Supply of Commercial Transactions Manual — Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services (South Sudan)

THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND POSTAL SERVICES (MICT&PS)

The Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EA-RDIP)

Project ID. P176181; Grant No. E1780

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) FOR CONSULTING SERVICES

(FIRM SELECTION)

CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION MANUAL (CTM) FOR BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT

REFERENCE NO: SS-MICT&PS-415103-CS-QCBS

• The Government of the Republic of South Sudan has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EA-RDIP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

• The consulting services (“the Services”) include: to provide technical inputs to the open tender process for deployment of the infrastructure. The Consultant shall be expected to identify, propose, and develop two or more optimized business operating models for the ownership, operation, maintenance, and management of the National Fiber Optic Backbone Infrastructure. This may be a single model applied to all routes, or it might be differentiated, for instance, by type of technology or for urban/rural areas; Propose a framework of key principles including regulatory policies, open and non-discriminatory access, competitive bidding, infrastructure sharing and others while cognizant and maximizing the role of the private sector to create an enabling environment in improving internet connectivity in the country; Conduct validation workshops with public and private sector stakeholders on the proposed business operating models for the ownership, operation, maintenance, and management of the National Fiber Optic Backbone Infrastructure proposed framework on key principles; and Develop the bidding documents for fiber optic deployment and support the government on the competitive bidding process in accordance with World Bank procurement guidelines, national procurement legislation and international best practices.

• The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for the assignment found at the following website: www.mictps.gov.ss/eardip-south-sudan

• The Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services (MICT&PS) now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The short-listing criteria are:

• Core business as a consulting firm in the Information, Communication and Technology sector within the last ten (10) years. Have delivered consultancies in the Commercial Transaction Manual (CTM) for Broadband Infrastructure;

• The firm shall demonstrate as having successfully executed and completed at least two assignments of similar nature, complexity and in a similar operating environment in the last eight years, where each assignment/project is at least 400kms. Details of similar assignments, with name and address of the client, scope, value, and period should be provided and submitted; and

• Technical and managerial capability of the consulting firm to undertake the assignment which should be supported by detailed company profiles providing details about staff skills and their experience to undertake the assignment.

• The Consultant(s) will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated July 2016 and revised September 2023 (Fifth Edition) which can be found at the following website: www.worldbank.org/procurement.

• The first phase duration of the consultancy services is four (4) months. The overall duration of the assignment is expected to span the project cycle which end in 2028 - an estimated 4 years.

• 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” Fifth Edition of September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

• Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. However, the experience of a sub-consultant will not be considered while short-listing.

• A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the quality cost-based selection (QCBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

• Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [weekdays Monday to Friday 0800hrs to 1700hrs local time excluding public holidays]. Interested Consultants are required to continually and constantly check the MICT&PS website www.mictps.gov.ss/eardip-south-sudan for any additional information or clarification that may arise before the submission date.

Project Coordinator – PIU

Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EA-RDIP)

Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services

Email addresses: [email protected] and copy to [email protected];

• Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address above (in person, or by e-mail) by 28th June, 2024 at 5.00 pm.