Field Supervisors for OFC Projects under ICTDP of MCIT(03 Positions)

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT);

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

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

Consultancy Services: Field Supervisors for OFC Projects under ICTDP of MCIT

BASIC DATA:

COUNTRY:                                          Afghanistan

NAME OF THE PROJECT:               Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project {ICTDP}

SECTOR:                                           Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

CONSULTING SERVICES:            Field Supervisors for OFC Projects under ICTDP of MCIT {03 Vacancies}

CONTRACT TYPE:                          Individual Consultancy Support -Time based Contracts

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:    15 Months for each Field Supervisor

DUTY STATION:                              Kabul, Afghanistan

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

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

PROJECT ID NO:                              P121755

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

Number of Vacancies:                    03 Field Supervisors have to be selected by MCIT, under the Operating Costs of ICTDP    

1. Background:

1. 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 with estimated cost of the Project as 50 Million USD and intends to apply part of the proceeds to hire Three (03) qualified Field Supervisors for OFC Projects, to be executed  in Afghanistan. This Consultancy Support will be provided to the PMO of the Project, working under PICU of MCIT as established for the World Bank funded Project of MCIT “Afghanistan ICT Sector Development Project”.

2. 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.

3. 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:

2. 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 sect oral 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 below:

2. The Directors of the Planning and Policy Department and IT 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.

3. Brief on ATRA and Rapid Growth of Telecommunications Sector in 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 Ministry 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.

2. 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.

3. 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). Aftel also inherited Fixed Line and Fiber Optic networks. In addition, AfTel also provides Internet services through its fixed line and CDMA facilities as well as through WiMAX frequencies allocated to it by ATRA.

4. Since private entry into the 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 service. And, the current installation of an AfTel 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) and Broadband Wireless Services in the country. During 2013, three GSM Operators have already launched 3G Services in the Country.

5. Afghan Telecom (AFTEL) is a Telecom Operator, 100 % owned by Ministry of Communications and IT (MCIT). It is a Government owned Corporation and planned to be privatized in due course of time. In 2006, Optical Fiber Cable Ring Project was funded by the Government from the Core Development Budget, to establish an OFC Ring of 3100 Kms and again in 2010, another 500 Kms have been funded. AFTEL is the only Operator in Afghanistan currently permitted to own the OFC based Backbone of the Country. The Company is selling Internet Bandwidth by bringing the same from neighboring Countries (Pakistan, Iran, Tajakistan and Uzbekistan) through OFC Backbone. Telecom Operators and ISPs are hiring the OFC based Internet Capacities and the Fiber Capacities from Afghan Telecom.

6. Under the World Bank funded ICT Sector Development Project as approved in May, 2011, upto 29 Million USD will be spent to connect 05 Provinces and 13 Districts to the existing OFC Ring of Afghan Telecom. Within next 03 years, it is estimated that all the 34 Provincial Capitals and many Districts will be served by the OFC based Backbone Network.

4. Objectives of the Consultancy Assignments:

1. Three(03) Project Field Supervisors{PFS} will be selected to monitor & supervise  the on-going OFC Project on different Routes of Afghanistan; Two (02) Supervisors will be required for Daresuf Payeen – Yakawlang route, one (01) Supervisor is required for Kunar – Jalalabad Route. Deployment pattern could change based on the Project Execution requirements as decided upon by the PMO of ICTDP.

5. Detailed Scope of Work: Selected Project Field Supervisors will carry out the following tasks:

1. To assist the OFC Project Contractors in efficient implementation of the OFC Project;
2. To supervise the functional achievements of the Contractor Staff on daily basis, in the areas which fall under the jurisdiction of related Provinces/Routes;
3. To carry out physical check of the Optical Fiber Cable Routes and the Ducts, with a view to ensure that the Ducts are buried at the correct depths as per the soil conditions available on the ground;
4. Physically check and ensure that the dug paths are surfaced and brought to the original shape under Contractor’s responsibilities;
5. Physically check and ensure that all the Communication Nodes are constructed, tested and commissioned in accordance with the Project Plans;
6.  Physically check and ensure that high Quality Equipment/Systems/Stores are supplied by the selected Contractor, in accordance with all the Project requirements;
7. Assist M & E Supervisor/the Coordinator to carry out 100 % Quality Checks and take remedial actions wherever necessary;
8. Ensure that Environmental Safeguards are adhered to, both by the Contractors’ Staff and MCIT’s Staff during the execution of the Project;
9. Render advice to the Project Coordinator on all on the implementation issues faced during execution of the OFC Project.;
10. Ensure that Operational Tests are carried out judiciously, before initiating issue of Operational Acceptance Certificates;
11. Ensure that Final Acceptance Tests are carried out judiciously, before initiating issue of Final Acceptance Certificates;
12. Submit Daily Activity Reports, Weekly and Monthly Reports to the Project Coordinator of the Project;
13. Carry out any other Tasks as given by the Project Coordinator and the Project M E Supervisor of the Backbone Project.

6.       Deliverables and Reporting Requirements:

1. The Project Field Supervisors will be located at the locations in Afghanistan as decided upon by the PMO of ICTDP. However, all the Supervisors will need to visit the Nodes and the Routes, falling in the areas of their responsibility on daily basis. They will also need to carry out daily inspection of the installation tasks as carried out by the Contractors in the areas of their responsibility.
2. The Project Field Supervisors will report to the Project Coordinator of the Backbone Projects and they will submit daily, weekly and monthly Progress Reports on all the Tasks assigned to them, to the Project Coordinator of the Backbone Projects.

3. Other deliverables: These include weekly and monthly briefings to the Project M & E Supervisor, Project Coordinator and the Project Director of ICTDP-MCIT.

7. Qualification Requirements:

• Open to Afghan Nationals only;
• Any Degree/Diploma  from a well-recognized University;
• Minimum of 02 years’ experience in ICT Sector, after  Degree/Diploma;
• Good understanding and previous work experience in all aspects related to the supervision of the major Projects;

• Fluency in English, Dari or Pashto (reading, writing, speaking);
• Proven inter-personal skills;
• High integrity and accountability, leadership and good team work spirit. 

8. Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) by MCIT:

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) now invites eligible Individuals to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Individuals must provide information in their CVs, indicating that they are qualified to perform the services.

To ensure impartiality, individual (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.

An Individual 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 Individuals are requested to contact GM-FPD of MCIT, 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 assignment may be addressed to the above mentioned email address (fpd@mcit.gov.af), with CC to mi.bhat@mcit.gov.af, mib1946@yahoo.com, nadir.soroush@mcit.gov.af,soroushmnadir@yahoo.com and qadrulamin@gmail.com,qadrul.amin@mcit.gov.af latest one week before the deadline for submission of expression of interest.

Expressions of interest, including detailed Resumes must be sent by E-Mails by

5^th April, 2016(11.00 AM), to all the E-Mail IDs as given above.