Consultant to support ATRA on framing up Open Access Policy
Publish Date
Closing Date
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI including tor)
[INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES]
COUNTRY: Afghanistan
NAME OF THE PROJECT: Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project
SECTOR: Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
CONSULTING SERVICES: Consultant to support ATRA on framing up Open Access Policy
CONTRACT TYPE: Individual Consultancy Contract-Lump sum
DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT: Six months(40 % time at Kabul and 60 % time off-shore)
DUTY STATION: Kabul, Afghanistan
CONTRACT REFERENCE NO: MCIT/ATRA/ICTDP/P121755/IDA-H-665-AF/2016/C1.12-A
WORLD BANK GRANT NO: IDA-H-6650-AF
PROJECT ID NO: P121755
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: Project Implementation and Coordination Unit (PICU) of MCIT
Background:
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the ICT Sector Development Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds to hire a qualified Individual Consultant to provide Consultancy Support on Open Access Policy (OAP) to MCIT and Afghanistan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ATRA) in Afghanistan. This Consultancy Support will be provided to MCIT and ATRA at Kabul, under the World Bank funded Project “Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project (ICTDP)”.
The aim of the ICT Sector Development Project (ICTDP) is to expand broadband connectivity, mainstream use of mobile applications across the Government and develop the capacity of the IT sector to facilitate improved service delivery across Afghanistan while accelerating job creation and economic growth. The project will do so by: (a) Creating the enabling environment and making strategic investments for the development of Afghanistan’s backbone and broadband infrastructure; (b) Supporting the mainstreaming of mobile applications across Government by supporting innovations and creation of cross cutting enablers; and (c) Developing local IT infrastructure and capacity in the public and private sectors.
To achieve the above mentioned objectives of ICTDP, ATRA and MCIT has decided to issue an Open Access Policy (OAP) and the Council of Ministers has given a “go-ahead” in this regard. Thus, the Government needs a qualified Consultant to assist ATRA and MCIT to prepare an OAP.
Objectives of the Consultancy Assignment:
The Consultant is required to provide Consultancy Support on “Open Access Policy (including liberalization of rolling out of Fiber Networks)”. This Consultancy Support will be provided to Afghanistan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ATRA) and to MCIT at Kabul.
The intention is to ensure the continued development of the telecommunications sector especially through increased private sector participation and the growth of telecommunications services in rural and remote areas of Afghanistan. Ensuring competitive and transparent access to the high quality capacity available on the national OFC backbone to competitive telecommunications and Internet service providers is a key criterion for such development. To make sure the expansion of internet access and services are available at affordable price to everyone both in urban and in particular in rural Afghanistan; The Policy will open a competitive and transparent ground for investors in the country by putting in place an appropriate policy which will allow open access to domestic and international telecom connectivity through unified licensing initiatives.
Detailed Scope of Work:
Selected Consultant will carry out the following tasks:
a) To analyze the best international practices on Backbone Open Access Policy, with a view to assess suitability for adoption/implementation in Afghanistan Scenario and recommend the most feasible approach to develop the Backbone Open Access Policies(OAP) including Fiber Networks Rolling out Policy; Objective of OAP will be to mitigate the monopolistic control by any one Backbone Services Provider and to ensure transparent, competitive access to all interested users based on published prices.
b) To prepare Draft Open Access Policy and hold public consultations with stakeholders and potential users of the OFC backbone networks in Afghanistan on the Draft Backbone Open Access Policy.
c) To prepare, based on the results of the consultation on Draft OAP, a transparent, simple and clear Policy for all types of Backbone Networks, as available in Afghanistan.
d) To train Staff of ATRA, MCIT and Afghan Telecom on the implementation mechanism for finalized OAP.
Deliverables and Reporting Requirements:
- Report-1(Inception Report): To be submitted within one month after joining the Assignment. This should include:
- Analysis of the best international practices on Backbone Open Access Policy witha view to assess their suitability for adoption/implementation in Afghanistan Scenario;
- Recommendations on the most feasible approach to develop the Backbone Open Access Policywith a view to eliminate the monopolistic views of any one Backbone Services Provider.
- Report-2: To be submitted within two months of the commencement of the assignment. This should include:
- Draft Open Access Policy, to be circulated to all the Stakeholders/Telecom Operators and the ISPs at Kabul;
- Minutes of the consultations held with the Stakeholders and potential users of the Backbone Open Access Policy, in Afghanistan.
- Report-3: To be submitted within three months after joining the Assignment. This should include:
Finalized Backbone Open Access Policy, for the Approval of MCIT and ATRA.
- Report-4: To be submitted within six months after joining the Assignment. This should include:
- Training to ATRA’s and MCIT’s Staff on the Implementation Mechanism of OAP.
