72036723Q00002.pdf

U.S. Agency for International Development

G.P.O. Box 295

Brahma Cottage, Maharajgunj

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Tel: 977-1-4234000

Fax 977-1-4007285 http://nepal.usaid.gov

Date: May 18, 2023

Solicitation Number: 72036723Q00002

To Prospective Offerors:

Subject: Request for quotation to provide dedicated internet service to USAID Nepal office

USAID/Nepal would like to request all prospective offerors to provide a quotation, if they have the capacity to provide the requisite services as per attached Statement of Work (SOW).

If you are interested and feel confident of providing these services, please submit a quote for accomplishing this work. In your quotation please state if you will be available during the period of the SOW.

Your quotation will be evaluated on its responsiveness to SOW. If you have questions on the technical aspects of the SOW, please send them in writing to Ms. Samita Maharjan at smaharjan@usaid.gov.

Please note that this correspondence does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID/Nepal nor does it commit USAID/Nepal to pay for the cost incurred in the preparation and submission of requested documents. In addition, the final award cannot be made until the negotiation is finalized and until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, committed through internal USAID/Nepal procedure. Further, you are not authorized to proceed with any of the work described in the SOW until you have received either a fully executed award or a written authorization from the Executive Officer (EXO)/Contracting Officer (CO).

Please submit your quotation via email to Ms. Samita Maharjan at smaharjan@usaid.gov by close of business 5:00 pm Nepal time on May 25, 2023.

Sincerely, //s//

Fredrick Onyango

Supervisory Executive Officer

Encl: SOW mailto:smaharjan@usaid.gov mailto:smaharjan@usaid.gov

TITLE: Internet Services

This purchase order is to obtain services from Internet Service Provider (ISP) to provide robust

Internet service that will adequately provide Internet connectivity to its approximately 125 networked computer hosts. The requested service should have adequate redundancy at critical network points and at all other necessary levels to ensure uninterruptible Internet service and smooth operations at all times.

A. Statement of Work (SOW)

Under the guidance of the Computer Management Specialist who is the designated Point of

Contact (POC) for this activity, the contractor shall undertake all tasks as spelled out in the statement of work. The following requirements for the Internet connection apply:

• 60 Mbps up/ 60 Mbps down (1:1) internet bandwidth. The bandwidth provided must be

Confirmed Information Rate (CIR) up to first hop in mainland United States using an online

Speed test tool.

• Internet Service demarcation point will be at US Mission at Maharajgunj.

• Bandwidth delivery should be redundant single-mode fiber optic cable and terminate on multi mode Fiber with SC connection on US Mission Router.

• USAID/Nepal retains option to downgrade and/or upgrade bandwidth requirements in steps of

5 Mbps with 30 days' notice to the contractor.

• Connection provided must use terrestrial connection to mainland US. No hops should use a satellite connection.

• Connection provided shall be completely transparent with no bits added to or deleted from the bit stream provided to the interface of the USAID/Nepal equipment.

• The Service Provider must provide a secondary fiber backup link to the US Mission facility with automatic switchover capability for use in case of primary link failure. The Primary and

Secondary cables should have different routes up to USAID Mission premises.

• The Bandwidth service provider should also provide details of CPE (Customer Premises

Equipment), if any. The Service provider will provide backbone setup and network diagram.

• The service provider should provide maximum measured Round Trip Delay (RTD) from

USAID/Nepal's Internet Router to mainland US of 250 ms.

• Service Provider will guarantee monthly average RTD times for the circuit to be within 250ms of the Max RTD (350ms). RTD Times will be measured from USAID/Nepal to first hop in

Mainland US averaged over a 30 day period. If the RTD exceeds the max limit set, contractor will provide service credit to customer equal to the time that the circuit did not meet the minimum RTD requirements.

B. Network Availability

The Service Provider should be committed to maintain Network Availability of 99.5% or above for internet connection to Mainland US. If the Service availability is below the limit set, contractor will provide service credit for the amount of time the circuit did not meet network availabi lity requirements.

