic requirements of participation and co-creation that all OGP countries must achieve throughout their OGP process, with specific recommendations to go beyond the basic requirements and examples from best practices in other countries.

Section 05: Participation and Co-creation When Developing a National Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen...

Are you due to start developing an OGP National Action Plan soon? You must read this section. It outlines the basic requirements of participation and co-creation that all OGP countries must meet during the NAP development phase, and, as in the previous section, specific recommendations to go beyond the basic requirements and examples from best practices in other countries.

Section 06: Participation and Co-Creation When Implementing, Monitoring, and Reporting a National Action Plan

Are you unsure of how you can participate in the implementation and monitoring of your country’s NAP? Just like the previous two sections, here you will find basic requirements that all countries should follow, specific recommendations on how to go beyond this requirements and actual examples from other countries.

Section 07: Guidance on Drafting OGP Documents: National Action Plan and Self-Assessment Report

Want to know how to draft an ambitious, relevant and specific commitment to include in your action plan? Perhaps you have finalized implementing a commitment and want to report back on your self-assessment. What information should you include? In this section, you will find guidance on how to draft your NAP, a template to draft commitments, and an example on how to use it. You’ll also find guidance on the contents of Self-Assessment reports and a commitment completionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin... template to be included in your Self-Assessment report.

Section 08: OGP Working Groups

Not sure how you can leverage the OGP working groups to improve your NAP? This section will give you all the details you need about how the OGP working groups can assist during the drafting and implementation of OGP NAPs.

Have more questions? Send them to OGP’s Deputy Director of Government Support and Exchange Alonso Cerdan at Alonso.Cerdan@opengovpartnership.org