D -- THE CONNECTING CIVIL SOCIETY PROJECT (CCSP) IS INTENDED TO ACHIEVE BROAD BASED UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND GLOBAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN USAID'S DEVELOPMENT PARTNER COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD, THE CONNECTING CIVIL SOC

Notice Date

July 12, 2001

Contracting Office

Procurement Office, US Agency for International Development, Regional Economic Development Services Office for East and Southern Afica, Unit 64102-Nairobi, APO AE 09831-4102

ZIP Code

09831-4102

Solicitation Number

RFP 623-01-P-020

Point of Contact

FRANCIS KAVULU 254-2-862-400/2, FAX NO. 254-2-860-861 or CONTRACTING OFFICER, MICHAEL WALSH

E-Mail Address

http://www.usaid.gov (FKAVULU@USAID.GOV)

Description

THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MISSION TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO PLANS TO ISSUE AN RFP WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE PHASE 2 OF INTERNET CONNECTION COMPONENT OF USAID/DRC'S CONNECTING CIVIL SOCIETY PROJECT (CCSP) The Connecting Civil Society Project (CCSP) is intended to achieve broad based utilization of information and global information technologies within USAID's development partner community to promote peace, human rights, and sustainable development. Over a two-year period, the Connecting Civil Society Project will seek to expand Internet Connectivity and Access in the DRC. This notice concerns only Phase 2 of the project which covers the second year period of the CCSP. Phase 2 of the CCSP will intensify the actions of Phase 1 (which has already been completed) extending the program from seven (7) to twenty two (22) secondary cities in all of the DRC's eleven provinces. Phase 2 will concentrate on the northern and eastern provinces of the Congo that are now progressively accessible. The strategy is to follow MONUC's (United Nations Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo) deployment and establish links for civil society in order to provide critical and timely support to the Inter-Congolese dialogue in the short term and a reliable vehicle to reinforce civil society groups in these battered provinces in the medium term. An additional 100 organizations will be connected. Cities targeted by Phase 2 of the CCSP include Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani, Mbandaka, Uvira, Bunia, Kindu, Isiro, Butembo, Kalemie, Mbanza-Ngungu, Mwene Ditu, Bandundu, Boma, and Tshikapa. In an environment where communication tools are either nonexistent or outside the reach of most, the CCSP project provides the USAID Kinshasa with its best "bang for the buck" by providing a dynamic but widely dispersed Congolese civil society with a modern tool to enable efficient information dissemination and exchange. Over the two years of the CCSP, 200 000 new users will be introduced to the Internet in the Congo. USAID encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of small businesses in this activity as contractors or subcontractors. In addition, prime contractors are required to set aside no less than ten (10) percent of the total value of the award for subcontracts with gray amendment entities (firms including women-owned, historically black colleges and universities, U.S. Colleges and Universities with forty (40) percent or more Hispanic American students, and minority private voluntary organizations) in accordance with part 19 of the FAR and part 726 of the AIDAR. It is anticipated that the prime contractor will make maximum use of these concerns. All other selection criteria being found equal, the participation of such concerns may become a determining factor for selection. All questions related to this notice must be addressed in writing, fax or email to the contracting officer at the address stated above. Specify the RFP number, and include your complete firm name, street address, telephone and fax number and email address. Telephone requests will not be honored. The issuance date of the RFP is expected to be no earlier than fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of publication of this notice. The closing date for submission of proposals will be approximately thirty (30) days from the actual RFP issuance date, and will be specified in the RFP. The preferred method of distribution of [USAID] procurement information is via the Internet. This CBD notice and the RFP, once issued, can be downloaded from the [USAID] Web Site. The [USAID] Worldwide Web address for procurements is http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/. Receipt of the RFP through the Internet shall be confirmed by written notification to the contact person noted above. It is the responsibility of the requestor of this solicitation document to ensure that it has been received from the Internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Only in instances where Internet access is not possible will a hard copy of the RFP be distributed upon request. In such case, requestors must confirm to the Contracting Officer their inability to access the RFP via the Internet before they request a hard copy of the document. The publication of this notice does not obligate the U.S. Government to award a contract.*****

Web Link

http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/announce/cbd (http://www.usaid.gov)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010716/DSOL009.HTM (W-193 SN50R5X9)