- ABOUT GAIN
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss based foundation launched at the
UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments
and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for
all people. At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious
and safe food. We work to understand and deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food
insecurity faced by poor people. By understanding that there is no “one- size-fits-all” model, we
develop alliances and build tailored programmes, using a variety of flexible models and
approaches. We build alliances between governments, local and global businesses, and civil
society to deliver sustainable improvements at scale. We are part of a global network of partners
working together to create sustainable solutions to malnutrition. Through alliances, we provide
technical, financial and policy support to key participants in the food system. We use specific
learning, evidence of impact, and results of projects and programmes to shape and influence the
actions of others. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has representative offices in
Denmark, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, we have
country offices in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan,
and Tanzania. Programmes and projects are carried out in a variety of other countries, particularly
in Africa and Asia. - Background
In a non-governmental organization (NGO) like GAIN, reliable and secure internet connectivity is
crucial for the smooth execution of daily operations, communication, and program implementation.
The need for an efficient Internet Service Provider (ISP) stem from the organization’s reliance on
digital platforms for coordinating activities, managing remote teams, ensuring timely
communication with stakeholders, and accessing vital information resources. Additionally, as GAIN
often operate in diverse and sometimes challenging environments, a dependable ISP ensures
uninterrupted service delivery, enabling the organization to meet its mission and objectives
effectively. Engaging a capable ISP is therefore essential to support the organization’s
technological infrastructure, enhance productivity, and maintain seamless connectivity across all
GAIN operations. - Purpose
The purpose of this RFP is to identify and select an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that can provide
high-speed, reliable internet services to The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The
selected ISP will be responsible for ensuring optimal internet connectivity, with minimal downtime
and prompt customer support. - Scope of Work
The scope of work for this proposal and the engagement of the successful service provider are as
follows:
- Service Locations: Abuja
- Type of Service: Specify if you need Fiber (because we have other technologies like DSL,
wireless, satellite, etc) - Service Installation: Installation of all necessary equipment and infrastructure.
- Technical Support: 24/7 technical support with defined response times.
- Network Monitoring and Reporting: Availability of real-time monitoring (web-based portal),
reporting tools, and notifications informing on outages or performance issues. - Internet Connectivity: minimum 35 Mbps download/upload speed
- Service Availability: Information on your service coverage in our area (Patrick O. Bokkor
Crescent, Jabi) including details on downtime statistics and average latency. The monthly
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minimum service availability is expected to be 99.9%
- Service Level Agreement (SLA): Commitment to uptime guarantees, latency, packet loss,
and jitter requirements. - Scalability: Ability to upgrade bandwidth and services as needed.
- Proposal Requirements
Proposals must include the following information:
Company Profile: Overview of the company, including years in business, experience in
providing internet services, and references from similar organizations.
Regulatory Compliance: Complies with data protection laws and regulations.
Insurance and Liability – The internet service provider liability coverage in case of outages or
data breaches.
Technical (Service) Proposal: Detailed description of the proposed solution, including
equipment, Information on bandwidth options, upload/download speeds, and data caps (if any),
redundancy, Description of the installation process, including timeframes and any other
technical aspects.
Financial Proposal: Detailed cost breakdown, including installation fees, monthly fees, any
additional charges, and payment terms.
Service Level Agreement (SLA): Proposed SLA terms, including uptime guarantees, response
times, and compensation for service interruptions.
Implementation Plan: Timeline for service installation and any necessary infrastructure
upgrades.
Support and Maintenance: Details about customer support, maintenance schedules, and
contact points for issue resolution. - Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Technical Capability: Ability to meet or exceed the technical requirements.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Competitive pricing and overall value for money.
- Experience and References: Proven track record of delivering similar services.
- Customer Support: Quality of customer support and responsiveness.
- SLA Terms: Favorable SLA terms that align with our needs.
- Submission Guidelines
- Proposal Submission Deadline: November 22nd, 2024
- Proposal Submission Method: All applications should be sent to
[email protected]
All proposals must be submitted by 23:55 PM on the due date. Late submissions will not be
considered.
