Individual Consultant toprovide Rights of Way guidelines/framework to ATRA

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (reoi)

AND THE TERMS OF REFERENCE (tor)

[CONSULTANCY SERVICES by Individual Consultant]

COUNTRY:                                       Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:           Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA)

NAME OF THE PROJECT:                        Digital CASA Afghanistan

SECTOR:                                          Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

CONSULTING SERVICES:           Individual Consultant toprovide Rights of Way guidelines/framework to ATRA

CONTRACT TYPE:                         Consultancy by an Individual Contract-IC-Lump sum

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:       Six Months

DUTY STATION:                              Kabul, Afghanistan

CONTRACT REFERENCE NO:     PPG/DC/ATRA/IC-3

WORLD BANK GRANT NO:          PPG of Digital CASA Afghanistan Project

PROJECT ID NO:                            -----------------------------------------

Background:

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)/ATRA, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received Project Preparatory Grant/Fund from the World Bank to prepare for implementation of Digital CASA Afghanistan Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds to hire a qualified IndividualConsultantto provide Regulatory Capacity Building and Advisory Services to ATRA on issues including Rights of Way(RoW) guideline/framework.

This Consultancy Support will be provided to ATRA at Kabul, under theProject Preparatory Fund of Digital CASA Afghanistan Project.

The aim of the Digital CASA Afghanistan Project is: (i) to expand and strengthen the Regional and National level broadband connectivity based on Optical Fiber Networks;(ii) to boost up digital society and economy through e-Governance initiatives and (iii) to prepare an enabling environment and Regulations for the growth of ICT Sector in Afghanistan.  The project will do so by: (a) expansion and strengthening of broadband connectivity in Central Asia and South Asia Regions; (b) expansion and strengthening of national broadband connectivity in Afghanistan; (c) Commissioning of a Network called “Govnet” to connect most of the Government Offices at Central and Provincial Government levels in Afghanistan; (d) Automation of citizen-centric services through e-Governance initiatives of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; (e) framing up of Regulations, Policies, Strategies and Procedures for growth of ICT Sector of Afghanistan.

To contribute towards achievement of some of the above mentioned objectives of Digital CASA

Afghanistan, ATRA has decided to avail the consultancy services of an Individual Consultantto

provide Regulatory Capacity Building and Advisory Services to ATRA on Rights of Way issues in relation with the licensees who will construct and operate Fiber OpticNetworks in the country.

Some of the components of the Digital CASA Afghanistan Project which are presumed to address under this TOR are:

  - To promote competition in the sector.

  - Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development of ATRA.

Objectives of the Consultancy Assignment by Individual Consultant (also called Consultant):

Objective of this consultancy is to prepare guidelines and necessary regulations for Rights of Ways (RoW) for optical fiber operators in Afghanistan, in consultation with related governmental agencies.

Scope of Work and Tasks:

Scope of the Work and the Tasks of the Consultant will be as under:-

  Ø    Identify various government agencies responsible for RoW in different areas of Afghanistan

  Ø    Prepare draft RoW guidelines/framework for different areas like urban areas, along intercity and rural roads and also areas where there is no road alignment.

  Ø    Prepare draft regulations which are necessary for RoW.

  Ø    If necessary, draft presidential decree on RoW and also necessary orders to be issued by different agencies 

  Ø    Work out commercial and technical details related to RoW including necessary tariffs which should be charged by agencies as RoW charges

  Ø    All these activities should take into account various international practices on RoW and also they should be completed in consultation with various stakeholders

  Ø    Consultant should also coordinate with chair of cross-sector infrastructure sharing working group including DABS, MoPW and others

  Ø    Before finalizing all deliverables, consultant should share draft documents in a workshop which should be attended by government stakeholders and private sector

  Ø    Provide necessary trainings for ATRA staff in order tobuild capacity.

Payment Structure and the Deliverables:

Payments will be made as per the following schedules:-

1-    25 % of the Contract Value will be paid after submission of Report-1, to be submitted by the consultant within 1.5 months of Contract Effective Date (Physical Reporting Date in ATRA at Kabul). This Report-1 should cover the following:-

     Ø  Report on governmental offices that are responsible for RoW in Afghanistan.

