REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

PROJECT: RICA CAMPUS LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) 

1. Background

The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture is a university campus located in Karama, Bugesera, Rwanda. It will eventually have more than 1,000 end-users; connected through an inter-office LAN and Data Connectivity System. The LAN connection is also used for DATA, videoconferences and building management systems. In this regard, RICA requires a unified Wired and Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) installed and configured at the campus site using Fiber and ethernet cables Specifications. (only Zyxel IP equipment will be used). 

To support the Contractor to furnish proposal, RICA will provide following documents:

2. Scope of work

2.1 Project Goals

RICA is looking for a cost effective, experienced, and qualified local system integration company to Survey the current state of IT infrastructure, understand, and take over implementation of already ongoing campus ICT infrastructure, and completed installation as well as documentation of the whole network (already completed and remaining work). 

2.2 Scope of work 

It is necessary to provide IT infrastructure design with a high level of information security based on fault tolerance and high-performing IT services architecture, with very fast, reliable, strong wireless coverage network. The solution should provide over 1,000 wireless network users with the ability to grow their number. The planned IT infrastructure should provide small costs for administrating and maintaining information systems. The RICA campus is and should be interconnected from side to side by an optical backbone network. There is already partial ICT infrastructure installed and completed. The Campus already has core installation completed with most of the building fitted with Wi-Fi; therefore, the work will only cover a few remaining buildings to complete the whole remaining work. The remaining work includes cabling and equipment installation in newly completed buildings as well as systems configurations. New equipment installation configurations must follow the core installation in the main server room.

The work also includes optimizing Wi-Fi coverage of one building which is already installed, by adding more access points, including rerouting cables to the new access points mounting locations. After completion of the project, the contractor will develop an overall comprehensive and detailed as built IT System design (both existing and new) and hand it over to RICA.

2.3 Designing

The new RICA IT Infrastructure is designed to work with existing IT Infrastructure to link all access switches to the core switch, and all network-related equipment in one physical and virtual network. Design of IT Infrastructure include as minimum of all units the following equipment and services:

• Structured cabling
• Network Configuration
• Data sockets
• Enterprise Network Switch
• Enterprise Firewall
• Wireless Access Points
• Enterprise Routers
• Server Rack Cabinet
• Data cabinet
• UPS for Servers and Network Devices
• AC Voltage regulators
• …

2.3.1 The design consists of:

i. Aggregation Layer

The network aggregation layer is built on an XGS4600-52F Zyxel switch. The switch has 52 SFP ports with fiber uplinks to each single connected building using a campus fiber backbone network. The network also has three MGS3520-28F consolidation switches that extend fiber from the middle to the furthest buildings.

ii. Access switching Layer

Each connected building has a campus access switch for connecting all network devices of interest such as Wireless Access Points, Printers, IP Surveillance Cameras, IP Phones and more.

iii. Optical distribution Layer

The RICA campus is interconnected from side to side by optical backbone network. The optical fiber backbone like the existing infrastructure, is underground with multiple manholes with optical fiber drop-off cables connecting each single building.

iv. Wireless LAN

The RICA campus wide network is and will be an outdoor/Indoor hotspot connection. The solution was mainly chosen to minimize wired connectivity on the campus and lower the structured cabling cost and increase flexibility. The wireless clients authenticate against the RADIUS server (authentication server) using an EAP method configured on the RADIUS server.

• Survey of the current state of IT infrastructure

• Analysis of the state of the current IT Infrastructure and status
• Detailed description of the existing objects of the hardware IT infrastructure
• Studying the state of licensing of the current IT infrastructure (based on the model of Software Asset Management)
• Defining security elements of the IT infrastructure.
• Recommending the upgrade, if necessary, of both hardware and software to improve network performance and reliability.

3. Qualification requirements

The successful respondent will:

• Have proven expertise in working with ZYXEL network equipment.
• Certified with ZYXEL network equipment will be added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating IT systems and developing systems architecture based on needs assessment.
• Have been operating continuously as network system designer and integrator for a minimum of 36 months and possess full-service, in-house capabilities for networking, server service and system administration, network security, Voice over IP and IP surveillance security solution design and deployment.
• Providing recent references for accomplishment of big projects like big hotels, Universities, etc.
• Be certified or authorized vendor by the product manufacturer of the equipment to provide-Certificate to be attached.
• The education, experience, knowledge, skills, and qualifications with vendor professional certificate for each respective technology solution to be deployed such as CCNA, CCNP, MICROSOFT, VMWARE, etc.
• Having proven expertise of the firm in working with similar customers focusing on wireless network.
• Having proven expertise of the firm to take over existing installation and resume the work to the efficiency.

4. Training to the technical team of RICA.

After successful implementation of the project, the Vendor/Contractor would be required to provide technical training on the provided systems and equipment and if necessary, have technical team officially certified on the products utilized in this project. 

5. Expression of Interest Submission 

We kindly request you submit your expression of interest by Friday, 23^rd March 2024, at 4:00 PM 

Submissions should include the following:

• A letter expressing your interest in the project.
• A brief overview of your company's profile, experience, and any certifications or

Qualifications that demonstrate your capabilities.

• References from previous projects of similar nature, scale, and scope.
• A statement of your financial capacity to undertake a project of this magnitude.
• A preliminary project plan and high-level timeline. 

Upon review of the expressions of interest, selected contractors will be invited to participate in the formal bidding process. Please note that only shortlisted contractors will be contacted.