TERMS OF REFERENCE 

RECRUITMENT OF A TRAINING PROVIDER FOR THE PROVISION OF TRAININGS FOR TELECOM REGULATORS ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND ROAMING ECOSYSTEM

 UNDER A FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

1. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

Smart Africa is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies.  

The Smart Africa Manifesto aims to put ICT at the center of national socio-economic development agenda of member countries and promote the introduction of advanced technologies in telecommunication, as well as leverage ICT to promote sustainable development.

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The Smart Africa Initiative is geared towards connecting, innovating and transforming the continent into a knowledge economy thereby driving global competitiveness and job creation. The initiative also aims at enabling Member States to become more competitive, agile, open and innovative smart economies with the most favorable business climates that attracts large- scale investments, rewards entrepreneurship and enables fast growth and exports, leveraging ICT innovations to transform African nations into smart societies. The Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) is based in Kigali, Rwanda. 

2.  PROJECT BACKGROUND

Digital technologies offer a leapfrogging opportunity for rapid economic growth for many African countries by unlocking new pathways and avenues for innovation, job creation, access to services and increased productivity. Smart Africa and it’s 32 members are working to develop new technologies for tackling some of the numerous socio-economic challenges. These projects range from broadband, digital ID, digital economy, blockchain, data governance, Cybersecurity, Smart cities, Artificial Intelligence, Digital payment, and more which will be economically viable, socially needed, relevant and accepted.

As a result, the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA in short) was launched as the driving vehicle for implementing Smart Africa's capacity building and skills development activities across the digital skills spectrum. SADA is a pan-African dynamic learning ecosystem in which African citizens of all ages and social classes can gain or improve their digital skills, gain qualifications, and meet the emerging talent needs of employers, industry or be self-reliant.

For a successful implementation of the digital transformation agenda, it is essential to equip African policy and decision makers with the right capacity and tools to design and implement policies and regulations that are fit for the digital economy.

The present consultancy will recruit an experienced consulting firm to deliver executive training to Regulators in Africa on International Communications and Roaming Ecosystem.  

3. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE FOR THE CONSULTANCY

Considering that changing roaming business models and regulatory innovations will bring direct
benefits to consumers as well as business, internationally harmonized principles and guidelines can help foster innovative roaming solutions at the global, regional and national levels.

The overall objective of this RFP is to recruit a consultant or fir under a framework agreement to deliver training on international communications and Roaming Ecosystem  to the following beneficiaries: 

• Selected Regulators from Smart Africa Member States
• Selected Regulators from Regional Economic Communities (RECs) within Africa

This training for Regulators aims to:

• Build the understanding on how free continental roaming has worked in other jurisdictions outside Africa
• Create a basic understanding for the need of a free roaming network in Africa, as has been achieved in other jurisdictions.
• Create the understanding for the necessary architecture required for the functioning of a seamless free roaming in Africa.
• Build the foundation on how to reduce what are generally perceived as high mobile roaming retail prices, and enhance efficiency and transparency of retail roaming prices and services.
• Build the understanding on the details of a generic pricing model for roaming
• Build the understanding of the target group, on how to handle cross border settlements for seamless roaming.
• Build the understanding of how to measure the Quality of Service for a free roaming environment

The goal of the course delivery through the consultancy are as follows:

• Provide information for understanding the fundamentals of roaming and international communications.
• Provide accurate insights on key policy consideration on Roaming and international communications.
• Present potential solutions for policy makers and regulators to help develop informed policies.
• Share best practices on policy and regulatory principles from successful case studies on the continent and globally,
• Recommend to Regulators and policy makers new approaches for regulating a complex digital environment.
• Identify the specific policy topics based on the context of Africa and current challenges faced by regulators in the implementation of community roaming initiatives.

