Document Standard Bidding Documents Frequently Asked Questions Purpose Complete set of documents used by a Government of Liberia entity to request a bid for the provision of internet. The standard biding documents include: bidding procedures, statement of requirements (detailing technical specifications of speed, media, reliability, availability, latency, service credit, security, response time, etc.), contract terms (general and special conditions of contract), service-level agreement, and installation acceptance agreement Brochure that allows PPCC to respond to the most common issues raised by practitioners. The frequently asked questions document reduces the need for practitioners to contact PPCC directly and increases their confidence when budgeting and monitoring internet procurement. Expected Result 5: Broadband communications & value-added services procurements Building on Expected Result 4, Digital Liberia collaborated with the MOPT and project advisory council to help select ministries, agencies, and commissions procure internet and value-added services. Internet procurement training. Digital Liberia conducted an assessment to establish the required bandwidth for ministries, agencies, and commissions and provide the basis for the statement of requirements for inclusion in procurement requests. To prepare for the FY 2018/2019 procurement cycle, Digital Liberia trained 96 procurement and IT professionals from 42 ministries, agencies, and commissions – those to be connected to the CSquared Metro Fiber Ring – on the standard bidding documents for internet procurement. Digital Liberia also trained the PPCC and MOPT CIO office in the standard bidding documents and guidelines to enable them to roll out the documents to the entire government. To complement this training, Digital Liberia trained the office on issuing a request for quotation (RFQ)/invitation to tender (ITT) to Libtelco for government services. Libtelco and other ISPs were trained in how to effectively respond to the RFQ/ITT and general standard bidding documents as well as understand terms in the draft contract and service-level agreement. PPCC was reluctant to authorize use of the new procedures to procure Internet until the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning agreed to pay Libtelco, which would allow Libtelco to pay for connection to the CSquared fiber. Digital Liberia’s ability to make progress on certain work plan activities while the government made decisions on others was a critical aspect of successful implementation, as the government sometimes changed course quickly. Once PPCC authorized the new procurement procedures, Digital Liberia quickly supported the procurement process. In FY 2019, Digital Liberia completed a final refresher training on Internet procurement procedures for procurement and IT professionals from MOPT and PPCC so that all participants understood their role in the procurement process. In FY 2019, the Digital Liberia team trained a total of 193 staff in various elements of Internet procurement. Internet procured for ministries, agencies, and commissions. MOPT implemented centralized Internet procurement on behalf of all ministries, agencies, and commissions connected through the government ISP. Digital Liberia developed the RFQ for Libtelco using the standard bidding documents developed in FY 2018 and guided the MOPT CIO office through on the job training. MOPT issued the RFQ to Libtelco and accepted the resulting quote. Digital Liberia supported MOPT to inform 70 ministries, agencies, and commissions of their bandwidth requirements and amounts for inclusion in the FY 2019/2020 budget for internet. MOPT will enter an agreement with the government ISP on behalf of designated ministries, agencies, and commissions, upon legislative approval of the budget. Due to the delay in the government’s budget preparations, Digital Liberia did not assist with the contracting process. Value-added services procurement. Libtelco has integrated GovNet as a value-added service to the government. The Public Financial Management Reform Project procured GovNet from Libtelco to transmit integrated financial management information system data from 91 ministries, agencies, and commissions and the Liberia Revenue Authority is negotiating with Libtelco on the provision of this DIGITAL LIBERIA FINAL REPORT | 19