Terms Of Reference Recruitment of (a) Consultancy Firm to Provide Certified AWS Re/Start Program Instructors
Address Smart Africa Secretariat
10th Floor, Career Center Building
KG 541 ST, Kigali, Rwanda,
+250 788-300-581/ 784013646
PO Box: 4913 info@smartafrica.org www.smartafrica.org
RFP# : 078/S.A/RFP/11/2022
Release date: 09th/11/2022 at, 05:00 PM Local Time (Kigali)
Closing date: 09th/12/2022 at, 05:00 PM Local Time (Kigali)


Contact For any questions or enquiries, please write to: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org

For Submissions: procurement@smartafrica.org
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.
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.

Project Background
Most African countries are also hedging a bet that ICT will lead their countries and economies into the 21st century. However, this target can only be achieved by how well we can train and retain the next generation of ICT Specialists. It has been shown that without a solid basic education foundational skill in ICT and an enabling environment the vision to Transform Africa in a digital economy cannot be efficiently implemented.
This has led to the launch of the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) as the driving vehicle for implementing Smart Africa's capacity building and skills development activities across the digital skills spectrum.
The Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) is the delivery vehicle of the Smart Africa capacity building and skills development activities across the various digital skills spectrum. It 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, meet the emerging talent needs of employers, industry or be self-reliant.
The Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the implementation of the AWS re/Start program at the Smart Africa Member states. This program aims to skill and re-skill African Youth and to increase their employability through skills development and job training for careers in cloud. The mission of the program is to build local talent by providing cloud skills development and opportunities to unemployed or underemployed individuals.
The present consultancy will recruit a consulting firm to provide certified AWS re/Start program instructors and junior facilitators to facilitate the delivery of the Re/Start AWS programs among Smart Africa member states.

Similar Jobs in Rwanda
Learn more about Smart Africa
Smart Africa jobs in Rwanda

Objectives For The Consultancy
The overall objective of the consultancy is to support the implementation of the Re/Start program in the Smart Africa member states with the required knowledge and skills.
Its specific objectives include:
• To implement a structured training plan that suits the unique needs of the Smart Africa Digital Academy
• To equip learners with the needed knowledge and skills with the aim to become AWS certified professionals
• To provide an enabling environment and learning space for youth to gain necessary skills to become employable
• To provide qualified AWS program instructors who will ensure the success of the learners and the program

Duration Of The Program And Training Method
The AWS re/Start program is a 12 weeks (3 months) classroom program. The program will take place in selected Smart Africa member states. Training shall be provided to both English and French speaking audiences
The training should be delivered in–person in the selected country and it must be instructor-led and interactive, allowing students to also learn with their peers. Group projects and practices are expected to foster teamwork and critical thinking skills in the learners.

Mission Execution And Scope Of Work
In accordance with these terms of reference, implementation will be carried out according to a contractual framework to be defined between the Smart Africa Secretariat, the Smart Africa member states, and the partners involved:
The scope of the consultancy is presented below:
• Prepare the training as the established training plan and adopt appropriate methodology for a positive and successful learning experience to learners
• Assess and enroll beneficiaries into the re/Start Program
• Provide qualified and certified program instructors to deliver the program (s) to the selected trainees
• Deliver training to both English and French learners
• Deliver the program as per program implementation plan and as per the existing curriculum (Cloud and employability skills).
• Accompany learners in their learning experience and in their certification preparations and exams.
• Produce and maintain fundamental Certification Program, content including syllabus, question test bases and learning materials.
• Provide training reports, reviewed by the Smart Africa member state and to be submitted to.
• Coordinate the training with the country beneficiary and learners
• Regularly update the country of implementation and SAS on the progress and communicate if any challenges encountered.
• Other related responsibilities as per the contract.

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:
• Must be an accredited and reputable Academic institution with at least 5 years of delivering Cloud based and Digital training, Entrepreneurship, Business Innovation, Business Information Technology etc.
• Possess AWS certified Instructors who can deliver courses in English and French
• The firm must be based in Africa
• Have experience in training and certifying similar target groups
• Have experience delivering AWS certification programs
• Firms should submit three recommendation letters from previous clients of similar training conducted over the past (3 years).