4. EXPECTED COURSES CATEGORIES 

 EXECUTIVE TRAINING ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ROAMING ECOSYSTEM

Africa continues to be the fastest growing mobile market in the world. Roaming services, however, are still emerging. Countries within the region are in different stages of economic development, with significant differences in inflation rates, currency exchanges, labor costs and GDP per capita. The GDP per capita in some sub-Saharan African countries can be up to 195 times higher than others in the region.

The Problem

The issue of high international mobile roaming (IMR) service prices at the national, regional and international level is increasingly important for the African continent, with national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and policy makers looking for appropriate regulatory and policy solutions. Discussions are not only focusing on just voice or data roaming, or on international trade-related principles (e.g. Most Favored Nation (MFN) principles under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) Agreement), but also addressing changes in revenue streams, usage and traffic, new business models as well as new opportunities and innovative measures on roaming for the Internet-of-things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. The issue is still evolving and policy makers and regulators will continue to seek solutions.

Although demand for IMR services and actual usage are increasing, this does not always translate into higher roaming revenues for mobile network operators (MNOs). There is a need to balance business innovation, on one hand, and revenues, on the other, while at the same time also seeking lower roaming tariffs for consumers. Business models and revenue streams are changing, and technology brings new solutions for consumers. This presents challenges to policy makers and regulators.

In-depth knowledge will be provided on the following topics related to Roaming in Africa:

1. Roaming cost models and roaming agreements
2. International operators (Traffic carriers’ activities)
3. Inter Operator Tariff (IOT)
4. Clearinghouse concept
5. Price Regulation
6. Taxation
7. IMR market competition
8. Consumer protection

Interconnectivity and fraud management

5. MISSION EXECUTION AND LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Implementation will be carried out according to this term of reference and according to a contractual framework to be defined between the Smart Africa Secretariat and partner(s) at stake. The Smart Africa Secretariat will support as far as possible in logistics, and in seeking contacts and possible authorizations related to decision makers in member states.

The execution will be face to face in locations within Africa in either English or French and simultaneous interpretation will be provided by Smart Africa.

It is also required that content is made available to Smart Africa both in PowerPoint and e-learning formats  in both English and French after the first execution of the training.

The following user group and numbers should be considered in the proposal:

We expect the prospective consultant or firm to advice on the number of days of the training, based on the content and target groups.

The selected bidder will be awarded a framework agreement for Two(2) years and purchase orders will be issued for specific trainings as and when needed.

The trainer's travel and accommodation logistic costs will be reimbursed by Smart Africa.

Certificate of completion need  to be provided to the participants upon the completion of the training

6. FIRM PROFILE AND EXPERIENCE

In addition to the human resources required to assemble its team, as described below, the firm must meet the following requirements:

• Have at least ten (10) years of relevant experience in capacity building and corporate training in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the developed economies.
• Justify technical understanding of ICT telecoms regulatory environment, Data Security and Privacy ecosystem, or the Digital economy advances in Africa, and providing possible responses to policy makers challenges in policy formulation.
• Must also have a very good understanding and relevant experience in capacity building on international communications and roaming ecosystem
• Have work experience in Africa, and in the member countries of the Smart Africa Alliance in ICT Policy development.
• Firms should submit three recommendation letters from previous clients of the similar trainings with same magnitude and complexity in ICT sector.

The mission will be carried out by highly qualified consultants/experts in the requested specialties, namely:

1. Lead Consultant/Head of Mission (1)

• PhD degree in relevant skills: Telecommunication Engineers, Data Security and Cybersecurity, Digital Economy, or related fields.
• Having at least 10 years in capacity building and corporate training in the field of Telecommunication Regulation, Data Governance and Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation strategies and policy.
• Understanding the technology policy terrain in Africa and the opportunities to harness through building the capacity of regulators and staff of Ministries
• Having participated in at least three (3) similar projects

2. Lead Trainer

• A University graduate with a minimum of master’s degree in Engineering specializing in Computer, Electrical, Telecommunications Engineering with specialization in digital transformation and emerging technology training for policy makers.
• Understanding the technology policy terrain in Africa and the opportunities to harness through building the capacity of regulators and staff of Ministries
• 5-year successful experience in leading top-level executive capacity building.
• Having participated in at least three (3) similar projects in Roaming.

