terms of reference for hiring of infrastructure sharing expert

8/3/2019 Terms of Reference for Hiring of Infrastructure Sharing Expert

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02TermsOfReferenceForHiringOfInfrastructureSharingExpert(Ver.6).Doc

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TermsofReference(ToR)forhiringconsultanttodraftguidelinesandrecommendmodalitiesonTelecom

InfrastructureSharing1) ProjectBackground

NepalTelecommunicationsAuthority(NTA)isanautonomoustelecommunicationsregulatorybody

established on March 4, 1998 (Falgun 20, 2054 BS) as stipulated within the framework of the

TelecommunicationAct1997(2053BS)andTelecommunicationRegulation1997(2054BS)withthe

viewtomanageandregularizetelecommunicationsservices.

TherearethreeBasicTelecommunicationsServiceoperators,twoRuralTelecommunicationService

(RTS)operators,twomobiletelecommunicationserviceoperatorsand36InternetServiceProviders

licensed

by

NTA

till

date.

Nepal

Doorsanchar

Company

Limited

(Nepal

Telecom),

the

incumbent,

is

operating nationwide and providing a full range of telecom services such as fixed line, cellular

mobile and Internet/Email services. Furthermore, Nepal Telecom is providing telecom services

based on various technologies such as GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, ADSL etc. by building its own

infrastructure.Furthermore,NepalTelecomhasalsoinstalledeastwestopticalfiberlink.Inthecase

ofcellularservices,NepalTelecomandSpiceNepalhavebuiltmanyBTSsalloverNepalwithhigher

concentrationespeciallyinmetropolitancitieslikeKathmandu.

Similarly,UnitedTelecomLimitedhasbuiltitsowntowers,BTSsandhaslaiddownitsowncablesto

extend itsnetworkoutsideKathmanduValley. Ithasbeenusingoptical fiberofNepalElectricity

Authority (NEA) for itsnetworkexpansionoutsidevalleyand isprovidingbasic telephone service

basedonWLLwithlimitedmobilityasanadditionalfacilitytoitsusers.Currently,ithasalsostarted

distributingRUIMtoitssubscribers.

SpiceNepalPvt.Ltd. isanothercellularmobileoperatorwhichhasbeenprovidingcellularmobile

service by establishing its own network. It is also expanding its service to various parts of the

countrybyinstallingitsowninfrastructures.Ithasextendeditsservicestoabout34districts.

Nepal Satellite Telecom Pvt. Ltd. and Smart Telecom P. Ltd. are the upcoming telecom service

providersandtheyarebeingprovidedlicensestooperatebasictelecommunicationserviceandrural

telecommunicationservicerespectively.Theyareexpectedtocommenceoperationssoon.

InthecaseofInternetservices,thereare36InternetServiceProviders(ISPs)and9NetworkService

Providers(NSPs)inexistenceasofFebruary2009.

Ingeneral,therearearound1500BTSsalloverthecountry.Basedonthedataprovidedbytelecom

operators, it has been estimated that nearly 900 BTSswill be added each year to the existing


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networktocaterthegrowingdemand.Usingtheruleofthumb,roughly10,000BTSsareneededto

providemobiletelecomservicestotheentirepopulationofthecountry.

Theoperatorsmightbesharingtheir infrastructurestosomeextent;however,NTAdoesnothave

anyguidelinesthatprovidethemamechanismorstrategyfor infrastructuresharing.Section13of

theTelecommunications

Act,

1997

(2053)

has

directed

NTA

to

carry

out

different

activities

which

is

basically related to telecommunicationsbut themain themeof thisSection isworkingofNTA to

have anationwide telecommunicationnetwork toprovide serviceswhich are affordable, reliable

and accessible. To achieve this goal, Infrastructure sharing can be one of the tools. Most

administrationsandtelecomregulatorsofothercountrieshavealreadydevisedorareworkingon

devisingInfrastructuresharingmodalities.

Duplicationofinvestmentiswasteofresources.Insomecasesduplicationisevennotpossibledue

tonaturallimitationse.g.vantagelocationssuchashilltops,orspaceforadditionaltowersorsolar

panelsorrightofway.

Optimumutilization

of

resources

can

bring

down

investment

cost.

In

the

end,

cost

savings

through

optimumutilizationofscarceresourceswillpassontotheendcustomersoftelecom.Infrastructure

sharingwillalsoallowoperators toaccelerate service expansionand thus increase the access to

telecom services. Even aesthetics of a landscape can be stopped from deteriorating further by

enforcinginfrastructuresharing.

2) ObjectiveoftheconsultancyTheobjectiveoftheconsultancyistofindoutandrecommendmodalitiesonInfrastructureSharing

and develop guidelines related to it in consultation with operators and other stakeholders.

Furthermore,

the

consultant

shall

prepare

a

consultation

paper

on

Infrastructure

sharing

and

should

incorporatefindingsandfeedbacksreceivedduringconsultationintohisfinalreport.Whilecarrying

out theassigned task theconsultantshouldconsiderpresentsocioeconomicaspectofNepaland

should strictly focus onNepalese perspectivewhile giving higher priority to enhance ICT access

(includingmobiletelephony) inruralareas,especiallymobileand internet.Moreover,areashaving

leasttelecompenetrationandlowercoverageneedhigherattention.

