Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) and the Terms of Reference (TOR) for Trainer on Monitoring Tools of OFC Project Execution

Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) and the Terms of Reference (TOR)

for Trainer on Monitoring Tools of OFC Project Execution

Basic Data:

COUNTRY:                                       Afghanistan

NAME OF THE PROJECT:             Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project

SECTOR:                                          Information Communications Technology (ICT)

CONSULTING SERVICES:            Trainer on Monitoring Tools of OFC Project Execution

CONTRACT TYPE:                          Individual Consultancy Contract-Time Based

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:      06 months

DUTY STATION:                               Kabul, Afghanistan

CONTRACT REFERENCE NO:   MCIT/ICTDP/P121755/IDA-H-665-AF/C 1.10

WORLD BANK GRANT NO:         IDA-H-665-AF

PROJECT ID NO:                          P121755

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:          Project Implementation and Coordination Unit (PICU) of MCIT

1. 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 function as a Trainer on Monitoring Tools of OFC Project Execution. This Consultancy Support will be provided to the PMO, as established for this World Bank funded Project of the Ministry of Communications and IT, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at Kabul, Afghanistan, under the World Bank funded Project of MCIT “Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project”.

The aim of the ICT Sector Development Project 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.

2. Project Development Objectives with their Output Indicators for each Project Component of the World Bank funded ICT Sector Development Project of MCIT are listed below:

3. Project Implementation Arrangements:

1. The Project has a centralized management structure.  The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) is the implementing agency for the project. MCIT is implementing a number of sectoral projects funded by the government and other development partners. To manage its portfolio of investment projects better, MCIT has established a program implementation and coordination unit (PICU) that the Deputy Minister (Technical) of MCIT chairs. A Schematic of PICU is given below:

2. The Directors of the Planning and Policy Department and ICT Department are the core members of the PICU. The Finance and Procurement Directorates of MCIT provide support to the PICU. This is to ensure further strengthening and sustainability of program management capacity that has been developed over the last few years within MCIT. Core financial management and procurement functions for the project are handled by the respective departments within MCIT.  A Project Management Office (PMO) supports MCIT in implementation of the IDA project.  This PMO is part of the established PICU.

4. Brief on the growth of ICT Sector of Afghanistan:

1. The Afghan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) was established in 2006 for issuance of licenses, monitoring of quality of services provided by the licensees and taking measures towards developing the sector by encouraging private sector investments. Activities of ATRA are mainly based on the Telecom policy developed and adopted by the Minister of Communications and IT on 03 July, 2003 with the vision to develop the Telecom and Internet sector in order to provide affordable and quality services to the citizens of Afghanistan on a nationwide basis. In July 2003, two licenses for GSM Services (in 900 MHz) were issued to Afghan Wireless Communications Company (AWCC) and Telecom Development Company Afghanistan (Roshan).  Pursuant to the Policy, they were provided a duopoly on GSM Services until the end of 2005. Based on the fact that the three year term of the two original licenses was about to come to an end, on 21 May 2005, ATRA officially launched an international competitive tender for two additional licenses for GSM Services (and any other services in the assigned 900 and 1800 MHz bands). As a result, two additional GSM licenses were issued in May 2006, one to MTN and another to Etisalat.

2. The former Telecommunication Department of the Ministry of Communications of Afghanistan was taken out of the Ministry of Communications and became a government owned Telecommunications Company which also received a Unified Services license from ATRA in 2005. It was named Afghan Telecom. AFTEL also inherited Fixed Line and Fiber Optic networks. In addition, AFTEL provides Internet services through its fixed line facilities as well as through WiMAX frequencies allocated to it by ATRA.

3. Since privatization of Telecom market in 2003, the telecom sector in Afghanistan has grown at a remarkable rate and now approximately 18 million Afghanistan businesses, government entities and consumers have mobile telephone service and over one million users have Internet services. And, the current installation of Fiber Optic ring throughout Afghanistan is connecting Afghanistan with the rest of the World at lower costs for voice and data services. Now, that the basic needs of the people in Afghanistan have been fulfilled, MCIT and ATRA have introduced 3G (Third Generation) Broadband Mobile Services in the country. During last 10 years, all possible technologies have been inducted into Afghanistan’s Telecom and IT market.

