Somalia: LRPS-EMU-2016-9124947 - ICT HARDWARE MAINTENANCE

1.0 PROCEDURES AND RULES

UNICEF is the agency of the United Nations mandated to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child UNICEF strives to establish children’s rights as international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF’s role is to mobilise political will and material resources to help countries ensure a “first call for children". UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children.

UNICEF carries out its work through its headquarters in New York, 8 regional offices and 125 country offices world-wide. UNICEF also has a research centre in Florence, a supply operation based in Copenhagen and offices in Tokyo and Brussels. UNICEF’s 37 committees raise funds and spread awareness about the organisations mission and work.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

The purpose of this RFP is to invite proposals from qualified institutional consultancy firms for the provision of ICT Hardware Maintenance and Routine Helpdesk Support Services at the UNICEF Somalia Offices in Nairobi. Contract will be established with selected company on a long term arrangement (LTA) basis for an initial period of one (1) year with possibility to extend for another year.

1.3 FORECAST SCHEDULE

The schedule of the contractual process is as follows:

Closing date and time for submission of full proposal: 11/05/2016 at 10.00 a.m. Nairobi Time

b) Award Notice: To be determined

c) Signature of contract: To be determined

1.4 RFP CHANGE POLICY

All requests for formal clarification or queries on this RFP must be submitted in writing via email to somsupply@unicef.org. Please make sure that the e-mail mentions the RFP reference number.

Only written inquiries will be entertained. Please be informed that if the question is of common interest, the answer will be shared with all potential RFP bidders.

Erasures or other corrections in the proposal must be explained and the signature of the applicant shown alongside. All changes to a proposal must be received prior to the closing time and date. It must be clearly indicated that it is a modification and supersedes the earlier proposal, or state the changes from the original proposal. Proposals may be withdrawn on written request received from bidders prior to the opening time and date. Bidders are expected to examine all instructions pertaining to the work. Failure to do so will be at bidder’s own risk and disadvantage.

1.5 RFP RESPONSE FORMAT

Full proposals should be submitted in English and must be received not later than 11/05/2016 by 10.00 a.m. Nairobi Time. Proposals received after the stipulated date and time will be invalidated.

The proposals should be submitted as follows:-

· Sealed Envelope 1: Technical proposal only without mention of the budget – the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Name of Company; Technical Proposal”

· Sealed Envelope 2: Financial Proposal - the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Name of Company; Financial Proposal”

· Sealed Envelope 3: Outer envelope containing the individual envelopes for Technical & Financial Proposals – the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Company Name”

· Please remember to sign the “Request for Proposal for Services Form” on Page 3 of the RFP document and return together with the proposal.

Note: Proposals not submitted in this manner will be invalidated.

BIDS may be hand-delivered or sent by Courier to:-

UNICEF SOMALIA SUPPORT CENTRE OFFICE,

UN GIGIRI COMPLEX, BLOCK Q, GROUND FLOOR

P.O. Box 44145-00100

Nairobi

Attn: Procurement Specialist

Bidders are requested to provide details (Name/ID No.) of the persons delivering a day in advance by sending an email to somsupply@unicef.org to facilitate clearance to enter the UN complex.

Due to the nature of this RFP, there will be no public opening of proposals and responsible officers will open technical proposals when the specified time has arrived.

1.6 BIDDER RESPONSE

1.6.1 Formal submission requirements

The formal submission requirements as outlined in this Request for Proposal must be followed, e.g. regarding form and timing of submission, marking of the envelopes, no price information in the technical proposal, etc.

1.6.2 Mandatory criteria

All mandatory (i.e. must/have to/shall/should/will) criteria mentioned throughout this Request for Proposal have to be addressed and met in your proposal.

All references to descriptive materials should be included in the appropriate response paragraph, though the material/documents themselves may be provided as annexes to the proposal/response.

It is important that you read all of the provisions of the request for proposal, to ensure that you understand UNICEF’s requirements and can submit a proposal in compliance with them. The bidder must also provide sufficient information in the proposal to address each area of the Proposal Evaluation to allow the evaluation team to make a fair assessment of the candidates and their proposal. Note that failure to provide compliant proposals may result in invalidation of your proposal.

1.7 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Information, which the bidder considers proprietary, should be clearly marked "proprietary", if any, next to the relevant part of the text, and UNICEF will treat such information accordingly.

1.8 RIGHTS OF UNICEF

UNICEF reserves the right to accept any proposal, in whole or in part; or, to reject any or all proposals. UNICEF reserves the right to invalidate any Proposal received from a Bidder who has previously failed to perform properly or complete contracts on time, or a Proposal received from a Bidder who, in the opinion of UNICEF, is not in a position to perform the contract. UNICEF shall not be held responsible for any cost incurred by the Bidder in preparing the response to this Request for Proposal. The Bidder agrees to be bound by the decision of UNICEF as to whether her/his proposal meets the requirements stated in this Request for Proposal. Specifically, UNICEF reserves the right to:

• contact any or all references supplied by the bidder(s);

• request additional supporting or supplementary data (from the bidder(s));

• arrange interviews with the bidder(s);

• reject any or all proposals submitted;

• accept any proposals in whole or in part;

• negotiate with the service provider(s) who has/have attained the best rating/ranking, i.e. the one(s) providing the overall best value proposal(s);

• contract any number of candidates as required to achieve the overall evaluation objectives.

VALIDITY

Proposal must be valid for a minimum of ninety (90) days from the date of opening of this RFP and must be signed by all candidates included in the submission. For proposals from institutions, the proposal must also be signed by an authorised representative of the institution. Bidders are requested to indicate the validity period of their proposal in the Proposal Form. UNICEF may also request for an extension of the validity of the proposal.

1.8.1 Technical Proposal

The technical proposal should address all aspects and criteria outlined in this Request for Proposal, especially in its statement of work, terms of reference and paragraph 1.10 of this Request for Proposal. However, all these requirements represent a wish list from UNICEF. The bidders are free to suggest/ propose any other solution. UNICEF welcomes new ideas and innovative approaches. (NOTE: No price information should be contained in the technical proposal).

1.8.2 Price Proposal

The price proposal should be in line with the TOR, indicating overall/total cost of assignment and itemized budget.

1.9 PROPOSAL EVALUTION

After the RFP opening, each proposal will be assessed first on is technical merits and subsequently on its price. The proposal with the best overall value, composed of technical merit and price, will be recommended for approval. UNICEF will set up an evaluation panel composed of technical UNICEF staff and their conclusions will be forwarded to the internal UNICEF contracts Review Committee.

The evaluation panel will first evaluate each response for compliance with requirement of the RFP. Responses deemed not to meet all of the mandatory requirements will be considered non-compliant and rejected at this stage without further consideration. Failure to comply with any of the terms and conditions contained in this RFP, including provision of all required information may result in a response or proposal being disqualified from further consideration.

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

The technical proposals will be evaluated against specified criteria below. The total amount of points allocated to the technical proposal is 70 points and only technical proposals which receive a minimum of 50 points will be considered further.

a) Technical Evaluation Criteria and Relative Points

Category/Points

1. OVERALL RESPONSE - TOTAL 10 POINTS

(i) Overall concord between UNICEF requirements and the proposals of the candidate organization / firm - 5 Points

(ii) Understanding of, and responsiveness to the requirements of the assignment in terms of technical and expert services as per the attached ToR - 2.5 Points

(iii) Detail and thoroughness of the proposal in respect of the requirements of the ToR and assignment - 2.5 Points

2. The Technical Offer including Work Plan and Approach,** comprising of;

Proposed design of the process, methodology, preparations and provision of ICT Hardware maintenance and routine helpdesk support services, and description of how the company is intending to carry out the tasks e.g. how to organize the required technicians and support their work (TOTAL 25 POINTS)

(i) Demonstrates clear understanding of Hardware Maintenance Tasks - 5 Points

(ii) Demonstrates clear understanding of ICT Helpdesk Support Services - 5 Points

(iii) Demonstrates clear understanding of warranty processing procedures - 5 Points

(iv) Clear and effective reporting and internal incident escalation and resolution mechanism - 5 Points

(v) Clearly states how continuous support will be maintained during absence of on-site contractor due to annual leave, sick off, etc. - 5 Points

3. TECHNICAL CAPACITY: Organization’s Background, Experience, Expertise and Other Attributes - 35 POINTS

(a) Institution’s or Company’s Background - 4 Points

(i) Full address and location of registered offices

(ii) Details of registrations (certificate of incorporation/ documentation as a registered company or institution).

