Internet Service (Unlimited) at Equal Access

Equal Access International (EAI) is a leading communication for social change International Non-Government Organization (INGO) that combines the power of media and behavior change with community mobilization. EAI addresses challenges within three key Practice Areas; (a) Peacebuilding & Transforming Extremism; (b) Championing Gender Equality & Empowering Women; (c) Governance & Civic Engagement and currently works in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Cambodia. Please see our website www.equalaccess.org for further details.

Each bidder that responds to this call for tenders indicates its firm willingness to participate in an ethical call for tenders. Therefore, it certifies the following points:

• Do not attempt to commit fraud;
• Does not participate in any collusion between bidders, does not participate in any falsification of proposals;
• Does not participate in any act of corruption or the granting of commissions or
• bribe to an Equal Access International employee.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

The bidder must submit its quote in accordance with the instructions set out in these RFQ specifications. TheFailure to comply with these requirements may lead to the rejection of a bid.

Questions

Questions relating to the technical or administrative requirements of this RFQ may be submitted no later than the date and time and emails indicated on the first page. Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Questions, requests for clarification, and related responses deemed relevant to other bidders will be sent to all other bidders who have expressed an interest in bid.

• If you are sending a paper copy of your offer, each envelope must contain two separate, sealed envelopes.
• The only inscription on the inner envelopes shall be the Request for Bid number, as well as the words Financial Offer or Technical Offer, as applicable.
• If you are sending your offer by email, please attach to your email two separate password-locked documents to be shared for the technical, financial and reference offer. The documents must be named: Technical Offer and Financial Offer
• Failure to comply with this bidding protocol may result in the disqualification of the bidder.
• Bids received after the specified deadline and date will be considered late and will be considered at the time of the discretion of Equal Access International.

Tax and VAT/WHT

Equal Access International, a non-governmental organization and partner of the Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor (DRL) in the Securing Nigerian Communities (SNC) project, benefits from the exemption from value added tax (VAT) for all acquisitions of goods and services in Nigeria. Therefore, we kindly ask you to submit your offer in Naira and excluding VAT and highlight the amount of VAT, if applicable but when EAI make payment we deduct withholding tax WHT and remit on your behalf to the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS while you provide your TIN number alongside your account details. .

Evaluation and contract award

• The contract will be awarded to a bidder whose bid follows the instructions of this call for tenders, meets the eligibility criteria and meets or exceeds the minimum required technical specifications, and is judged by the best value based on the lowest price, with a technically acceptable basis.
• Please note that if there are significant gaps in the requirements of this consultation, an offer may be considered "inadmissible" and thus disqualified. Equal Access International reserves the right to grant, at its discretion, the course of action to be taken in response to such deficiencies.
• It is expected that the order will be based solely on these initial proposals. However, the SNC project reserves the right to do any of the following:
• May conduct negotiations with and/or seek clarification from any bidder prior to award.
• While preference is given to bidders who can meet the full technical requirements of these specifications, Equal Access  International may issue a partial purchase order or distribute the order among different suppliers, if this is in the best interest of the SNC project.
• · May cancel this Solicitation of Offers at any time.
• Inspection and Acceptance of the Product or Service Delivered
• Equal Access International will inspect the services rendered to determine whether the orders have been satisfactorily fulfilled and that the qualities and standards are acceptable. The selected provider will be responsible for any counter measures or remedies in connection with this solicitation.

Source/Nationality/Manufacturing

All goods and services offered in response to this RFQ must satisfy USAID Geographic Code 937 in accordance with the United States Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 22 CFR §228.

Bidders may not offer or supply services that are manufactured or assembled in, shipped from, transported by, or under any other circumstance, involving any of the following countries: Burma, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria.

Warranty

Warranty coverage shall be valid after delivery and acceptance of the products by Equal Access International, on all products for the period indicated on the first page, unless otherwise specified in the technical specifications.

Eligibility of the Bidder

By submitting a bid in response to this RFQ, the bidder certifies that its business is not privately held, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible to receive an order from the U.S. Government.

Equal Access International will not award a contract to a company that is excluded, suspended, or considered ineligible by the U.S. government. If the company (or its manager) becomes ineligible after obtaining a purchase order from EAI has the right to cancel this order without any legal consequences for EAI.

General Terms and Conditions

This solicitation is subject to the following terms and conditions which will apply:

• Any decision resulting from such Solicitation of Bids shall be binding at a fixed price, in the form of a Purchase Order.
• Only the following persons (or his/her delegate in possession of a valid Delegation of Authority Memo) may sign an Equal Access International Purchase Order or Agreement:
  • For orders below 3 million Naira – Peterx, Maji, Country Director
  • For orders below 15 million Naira – Peterx, Maji, Country Director and Assetou Barry, Technical Director HQ
  • For orders over 15 million Naira – Headquarters only
• No commission shall be paid to any member of staff of Equal Access International or any of its partners for the fulfillment of this order.
• Items will be delivered or shipped properly packaged and labeled, to the place of delivery indicated on the first page. The risk of loss or destruction of the goods/services shall be borne by the supplier until the transfer of liability is under the authority of Equal Access International.
• Items that do not conform to the specifications given in the Order Form will be returned to the supplier at the supplier's expense.
• Equal Access International's standard payment terms are met 30 days after receipt of the invoice, a copy of the Order Form, and a copy of the Packing Slip or Delivery Note duly signed by an authorized employee of Equal Access International. Payment will only be made in the Name of the entity submitting the bid in response to such request for quotation and identified in the resulting Order Form; Payment will not be attributed to a third party.
• Once the Purchase Order is made, you have the right to request information about the bidders, the chosen supplier, and the reasons for this choice. Your request should be sent in writing to the Operations Officer at the following address: [email protected]. Any verbal request will not be honored.
• Any international carriage by air or sea shipment made under any decision resulting from this appeal of offers, must be done with U.S. flagged carriers/vessels.
• U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of, resources and support to individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. The supplier, by virtue of an award resulting from this call for tenders, must ensure compliance with these laws.

Universal Data Numbering System (DUNS)

An organization or supplier receiving funding from Equal Access International starting at $25,000 must obtain a DUNS number prior to signing a contract or purchase order. The following link provides free of charge one number. Link

COMPOSITION OF THE TECHNICAL OFFER

The offeror is invited to draw up its technical tender on letterhead, taking into account the following instructions:

• The Commercial Register;
• Technical data sheets for each item (Internet speed (optical fiber) (at least 30Mbps) Connection Type - CIR, Volume per month - Unlimited, Static IP address - One IP addresses)
• Specify the warranty period and coverage;
• Delivery time in calendar days
• Duration of validation of the offer
• At least three (03) previous references relating to this call for tenders (referee, telephone number and email)

COMPOSITION OF THE FINANCIAL OFFER

The bidder is invited to draw up its financial offer on letterhead, taking into account the quantities and specifications described in the table below:

The "Features" section must specify the make and model offered for all items.

The bidder may add additional lines if it considers that other items are relevant to the submission of its tender.

In addition, the tenderer must include in its financial tender at least the following elements

• Duration of validation of the offer
• Delivery time
• Warranty period and conditions
• Payment Schedule
• Highlight the amount of VAT, if applicable
• Bids should be made out to: U.S. Dept. of State/DRL/ Equal Access International-NG
   

Method of Application