Technical Feasibility Study for Fiber Optic Network Backbone — Ministry of Information, ICT 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) THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE FIBER OPTIC NETWORK BACKBONE AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND IDENTIFICATION OF MARKET GAPS REFERENCE NO: SS-MICT&PS-416634-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 develop a network design, provide technical inputs to the open tender and contracting process and supervise the deployment of the infrastructure. Specially, these will include among other tasks: to assess supply (current and under construction) based on the analysis of existing FOC (Fiber Optic Cables) of all telecom operators in the country (total length of FOC for each operator in the context of cities and villages); taking into account all existing and proposed telecommunications infrastructure built, in construction or planned by telecommunications companies, railroads, power, pipelines and other utilities, if any; Conduct a market gap analysis based on existing geographic definitions and priority routes confirmed above, and describe the current supply of infrastructure and services as well as the gaps; Develop high-level coverage map at country and provincial levels; to develop technical implementation and implementation plan. • 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 and years in business: the firm shall have been in the Information, Communication and Technology sector within the last ten (10) years. Have delivered consultancies in the technical feasibility, design and deployment supervision for Broadband Infrastructure project; • Relevant experience: the firm must demonstrate prior experience within the last ten (10) years and having been involved in successful execution, completed and/or ongoing, of at least two (2) assignments of broadband infrastructure deployment in similar operating environment (especially in the Horn of Africa) in the last ten (10) years. Details of the assignment - name and address of the client, scope, value, and period shall be provided; and • Technical and managerial capability of the firm: The firm shall demonstrate as having the requisite technical capacity and managerial capacity 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 eight (8) months. The overall duration of the assignment is expected to span the project cycle which will 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. Undersecretary – Telecommunication Sector Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EA-RDIP) Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Email addresses: procurement.eardip@gmail.com and copy to eardippiu23@gmail.com; •

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address above (in person, or by e-mail) by 20th May, 2024 at 5.00 pm