B -- NIGERIA: SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY

Notice Date

November 14, 2000

Contracting Office

USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131

ZIP Code

22209-2131

Response Due

January 8, 2001

Point of Contact

POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009.

Description

Ernest C.A. Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, Nigerian Communications Commission, Plot 19, Aguata Close, P.M.B. 326 FCT, Abuja, Phone: 234-9-234-4589, Fax: 234-9-234-4593 B -- Nigeria: Spectrum Management Feasibility Study POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009. Spectrum Management Project. The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study to assist Nigeria in achieving better telecommunications penetration and access. The current state of telecommunications in Nigeria is poor with very low teledensity, yet Nigerians pay some of the world's highest tariffs for communications services. Nigeria's teledensity of 0.40 mainlines per 100 inhabitants is lower than that of many countries in West Africa. This is attributed to several factors, including lack of competition, high prices, corruption, long waiting periods for new telephone lines, and low overall GDP. The attractiveness of investment in Nigeria's telecommunications system lies in its enormous untapped potential. Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and its 120 million citizens have long been underserved. The country now has only 700,000 telephone lines, a number that the Communications Minister hopes to see rise to three million by 2005. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is responsible for the assignment and licensing of radio frequency to telecommunications operators, as well as the management of the radio frequency spectrum. The NCC has indicated this study would support the Government of Nigeria's plan to issue four national cellular licenses. This feasibility study would provide the first step in implementing a comprehensive spectrum management system in Nigeria by providing assistance to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Ministry of Communications with the following: an inventory of those entities currently using radio frequency for telecommunications services; recommendations on how the NCC will manage the assignment and monitoring of spectrum; recommendations on procedures and other elements necessary to ensure coordination between NCC and the interagency National Frequency Management Council; and a determination of future requirements for the NCC and Ministry of Communications in managing the assignment, allocations and monitoring of the radio spectrum. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a US$183,150 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 1:00 PM, January 8, 2001 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001116/BSOL001.HTM (W-319 SN506602)