Backup Internet Services at CDC Offices, NICO House

The Department of State seeks backup internet services at the CDC facility in Lilongwe, Malawi, with quotations due August 11, 2026. The procurement is unrestricted (no set-aside) and will award to the lowest-priced, acceptable, responsible offeror based on initial quotations without discussions, though discussions may occur with offerors in the competitive range.

Place of performance is Lilongwe, Malawi. The contractor must provide one dedicated internet channel at minimum speed of 50,000 Kbps (50 Mbps) with HSRP protocol, available 24/7 for 52 weeks per year, via fiber optic delivery. Service must achieve 99.9 percent monthly availability, bit error rate not exceeding 1 in 10^6 bits, and round-trip time of 300 milliseconds. The contractor furnishes all engineering, labor, tools, equipment, materials, supplies, and Data Service Unit configured with DCE interface and signal element timing. The circuit must be installed and accepted within 60 days of contract award. Contract performance runs one base year from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. Pricing shall be submitted in Malawi Kwacha with 10 percent excise duty and VAT calculated separately; the price must include flat-fee unlimited usage.

NAICS code is 517111, Wired Telecommunications Carriers; PSC code is DG10, IT and Telecom – Network as a Service. Evaluation ranks technical compliance as most important, followed by service reliability and SLA strength, and network architecture/backbone access adequacy. Mandatory requirements include SAM registration, SF-1449 completion, pricing, representations and certifications, past performance, strategic plan for internet services, proof of personnel and financial resources, plans for obtaining local licenses and permits, and network topology documentation. A pre-quotation conference is scheduled for July 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM at the CDC Conference Room; prospective quoters must contact Lilongwe GSO Procurement by July 27, 2026 for entry arrangements.