Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Provision and Management of Bandwidth in Tertiary Institutions Knowledge Centres (TIKCs) Under the Bandwidth Aggregation Project for Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF)
UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROVISION SECRETARIAT
Nigerian Communications Commission Head Office, 9th Floor, Plot 423, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama District, Abuja, FCT. www.uspf.gov.ng
Request for Proposal (RFP)
For the Provision and Management of Bandwidth in Tertiary Institutions Knowledge Centres (TIKCs) Under the Bandwidth Aggregation Project
INTRODUCTION
The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for -universal service and universal access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in rural “unserved and under-served areas in Nigeria. As part of its statutory mandate, the USPF has over the years provided grants to facilitate access to basic ICT-enabled learning tools in several tertiary institutions across the country under its Tertiary Institutions Knowledge Centres (TIKC) programme.
In order to sustain these projects and to ensure that their impact is realized by the beneficiaries, the USPF is providing additional support in form of bandwidth connectivity.
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS
The project is to be implemented in 176 locations across the country.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the bandwidth aggregation is for the implementer to provide and manage Internet bandwidth for TIKC project in each of the 176 locations. The project will enable the USPF have a common connectivity platform and solution for managing bandwidth provisioning.
PROJECT SCOPE
a) Survey and conduct site assessment to determine the equipment and associated peripherals to be replaced or provided in all the schools being quoted for.
b) Determine the total bandwidth required and provide it via a shared link such that every school will, gel a minimum upload/downlink speed of 256/1024 kbps with a contention ratio of 4; 1 per year.
c) Establish a fully functional Network Operating Centre (NOC) at the implemented premises where all schools/project locations are linked and integrated with a view to monitor the utilization and generation of reports.
d) Establish a secondary view of Implemented NOC in the USPF through supply and installation of appropriate hardware, software, and other required equipment to support configuring and monitoring of link status, bandwidth utilization and uptime for a minimum of 500 clients, as well as the provisioning of bandwidth to the locations.
e) Prepare necessary operational and technical documentation on both NOC and connectivity infrastructure at connected facilities and provide training to USPF technical personnel on operation and use of implemented NOC facilities.
f) Provide 1 year post implementation support.
DELIVERABLES
a) A comprehensive completion report of Internet bandwidth provisioning in all schools with graphic presentation of Internet usage per school. The report should indicate equipment provided or replaced in all the schools, bandwidth utilization chart, etc.
b) A catalogue of IP addresses names of contact persons & GPS co-ordinates of each school in both electronic and hardcopy format.
c) Quarterly post implementation report detailing all the relevant statistics in the preceding period e.g. availability, usage, etc., as well as maintenance work undertaken, equipment repaired or replaced, etc.
d) Final project report covering the entire contract duration.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
a) General Conditions
Eligible companies must submit the following:
i. Evidence of incorporation or registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Companies must enclose Certificate of Incorporation and Form C07.
ii. Articles and Memorandum of Association of the Company, which must show that the Company has ICT related activities as part of its objects.
- Three years Tax Clearance Certificate for the year 2011, 2012 and 2013.
- Certificate of VAT and evidence of past remittances.
- Audited accounts for the last three years.
- Verifiable evidence of financial capacity to execute the project, and such evidence must come from a reputable bank.
- Evidence of a proper understanding of telecommunications solutions for rural areas.
- Evidence of similar works carried out in the past such as award letters.
- A company profile and organizational structure, including names and resumes of key personnel and technical staff with addresses and phone numbers.
- Submit detailed evidence of compliance with Pensions Act, 2004, including evidence of remittances.
- Evidence of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Contribution.
b) Specific Conditions
Tenderers shall be required to demonstrate the following minimum competencies:
- Functional NOC in its premises for similar assignments carried out in the past.
- An understanding of the ICT industry in Nigeria or worldwide.
- Experience in bandwidth supply.
- Experience in Internet service delivery.
- Experience in VS AT installation.
- Proponents must demonstrate the ability to use not less than 25% of local content in the implementation of this project.
COLLECTION OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Qualified Companies wishing to respond to this invitation must purchase a copy of the RFP document from the Procurement Department, USPF by payment of a non-refundable fee of N250,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only, which must be payable in bank draft in favour of Universal Service Provision Fund, Abuja’-. The draft should be submitted to the Funding and Subsidy Department, USPF and copy of the receipt attached to the bid document when submitting the document.
SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS
The prospective bidders shall enclose Three (3) bound copies each of the detailed Technical and Financial Proposals in separate sealed envelopes, and enclose the two envelopes in one sealed outer envelope clearly marked ‘Request for Proposal for TIKC Bandwidth’ on the top right hand corner which shall bear the name and address of the company on the reverse side of the envelope.
PRE BIDDERS MEETING
All bidders are to note that a Pre Bidder’s Meeting will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday September 23,2014
Venue: NCC Conference Room
Time: 2.00pm
DEADLINE FOR SUBM1SSION OF PROPOSALS
All tender documents must be Delivered by Hand and should reach the Office of the undersigned on or before Tuesday November 11,2014 by 5:00pm.
The Secretary
Universal Service Provision Fund USP Secretariat 9th Floor Nigerian Communications Commission 423 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama – Abuja
DISCLAIMER
Late submissions shall be rejected.
The Fund will not be responsible for any cost or expenses incurred by any interested party in connection with any response to an inquiry- nor shall it entitle any party submitting documents to claim any indemnity from the Fund.
The Fund is not bound to shortlist any bidder and reserves the right to annul the bidding process at any time without incurring any liabilities and assigning any reason thereof.
This advertisement is published for information purposes only and should not be construed as a commitment or obligation on the part of the Fund to award a contract.
For further clarification on the RFP, please email: uspfbids@ncc.gov.ng
Signed
Secretary
Universal Service Provision Board.