The following requirements must be met by the prospective service provider:
a. Provide a detailed company profile and evidence of business registration.
b. Respond to this RFP by providing information on:
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i. The Internet Service Provider firm must currently be registered under the Nigerian
Communication Commission (NCC) and possess the technical capacity and the
capability to express their interest (EOI)
ii. A list of the organizational IT personnel and the proof of membership it belongs to.
iii. Provide 2 reference letters from a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or corporate
private firm.
iv. Submission of audited financial statement with evidence of tax remittances
v. Insurance certificates (Public Liability Insurance & Workers Compensation insurance)
- Scoring
Elements of the proposal will be weighted equally based on:
§ Clear articulation and understanding of the task.
§ Competency and track record in offering similar services to other organizations.
§ Technical competence and demonstrated ability of team.
§ Cost effectiveness/competitive status. - Implementation Arrangements Input Provided by the Authority
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Nigeria will work closely with the successful
consultant/firm to achieve the objectives of this consultancy. The engagement will be managed by
the Head of Operations, GAIN Nigeria. The successful bidder will work in close collaboration with
the Operations Team. For further information, the Head of Operations can be contacted on Email:
[email protected] and copy [email protected]
STANDARDS, ACTS, REGULATIONS AND GUIDANCE
The works described in this Term of Reference (TOR) must comply with application of relevant
standards, Acts, and communication equipment. The Internet Service Provider firm or individual is
also expected to hold with high regard, the integrity, objectivity, independence, professional
competence, due care, confidentiality, professional behaviour, and technical standards.
FEE PROPOSAL
a. The Internet Service Provider firm is required to submit its fee proposal for this proposed project.
b. Detail of pricing schedule is required for the duration of 2 (two) years.
EXTENT OF WORK AND LIMITATIONS
All work described in this Terms of Reference (TOR) requires the Internet Service Provider firm to
express its interest by submitting their proposal. Any proposal outside of the TOR will not be
considered. - Timelines
S/N Activities Timelines - Issuance of Request for Proposals November 8th 2024
- Deadline to submit questions if any November 13th, 2024
- Proposal Submission November 22nd 2024
Qualifications
The Service Provider shall be a demonstrably experienced internet service provider. Must also
have verifiable evidence of previous work with international development agencies in Nigeria
focusing on broadband Internet service provisions across Nigeria like GAIN. In addition, the
Service Provider should have a minimum of (10) years of working experience with professionally
competent staff knowledgeable in the various phases of provision of internet services.
II. INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDING
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This section addresses the process for responding to this solicitation. Applicants are
encouraged to review this prior to completing their responses.
- CONTACT
Staff will be available to respond to clarifications on this solicitation. Please direct all inquiries and
other communications to the GAIN email address: [email protected] copying
[email protected] . Queries sent by November 13th, 2024, at 5:00pm EST will be
responded to on November 15th, 2024. Responses will not be confidential except in cases
where the applicant clearly indicates that proprietary information is involved. - SUBMISSION
The original proposals should be submitted in electronic copy on or before November 22nd,
2024 to email address; [email protected], Please indicate PROPOSAL FOR
INTERNET SERVICES PROVISION as the subject matter for your submission. - UNACCEPTABLE
The following proposals will automatically not be considered or accepted:
§ Proposals that are received after the RFP deadline.
§ Proposals received by fax.
§ Incomplete proposals.
§ Proposals that are not signed. - ACCEPTANCE
GAIN will not necessarily accept the lowest cost of any of the Proposals submitted.
Accordingly, eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and mandatory requirements shall
govern the process. - COMPLETION
§ In case of errors in calculating overall costs, the unit costs will govern the process.
§ It is the applicant’s responsibility to understand the requirements and instructions specified
by GAIN. If clarification is necessary, applicants are advised to contact the responsible
persons at GAIN under section II. point 1., prior to making their submission.
§ While GAIN has used considerable efforts to ensure an accurate representation in this
Request for Proposal (RFP), the information contained in this RFP is supplied solely as
a guideline. The information is not warranted to be accurate by GAIN. Nothing in this RFP
is intended to relieve applicants from forming their own opinions and conclusions with
respect to the matters addressed in this RFP.
§ By responding to this RFP, the applicant confirms its understanding that failing to comply
with any of the RFP conditions may result in the disqualification of their submission. - RIGHTS OF REJECTION
GAIN reserves the right to reject any or all submissions or to cancel or withdraw this RFP for any
reason and at its sole discretion without incurring any cost or liability for costs or damages
incurred by any applicant, including, without limitation, any expenses incurred in the preparation
of the submission. The applicant acknowledges and agrees that GAIN will not indemnify the
applicant for any costs, expenses, payments or damages directly or indirectly linked to the
preparation of the submission. - REFERENCES
GAIN reserves the right, before awarding the Proposal, to require the applicant to submit
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such evidence of qualifications as it may deem necessary, and will consider evidence
concerning the financial, technical and other qualifications and abilities of the applicant.
