SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Rural Connectivity Project in Chile
- Notice Date
- 5/11/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- United States Trade and Development Agency, TDA, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, C/O US TDA 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA, 22209-3901
- ZIP Code
- 22209-3901
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-0450004B
- Response Due
- 6/14/2004
- Archive Date
- 6/29/2004
- Point of Contact
- Evangela Kunene, Procument Data Manager, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009,
- E-Mail Address
-
ekunene@tda.gov
- Description
- POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009. Email: ekunene@tda.gov. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE CONTRACTS OFFICE. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PLACE: Andr?s Guzm?n Tasc?n, Jefe Divisi?n, Acceso Universal a la Sociedad de la Informaci?n, Subsecretar?a de Telecomunicaciones, Amun?tegui 139, Santiago - CHILE. Phone: 011-56-2-421-3588; Fax: 011-56-2-421-3020 The Subsecretar?a de Telecomunicaciones (?the Grantee?) invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms that are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for the Rural Connectivity Project in Chile. The Rural Connectivity Project is designed to address the digital divide in Chile. The Grantee plans to auction concessions for rural internet access services to private sector operators. The operators will be required to offer internet access services in rural areas at subscriber rates comparable to those available in urban areas. The winning bidders would be compensated for the relatively higher cost of providing rural internet access with a one-time, up front subsidy. Bidders will compete based on the basis of the least subsidy required. Funds for the subsidy will come from the Chilean government?s Telecommunications Development Fund (Fondo de Desarrollo de Telecomunicaciones, FDT) and a partial allocation of a loan for rural infrastructure from the World Bank. With the support of the Netherlands consultants trust fund at the World Bank, the Grantee contracted with consultants to carry out a pre-feasibility study, which developed preliminary estimates of demand, recommended the appropriate technologies, and developed a preliminary business model that estimated that the US$15 million subsidy would make internet connection available for approximately 1,000 rural localities. The objective of the feasibility study is to assist the Grantee with the preparation of more precise data needed to conduct an efficient auction for concessions to provide rural internet access. The Grantee needs more accurate demand data, including the potential demand for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services in order to help bidders more accurately gauge the level of risk. The other key information needed for the bidding process is more precise capital expenditure and operating cost data in order to more accurately define the conditions of the bidding process, such as the maximum allowable subsidy. A summary of the specific tasks is as follows: Task 1: Conduct demand study (which will include in-field polling) Task 2: Develop precise picture of network designs and resulting capital expenditure and operating costs Task 3: Evaluate the potential of VOIP service as a source of additional revenues and profit for the concession operators Task 4: Validate the logic and underlying assumptions of the business model developed in the pre-feasibility study Task 5: Prepare a preliminary review of the project?s environmental impacts and potential mitigating measures Task 6: Organize a workshop to solicit feedback from potential operators, subscribers, equipment suppliers, regulators, international organizations, and consultants Task 7: Compute new estimates of the expected subsidy amounts required Task 8: Provide advisory support to SUBTEL on the preparation of draft tender documents Task 9: Present all findings and recommendations to SUBTEL Task 10: Prepare Final Report The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $253,402 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background desk study report are available from USTDA, at 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, USTDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm?s name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want USTDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to USTDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to USTDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, USTDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling USTDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this USTDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under USTDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the USTDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the USTDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the USTDA grant amount. Details of USTDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 5:00PM, June 14, 2004 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.
- Record
- SN00584196-W 20040513/040511212756 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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