2-    25 % of the Contract Value will be paid after submission of Report-2, to be submitted within 3 months of Contract Effective Date. This Report-2 should cover the following:-

     Ø  Draft RoW guidelines/framework for different areas like urban areas, along intercity and rural roads and also areas where there is no road alignment.

3-    25 % of the Contract Value will be paid after submission of Report-3, to be submitted within 4.5 months of Contract Effective Date. This Report-3 should cover the following:-

     Ø  Report on commercial and technical details related to RoW including necessary tariff which should be charged by agencies as RoW charges.

4-    25 % of the Contract Value will be paid after submission of Report-4, to be submitted within 6 months of Contract Effective Date. This Report-4 should cover the following:-

        Ø  FinalRoW guidelines/framework for different areas like urban areas, along intercity; 

        Ø  Finalized Report on all the Tasks as given in the Scope of Work for this Assignment;

        Ø  Report on training provided to ATRA’s staff, both theoretical and practical training on Rigths of Way.

Other deliverables: These include weekly and monthly briefings to the Teams of ATRA and the World Bank at Kabul.

All the reports as outlined above shall:

            i)  be written such that they stand alone, without the reader needing to refer to other documents;

            ii) shall include a dated cover letter with the distribution list and shall note key issues of interest in the report for management’s attention;

           iii) All the Reports (03 Copies-printed and signed volumes +Soft Copies in CDs) should be submitted: One Set to the Chairman of ATRA; One set to the concerned Department in ATRA; and one Set to the Project Director of Digital CASA Afghanistan Project.

Qualification and Experience Requirements and the Short-listing Criteria:

   i)  The Consultant should have at least 10 years of experience in Public Rights of Way consultancy services;

  ii) The Consultant should have worked in at least two projects involvingformulations of Right of Way documents for Fiber Optic Networks and/or telecom networks;

Milestones will be considered complete only upon the acceptance and formal approval of the designated ATRA’sStaff. 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 brief Report with each Invoice, all to be submitted in English and/or Dari/Pashtu languages. Formats will be provided by the Project Director of Digital CASA Project of MCIT.

Facilities to be given by ATRA:

The following facilities and support will be provided to the Consultant by the client (ATRA):

. A suitable working space with Internet connectivity for the Consultant will be provided inside ATRA’s Main Building at Kabul;

      . Facilitation of entry visa, if required;

      . Relevant background documents;

      . Facilitation and arrangement for meetings with relevant stakeholders and partners;

Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) by MCIT:

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) now invites eligible Consultancy Firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Consultancy Firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (Brochures, CVs, giving description of their Qualifications, Experience, similar assignments done earlier, experience in similar conditions and availability of appropriate skills etc.).

A Consultancy Firm 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).

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.

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:

Procurement Department  (Attn: Ghulam Hussain Adil)

Head of Procurement Department ;

Procurement Department, Ministry of Communications and IT (MCIT)

Mohammad Jan Khan Watt; Kabul, Afghanistan

Phone: Office: +93 20 210 1201;

Email: procurement@mcit.gov.af

Web site: www.mcit.gov.af

Any queries on the position may also be addressed to the above mentioned email address (procurement@mcit.gov.af), with CC to:secretary@atra.gov.af; -- latest one week before the deadline for submission of expression of interest.

Expressions of interest (02 Sets of all the Documents) including detailed Brochures, Resumes and other related Documents must be delivered as signed and printed documents to the following Address by 10-March ,2018—before 2.00 PM Kabul time:

Procurement Department (Attn: Ghulam Hussain Adil)

Head of Procurement Department;

Procurement Department, Ministry of Communications and IT (MCIT)

Mohammad Jan Khan Watt; Kabul, Afghanistan

Phone: Office: +93 20 210 1201;

Email: procurement@mcit.gov.af

Web site: www.mcit.gov.af

EOIs and other related Documents of EOI from International Consultancy Firms will be provisionally accepted by MCIT if sent through E-Mails, only if the Printed and signed Copies of all such Documents are received within 07 days after the due date and time. MCIT will not be responsible for any Postal delays in this regard.