Contact: Iurii Chisinevski, Information Technologies and Telecommunications Manager, 33, Magheru Blvd., 70164 Buchrarest, Romania, Phone: 401-650-4597, Fax: 401-312-0291, Email: ichis@renel.ro

R -- FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE MODERNIZATION OF CONEL'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IN ROMANIA POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009. Feasibility Study on the Modernization of CONEL's Telecommunications System in Romania. CONEL invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study on the modernization of the Romanian National Electricity Company's (CONEL) telecommunications system. The Government of Romania (GOR) and CONEL are taking measures to improve the financial viability of the power sector, including unbundling of the monopoly to open the Romanian energy market and to allow for its integration into the European national grid. In order to improve its efficiency and reliability, CONEL will have to implement a modern Energy Management System (EMS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) capability into its operating system. Before this can be done, CONEL's existing telecommunications system must be modernized. The $306,000 feasibility study will include the evaluation of and guidance on technical, economic, and institutional components of this project. The study will specifically include: =96 Assessment of the current system and identification of current and future needs; =96 Identification of alternative solutions and selection of alternatives; =96 Technology transfer including tutorials, documentation, experience from companies with upgraded telecommunications systems; =96 Definition of management requirements to implement the system including requirements for specialized personnel, training, subcontractors, etc.; =96 Development of an implementation strategy including realistic time schedule for the implementation phases of budget, design, procurement, installation, commissioning, and identification of financial resources; =96 Development o= f financial data adequate to support the obtaining of financing for the project from international lenders; and =96 Preparation of specification and bid documents in sufficient detail for procuring the equipment, installation, software, and training required for the telecommunications system. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $306,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission/desk study report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm=92s 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 TDA 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 TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA 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, TDA 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 TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-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 TDA grant amount. Details of TDA'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 4:00 PM, September 25, 1998 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. Posted 08/07/98 (I-SN234314). (0219)

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