Invitation to Tender at Universal Service Provision Fund

Universal Service Provision Fund

Invitation to Tender

Universities Inter-Campus Connectivity (UNICC) Project

1. 1.     Introduction

In recognition of the critical role that research and development plays in the evolutionary path of an educational system, the Universal Service Provision Fund (“USPF”) in conjunction with the National Universities Commission (“NUC”) is seeking to establish a foundation that will enable and ensure that universities communicate, collaborate, access and share knowledge across national and international boundaries.

This project is designed to key in to the NUCs’ Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) project, the primary purpose, which is to deliver broadband infrastructure and access to facilitate research and learning using state of the art technology.

The UnICC Project is therefore designed to seamlessly connect the networks of the main campuses of selected universities to the networks of their corresponding medical colleges and teaching hospitals through the deployment of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) and its associated equipment.

Consequently, USPF has provided funds in the 2012 appropriation to facilitate the project implementation of interconnecting the universities under its Tertiary Institutions Access Programme.

1. 2.     Objectives of the Project

The first phase of the UnlCC project is designed to link 17 selected University main campuses listed below to their corresponding medical campuses through the deployment of OFC and associated equipment. The project will:

a)       Seamlessly connect the Universities and their Medical Colleges to achieve bi­directional communication for the purpose of sharing and accessing information.

b)      Provide a platform for sharing bandwidth resources and creating a reverse path for backup in the event of downtime.

c)       Provide the requisite link for voice, data, video and other multimedia services (including conference facilities).

3.    Roll-Out Locations-Lots

The optic fibre infrastructure to be deployed in this phase would be implemented in three (3) lots. Hence selected bidders will be required to conduct surveys and roll-out Optic Fibre Cable in the locations set out in the table below (The detailed sites information can be found in the tender document).

LOT1

LOT 2

LOT 3

4.    Additional Information

A.      Whilst fiber optic connectivity is the preference of the project, bidders are required to propose back-up connectivity solution of similar capacity as the primary link.

B.      We are keen to have diverse ducts to form a ring which will deliver resilience in the event of a fiber cut. Bidders are invited to propose this as an option titled diverse routing option.

C.      It is important to note that it is a strategic decision of the project to install and own ducting and fibre optic assets, connecting these federal institutions rather than acquiring IRU’s (Indefeasible Right of use) or leasing fibre pairs. The main bid must be based on the above premise. However, bidders who choose to do so are welcome to propose a hybrid of 15 year IRU’s and dedicated duct-based installation as part of a solution. This solution is to be separately presented, costed and marked “hybrid option”

5.    Eligibility Criteria

Interested Companies/Consortium must have necessary competences and possess the following:

(A) General conditions:

i.        Evidence of incorporation with Corporate Affairs Commission. Companies must enclose certificate of incorporation and form CO7.

ii.       Submit Articles and Memorandum of Association of their Company, which must show that the Company has ICT related activities as part of its objectives

iii.      Must have three year Tax Clearance certificates (2009, 2010 and 2011).

iv.      Evidence of Value Added Tax (VAT) registration certificate and past remittances

v.       Audited accounts for the last three years

vi.      Provide verifiable evidence of financial capacity to execute the project.

vii.     Have a proper understanding of telecommunications solutions for rural areas.

viii.    Company profile and organizational structure, including names and resume of key personnel and technical staff with addresses and phone numbers

ix.      Detail evidence of compliance with Pension Act 2004 including evidence of remittances and ITF contribution.

x.       A sworn affidavit that the firm is not bankrupt, in receivership or under liquidation or involved in any litigation which can potentially affect the company’s ability to conclusively participate in this engagement.

(B) Specific conditions:

(i)      Bidder must be appropriately licensed to provide services in these areas of assignment.

(ii)     Bidders must have at least 3 years experience hi the area of provision of connectivity and ICT related solutions, demonstrable by providing three reference sites, with the most recent completed within the last 6 months. At least three of such reference sites must have covered 5 km of fiber optic cable each.

(iii)    Bidders must show evidence of financial stability and in addition must show proof of at least a turnover of at N75m per annum in each of the last two financial years.

(iv)    Bidders must provide manufacturers authorization in respect of ALL products that will be supplied and installed as part of this OFC connectivity project.

(v)     Bidders must demonstrate and prove experience in connecting local area networks to switches, routers and other components required to deliver Wide Area Networking capabilities, and must have at least three years experience of doing same,

(vi)    Where the use of radio is proposed within solution, bidder must be in possession of the appropriate license and frequency band to support radio connectivity able to effectively cover the distance between the two locations at which it is proposed, and must provide evidence of same.

6.    Bidders Meeting

All interested bidders shall be invited to a meeting where the detailed format of the project implementation, scope, objectives and other clarifications resulting from the tender shall be discussed and finalized as schedule below:

Date:        Wednesday October 10, 2012

Time:       2:00pm

Venue:     Conference Room, Ground Floor

Nigerian Communications Commission Head Office

423, Aguiyi Ironsi Street

Maitama District

Abuja

7.       Tender Delivery Instructions

Interested proponents are required to collect detailed tender documents from the procurement department of the USPF secretariat upon the payment of a non-refundable tendering fee of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000.00) issued in bank draft in favour of the Universal Service Provision Fund per lot. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security (Bid Bond) of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000.00) per lot and validity period of 180 days.

The tendering fee receipt and Bid Bond must be submitted in separate envelopes for each lot and marked TF/UnICC/LOT/No and BB/UnICC/LOT/No respectively. (Please insert appropriate lot number)

The Technical and Financial proposal must also be in separate envelopes and must be marked clearly USPF/RFP/UNICC/2012/TECHNICAL/LOT/No and USPF/RFP/UNICC/2012/FINANCIAL/LOT/No respectively. (Please insert appropriate lot number). All tender documents must be Hand Delivered not later than Wednesday, November 21, 2012 by 2.00 pm to the following address:

Office of the Secretary

Universal Service Provision Fund

USP Secretariat 9^th floor

Nigerian Communications Commission

Plot 423 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama – Abuja

All proponents are to note that failure to comply with the tendering instructions shall lead to disqualification.

All further enquiries regarding this advertisement should be directed by email to: uspfbids@ncc.gov.ng

Signed:

Secretary

Universal Service Provision Fund

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