- Consolidated Final Report on all the aspects of the given Assignment.
- Finalized OAP after taking inputs from all the Stakeholders..
- Other deliverables: These include weekly and monthly briefings to the MCIT, ATRA and the World Bank Teams at Kabul and Training of MCIT and ATRA Staff.
- All the reports as outlined above shall:
- be written such that they stand alone, without the reader needing to refer to other documents;
- shall include a dated cover letter with the distribution list and shall note key issues of interest in the report for management’s attention;
- All the Reports (03 Copies) should be submitted to: One Set tothe nominated Board Member of ATRA; One Set to the Planning and Policies Director of MCIT and one Set to the PMO of ICT Sector Development Project, on time in hard and soft copies. Comments on all draft reports will be provided within one week of receipt, after which it shall be assumed that there will be no further comments for accommodation in finalizing the report.
Qualification Requirements of the Consultant:
a) The Individual Consultant should have a degree in engineering, economics, law or public policy from any well recognized University;
b) The Individual Consultant should have at least 5 years of regulatory experience either with a regulator or in telecom regulation consultancy, after his/her University Degree;
c) The Individual Consultant should be willing to travel to Kabul (Afghanistan) and stay with ATRA/MCIT for 40 % of the Working Time available in a total assignment period of 06 months and for the balance of 60 % of the Working time, the Consultant should be working on the given assignment in his Office off-shore.
An Individual Consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (current edition).
To ensure impartiality, the consultant (including his home office, if any) must not, in any way, be affiliated with business entities that are currently providing or are seeking to provide goods or services to the project.
Timelines and payment schedules:
The Consultant will complete the assignment in 06Months, after joining the Assignment at Kabul and shall be paid as per the following schedules:
Delivery of Report-1(Inception Report): 25 % of the Contract Value
Delivery of Report-2: 25 % of the Contract Value;
Delivery of Report-3: 30% of the Contract Value;
Delivery of Report-4: 20% of the Contract Value;
Milestones will be considered complete only upon the acceptance and formal approval of the designated ATRA, MCIT staff. All payments will be made to the Consultant, within 30 days from date of formal approval by the Chairman of PICU of the Invoice, Activity Sheet and the Report, all to be submitted both in English and Dari/Pashtu languages. Formats will be provided by the Project Director and the Head of PMO-ICT Sector Development Project of MCIT.
Facilities to be given by MCIT:
The following facilities and support will be provided to the Consultant by the client (ATRA):
• A suitable working space inside the ATRA Complex of MCIT’s MainBuilding at Kabul.
• Internet connectivity in Office.
• Facilitation of entry visa.
• Relevant background documents.
• Facilitate and arrange for meetings with relevant stakeholders and partners.
• Vehicle and driver for mobility during working hours, only for official tasks.
Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) by MCIT:
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (CVs, giving description of their Qualifications, Experience, similar assignments done earlier, experience in similar conditions and availability of appropriate skills etc.).
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January, 2011 edition).
For further details, Interested Consultants are requested to obtain further information (if required) at the address given below, during office hours from 0800 to 1600 hours:
Foreign Procurement Department (FPD) (Attn: Mr. Samimullah Samim)
General Manager for External Procurements;
Procurement Department, Ministry of Communications and IT (MCIT)
Mohammad Jan Khan Watt; Kabul, Afghanistan
Phone: Office: +93 20 210 37 41; Cell: +93 700 222 009;
Email:fpd@mcit.gov.af
Web site: www.mcit.gov.af
Any queries on the position may also be addressed to the above mentioned email address (fpd@mcit.gov.af), with CC to: mi.bhat@mcit.gov.af; mib1946@yahoo.com;b.hassam@mcit.gov.af and soroushmnadir@yahoo.com-- latest one week before the deadline for submission of expression of interest.
Expressions of interest, including detailed Resumes must be delivered (by E-Mails) by
22nd June, 2016 to the addresses as given below:
- Foreign Procurement Department (FPD) (Attn: Mr. Samimullah Samim)
General Manager for External Procurements
Procurement Department, Ministry of Communications and IT (MCIT)
Mohammad Jan Khan Watt; Kabul, Afghanistan
Email: fpd@mcit.gov.af
- Engineer Baryalai Hassam;
Deputy Minister-Technical; Ministry of Communication and IT;
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; Mohammd Jan Khan Watt, Kabul Afghanistan
Email: b.hassam@mcit.gov.af
- Mohammad Ismail Bhat; PMS and the Project Director of ICTDP-MCIT;
Email: mi.bhat@mcit.gov.af; mib1946@yahoo.com
- Dr. Soroush Nadir; Acting Procurement Officer in the PMO of ICTDP: soroushmnadir@yahoo.com
