Individual Consultancy for Telecommunication Advisory Services

Job Description

Country: Rwanda Project: REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM - RWANDA (RCIPRW) Financing: World Bank Abstract: CONSULTING SERVICES: INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY FOR TELECOMMUNICATION ADVISORY SERVICES Sector: Consultants Loan/Credit Number: Project ID No: P106369 Contract/Bid Number: RDB/ICT/RCIP/IC/38/10 Deadline: 23 August 2010


II. Introduction and Background:

The Government of Rwanda is embarking on an ambitious project to provide countrywide telecommunications connectivity. In addition to its own resources, the Government has requested World Bank assistance to participate in a regional program, the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program -Rwanda Project (RCIP-Rwanda).

The Regional Communications Infrastructure Program supports connectivity and eGovernment transparency initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa. RCIP support covers (i) financing technical assistance to promote further sector liberalization, resolve market efficiency gaps, and harmonize connectivity-related policy and regulatory frameworks (ii) financing coordinated backbone deployment to avoid redundant infrastructure initiatives and focus on missing links, (iii) designing public private partnership (PPP) arrangements to leverage private sector investment, and (iv) supporting the development of e-government applications and content to complement the deployment of the regional infrastructure.

The RCIP-Rwanda Project received a grant from the World Bank for USD $24M, and its development objective is to contribute to the extension of the geographic reach of broadband networks in Rwanda and to foster private sector led growth of the ICT sector by promoting and accelerating wide-spread access to ICT services, particularly in rural areas. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) based in Kigali, Rwanda will implement the Project.

III. Objectives and Key Results Expected

The objective of this Consultancy is to provide technical telecommunications advisory services to the RDB and RCIP-Rwanda technical and management teams on the design and implementation of connectivity contracts to be tendered and implemented under the Project together with assistance in developing a successful Virtual Landing Point (VLP) for all the fiber links that are reaching Rwanda. The major outputs of the assignment will be the draft technical specifications of the connectivity supply contracts and the technical specifications to set up the VLP under the Project. In addition, the Consultant will provide on-going advisory support and advice to the RDB and RCIP Rwanda management teams throughout the assignment.

IV. Scope of Work

The Telecom Consultant will work closely with RDB but will principally report to the RCIP-Rwanda Coordinator. The Telecom Consultant will have the following duties:

1. Review of regional and international market and advise RDB and RCIP-
Rwanda Management. Specifically:

Review and advise on developments in the submarine fiber-optic cables being developed along the East coast of Africa, including: capacity, likely schedule for coming into service, services offered, onward/backhaul connectivity arrangements, regional connectivity arrangements, structure of supply contracts, prices and other technical and financial aspects.

Review and advise on current market developments in the East African region, including:
–Analysis of current market structure in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi.
–Assessment of all operators and major ISPs operating in these markets.
–Assessment of market developments over the next five years, including new entrants, likely changes to legal and license regimes, new services and price trends, etc.
–Analysis of regional and international price trends.

2. Financial analysis

Develop financial model to estimate likely cost of long-term connectivity supply contract.

3. Analysis and recommendation of technical and contractual options.

The Consultant will review all of the technical network options for delivering the outcomes of the project. This will include (but is not limited to) the following:
–Possible routes to connect Kigali to the submarine landing stations, including considerations of route security redundancy.
–Existing and planned technology, including quality of service.

The Consultant will advise the RDB and RCIP-Rwanda teams on the design of connectivity supply contracts. This will include (but is not limited to):
–Basic connectivity supply contract structure (both international and national connectivity)
–Specification of services to be provided including onward connectivity, teleport services etc.
–Quality of service specifications
–Additional provisions regarding construction of new networks
–Contract enforcement mechanisms
–Payment structures
–Penalty mechanisms

In carrying out this task, the consultant will familiarize themselves with World Bank procurement guidelines and procedures and ensure that their recommendations are consistent with these guidelines and procedures.

4. Draft technical specifications for supply contract
? The consultant will prepare a the technical specifications to be included in the long-term international connectivity supply contract to be tendered by the government.

5. Draft Technical specification for the Virtual Landing Point

The consultant will prepare the technical specifications of a scalable VLP that could be run by a third party and thus facilitate the access to multiple fiber provider. This VLP may be coupled with the management of the local Exchange Point. The consultant will also recommend best practices of process and procedures in running a VLP.

6. On-going advisory support

The consultant will provide on-going advisory support to the RCIP-Rwanda team throughout the assignment. This includes all topics relating to the design, supply, usage and management of bandwidth connectivity supply.