The Service Provider should guarantee Packet loss to Mainland US to be less than 1% measured on monthly basis. Packet loss will be measured between the USAID/Nepal Internet

Router and the first hop in Mainland US averaged over a 30 day period. If packet loss exceeds the limit, contractor will provide service credit for the amount of time the circuit did not meet network availability requirements.

C. Maintenance

• The Internet Service Provider contractor shall coordinate the service and shall be responsible for the technical sufficiency of the circuit, including services necessary to establish, operate and restore the circuit.

• Routine maintenance should take place ONLY on Saturdays and Sundays.

• Routine maintenance must be pre-scheduled with USAID/Nepal, with at least one weeks' prior notice.

• The contractor shall provide sufficient technical support to ensure uninterrupted end-to-end internet service. The contractor shall provide, properly adjust, and maintain the circuit for continuous use.

D. IP Addressing Requirement

• Addressing from the ISP should be a 255.255.255.240 (/28) subnet to support Firewall/POP

Router, DMZ connectivity. USAID will allocate this address range to USAID equipment interfaces.

• Addressing for outside interface of USAID/POP Router is required to be separate from the above addressing. The subnet for connectivity to the ISP should be a /29. This addressing will be the direct connection from USAID to the ISP Gateway IP address. The above /28 will be routed through this gateway.

E. Deliverables

The contractor shall provide the required bulk Internet Services through industry standard telecommunications channel equipment whose operation meets approved local telecommunications regulatory requirements. The contractor shall provide all documentation for the installed infrastructure including but not limited to network numbers and configuration. In addition, the contractor shall provide any test tools that may include hardware or software components. Account details for monitoring of critical devices or monitoring of bandwidth usage should be provided.

The contractor shall provide contact details and qualifications of all personnel who will carry out the installation as well as the shift engineers who operate their 24X7 network operations center.

Upon successful installation and acceptance by Contractor Officer Representative (COR), the contractor shall provide services for a twelve (12) month period.

F. Warranty

The contractor shall provide warranty for any new equipment supplied under this contract.

Cost of maintenance, repair and/or replacement of any failing components supplied under this contract will be fully borne by the contractor.

G. Service Level Agreement

The contractor is expected to adhere to a service level agreement that will be largely derived from this scope of work will be appended to the final contract.

H. Deployment/Installation

The contractor shall install the Internet infrastructure necessary to operate this service and hand over all the necessary information to the USAID/Nepal Computer Management Specialist. The contractor shall also install and commission any other equipment and any other accessories including, but not limited to, items such as power supplies, network numbers, network cards, telecommunications application, patch cables, electrical wiring and minimal cabling including all necessary accessories to make the required Internet service fully operational.

I. Period of performance

Duration of the contract will be for one year from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. However, the contract may be renewed depending on the quality of service provided by the contractor.

J. Reporting

• The Internet Service Provider should provide online Bandwidth utilization report.

• The Service provider will provide escalation matrix with contact details of support personnel.

• Service Provider has to provide single point contact for fault reporting for International/domestic segments.

• Provider will be required to provide written incident reports in the case of problems within 5 days of incident. Those incident reports should detail root causes, mitigation efforts, etc, if any.

K. Service Cancellation

USAID/Nepal reserves the right to cancel the service in case of unsatisfactory service. Any advance payment made by USAID/Nepal for the period after the cancellation of service should be refunded.

L. Contract Type and Payment Schedule:

This is a fixed price Purchase Order with quarterly payments. A firm-fixed price contract provides for a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the contractor's cost experience in performing the contract. Payments shall be made in Nepali Rupees upon successful completion, submission, revision and acceptance of the required deliverables.

M. Logistics:

The Contractor is responsible for managing all logistics required for completing this task.

N. Service Cancellation

USAID/Nepal reserves the right to cancel the service in case of unsatisfactory service. Any advance payment made by USAID/Nepal for the period after the cancellation of service should be refunded.