The mission will be carried out by highly qualified consultants/experts in the requested specialties, namely:
Certified AWS SysOps Administrator – Associate certification or AWS solution Architect
• A minimum of an Associate Certification active through the duration of instruction
• Professional level certifications in Solution Architect or DevOps
• One year of experience in teaching technical IT content covering at least four of the five areas mentioned below:
1. Linux Operating System
2. Scripting languages such as Shell and Python
3. Networking and Security concepts
4. Relational Databases
5. DevOps Concept and Processes
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word & PowerPoint)
• Ability to speak English or French
Junior Facilitator (individual preparing to achieve their AWS re/Start qualification)
• Actively training for AWS SysOps Administrator – Associate certification, or AWS Solution Architect – Associate Certification of the Professional level exams in Solution Architect or DevOps.
• Any working experience in at least four of the areas mentioned below
1. Linux Operating System
2. Scripting languages such as Shell and Python
3. Networking and Security concepts
4. Working exposure to Relational Databases
5. Working exposure to DevOps Process
• Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word & PowerPoint)
1. Experience teaching foundational technical content
• Ability to speak English or French

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:
Technical Criteria
Items Point Range
Approach, Methodology and Work Plan
i. Training Approach in conformity with Industry authority requirements 15
ii. Training Plan 10 /25
Firm Experience
● Certification and Accreditation
i. AWS re/Start Program Training partner accreditation or related subject matter 30
ii. None 0
/30
Staff Experience
● Certified AWS SysOps Administrator – Associate certification or AWS solution Architect:
i. A minimum of an Associate Certification active through the duration of instruction 5
ii. Professional level certifications in Solution Architect or DevOps 5
iii. One year of experience in teaching technical IT content covering at least four of the five areas mentioned below:
a. Linux Operating System
b. Scripting languages such as Shell and Python
c. Networking and Security concepts
d. Relational Databases
e. DevOps Concept and Processes 5
iv. Less than 1 year 0
/15

● Junior Facilitator:
1. Actively training for AWS SysOps Administrator – Associate certification, or AWS Solution Architect – Associate Certification of the Professional level exams in Solution Architect or DevOps. 10
1. Any working experience in at least four of the areas mentioned below,
a. Linux Operating System
b. Scripting languages such as Shell and Python
c. Networking and Security concepts
d. Working exposure to Relational Databases
e. Working exposure to DevOps Process 5
/15

Staffs or Firms References
● 3 Certificates of Similar assignments Signed and Stamped with details:
1. 3 Similar assignments 15
1. 2 Similar assignments 10
1. 1 Similar assignment 5
1. 0 Similar assignment 0
/15
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
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 70-30 weightage (70% for technical and 30% for financial) will be selected as Consultants for the Client. The weights given to the Technical (T) and Financial Proposals (F) are T = 0.70 and F = 0.30
The Final Score (S) is calculated as follows: S = St*T + Sf*F

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSALS
All technical and financial proposals must be submitted in French and English.
Administrative documents (Company registration certificates, Tax clearance certificates and Social Security clearance).
Technical Requirements
• Duly signed and stamped submission letter.
• Firm's corporate profile/Executive summary.
• Understanding of ToR;
• Detailed description of Methodology and work plans for performing this assignment.
• Team composition and specific responsibilities per staff;
• Work and tentative training schedule
• Consultancy references with contacts;
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae for the proposed staff with academic certificates and recommendation letters from previous similar assignments signed and stamped;
• Firms Recommendation Letters signed and Stamped
Financial Requirements
• Summary of Costs.
• Breakdown of price per activity at the daily rate;
• Breakdown of remuneration per activity at a daily rate;
• Reimbursable expenses per activity.
• Miscellaneous Expenses.

Notes:
• 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.
• Only consulting companies are eligible to apply to this assignment, no individuals will be accepted.
• All companies should quote in United States Dollars (USD) as currency.
• All bidding firms/ companies should Indicate their preferred payment terms

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), the firm’s name not later than 01st/11/2022 at, 05:00 PM Local Time (Kigali) prompt to the Procurement Unit Smart Africa Secretariat on previous address.
All enquiries will only be received at least 5 days prior to bid submission deadline.

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 prior to 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.
• The Smart Africa reserves the right to debrief the applicants after the completion of the process due to expected high volume of applications and avoiding the compromise of the process.
ENQUIRIES
• Any enquiries will only be received and addressed 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
Attachment
attachment_file_bbb63040e7348182d04d