Wherever required, assist in the evaluation of tenders for the provision of connectivity

Provide technical guidance throughout the implementation of the connectivity supply contracts

Recommend a framework for capacity building in the area of bandwidth management.

7. And any other areas of advice, which the government of Rwanda may specify.

V. Deliverables/Outputs

All the deliverables shall conform to the standards to be agreed prior to the commencement of work. The Consultant will travel to Rwanda on at least 5 occasions spread over a period of 20 months and will be required to stay in Rwanda for at least 1 week during each visit.

However the first visit should last about 2 weeks in which the consultant will familiarize himself/herself with the Rwandan environment together with the region as a whole (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi). After this visit, the consultant will be expected to provide an Inception report and PowerPoint presentation outlining the detailed implementation plans on both main projects, detailed roles, responsibilities and activities of each Party based on mutual agreement, acceptance procedures, and implementation management monitoring framework.

Prior to the call for bids, the Consultant may visit again to finalize the technical details with the local team.

He/She will also participate in the evaluation of bids in due time together with the certification of services after the delivery of the services and goods under this project.

At the end of each of the visits, the Consultant will produce and submit the following output:

a. Interim Report summarizing technical telecom advisory services undertaken including advice provided, technical specifications developed or modified, tender evaluation activities and results if any as well as management procedures and processes.

b. Interim Report outlining the proposed bandwidth management capacity building framework including a curriculum for training to be developed based on requirements where applicable.

At the end of the final visit, the Consultant shall produce a Final Report that will include:

a. A summary of work undertaken in all the visits, project activities, results and outstanding action items.

b. A summary of connectivity supply and equipment acceptance test activities and results.

At the end of each visit, the Consultant will do a presentation to RDB/ICT management where he/she will provide recommendations on all the issues mentioned under Scope of Work.

VI. Reporting Requirements

The consultant will report to the RCIP-Rwanda Lead Technical Manager throughout the assignment.
VII. Qualifications and Competences

The applicant will have at least 10 years of professional experience in telecommunications, at least 3 of which must have been directly involved in international telecoms or ISP. Having participated in IXP implementation or management will be an added advantage.

The applicant must have worked on and negotiated international telecoms capacity supply contracts for a telecom operator or ISP.

The applicant must have knowledge of terrestrial fiber-optic network design and construction.

The applicant will preferably have some experience of working in Africa and preferably have some knowledge of the telecommunications market in East Africa.

The applicant shall provide a brief summary of proven experience and capabilities in related assignments.

The applicant must have strong managerial and communication skills and a record of achieving results and must be fluent in English. French knowledge would be an additional value.

The applicant should also have proven skills in:

Management and leadership

Planning and organizing

The applicant should have demonstrated ability to:

Advise management on technical subjects

Deliver completed and fully specified outputs

Be a team player that motivates and educates other team members

Set and manage priorities

Relate to all levels of the stakeholder and end-user community

VIII. Duration of the Assignment

The assignment is expected to be for a total period of 16 weeks, spread over a period of 20 months. This will include at-least 5 visits to Rwanda and another 30 days spread over the assignment period for offsite advice either on emails or phone as well as Skype calls. The visits will be made on request of the RCIPRW Project and in agreement with the Consultant.

IX Responsibilities of the Client and the Consultant

The Consultant will be based in Rwanda for approximately 35 days of the assignment. All the costs for travel to and from Kigali and the Consultant’s living expenses while in Kigali will be the Consultant’s responsibilities.

In addition, visits to each of the countries in the region (esp. Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) will be required. The consultant will be expected to meet all of the significant operators and ISPs in the regional market plus representatives of the submarine cables and major capacity resellers. He will be expected to make these visits accompanied by one or more of the RCIP-Rwanda Project team members.

All travel, hotel and living expenses while on assignment in Rwanda WHEN traveling to the above mentioned countries would be the responsibility of the Consultant.

The Client will introduce the Consultant to some stakeholders and he will be expected to make additional contacts on his own.

The Consultant will be fully responsible for the assignment including but not limited to logistical facilitation.

X. How to apply:

Interested and qualified persons should submit their application letters accompanied by the detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English together with the copies of relevant certificates at the Following address:

N.B: The Deadline of submission is August 23rd, 2010 at 1700Hrs Local time (GMT+2).

Contact: Rwanda Development Board / ICT.
Attn: RCIPRW Lead Technical Manager.
RDB Building 2nd Floor.
P.O Box 6239.
Kigali/Rwanda.
E-mail: