Recruitment of Consulting Firm for Infrastructure Sharing Regulations and Price Caps — The Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project

Language of Notice *

English

Deadline for submission of expressions of interest *

21-04-22

Local Time *

12: 30

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Name of Project: The Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project (P166695)

Grant No.: IDA-D6190

Assignment Title: Recruitment of Consultancy Firm to carry out Infrastructure Sharing Regulations and Price Caps Consultancy

Reference No. GM-PPPPE-282058-CS-CQS

Background:

The ICT sector is one of the key sectors in the Gambian economy contributing significantly to both GDP and Employment in the country. The ICT sector is characterized by a number of operators/licensees offering a variety of products and services in the market. This was as a result of the liberalization exercise which started with the licensing of the first GSM in 2001 and the sector has since witnessed unprecedented growth. Penetration in the mobile services market has gone over 110% highlighting the exponential growth witnessed. In 2012, Gambia launched with first submarine cable landing station culminating in improved data penetration rates with 4G services offered by 2 out of 4 operators. There are also a host of Fixed Internet Service Providers offering services for both Residential and Corporate consumers. Over the years, the regulatory environment has changed with PURA responding in various aspects such as drafting of guidelines in areas such as tariffs, advertisement codes, QoS, and many more areas to effectively improve its regulatory oversight. Significant investments have been done by Government in terms of infrastructure with a national backbone subject to price regulation deployed in the market. Per this assignment, the main purpose relates to developing relevant infrastructure sharing regulations and associated price caps per identified infrastructure to guide and further expand deployments in the sector.

Objectives

The objective of the assignment is to support PURA develop the relevant regulations and price caps that would allow for the following:

• Fair rate of return for investors;

• Rapid deployment of broadband services in both urban and rural Gambia

• Promotion of healthy competition amongst firms

• Sustainable and progressive entry of new firms into the market especially in the fixed broadband segment

• Proliferation of new services and innovative means of ensuring last mile access.

Scope of Services

The following constitute an integral part of the assignment:

• A detailed report on infrastructure sharing/co-location currently in the Gambia including recommendations on the possible introduction of national roaming

• Develop the relevant regulations and price caps to guide infrastructure sharing in the market, for the following infrastructure;

• Last Mile Fibre

• Towers (Passive + Active Access)

• On Grid + Off Grid

• Poles

• Ducts

• Work with the PURA team on identifying an appropriate costing methodology for these services utilizing global best practice norms

• Develop a framework for utilizing utility assets (NAWEC) towards expanding last-mile fibre with associated pricing recommendations.

• Developing a framework for ensuring last mile (fibre) civil work connections can be conducted by certified private contractors.

• Develop Excel-based tariff models for the identified infrastructure to allow for future amendments by PURA based on underlying market realities in the long run

• Develop reference access offers (RAO) to be utilized by Operators

• Work with PURA to conduct the relevant industry consultations on the regulations, price caps, and reference access offers

xii. Training and transfer of knowledge to identified PURA staff integral to the assignment

Submission Requirements:

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) through the Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project, now invites eligible consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultant firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July dated July 2016 and revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultant Firms may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 16:00.

Expressions of interest should be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail) on 21 April 2022 at 12h30 GMT

Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project GFMDP

Ashobee Store Building

2nd Floor, Banjul

The Gambia

Email: [email protected], and [email protected]