(iii) Evidence of ability to mobilize qualified personnel and experts

(iv) Number and type of employees or available experts

(b) Experience - 15 Points

The company should demonstrate:

(i) Demonstrable experience (minimum 2 years) in Provision of ICT Hardware Maintenance and Routine Helpdesk Support Services

(ii) HP Accredited warranty and Service Centre

(iii) Lenovo Accredited Service and Warranty Centre

(c) Expertise (The company should provide CVs of two proposed experts) - 16 Points

(i) An on-site service technician

(ii) An off-site service technician

b) Financial Proposal:

Bidders should provide a summary of clear and justified evidence of financial accountability, sufficient and consistent with project activities and goals and detailed breakdown of budget inclusive of professional fees, admin, travel costs if any.

(NOTE: bidders should provide an all-inclusive budget as successful company will be responsible for all project costs including security and insurance for its team members)

The total amount of points allocated for the price component is 30%. The maximum points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened and compared among those invited firms/institutions which obtain the threshold points in the evaluation of the technical component. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price e.g.

Score for price proposal X = Max. score for price proposal x Price of lowest priced proposal/Price of proposal X

The currency of the proposal shall be in US Dollars. Invoicing will be in the currency of the proposal. The bidder will suggest a payment schedule for the Contract, linked to unambiguous Contract milestones. All prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes as UNICEF is a tax-exempt organization.

Weights:70 Points Technical proposal 30 points Financial proposal

2.0 TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background

UNICEF has over the years became heavily dependent on ICT equipment and systems. Every staff member has a dedicated computer terminal, connected to a network with access to shared printers, to the internet and core UNICEF applications. These hardware devices are naturally prone to hardware failure and will need to be repaired or replaced promptly otherwise the staff member may not be able to perform his/her duties. Our hardware equipment is from three main manufacturers (HP, Lenovo and CISCO) who require support technicians to be specifically trained and certified in their brand of equipment to a level of depth that is however not required by UNICEF.

A number basic ICT helpdesk tasks are routine and repetitive, yet important. For example, installing a new computer, connecting a user to a printer, clearing a printer paper jam or initiating a video or telephone conference session. UNICEF can save on important staff time and resources by outsourcing these basic and routine helpdesk tasks to a contracting company.

Purpose:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to effectively and efficiently support the ICT function in UNICEF Somalia by providing ICT hardware support and basic ICT helpdesk support.

Main Responsibilities/Activities:

The assignment includes:

i) Providing hardware support and repairing faulty equipment

ii) Facilitating warranty processing and replacement of equipment

iii) Performing regular preventive hardware maintenance and cleaning of equipment

iv) Performing basic ICT helpdesk tasks

v) Preparing a quarterly consultancy report summarizing the work done in that quarter.

Deliverables:

i) Proper working of all ICT hardware in Annex 1

ii) Prompt warranty processing of faulty equipment and follow-up with the manufacturer for replacement. This may require the contractor to organize for transportation of the equipment from our office to the warranty center and back.

iii) Preventive maintenance, dusting and cleaning of all ICT hardware in Annex 1 carried out twice during the course of the contract.

iv) Prompt and satisfactory basic ICT helpdesk service. This will include:-

a. Installation of the UNICEF software image on computers

b. Installation and configuration of printers, connecting users to printers and clearing paper jams

c. Supporting users with backup and restoration of their computer data on external disks or the cloud

d. Installing and configuring telephone extensions

e. Initiating video or tele conference sessions. Connecting a projector to a laptop.

f. Supporting users experiencing ad-hoc challenges in with basic computing tasks e.g. connecting to the wireless network, formatting a word document, or using simple arithmetic formulas in excel worksheet.

v) Quarterly consultancy report summarizing the work done in that quarter.

Management, Organization and Timeframe:

The contractor will be supervised and guided by the UNICEF ICT Officer in close collaboration with the ICT Manager. The contractor will also work closely with UNICEF Snr. ICT Assistants.

Duration & Remuneration:

This consultancy is initially for 12 months and will be paid on a quarterly basis (every three months) upon submission of the quarterly consultancy report and invoicing by the contractor, and certification of satisfactory performance by the supervisor at UNICEF. The contract will be renewable for another one year provided the terms and conditions remain acceptable to both the parties.

Human Resource Requirements

The contractor will be required to provide one qualified, onsite service technician with at least two years’ work experience, from 8:00AM to 4:30PM on all working days (except UN holidays). The contractor will provide the price (daily/weekly/monthly rate) of additional service technician if required on ad-hoc basis.

The contractor will be required to provide one qualified offsite service technician with at least two years’ work experience who act as a backup to the onsite technician, and be immediately availed to UNICEF whenever the onsite technician is unable to report on duty due to annual leave, sick leave or family emergency.

The contractor will provide a pool of qualified technicians based at the contractor’s premises and certified by the manufacturers of the equipment brands listed in Annex 1 but available to be called in within 24 hrs incase the nature of the equipment fault is beyond the skills of the onsite technician.

The contractor will provide a team on 4 to 8 technicians to dust and clean the equipment during the annual maintenance exercise.

The remuneration and all other entitlements of all the technicians above (including insurance) will be the responsibility of the contractor.

Qualification and Experience

i) Our desktops and Printers are manufactured by HP. The firm MUST therefore be a HP accredited warranty and support center.

ii) Our laptops are manufactured by Lenovo. The firm MUST therefore also be a Lenovo accredited service and warranty center.

iii) Our network switches are manufactured by CISCO. It is therefore desirable for the firm to have CISCO certified technicians.

iv) The firm is expected to demonstrate that it has a track record of no less than five years supporting organizations similar to us with 100+ users.

While preparing the technical proposal, applying firms must give attention to the following:-

· Company profile and registration (legal)

· CVs of at least 2 technical staff key staff (the onsite technician and the backup technician) who will be directly involved in the contract delivery.

· Resume of the pool of qualified technicians based at the contractor’s premises and certified by the manufacturers of the equipment brands listed in Annex 1

· The technical proposal should provide an outline of the firm’s recent experience on similar undertakings.

· Proposed Budget per annum

· Optional additional monthly cost incase UNICEF requires an additional staff to based at our offices for a month.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payments will be made on a quarterly basis and upon satisfactory provision of services and submission of consultancy report:-

· July 2016 – September 2016 (1st Quarter): 25% payment

· October 2016 – December 2016 (2nd Quarter): 25 % payment

· January 2017 – March 2017 (3rd Quarter): 25% payment

· April 2017 – June 2017 (4th Quarter): 25% payment

UNICEF payment terms are within 30 days of receipt of original invoice and supporting documents.

Full proposals should be submitted in English and must be received not later than 11/05/2016 by 10.00 a.m. Nairobi Time. Proposals received after the stipulated date and time will be invalidated.

The proposals should be submitted as follows:-

· Sealed Envelope 1: Technical proposal only without mention of the budget – the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Name of Company; Technical Proposal”

· Sealed Envelope 2: Financial Proposal - the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Name of Company; Financial Proposal”

· Sealed Envelope 3: Outer envelope containing the individual envelopes for Technical & Financial Proposals – the envelope should be clearly marked with “RFP No.; Company Name”

· Please remember to sign the “Request for Proposal for Services Form” on Page 3 of the RFP document and return together with the proposal.

Note: Proposals not submitted in this manner will be invalidated.

BIDS may be hand-delivered or sent by Courier to:-

UNICEF SOMALIA SUPPORT CENTRE OFFICE,

UN GIGIRI COMPLEX, BLOCK Q, GROUND FLOOR

P.O. Box 44145-00100

Nairobi

Attn: Procurement Specialist

Bidders are requested to provide details (Name/ID No.) of the persons delivering a day in advance by sending an email to somsupply@unicef.org to facilitate clearance to enter the UN complex.