- RELEASE OF INFORMATION
After awarding the Proposal and upon written request to GAIN, only the following information
will be released:
§ Name of the successful applicant.
§ The applicant’s own individual ranking.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS SOLICITATION
- NOTICE OF NON-BINDING SOLICITATION
GAIN reserves the right to reject any and all bids received in response to this solicitation and
is in no way bound to accept any proposal. GAIN additionally reserves the right to negotiate
the substance of the successful applicants’ proposals, as well as the option of accepting
partial components of a proposal if deemed appropriate. - CONFIDENTIALITY
All information provided as part of this solicitation is considered confidential. In the event that any
information is inappropriately released, GAIN will seek appropriate remedies as allowed.
Proposals, discussions, and all information received in response to this solicitation will be held
as strictly confidential. - RIGHT TO FINAL NEGOTIATIONS ON THE PROPOSAL
GAIN reserves the right to negotiate on the final costs, and the final scope of work of the
proposal. GAIN reserves the right to limit or include third parties at GAIN’s sole and full
discretion in such negotiations. - EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be reviewed by the Selection Team. The following indicate a list of the
significant criteria against which proposals will be assessed. This list is not exhaustive or
100% inclusive and is provided to enhance the applicants’ ability to respond with substance.
Applicants are required to submit the following information, conforming to the guidelines given in
this section:
- Understanding of the scope of work:
- Proposal shall demonstrate a clear understanding of the project objective and
deliverables as outlined in Section I. - Demonstrate a clear understanding of the technical requirements of this RFP:
- Providing detailed technical documentation of the proposed strategy.
- Evidence of experience delivering solutions using the proposed information technology
platform. - Relevant certification by recognized institutions.
The creative and methodological approaches required to implement each of the parts of the
scope of work.
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Comprehensiveness of work plan and reasonableness of proposed time frame:
- The proposal shall include a feasible work plan to ensure successful completionof
deliverables. - The work plan details how activities will be coordinated.
Detailed budget and cost-effectiveness of proposed approach: - Evidence of cost-effective approaches to undertaking the scope of work withinthe
proposed budget. - Proposal shall identify possible challenges and include creative approaches to
addressing them.
Management and personnel plan: - The team members working on this project shall have the relevant qualifications
and overall experience required to successfully implement the project. - Roles and responsibilities of each team member shall be clearly defined.
- GAIN shall have one main contact person clearly identified in the proposal.
- A duly completed offer of services.
GAIN reserves the right to contact the individuals and contractor(s) to verify the
information provided as part of the Proposal.
- REVIEW PROCESS
The review process will involve a Review Panel with participants selected by GAIN. - LIMITATIONS WITH REGARD TO THIRD PARTIES
GAIN does not represent, warrant, or act as agent for any third party as a result of this
solicitation. This solicitation does not authorize any third party to bind or commit GAIN in
any way without GAIN’s express written consent. - COMMUNICATION
All communication regarding this solicitation shall be directed to appropriate parties at GAIN.
Contacting third parties involved in the RFP, the review panel, or any other party may be
considered a conflict of interest and could result in disqualification of the proposal. - FINAL ACCEPTANCE
Award of a Proposal does not imply acceptance of its terms and conditions. GAIN reserves
the right to negotiate on the final terms and conditions including the costs and the scope of
work when negotiating the final contract to be agreed between GAIN and the applicant. - VALIDITY PERIOD
The offer of services will remain valid for a period of 60 days after the Proposal closing date.
In the event of award, the successful applicant will be expected to enter into a contract subject
to GAIN’s terms and conditions. - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Subject to the terms of the contract to be concluded between GAIN and the applicant, the
ownership of the intellectual property related to the scope of work of the contract, including
technical information, know-how, processes, copyrights, models, drawings, source code and
specifications developed by the applicant in performance of the contract shall vest entirely with
GAIN. - SCOPE OF CHANGE
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Once the contract is signed, no increase in the liability of GAIN or in the fees to be paid by
GAIN for the services resulting from any change, modification or interpretation of the documents
will be authorized or paid to the applicant unless such change, modification or interpretation has
received the express prior written approval of GAIN.
