USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131

D -- BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA-TELECOMM. SYSTEM FOR THE ELEKTROPRIVREDA BIH ELECTRIC POWER UTILITY!! DUE 111999 POC Evangela Kunene, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 E-MAIL: Email address for Evangela Kunene at the U.S. Trade, ekunene@tda.gov. The Grantee 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 for an internal telecommunications system for the Elektroprivreda BiH Electric Power Utility. Public Enterprise Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and Herzegovina (EPBiH) is one of three electric companies that provides electrical services in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). During the war their power generation, transmission, and distribution systems were heavily damaged. Generation plants were attacked, transmission lines were cut, and distribution systems (transformer and networks) were destroyed. EPBiH has restored and stabilized their generation, transmission and distribution networks thanks to loans and grants provided by donor countries and by various banks. Since the transmission network was heavily damaged during the war, the lines are being repaired to restore stable electrical service. The Government of Japan has contributed towards the purchase and installation of fiber optic cables along EPBiH's transmission lines. These fiber cables will provide the high quality communications capacity needed for management of the electrical network and will additionally allow EPBiH to provide telecom services and to sell excess telecom capacity to other telecommunications companies. This telecom capacity could also allow EPBiH to eventually form a company and earn revenue by selling cellular telephone, data communications, and telephone and services to subscribers. EPBiH is also working with the World Bank to install a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, to allow remote control of generation, transmission and distribution systems and equipment. Most substations are now operated manually and only use telephone connections. The World Bank project will reduce manpower and operational costs. Internal communications now use analog technology; the design of these systems is outdated and must be modernized to improve reliability. To achieve their communication and grid management goals, EPBiH requires a Feasibility Study to develop a telecommunications business plan. The project will be separated into two tasks: a Phase I Feasibility Study and a Phase II Pilot Project. This Request for Proposals is limited to the selection of a Phase I Feasibility Study Contractor. The Phase I Feasibility Study Contractor will perform a requirements analysis to determine EPBiH's communications needs. This Phase I Feasibility Study will define the potential market for EPBiH telecommunications services and prepare the technical parameters for the Pilot Project to be conducted in Phase II. The Phase I Contractor will serve as advisor to the Grantee during the selection of the Phase II Contractor and during implementation of the Pilot Project. Phase II will install a demonstration system between Sarajevo and Tuzla, using technology recommended by the Feasibility Study Consultant. This demonstration system will show how internal communication services can be multiplexed with other services to support telecommunication offerings such as cellular telephone interconnection, telephony, data services, and bandwidth to outside businesses. This feasibility study will include the following tasks: 1) Market Study 2) Review of Internal Communication Systems 3) Definition of Technologies to be used for Electrical Power Control Data Interface and for Internal Communications. 4) Network Strategy Definition 5) Technology Trade-Off Analysis 6) Telecommunications Strategy Recommendation 7) Procurement Specifications The Consultant would have to provide the following deliverables: 1)Preliminary Power Control Data Requirements Analysis 2)Preliminary Internal and External Telecommunication Requirements Analysis 3)Final Requirements Analysis including Power Control and Telecom 4)Business Strategy Report and Marketing Study 5)Telecom Design Recommendations and Procurement Specifications 6)Final Report The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $184,414 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). Note: As currently envisioned, the Phase II Pilot Project will have a budget of no greater than $1,008,000. TDA will contribute $504,000 towards the Phase II Pilot Project, with a U.S. equipment vendor (Phase II Contractor) expected to provide up to $504,000 in cost-sharing. At a later date, the Grantee will negotiate a separate contract with a Phase II Contractor. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, 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'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 wantTDA 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 4:00PM, November 19, 1999, at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Although cost will not be a factor in the evaluation, cost proposals must be submitted for the purpose of evaluating proposed allotments of resources for the feasibility study. 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 10/22/99 (W-SN394091). (0295)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0016 19991026\D-0004.SOL)