 3. Support Trainers (2):

• A University graduate with a minimum of a master’s degree in computer science, telecommunications or Information and Communication Technologies (ICT);
• Having at least 5 years of proven experience in the implementation and coordination of executive trainings for Senior government officials, regulators or ICT implementing agencies.
• Having participated in at least three (3) similar projects in Roaming.

7. EVALUATION CRITERIA

All bidders should note that the evaluation method is Quality Cost based selection (QCBS) for consultants. The technical and financial scores are 0.8 and 0.2 respectively (0.8 + 0.2=1). 

The following model will be used to evaluate all respondents and proposals submitted:

a) Technical Criteria

The financial proposal of only those firms will be opened which secure a minimum score of 70/100 in the technical evaluation.

St= Score for the Technical Evaluation

b) Financial Criteria

Once the technical criteria have been evaluated, the costs of all bids will be listed from low to high. Computing the cost criteria score will be accomplished by use of the following formula:

The Applicant getting maximum marks on 80 - 20 weightage (80% for technical and 20% for financial) will be selected as Consultants for the Client. The weights given to the Technical (T) and Financial Proposals (F) are: T = 0.80 and F = 0.20

The Final Score (S) is calculated as follows: S = St*T + Sf*F

8. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSALS

All technical and financial proposals must be submitted in English.

1) Administrative documents (Company registration certificates, Tax clearance certificates and Social Security clearance). 

2) Technical Requirements

• Duly signed and stamped submission Letter.
• Firms corporate profile/Executive summary.
• Understanding of ToR and the need to tailor the same topic to different categories of person.
• Detailed description of Training Approach, plan and relevant Infrastructure description for performing this assignment.
• A Detailed outline of the training material per user group, taking into account their level and time availability.
• Team composition and specific responsibilities per staff.
• Training schedule
• Consultancy references with contacts.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae for the proposed staffs with valid Industry certifications.
• Firms Recommendation letters signed and stamped

3) Financial Requirements  -          Summary of Costs. 

• Break down of price per user group on daily rate;
• Break down of remuneration user group on daily rate;
• Reimbursable expenses user group applicable ;
• Miscellaneous Expenses if any Notes:

1. Indicate your preferred payment terms under financial proposal
2. A withholding tax of 15% will be deducted from payments for Firms not VAT-registered with Rwanda Tax Administration (RRA) and 18% VAT will be applicable for registered firms in Rwanda.

• All Financial Proposals/offers should be password protected and Smart Africa will request for it for bidders who have been qualified in the technical evaluation

      3.All Financial Offers should be quoted and submitted in USD Currency.

4) SUBMISSION PROCESS

Soft copies of both Technical and financial proposals must be sent to: procurement@smartafrica.org  showing each the nature of the offer concerned (technical or financial offer) not later than 9th February 2023 at, 05:00 pm local time (Kigali). 

Notes:  

Late submissions will be automatically disqualified.

5) RIGHTS RESERVED  

This RFP does not obligate the Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) to complete the RFP process. SAS reserves the right to amend any segment of the RFP before the announcement of a selected firm. SAS also reserves the right to remove one or more of the services from consideration for this contract should the evaluation show that it is in SAS’s best interest to do so. SAS also may, at its discretion, issue a separate contract for any service or groups of services included in this RFP. SAS may negotiate a compensation package and additional provisions to the contract awarded under this RFP. Also, SA reserves the right to engage more than one service provider depending on the evaluation outcome of each lot under this RFP.

6) ENQUIRIES

Any enquiries will only be received and addressed three (3) days or more prior to the bid submission deadline. Prospective respondents who may have questions regarding this RFP may submit their enquiries to tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org  

7) ANTI-CORRUPTION  

Smart Africa is committed to preventing and not tolerating any act of corruption and other malpractices and expects that all bidders will adhere to the same ethical principles.