Della Glenn, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street. Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

B -- U.S. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REGIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES PROJECT IDENTIFICATION BOOK POC Della Glenn, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) seeks to award a firm a fixed price contract to produce a project briefing book identifying and detailing projects of interest to U.S. companies in telecommunications and information technologies industries in sub-Saharan Africa (the continent and islands excluding western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt). The book may be used in conjunction with a possible conference which would be scheduled for October of 1998. The briefing book will provide a summary overview of the telecommunication and information technology infrastructure and industry in each country in the region and include detailed project profiles for major projects in the region of interest to U.S. companies. TDA will require that there be detailed descriptions for at least forty projects, though the Contractor may find more. The projects included may represent a wide range of activities. On the telecom side, this may include VSAT, spectrum monitoring and management, wireless, wireline, and satellite projects, with host country sponsors from the private sector, national telephone utility, or regulator. Information technology projects my involve issues such as customs automation, telemedicine, distance learning, or other management information systems for government ministries, universities, hospitals, banks, or private companies. The forty projects are expected to form the basis for a pool of project sponsors to invite to participate in the possible conference to present projects to U.S. companies. It is expected that development of this briefing book will begin with research in the U.S. or through affiliates overseas. Once preliminary data has been reviewed, the Contractor will propose a travel plan to TDA to further investigate areas where additional information is needed. Upon TDA approval of the itinerary, the Contractor will visit the selected African countries to conduct further research. During the course of the investigation, the Contractor will be asked to evaluate any opportunitiesfor TDA support for specific projects that develop. For example, if in the course of researching a particular country's rural telephony plan the Contractor learns that the utility needs a feasibility study on different technical options to establish a viable plan, the Contractor may recommend TDA funding for such a project and would provide to TDA a separate report in a Desk Study/Definitional Mission format assessing the project. TDA expects that the Contractor will identify and develop at least two projects for TDA support. TDA, located in the Washington, D.C. area, is an export-oriented, U.S. Government foreign assistance agency committed to promoting environmentally sound, sustainable economic development and trade in middle income and developing countries. Contractor selection will be based on offeror's understanding of the requirements of the solicitation as demonstrated by suitability of proposed approach to performing the work; technical qualifications of staff proposed to perform the work; and priorexperience. This procurement shall be a full and open competition, under which any type of organization (commercial {for profit} firms, educational institutions, non-profit organizations) is eligible to compete. All participating organizations involved with supplying professional services must be of United States nationality. The competitive proposals method of solicitation, as set forth in Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1), shall be utilized for this procurement. This solicitation in no way obligates TDA to award a contract nor does it commit TDA to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Any explanation desired by an offeror regarding the meaning or interpretation of this solicitation must be requested in writing and with sufficient time allowed for reply to reach the offerors before submission of their offers, and all oral explanations or instructions, given before the award of this contract will not be binding. Any written information given to a prospective offeror concerning the solicitation will be furnished promptly to all prospective offerors as an amendment of the solicitation, if such information is necessary to offerors submitting proposals or if lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed offerors. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued on/or about 15 days after Publication Date of this Synopsis. Closing date for proposals will be 30 days theafter. Only written requests for the RFP will be honored. Those interested in receiving RFP#TDA-98-Q-035 should send a letter or fax requesting it to the Contracts Office at TDA, (703) 875-4009 providing the firm's name, address, telephone number, fax number and the name of a contact person at the firm. (0084)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0009 19980330\B-0001.SOL)