Consultancy to Develop Requirements and Bidding Document for the Establishment of a Shared Digital Infrastructure at the National Data Center

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION)

LIBERIA

Governance Reform and Accountability Transformation (GREAT) Project

Project ID: P177478

Credit No..: 7511-LR

Assignment Title: Consultancy for the Development of Requirements and Bidding Documents Consultancy for the Development of Requirements and Bidding Documents for the Establishment of a Shared Digital Infrastructure at the National Data Center

Reference No.: LR-MFDP-477417-CS-CQS

In 2018, the Government of Liberia (GoL) initiated an ambitious reform agenda to strengthen public sector capacity, improve service delivery, advance administrative decentralization, combat corruption, and reinforce the judiciary and rule of law. Central to this agenda is public sector modernization, emphasizing the critical role of technology, institutional reform, and innovation in enhancing governance and promoting equitable access to public services for all Liberians.

While progress has been made, achieving the full potential of this agenda remains challenging. Foundational public services, such as birth and death registration, land ownership verification, and business registration, face fragmentation, inefficiencies, and accessibility barriers. These challenges disproportionately affect rural and underserved populations, particularly women, who often encounter high travel costs, informal fees, and lengthy processing times, deepening existing gender disparities.

A systemic issue exacerbating these challenges is the lack of an integrated digital framework. Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) often operate in silos, relying on separate systems and fragmented data centers/server rooms. This disjointed approach results in duplicated efforts in government, increased cost both capital and operational costs, and limited ability to deliver citizen-centric services efficiently.

To address these issues, the Government of Liberia envisions the improvement of the existing National Data Center (NDC) as a centralized hub for digital infrastructure. The NDC will integrate and support critical e-Government platforms, including the Government Service Bus (GSB), a middleware solution designed to facilitate secure and efficient data exchange across government systems. By promoting interoperability and data-sharing through a “Whole of Government Approach”, the NDC and GSB will:

• Enhance Interoperability: Enable real-time communication and data-sharing among government entities, fostering seamless coordination.

• Reduce Redundancies: Minimize duplicative data entry and system maintenance by providing a single source of truth for critical information.

• Improve Service Delivery: Support integrated workflows, enabling citizens to access multiple services through a unified platform.

• Promote Transparency and Accountability: Centralize data-sharing mechanisms to enhance traceability and reduce corruption.

• Optimize Costs: Leverage shared infrastructure to reduce operational expenses and eliminate the need for siloed ICT investments.

By providing shared infrastructure and advanced capabilities, the NDC will serve both as the primary digital hub for entities lacking ICT infrastructure and as a backup and disaster recovery solution for those with existing capabilities. It will also address critical challenges, including:

• Enhanced Security and Data Protection: Robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information.

• Scalability and Flexibility: Infrastructure designed to accommodate future digital transformation demands.

• Technical Expertise and Support: Centralized management to reduce the burden on individual entities.

• Inclusive Service Delivery: Streamlined processes to extend services to underserved and marginalized populations.

• Disaster Recovery: Reliable off-site data storage and redundancy to ensure business continuity during disruptions.

The National Data Center offers a transformative opportunity to consolidate digital infrastructure, improve service delivery, and strengthen governance. It aligns with the Government of Liberia's broader efforts to enhance public administration under the Governance Reform Accountability and Transformation (GREAT) project, supported by the World Bank.

To realize this vision, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications through the GREAT Project is seeking a consulting firm with extensive expertise in designing and implementing shared digital infrastructure and interoperability frameworks. The Consultant will support the development of technical requirements and bidding documentation for a robust, secure, and efficient digital infrastructure hosted at the National Data Center. This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving Liberia’s governance reform goals, creating a foundation for an efficient, inclusive, and digitally empowered public sector.

Objective of the Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy assignment is to assess business needs and define the functional and technical requirements for modernizing the National Data Center, in alignment with a “whole-of-government” approach and a shared digital infrastructure strategy. The consultant will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing National Data Center, including an evaluation of its current components.

Scope of the Assignment

The Consultant will undertake the following tasks and deliverables:

• Conduct a Comprehensive Assessment of the National Data Center's Current ICT Infrastructure.

The Consultant shall carry out a detailed evaluation of the existing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment at the National Data Center (NDC). This assessment will encompass all critical components, including hardware, peripherals, software, network infrastructure, power supply systems, and other associated equipment. The goal is to identify gaps and inefficiencies that hinder the NDC’s ability to provide effective and efficient service delivery, both online and onsite. The Consultant will also document the specific needs (National Data Center related) and requirements of relevant Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) with prioritized services based on the e-Liberia assignment that will benefit from the NDC resources and service delivery, ensuring alignment with the broader objective of creating a citizen-centric service delivery ecosystem with the whole of government approach.

Key areas of focus for the assessment include:

• Applications, Systems Software, and Information Systems

• Review and document the applications, systems software, and information systems currently in use at the NDC and server rooms/mini data centers at the relevant MACs.

• Identify compatibility, scalability, and interoperability gaps with the NDC's infrastructure.

• 2. Hardware Inventory and Specifications

• Assess the existing inventory of servers, storage systems, computers, and peripherals, including their technical specifications, capacities, and current operational status.

• Evaluate hardware performance against current and projected workloads.

• 3. Power Supply and Environmental Systems

• Evaluate the existing power supply, cooling systems, fire protection mechanisms, and alternative power sources.

• Identify deficiencies in power reliability, capacity, or redundancy that could affect operations.

• 4. Server and Storage Infrastructure

• Document the number, type, and specifications of existing servers, data storage units, racks, enclosures, and cabinets at the NDC and MACs’ server rooms.

• Assess the scalability of the existing infrastructure to meet future demands.

• 5. Network Equipment and Internet Connectivity

• Evaluate the NDC’s and MACs’ server rooms’ network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, and other equipment.

• Assess the quality and reliability of internet connectivity, bandwidth utilization, and redundancy measures.

• 6. Security Requirements

• Analyze the current security measures in place to protect the NDC's and MACs’ server rooms’ infrastructure, data, and operations.

• Identify gaps in cybersecurity protocols, physical security, and compliance with international standards.

Required Consulting Firm’s Qualifications and Expertise

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) now invites eligible firms (“Consulting firm”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services. The Consulting firm must possess, at a minimum, the following qualifications:

The Consultant firm must possess, at the minimum, the following qualifications:

• The Consultancy firm must provide evidence as a legally established and registered entity.

• The Consultancy firm should demonstrate at least 10 years of relevant experience.

• The Consultancy firm must have successfully completed the development of requirements and bidding documents for national data center and or improving/upgrading National Data Center of at least three (3) large organizations/government agencies within the last five (7) years (as the main solution provider or main contributor in a joint venture). Successfully completed projects will be presented through a table listing the name of the relevant assignments, short scope of work, contract start and end dates, country/region, contact reference (name, e-mail, phone number), and operational acceptance certificates. Additional references may be requested directly from the clients of completed projects, if necessary.

• The Consultancy firm must be able to mobilize at least four (4) key experts with the necessary skills and experience presented below as well as the project management and backstopping capacity, to ensure the successful completion of this assignment.

• The Consulting firm is expected to provide minimum Eight (8) person-months (p-m) of total input