Invitation for Bids: Apply for Subsidy Under the Universal Service Fund to Deploy, Manage, and Maintain Free Public Wi-Fi Services at Katutura State Hospital and Keetmanshoop State Hospital on a Competitive Bidding Basis: Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009) 110 views

ESTIMATED PROJECT SIZE: Large Tender

ESTIMATED PROJECT VALUE: Approximately N$1,500,000–N$4,000,000 including VAT for both lots. Estimate only; actual value depends on the site designs, equipment quantities, backhaul capacity and 24-month connectivity costs.

KEY ITEMS / WORKS / SERVICES REQUIRED:

• Provide and manage free public Wi-Fi at two state hospitals.
• Integrate with existing infrastructure at Katutura State Hospital.
• Design and deploy a complete new network at Keetmanshoop State Hospital.

IMPORTANT QUANTITIES OR SCOPE:

• Two independent lots that may be bid for separately or together.
• Lot 1 requires dedicated backhaul, gateway services and management using existing hospital access points and cabling.
• Lot 2 requires site surveys, access points, switches, cabling, cabinets, gateway equipment and power protection.
• Four-month implementation period followed by 24 months of operation, monitoring, connectivity and maintenance.
• Minimum monthly service availability of 99% with continuous monitoring and fault logging.
• Each user receives 500MB per 24 hours and a maximum session of 120 minutes.
• Captive portal required in English, Oshiwambo, Afrikaans and Nama/Damara.
• Exact access-point quantities, required bandwidth and expected user numbers are not clearly specified.
• Monthly operational reports and a sustainability plan at least 90 days before contract expiry are required.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Applicant must be a CRAN-licensed telecommunications service provider operating in Namibia.
• Applicant must comply with Universal Service Fund contribution obligations.
• Valid BIPA registration documents.
• Separate Technical and Financial Proposals submitted under a two-envelope system.
• One original hard copy of each proposal plus one USB containing both electronic copies.
• No pricing information may appear in the Technical Proposal.
• Completed Form of Offer and Acceptance and Certificate of Authorised Signatory.
• Joint ventures must identify a lead partner and submit the required authorisation and joint-venture agreement.
• Sealed physical submission required by 11 September 2026 at 11H00.
• Bid validity: 90 calendar days.

TECHNICAL OR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Evidence of comparable internet-connectivity, managed-network or Wi-Fi deployment projects with references.
• Detailed network architecture, implementation methodology, work plan and resource allocation.
• CVs and qualifications of key technical personnel.
• Security solution must provide network separation, firewall protection, content filtering and secure administration.
• Detailed support, preventative maintenance, fault escalation, monitoring and handover arrangements.
• Minimum technical score: 49 out of 70; technical evaluation carries 70% and financial evaluation 30%.
• Bidder must fund all OPEX, maintenance, staffing, monitoring, helpdesk, transport and administrative costs.
• Subsidy is limited to eligible CAPEX and 24-month internet subscription costs.
• Equipment purchased with subsidy funds becomes MHSS property after commissioning and must be insured by the service provider.
• Subcontracting requires CRAN’s prior written consent.

BIDDER SUITABILITY: Best suited to licensed internet service providers and telecommunications companies with managed Wi-Fi experience, reliable backhaul capacity, network-security expertise and sufficient resources to carry unfunded operating costs for 24 months.

AI QUICK ASSESSMENT: A specialist subsidy opportunity rather than an ordinary supply tender. Lot 1 is less infrastructure-intensive, while Lot 2 requires a full greenfield deployment. Financial planning is critical because most operating and maintenance costs are not reimbursed. Delays may attract damages of 0.5% of the subsidy for every 30 days, and serious non-performance may require repayment of the subsidy.

Disclaimer: The information above, including estimated project value and requirements, is AI-generated for guidance purposes only and may contain errors or omissions. Unified Tender Solutions will not be held liable for any inaccuracies. Bidders are advised to inspect the official bidding documents before making any decision.