5. Objectives of the Consultancy Assignment:

The objectives of this assignment are:

1. To impart Training to the Field Supervisory and the Project monitoring Staff of MCIT on the efficient utilization of the Monitoring Tools as deployed for OFC Project Execution ;
2. To assist the PMO and the MCIT staff in collecting the Data and in utilizing all the collated Data for tracking the Quality of Work on the OFC Project Routes. 

6. Scope of Work and the Tasks: Scope of Work will  encompass the following phases:

1. Preparatory Phase:

The preparation phase will be prior to actual training sessions. Initial project background information will be shared by PMO with the Consultant and the Consultant will secure cloud based accounts for mobile data collection tools. The co-development of the survey instruments with the PMO team will be completed by consultant based on the past experience, considering need for quality and environmental safeguards management.

Consultant will provide technical assistance to PMO team on using the digitized survey instrument, setting it up for use on provided mobile devices (procured by the PMO). Additionally, all workshops, training curriculum, and training materials will be prepared by the consultant and properly localized so that these can be translated prior to in-country training.

2.  In-country Training:

Training will be imparted by the Consultant to 20 staff members of MCIT at Kabul. Training will include curriculum for data collectors, supervisors and other relevant staff to fully prepare them for independent use of the tools and the secure cloud based web dashboard to be used for accessing and exporting the data. The PMO team should also be trained in form editing and creation.

The Consultant will provide on-the job training on instrument creation, editing and secure cloud based system. He will also carry out monitoring of the progress made on data collection and reporting structures.

7. Detailed tasks of the Consultant will include the following:

• Workshops to be held on  digital data collection instruments, in partnership with the PMO;
• Instruments in XLS Form formats or their exact equivalents, to be created, uploaded and tested;
• Training to be given on digital instrument creation, editing and remote deployment;
• Instruments to be pre-tested by utilizing mobile data collection tools;
• Training curriculum and the material to be designed;
• Training workshops to be run;
• Training to be held for Data Collectors, Supervisors and other officials as identified by the PMO;
• Training to be given in utilization of secure web services for supervision, accessing and exporting data.

8. Qualification Requirements:

The selected consultant is expected to demonstrate the capability to implement the data collection effort as requested by the client and to exhibit quality standards as required by this activity. More specifically, the selected consultant shall possess:

• Demonstrated experience in training;

• Demonstrated experience with mobile tools that have been used in complex and scaled (100,000+ data points) data collection projects utilizing Android OS mobile phones;
• University degree/Diploma in Computer Sciences or Computer Applications or Telecommunications;

• Excellent command of English Language;
• Experience in using computer applications;
• Ability to establish priorities and plan, coordinate and monitor complicated tasks;
• Readiness to independently pursue training to acquire the ability to perform at higher levels of difficulty and complexity;
• Good interpersonal and communication skills;

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.

9)Deliverables: The Consultant should submit weekly and monthly reports to the PMS (the Project Director of the World Bank funded ICT Sector Development Project).

10) Payment schedules: The Consultant will be paid on monthly basis, after submission of his monthly Invoice, the Attendance/Activity Sheet of the month and monthly Report, all in English and any one local language(Pashtu or Dari), duly approved by the PMS to the PMO of the World Bank funded Project. Payments will be made within one month after receiving the approved documents.

11. Support that will be given to the Consultant at Kabul: MCIT  shall provide the following support:

• A suitable working space inside the MCIT Complex.
• Internet connectivity in Office.
• Transport for Official Tasks

12. Request for Expression 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 with description of similar assignments, 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).

Interested Consultants may also 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 Samin)

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 and b.hassam@mcit.gov.af, latest one week before the deadline for submission of expression of interest.

Expressions of interest, including detailed Resumes (CVs) must be delivered (by E-Mails) by

20^th  January, 2013, to the addresses as given below:

1. Foreign Procurement Department (FPD) (Attn: Mr. Samimullah Samin)

General Manager for External Procurements

Procurement Department, MCIT; Mohammad Jan Khan Watt; Kabul, Afghanistan

Email: fpd@mcit.gov.af

2. 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

3. Mohammad Ismail Bhat; PMS-ICTDP-MCIT; Email: mi.bhat@mcit.gov.af