Another objective of this consultancy is to find out areaswhere pilot projects of infrastructure

sharingcanbe initiated.Beforegoing intoa fullfledged implementationof infrastructuresharing,

pilotprojectimplementationofthesamewillgiveabasicideaabouthowtogoaboutinfrastructure

sharinginaphasewisemanner.Forafasterrolloutofthenetwork,particularlyinruralareasthere

isnoalternativetowireless,hence,pilotprojectsshouldbefocusedonthatperspective.


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3) Taskstobeperformeda) Identifytheinfrastructuresthatcanbesharedinurbanandruralareas;b) Identify the constraints/challenges in infrastructure sharing and recommend solutions to

mitigatesuchtypeofchallenges;

c) FindoutthepresentinfrastructuresharingpracticesaroundtheworldandanalyzeInternationalbestpracticesoninfrastructuresharing;

d) Develop themodalitiesand sharingcosts inparticular,of infrastructure sharingwhich isbestsuited forNepal and carry out the present cost benefit analysis of suchmodalities. For thispurpose, the consultant may require data related to projection and pattern of growth ofnetworks,towers,subscribers,etc.tofindouttherealcostofexpansionandsavingsachievablebyimplementingnetworksharing;

e) Developmodalitiesforbuildingnewinfrastructureforsharingbyserviceproviders;f) Develop modalities for technocommercial arrangement for infrastructure sharing for both

existing&tobebuiltinfrastructure;

g) Prepare consultation paper on infrastructure sharing and consultation with differentstakeholders;

h) Incorporatefeedbacksreceivedduringconsultationperiodintothefinalreport;i) Devisean incentive (mightbe full/partial financialoranyothertools)modalitywhichwillbest

motivateoperatorstohaveanagreementoninfrastructuresharing.Incentivemodalitymightbe

differentbased

on

areas

or

telecom

penetration

rate;

j) Recommendanddevelopguidelines/strategiesforinfrastructuresharing;k) Recommend plan of actionwhich has to be carried out for a successful implementation of

infrastructuresharing;

l) Identifynineunderserveddistricts/areas,threeeachfromMountainous,HillsandTerairegionswhere pilot projects pertaining to tower infrastructure sharing, can be implemented and

recommend the scopeandmodality to implement thosepilotprojects toachievea complete

coverageinthosedistricts/areas;and

m) Identifythescopeandlocationsofinfrastructuresharingfortheaboveidentifiedninedistricts.Thisincludesenumeratinginfrastructurewhichcanbesharedindetails.


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4) OutputsanddeliverablesTheconsultantshallsubmitaninceptionreporttostartthestudyandaprogressreport(midterm)

whichshouldcontainmostofthetasksmentionedinSections3Taskstobeperformed.However,

thefinalreportshallconsistofalltheoutputsmentionedinsection3Taskstobeperformed.

5) DurationandTimingThe consultant will submit the inception report, which shall be finalized within a week in

consultationwithNTA,within 15 days. The consultant shall submit itsmidtermprogress report

within60daysandconductconsultationwithin75days.Thefinalreportshouldbesubmittedwithin

120dayswhich includes35daysofconsultationperiod.Hence,totaldurationofthisassignmentis

120 days. Finally, the consultant should be available to answer questions, update any required

informationandtakepartindisseminationoffindings,uponrequest,forthedurationoftheproject.

Note:Alldurationstartsfromthedayofsigningacontract.

6) QualificationsandselectioncriteriaConsultantwillbechosenbasedonthefollowingcriteria.

a) Competencytocarryouttheassignmentandexperienceofcarryingoutsimilartasksintelecomorotherutilitysectors,tobeincludedwithreference

b) Projectproposalwithdetailedmodalityofcarryingoutthetasksmentionedinsection3Taskstobeperformed.

c) QualificationsoftheProfessionalPersonneltobeAssignedtotheProjectd) Costoftheconsultancyservicee) Consultantscapabilitytoconductconsultationwiththestakeholdersf) Other relevant qualifications of the consultant as mentioned in Evaluation Criteria for

Consultancyservice

7) Remunerationa) Thecontractwillbesignedonsubmissionofaperformancebondof10%ofthequotedamount

andthebondshallbevalidtill150daysaftersigningthecontract.

b) 20%payment1ofthequotedamountwillbepaidonsubmissionofinceptionreport.

1AsperNTAsbylaws,20%paymentofthequotedamountcanbepaidasanadvanceaftersigningacontract

againstaBankGuaranteeofthesame.


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c) TheConsultantwillreceiveanother40%paymentofthequotedamountwhen itsubmitsthemidtermreport,and

d) Thefinal40%paymentsofthequotedamountwillbereleasedwhenfinalreportissubmittedtoNTA.

8) TermsandConditionsa) Asabidsecurity,abankvoucherevidencingacashdepositofNRs.25,000/ (NepaleseRupees

TwentyFiveThousand)onA/CNo.0106011664201,NabilBank,Kantipath,hastobesubmitted

alongwiththebiddocuments.

b) NTAwillissueLetterofIntent(LoI)tosuccessfulbidderc) Consultant shall submit aperformancebondof 10%of thequoted amountwithin 7daysof

issuanceofLoI

d) Agreementwillbesignedwithin7daysofthesubmissionofthePerformanceBonde) Incaseof failuretosubmitperformancebondandagreement induetimesecondbestbidder

willbecalledtoworkonthisassignmentaftercompletingdueprocess.

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