Project ID: P171528

Project Title: Caribbean Digital Transformation Project

Borrower Bid Reference: LC-OECS COMMISSION-335973-CS-INDV

Published Date: 06-Jun-2023

Details:

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP)

Grant No.: IDA – D6520

Assignment Title: Telecommunications Advisor

Reference No.: LC-OECS COMMISSION-335973-CS-INDV

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has received funding from the World Bank toward the cost of the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the hiring of a Telecommunications Advisor.

The overall objective of this assignment is to provide technical support to the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) for the management and execution of various consultancies and activities under Sub-component 1.1 of CARDTP - Telecommunications: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions, and Capacity.  The assignment is expected to be undertaken for a period of sixteen (16) months and can be done remotely.

The OECS now invites eligible Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The minimum required qualifications and experience are listed in section 5 of the Terms of Reference (TOR) below.  The details of the services required are available in the TOR which is available on the official website: www.oecs.org. 

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, Fourth Edition, November 2020 (‘Procurement Regulations’), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. 

Individual Consultants wishing to signify their interest in undertaking the prescribed services are to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) providing information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services (Curriculum Vitae, description of similar assignments, etc) 

Expressions of Interest can be submitted via email.

For more information or to submit Expressions of Interest, please contact:

Jenna Flavien

Procurement Officer

OECS Commission Morne Fortuné

P.O. Box 1383

Castries

Saint Lucia

Telephone: 758-455-6424

Email: [email protected]   

Copied to:

Mr. Imran Williams, [email protected]    

An Individual Consultant will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, Fourth Edition, November 2020.

Expressions of Interest will be evaluated and the Individual Consultant with the most relevant experience and qualifications will be selected and requested to submit a proposal which will be the basis for negotiations leading to a contract. 

An electronic copy of Expressions of Interest are to reach the OECS Commission by June 23, 2023 addressed to:

Ms. Jenna Flavien, Procurement Officer

At the following email address:

[email protected]

copied to [email protected]

The email submissions should include the name and address of the Consultant and shall be clearly marked in the subject line as “Expression of Interest – “Telecommunications Advisor”.

The Terms of Reference for this consultancy and EOI template are provided below.

Caribbean Digital Transformation Project

IDA – D6520

Scope of Services

Terms of Reference

Telecommunications Advisor

May 2023

1. BACKGROUND

The OECS Commission and the Governments of Grenada, Dominica, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are implementing a digital transformation project, financed by the World Bank Group. The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (called “project” going forth) comprises four components that address key bottlenecks and harness opportunities to develop the Eastern Caribbean Digital Economy as a driver of growth, job creation and improved service delivery.  It aims to –

• ensure that every individual and business within the region is empowered with the access to broadband, digital financial services, and skills needed to actively participate in an increasingly digital marketplace and society;
• leverage public sector modernization and digitization to improve service delivery and to drive creation of a digital culture across the region;
• support the improved management of digital risks, by bolstering cybersecurity policy, capacity, and planning tools in the region;
• facilitate technology adoption to improve productivity of flagship industries and create demand for digitally enabled jobs; and
• foster regional integration and cooperation to capture the economies of scale and scope required to increase impact and value for money of the project interventions and to create a more competitive, seamless regional digital market to attract investment and provide room for growth of digital firms.

One component of the project focuses on Telecommunications: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions and Capacity. This sub-component, under the technical leadership of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (“ECTEL”), supports greater telecoms sector competition, affordability and service quality across the region as well as enhancing resilience and emergency response capabilities for critical communications infrastructure. It will support modernization of the legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks governing the telecoms sector and the capacity to implement them at regional and national level.

ECTEL is the regulatory body for telecommunications in its five Member States[1]. It was established on 4th May 2000, by Treaty signed in St. George’s, Grenada which was amended by Protocol Amendment dated 5th December 2019. The primary purposes of ECTEL are to promote market liberalization, a universal service, fair pricing, fair competition practices, the introduction of advanced telecommunications technologies and an increased range of services in the Contracting States.

Currently proposed under the CARDTP are the following main initiatives:-

• • Carrying out a review of the legal and regulatory frameworks covering telecommunications and support for drafting of new or amending existing legislation and regulations as necessary at regional and national levels, paired with a review of telecom sector governance and institutional structures, procedures, and authority at regional and national levels;
  • Establishment of a quality of service (“QoS”) monitoring and enforcement methodology and capacity;
  • Procurement of Hardware and Software for Monitoring of Quality of Service; and
  • Development of action plans to improve network resilience and post disaster recovery and emergency communications, and implementation of communications infrastructure disaster response and recovery drills in partnership with private sector.
  • Digital Inclusion Survey of the ECTEL’s Contracting States (“CS”)

1. OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of this assignment is to provide technical support to ECTEL for the management and execution of various consultancies and activities under Sub-component 1.1 of the Project - Telecommunications: Legal and Regulatory Environment, Institutions, and Capacity.

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES

To provide technical support to ECTEL to manage the consultancies for ongoing and incoming activities under Sub-component 1.1 of the Project.

Specific Scope of Services

1. Review of the legal and regulatory frameworks covering telecommunications and support for drafting of new or amending existing legislation and regulations as necessary at regional and national levels, paired with a review of telecom sector governance and institutional structures, procedures, and authority at the regional and national levels.

The consultant is expected to:

• Review the CARDTP Project Appraisal Document (“PAD”), as well as the current governance, legislative, regulatory, institutional and policy framework instruments and other relevant instruments governing the electronic communications sector in the ECTEL CS, including the ECTEL Treaty, Electronic Communications (“EC”) Bill and draft suite of Regulations and legislative instruments, relevant national and regional instruments; 
• Review international best practice legal and regulatory policies governing electronic communications;
• Consider previous consultancies, reports, assessments and work conducted/completed in relation to the sub-component.
• Based on the above review, prepare an assessment of the current governance, legal and regulatory framework of ECTEL;
• Develop the Terms of Reference (“TOR”) for the relevant Consultancies required;
• Provide technical assistance in the evaluation of Expressions of Interest and Proposals for the selection of the Consultant;
• Assist the Directorate of ECTEL to review, assess and provide feedback on all outputs submitted by the consultant;
• Serve as the internal rapporteur for all meetings with Consultant; and

1. Establishment of quality- of-service (QoS) monitoring and enforcement methodology and capacity.

The consultant is expected to assist the Directorate of ECTEL to review, assess and provide feedback on the submissions by the contracted Consultant Axon Partners Group including:

1. Draft Determination Paper for Electronic Communications (Quality of Service) Regulations
2. Final Electronic Communications (Quality of Service) Regulations for the ECTEL Contracting States;
3. Implementation Plan for QoS regime; and
4. Capacity Building Strategy for QoS regime

1. Development of action plans to improve network resilience and post disaster recovery and emergency communications, and implementation of communications infrastructure disaster response and recovery drills.

The Consultant is expected to:

• Review relevant data, documents and policies relevant to network resilience and post disaster and emergency communications including International Telecommunications Union (“ITU")’s Guidelines on National Emergency Telecommunications, National ICT Emergency Communications Plans, and ITU’s Connect2Recover Network Resiliency Assessment Reports;
• Develop the TOR for the Consultancy;
• Provide technical assistance in the evaluation of Expressions of Interest for the selection of the Consultant;
• Assist the Directorate of ECTEL to review, assess and provide feedback on all outputs submitted by the consultant;
• Serve as the internal rapporteur for all meetings with consultant; and

1. Implementation of a Digital Inclusion Survey (“DIS”) for the ECTEL CS.

The consultant is expected to:

• Assist the Directorate of ECTEL to review, assess and provide feedback on all outputs submitted by the consultant;
• Serve as the internal rapporteur for all meetings with consultant; and

The execution of activities will be overseen by ECTEL, therefore the development of the relevant TORs, specifications and review of deliverables requires consultation with ECTEL during the drafting process and inclusion of the inputs and recommendations of ECTEL in the final documents.

1. COORDINATION WITH OECS AND ECCB

The Consultant shall coordinate with the OECS Commission, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (“ECCB”) and other stakeholders for feedback and consistency with policy recommendations.   The Consultant must provide guidance and direction and propose a plan to interface and manage the deliverable(s).

1. SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

The Consultant must meet the following qualifying criteria:

Academic Qualifications

1. At least a Master’s Degree in Economics, Engineering (Electrical, Telecommunications, Electronics) or a related field;
2. Qualifications in Project Management; and
3. Fluency in both written and spoken English

Experience

1. At least seven (7) years of work experience in the telecommunications/electronic communications sector;
2. At least seven (7) years of policy development relating to the telecommunications/electronic communications sector;
3. Demonstrated capacity in the provision of advisory services;
4. Demonstrated project management experience;
5. Demonstration of successful completion of at least of one (1) similar assignment during the past five (5) years.;
6. Demonstrated experience in undertaking consultancies in the OECS or CARICOM region, or in SIDS countries would be an advantage;
7. Knowledge of telecommunications/electronic communications network infrastructure would be an asset
8. Knowledge of financial and operational business processes and procedures would be an asset; and
9. Demonstrated experience in organizational/institutional design, strategic policy planning and development would be an asset.

The Consultant acknowledges that he/she will be ineligible to bid on the work arising from this assignment and further represents that no employee, agent, associate or affiliate will tender bids arising from this assignment.

1. ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE

The assignment is expected to be undertaken over a sixteen (16) month period

The Consultant will request payment on a monthly or bi-monthly basis supported by a time-log of deliverables worked which corresponds to the payment requested.  For purposes of this assignment, a working day is defined as a period of eight (8) hours worked.

World Bank CV/EOI Template

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9.    Languages:

10.                                         Employment Record (Add rows as required):

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[1] Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Organization/Department: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Commission

Name: Imran Williams

Address: P.O. Box 179 Morne Fortune Castries Saint Lucia

City:

Province/State:

Postal Code:

Country: St. Lucia

Phone: 1 (758) 5180415

Email: [email protected]

Website: