RFP for the Implementation of an Integrated Civil Registration and Vital Statistic system for the National Civil Registration Authority of Sierra Leone

New amendment added #4: Uploading clarification questions and answers. 

New clarification added: Regarding your response posted on 2021-05-27: “The evaluation of technical and qualification criteria such as specific experiences, certifications, financials requirements (check criteria) for all joint venture partners combined, whilst eligibility criteria are per each joint venture partner”Question: Please confirm our understanding: if a Consortium/JV Partner fully complies, on its own, with a Pass/Fail qualification criterion (like: Financial capability/Liquidity, etc.), this will be treated as the Bidder (which is a Consortium/JV) has positively passed this qualification criterion (i.e., it is accepted).Please confirm.   We kindly remind you that we have posted some additional clarifications (some are crucial) several days ago, which have not been answered yet. Thank you.ResponsesPlease follow the intruction in the JV form to indicate the parties and the one leading in the submission of the proposal.  

New clarification added: Regarding the existing Identity Management System:What is the platform it runs on? HW & OSIs there a local RDBMS product? If yes, what is it and what version is used?What is the development environment, runtime environment and language/s for the application?What is the latest version of OS & RDBMS that the various applications have been tested to run on? E.g. Windows Server 2016 1709Responses1. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology2. Yes. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology3. JAVA and C#4. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology at central and MS SQL 2014 as Database and Windows 10 on the Mobile Kits.

New clarification added: We have posted on UNOPS/eSOURCING web site some crucial qustions on May 25th (more than a week time ago!), which are still pending, i.e., which have not been answered until now (June 2nd).We kindly ask to get answers to those questions (and others we have posted later on) urgently, as lack of answers to those questions will force us to ask for an additional extention of the proposal submission due date.We would highly appreciate your prompt answers to ALL our posted questions.Thank you for your kind cooperation.ResponseAlready responded

New clarification added: Answers to our clarification requests - During the last couple of days we have submitted some clarification requests which have not been answered until now. Some of those clarifications are crucial for us to know in order to decide if and how to confrom a Consrtium that would comply with all the tender qualification requirements. Therefore, we kindly ask you to expedite your answers provision procedure. Thank you for your undertanding and cooperation. ResponseAll answered

New clarification added: Dear Sirs, On May 26, we have submitted a number of questions here. Hereby we would like to follow up on when we could expect receiving the answers to them.Many thanks in advance.ResponseAll responded to

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:CRVS User Portali) Are the User Role assignments (the basis of the RBAC) and Application related data structures required to be stored/maintained in the LDAP schema or can be part of the CRVS DB?ii) Is the LDAP Repository required to be Open Source, or (Microsoft) Active Directory technology can be an option?Migration of the existing citizens data to the new CRVS systemi) The 5.2 million persons are expected to be in one (more or less flat) data source or multiple LDAP sources with different structures should be integrated for ETL?ii) “quality check in close cooperation”: does this mean that there are data cleansing and reconciliation (filtering records which are duplicates for some degree) tasks included in this?Integration of the CRVS with the existing National Identification System/3rd partiesWhat is the type of the interface/are there any special technology expectations which should be the basis of the communication toward the NIS and the third parties?National Identification Systemi) Can you describe some technical details about how to connect/what are the interfaces of the NIS components (Biometric Registration Kit, PARClient, IDMS, AFIS) to have brief information about their integration complexity? What is the expected approach to communicate with these devices/softwares?ii) Regarding the mentioned technology from 2016/17: are there any expectations related to the physical devices which should be offered/shipped as part of the solution as a device/software alternative, or the existing ones should be used as is?Thank you.ResponsesCRVS User Portali. CRVS User Portal should function separately by the CRVS system, and it is required to use LDAP schema to storing its related dataii. There is no limitation on the technology proposed. Please refer to the Portal part for more detailsMigration of the existing citizens data to the new CRVS systemi. The 5.2 million existing citizens and residents are stored in a database (part of the Identity Management System) and has nothing to do with the LDAPii. Currently, NCRA is performing a national-wide verification and confirmation process calling all the citizens of Sierra Leone (registered or not) to show up and verify their data (if previously registered) or do a new registration (if not yet registered). On the other side, there is a digitization of past records ongoing, which will bring a new source of information. The existing data are expected to be cross-checked, sanitized, and so on before migrating to the new system. The vendor is required to work with the NCRA to migrate into the new layer and validate the exxisting data.Integration of the CRVS with the existing National Identification System/3rd partiesThere is currently no CRVS, only an Identity management system. The new CRVS will use data from the existing Identity management system and shared with other third parties as agree by the NCRA.National Identification Systemi. NCRA to provide the answer laterii. The existing devices will be used for the solution 

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:Upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment applicationWhat is the technology (platform environment/programming language) of the Registration module, which should be upgraded by the provided source code?Upgrade of the Identity Management SystemWhat are the technology/expertise requirements for updating the IDMs, is it Oracle (PL/SQL)?Setup and transfer of the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure in the PDSCan we get more information about the details, what is in the scope of this subtask? Like On-site transfer and/or installation of physical devices and network infrastructure (cables), remote installation of software infrastructure, development of a new separated software module, etc.?Training Requirementsi) Does the training expected to be done strictly by remote access techniques and provided materials or by Onsite presence as well?ii) Does the NCRA System Administrators have any known preassumed qualifications, which should be considered? What level of base technical competency can be assumed in terms of DevOps/DBA IT professional knowledge, which on top the training material should built targeting the System Administrators?Warranty requirementsIs the locally based L1, and the regional L2-L3 support expected to be provided as part of the Supplier’s scope or is it entirely handled by NCRA and the supplier’s responsibility starting from getting the issue reported by the mentioned error report format?Thank you. Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:Upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment applicationWhat is the technology (platform environment/programming language) of the Registration module, which should be upgraded by the provided source code?Upgrade of the Identity Management SystemWhat are the technology/expertise requirements for updating the IDMs, is it Oracle (PL/SQL)?Setup and transfer of the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure in the PDSCan we get more information about the details, what is in the scope of this subtask? Like On-site transfer and/or installation of physical devices and network infrastructure (cables), remote installation of software infrastructure, development of a new separated software module, etc.?Training Requirementsi) Does the training expected to be done strictly by remote access techniques and provided materials or by Onsite presence as well?ii) Does the NCRA System Administrators have any known preassumed qualifications, which should be considered? What level of base technical competency can be assumed in terms of DevOps/DBA IT professional knowledge, which on top the training material should built targeting the System Administrators?Warranty requirementsIs the locally based L1, and the regional L2-L3 support expected to be provided as part of the Supplier’s scope or is it entirely handled by NCRA and the supplier’s responsibility starting from getting the issue reported by the mentioned error report format?Thank you.Responses- Upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment application - Java, C# with MS SQL as the Database- Upgrade of the Identity Management System - Oracle- Setup and transfer of the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure in the PDS - This does not require any physical hardware installation but only the software infrastructure installation and data transfer Training Requirements i. The training is expected to be strictly done onsite unless the pandemic situation in Sierra Leone will make it impossible. In this case, part of the training can be done remotely / onlineii. The training plan will be provided based on the technology utilized by the Vendor. The Bidders are encouraged to propose a minimum skill set they expect from the system administrators at NCRA. Since there is no limitation in the technology the Bidders can propose, the training curricula is expected to be a customized joint effort with NCRA to properly address the training of NCRA technical staff- Warranty requirements - NCRA will be responsible for the first-level support, mainly supporting users and collection issues. The issues should be reported from NCRA support staff, and from this point, the Supplier's responsibility starts. 

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:OE-1iii) Uses Cases which requires check for existing data are not available in offline mode applications in offline state, and forms which require checking the existence of already existing names/IDs post-validated (before synchronisation of the data)?OE-2 Internet Explorer supportConsidering the Internet Explorer lifecycle officially ends in 2022 by Microsoft, does is has to be supported?OE-5i) Is it a hard (legal) requirement to use the NCRA HQ Data Center for an On-premises central location, or potentionally a cloud based (AWS/Azure/GCP) solution approach also can be an option (in order to increase reliability options)?ii) In case of entirely On-premises solution is it required to have a HA/DR physical architecture and the mentioned 16 blade servers should cover the disaster recovery site requirements, resulting in 8 servers per site?PF-5What is the approximate network bandwidth between the different offices and the NCRA HQ Data Center (as this information can be crucial for indentifying potential bottlenecks regarding the responsivity requirements)?UB-2, UB-3Is the project expected and possible to be handled entirely remotely – including the training – or On-site work/training expected. In the latter case in what degree (providing training material vs. On-site training time to time in different locations)?UB-4Should Globalization/Localization (multilanguage and different number/date formats of a specific culture) be supported or is it entirely English only?Thank you.Responsesiii) see answers above i and iiOE - 2. All application should be able to use all browsersOE - 5. i. No cloud-based solution is considered as an optionOE - 5. ii. The mentioned 16 blade servers are for the Primary Data Center only. The Vendor should propose a High Availability solution (within the PDC) considering the fact that for the time being there is no Disaster Recovery Site.PF - 5. To be provided laterUB-2, UB-3. The project is expected to be handled onsite and remotely, depending on the type of activities. The training is expected to be strictly done onsite unless the pandemic situation in Sierra Leone will make it impossible. In this case, part of the training can be done remotely / onlineUB - 4. The official language in Sierra Leone is English. The system is expected to be in English only. 

New clarification added: Regarding the existing biometric enrolment application & stations:What is the platform it runs on? Hardware & Operating SystemIs there a local RDBMS product? If yes, what is it and what version is used?What are the models of the peripheral devices being controlled?What is the development environment, runtime environment and language/s of the application?What biometric-related libraries are being used in the application?What is the latest version of OS & RDBMS that the various applications have been tested to run on? E.g. Windows 10 1703.Responses1. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology at central and SQL as Database and Windows 10 on the Mobile Kits.2. On the mobile kits is SQL server 20143. VIU 820 (refer to OE-2 in the Tender Document)4. JAVA and C#5. Innovatrics6. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology at central and MS SQL 2014 as Database and Windows 10 on the Mobile Kits. 

New amendment added #3: Extending the closing date by 14 days to allow time for the technical team to respond to clarification requested

New clarification added: Regarding the expected Technical Proposal - We understand that the bidder's entire Technical Proposal should be submitted by addressing the issued mentioned within Form D: Technical Proposal Form. As can be seen this form, only several (5) issues are asked to be specifically addressed (qualification, capacity and expertise, Approach and Implementation Plan, Work plan, measures for gender mainstreaming and bidder’s HR policy on gender and labour rights and qualifications of the team members). Question: In Section II: Schedule of Requirements, there are a lot of additional requirements that are not mentioned in Form D at all. Those are (partial list): 24 Use Cases, Functional Requirements, Training requirements, Maintenance & Support requirements, and more.How should we relate (and where) to those additional requirements in our Technical Proposal, or should we not relate specifically to those requirements at all, and our signature on Form B - Proposal Submission Form, indicating that: "We offer to supply in conformity with the Bidding documents, including the UNOPS General Conditions of Contract and in accordance with the Schedule of Requirements" is an evidence that we comply with all those requirements?Please kindly elaborate.     ResponseAll criteria are based on the TOR and they address the whole TOR. It is up to the bidder to determine how to respond to the criteria in line with Section II of the RFP. Yes, form B is a confirmation that you read and understood the RFP documents including the UNOPS General Conditions of Contract and and comply with them.

New clarification added: Dear Sir or Madam, we kindly ask for clarification of our following questions:1) Are staff certifications listed in "RFP_Section_II_Schedule of Requirements" mandatory to participate in the tender or are they only used to gain additional points in technical evaluation?2) Where should staff certificates be uploaded? We can only find an upload item for the ISO 9001 certificate.3) In "RFP_Section_II_Schedule of Requirements" following requirement is stated: "Setup and transfer of the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure in the PDS". Could you please provide us with more information regaring the runtime environment of IDMS and AFIS systems so we can do a more accurate effort estimation? Responses1. The certification constitute part of the qualification of the technical team and it shall be evaluated as per criteria set in the RFP.2. Upload staff certification with CVs3. JAVA and C#

New clarification added: 1.    Referring to RFP Section II Schedule of Requirements document, Section Technical Capacity, Staff experience, pages 69-70: Could you kindly explain who should sign the required “job letter of reference”? Our experts are legally employed by our company with the unterminated job contracts (personal data protection subject, thus cannot be provided to the third party according to EU regulations) and our company provides services to the public institutions via public procurement procedures (in these cases the reference letter is issued to the company, but not to our employees directly). In this case, will the job confirmation certificate from our company to our employee stating the required information on the client (third party) and data on the project will be satisfactory?2.  Referring to Requirement OE-2, “Workstation” and OE-7, “Peripherals” could you please kindly explain who will be responsible to deliver mentioned Portable kit and Laptop or Desktop Computer, printers and cameras to capture supportive documents? In case equipment will be purchased separately, please indicate exact planed amount of Portable Kit and Laptop/Desktop PC/ Printers and Cameras. The Bidders need to understand effort required to configure and operate above mentioned equipment.3.    Referring to requirement OE-4, “Network” could you please confirm that provisioning of connectivity is out of current Tender scope.4.    Referring to requirement OE-5, “Servers”: As we understand specified equipment will be purchased separately by another Tender. However, we miss some important infrastructure elements like Firewalls and Backup Appliance or Backup Tape library. Could you please explain how network perimeter security and backup issues will be addressed from infrastructure side?  1.    Referring to RFP Section II Schedule of Requirements document, Section Technical Capacity, Staff experience, pages 69-70: Could you kindly explain who should sign the required “job letter of reference”? Our experts are legally employed by our company with the unterminated job contracts (personal data protection subject, thus cannot be provided to the third party according to EU regulations) and our company provides services to the public institutions via public procurement procedures (in these cases the reference letter is issued to the company, but not to our employees directly). In this case, will the job confirmation certificate from our company to our employee stating the required information on the client (third party) and data on the project will be satisfactory?2.  Referring to Requirement OE-2, “Workstation” and OE-7, “Peripherals” could you please kindly explain who will be responsible to deliver mentioned Portable kit and Laptop or Desktop Computer, printers and cameras to capture supportive documents? In case equipment will be purchased separately, please indicate exact planed amount of Portable Kit and Laptop/Desktop PC/ Printers and Cameras. The Bidders need to understand effort required to configure and operate above mentioned equipment.3.    Referring to requirement OE-4, “Network” could you please confirm that provisioning of connectivity is out of current Tender scope.4.    Referring to requirement OE-5, “Servers”: As we understand specified equipment will be purchased separately by another Tender. However, we miss some important infrastructure elements like Firewalls and Backup Appliance or Backup Tape library. Could you please explain how network perimeter security and backup issues will be addressed from infrastructure side?  1.    Referring to RFP Section II Schedule of Requirements document, Section Technical Capacity, Staff experience, pages 69-70: Could you kindly explain who should sign the required “job letter of reference”? Our experts are legally employed by our company with the unterminated job contracts (personal data protection subject, thus cannot be provided to the third party according to EU regulations) and our company provides services to the public institutions via public procurement procedures (in these cases the reference letter is issued to the company, but not to our employees directly). In this case, will the job confirmation certificate from our company to our employee stating the required information on the client (third party) and data on the project will be satisfactory?2.  Referring to Requirement OE-2, “Workstation” and OE-7, “Peripherals” could you please kindly explain who will be responsible to deliver mentioned Portable kit and Laptop or Desktop Computer, printers and cameras to capture supportive documents? In case equipment will be purchased separately, please indicate exact planed amount of Portable Kit and Laptop/Desktop PC/ Printers and Cameras. The Bidders need to understand effort required to configure and operate above mentioned equipment.3.    Referring to requirement OE-4, “Network” could you please confirm that provisioning of connectivity is out of current Tender scope.4.    Referring to requirement OE-5, “Servers”: As we understand specified equipment will be purchased separately by another Tender. However, we miss some important infrastructure elements like Firewalls and Backup Appliance or Backup Tape library. Could you please explain how network perimeter security and backup issues will be addressed from infrastructure side?Responses1. It can be Previous Employer or any third party.2. The Vendor is not responsible for delivering any equipment mentioned in OE-2 and OE-7. The portable kits, laptop and desktops will be provided by NCRA. The Vendor is asked to provide a suitable solution, / application to work with the indicated machines. The details of the existing workstation are given at requirement OE-2, for both scenarios. The Vendor will be asked to configure and prepare an initial set of Workstation (mainly used for the offline application). The exact number of the workstations to be utilized is not set yet as it will depend on the number of the offices. In any case the Vendor will be asked to install and configure up to 100 (one hundred) biometric kits to work with the offline application. The rest of the kits will be installed by the NCRA technical staff, after successfully completing the training provided by the Vendor. For the other types of workstation that will utilize the online application, the Vendor should provide the optimal web browser version / configuration that supports the web-based application provided. There no specific task asked to the Vendor to be performed in this case.3. Provision of connectivity is outside the scope of this Tender4. Perimeter security will be addressed using Next Generation Firewalls, which will protect Servers and Datacenter infrastructure from external traffic, using it's features like Malware and Threat protection, IPS etc. These firewalls also can be used to segment DC infrastructure, by putting different servers on different security zones, permitting, and allowing only necessary traffic for inter server communication. Backup will be addressed with dedicated backup solution using tape libraries, and corresponding backup software. Backup files on tapes will be encrypted for better security. Also, network can be segmented to allow communication between tape library and corresponding servers only.

New clarification added: Regarding the Transfer the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure:What is the existing platform they currently run on? HW & OSIs there a RDBMS product? If yes, what is it and what version is used?What is the development environment, runtime environment and language/s for the application?What biometric engine is used to implement the AFIS? What version?What is the latest version of OS & RDBMS that the various applications have been tested to run on?Responses1. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology2. Yes. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology3. JAVA and C#4. Innovatrics5. Oracle as the Database and Linux as the operating System with Docker Techology at central and MS SQL 2014 as Database and Windows 10 on the Mobile Kits.

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following questions concerning support and maintenance:i) Do you have specific requirement for response time regarding:     - management of access rights     - different incident severity levelsii) What is the actual data sources for the data that should be migrated to the new system? Structured data like csv, or sql table or not structured data like scanned pdf documents?Thank you.Responsesi) Vendor can suggestii) Oracle

New clarification added: Good Morning Procurement Team,We wish to seek clarification on the following:1. The terms of reference (TOR) schedule does not in any make reference to payments/revenue collection platform. Please clarify whether a solution is required to address payments/revenue collection.2. Time scales are too tight for delivery considering the covid-19 pandemic situation and other issues relating to manufacturing and shipping of products; and other flight challenges relating to movement of product developers. Is there any opportunity to give a realistic timetable to address product delivery? Could there be an extension of the timeline of six months to a more realistic schedule for product implementation considering the challenges highlighted above?3. How many permanent registered officers, districts and general staff will be accessing and using the system?4. How many hospitals, primary health units (if any), etc will be using the system? 5. What's the estimated users in total will be utilizing the system?6. Considering the challenges involved in mobilizing resources for bid submission in a covid-19 pandemic era, could there be an opportunity for bidding submission extension to an additional two (2) weeks to allow for a more through submission?Sir/Madam, a clear explanation and clarification of the above issues will enable us fully understand your intentions for this bid/tender. Grateful for your urgent and kind response.Responses1. No payment solution is associted with this RFP.2. The Vendor should deliver within the given timeframe. There is no extension planned at this stage of the tender. However, if the Covid 19 pandemic situation in the region (West Africa) will escalate, we will try to address it accordingly.3. The indicative number of online users is given at the performance requirement PF-2. The expected maximum number of online users connected at the same time is 250 (two hundred fifty). The other performance requirement PF-5, is asking “ The system shall be scalable to handle up to twice the currently planned volumes of online CRVS system activity.”.This means the system should be planned to handle 500 online users. The number of the other users that will use the offline application, will depend very much on the strategy that NCRA will follow. No exact number can be given at this time.4. The NCRA will develop a staged deployment strategy. Depending on the connectivity options, the health units will use either online or offline version. The strategy is under development. For some indicative figures on the number of expected users, please refer to the answer to the question 35. Please refer to the answer to the question 36. Already extended by three weeks

New clarification added: Good Morning Procurement Team,We wish to seek clarification on the following:1. The terms of reference (TOR) schedule does not in any make reference to payments/revenue collection platform. Please clarify whether a solution is required to address payments/revenue collection.2. Time scales are too tight for delivery considering the covid-19 pandemic situation and other issues relating to manufacturing and shipping of products; and other flight challenges relating to movement of product developers. Is there any opportunity to give a realistic timetable to address product delivery? Could there be an extension of the timeline of six months to a more realistic schedule for product implementation considering the challenges highlighted above?3. How many permanent registered officers, districts and general staff will be accessing and using the system?4. How many hospitals, primary health units (if any), etc will be using the system? 5. What's the estimated users in total will be utilizing the system?6. Considering the challenges involved in mobilizing resources for bid submission in a covid-19 pandemic era, could there be an opportunity for bidding submission extension to an additional two (2) weeks to allow for a more through submission?Sir/Madam, a clear explanation and clarification of the above issues will enable us fully understand your intentions for this bid/tender. Grateful for your urgent and kind response.Responses1. No payment solution is associted with this RFP.2. The Vendor should deliver within the given timeframe. There is no extension planned at this stage of the tender. However, if the Covid 19 pandemic situation in the region (West Africa) will escalate, we will try to address it accordingly. 3. The indicative number of online users is given at the performance requirement PF-2. The expected maximum number of online users connected at the same time is 250 (two hundred fifty).The other performance requirement PF-5, is asking “ The system shall be scalable to handle up to twice the currently planned volumes of online CRVS system activity.”.This means the system should be planned to handle 500 online users. The number of the other users that will use the offline application, will depend very much on the strategy that NCRA will follow. No exact number can be given at this time.4. The NCRA will develop a staged deployment strategy. Depending on the connectivity options, the health units will use either online or offline version. The strategy is under development. For some indicative figures on the number of expected users, please refer to the answer to the question 35. Please refer to 3 above.6. Already extended by 3 weeks. 

New clarification added: Request: At least 1 (one) certified Database Expert.Question 13: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance?Question 14: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has a Microsoft Certified Professional Transcript – Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server?Question 15: Refering to the project, due to this pandemic situation, short deadline for submission and also because of the holidays, we kindly asking you if it is possible to postpone the deadline of submission of the project at least for two weeks?Responses13 -14. Yes15. Already extended by 3 weeks.

New clarification added: Request: Developers team. At least 2 (two) developer certificates at professional level, related to the programming language chosen to develop the system.Question 5: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: .NET Framework?Question 6: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Web Applications?Question 7: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Application Developer: Microsoft. NET?Request: Developers team. At least 1 (one) developer certificate at master, related to the programming language chosen to develop the systemQuestion 8: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: .NET Framework?Question 9: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Web Applications?Question 10: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has a Microsoft Certified Professional Transcript – Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server?Responses5 - 7. Yes8 - 10. Yes

New clarification added: Request: Project References. The bidder should have at least 1 (one) Project Manager certified with the "SCRUM Master" certificate or equivalent.Question1: Can you please confirm that PMP Certificate is acceptable as equivalent with Scrum Master certification?Request: Under Project Management: (1) certified staff for the management of maintenance and SLA with ITIL Foundation Certificate. Staff experience requested Letter of reference under the lead of a similar IT project (civil registration and / or a population register project with SOA-architecture based solution (Service-oriented architecture).Question 2.1: Could you please confirm that a reference from a similar IT Project (nation-wide pre-university education registration and reporting system) fulfills the criteria of reference as per above?Question2.2: Could you confirm that a Certificate of ISO/IEC 27001 of one of our personnel fulfills can be considered as the equivalent of ITIL Foundation Certificate?Request: At least 4 (four) developer certificates at foundation level, related to the programming language chosen to develop the system (e.g. Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, C Certified Professional Programmer, Oracle Certified Java programmer, etc.). The certificates should be related to the programming language(s) used to develop the system.Question 3: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: .NET Framework?Question 4: Could you please confirm if it is acceptable that some of our developers has certificate: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: Web Applications?Responses1. Any Internationally accepted Project Management Certificate2..1. Yes2.2. Yes. Any recognized certificate. The certificates should be related to the technology proposed. Certifications for a different programming language from the one proposed for the CRVS system will not be accepted3. Yes4. Yes

New clarification added: Section III (Returnable bidding forms) contains Form G: Performance statement form.This form is related to the delivery of goods. Please clarify whether we should use Form G for providing information on our previous services-related contracts?ResponseYes, use form G to provide information on our previous services-related contracts. 

New clarification added: LDAP requirement table (page 58 of Section II - Schedule of requirements) contains different options working with LDAP.Could you please clarify the following: 1) Is there a working LDAP infrastructure already?2) What vendor's solution is used in this LDAP infrastructure?ResponsesSee LDAP response Up1. No2. None

New clarification added: Dear Sirs, the clarifications to our questions are very important for the qualitive proposal and taking into acount that the submission deadline is approching, we want to ask when we can expert to receive the clarifications. We need to have somje time to incorporate clarifications adequately to oir proposal.Many thanks and looking forward to hearing from you soon5.      After upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment application:a.      Is it necessary to reinstall all “Biometric registration Kit” devices?b.      Is deployment manual available?c.      Is configuration manual available?6.      After upgrade of the Identity Management System to accommodate the enrolment changes:a.      Is database object schema available?b.      Is description of all database objects available?​7.      As we have not received clarification to our earlier question yet, please kindly consider the 1 week extension of the submission deadline.Many thanks and looking forward to hearing from you soonResponses5.a. Yes5.b. Need to provide after the Upgrade5.c. Need to provide after the Upgrade6.a. Existing one available6.b. Yes7. Already 3 weeks extended.  

New clarification added: 4.      Applications descriptions:a.      Please provide the programming language(s) in which the applications are developed.b.      Please provide used frameworks with versions.c.      Please provide 3RD party libraries and versions used in applications.d.      Is deployment manual available?e.      Is configuration manual available?5.      After upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment application:a.      Is it necessary to reinstall all “Biometric registration Kit” devices?b.      Is deployment manual available?c.      Is configuration manual available?6.      After upgrade of the Identity Management System to accommodate the enrolment changes:a.      Is database object schema available?b.      Is description of all database objects available?​7.      As we have not received clarification to our earlier question yet, please kindly consider the 1 week extension of the submission deadline.Responses4.a. Language is C# and JAVA4.b. Not available4.c. Not available4.d. No4.e. No 

New clarification added: 1.      Are the specified applications currently deployed on virtual machines or physical machines?2.      If specified applications currently deployed on virtual machines:a.      Can all virtual machines be moved to a new Primary Data Centre?b.      Or do only applications need to be redeployed?c.      If it is possible to move virtual machines, is this will have to be done by NCRA staff.d.      If virtual machines can’t be moved, will new virtual machines be prepared by NCRA staff.3.      It will be necessary to migrate the database to a new Primary Data Centre:a.      Who will migrate the database?b.      Who will prepare operating system?c.      Who will configure server and database?d.      Who will configure network and firewall?e.      Is the manual available for database installation, deployment, restoration from backup/dump and configuration?Responses1. Physical Servers2. a.- d. NO Virtual Machines3. a. - d. Vendor3. e. No

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:Technical capacity - CertificationsWhat is the expectation for the “certified professional for Software Architecture” in case of Microsoft (.NET) technologies personnel, since general Architect exams does not exist for this technology stack (in fact provided for specific areas only like Azure, which may be irrelevant competency for the entire solution).Thank you.ResponsesThe Bidder is asked to include in the developer's team a certified software architect. Since the technical specifications has no limitations for the technology proposed by the Bidders, it is tough to come with a narrow and precise definition for this certification. In any case, Bidders are encouraged to provide a justification why the presented Software Architect Certification is relevant to the technology of the proposed solution.

New clarification added: Question regarding attestation of project references.We have performed projects with public institutions. We have requested a certificate of performance but might not receive it in due time. May we attest the project reference in an alternative manner:- signed contract (with accompanying English translation)- request for issuance of a certifcate of perfomance send to the public institution- sales tax invoice to the contract?ResponseYes, you may use other alternatives such as signed contract, sales tax invoice, etc.

New clarification added: Please confirm that a vendor that submits the proposal can meet the qualification criteria also with experiences, certifications, financials requirements, staff.. of it's subcontractor, i.e. a company that performs work under a contract with the vendor.AnswerNo, a bidder cannot meet the qualification criteria with experiences, certifications, financials requirements, staff, etc. of a sub-contractor.

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly provide clarifications on the following:Printing of various certificates for recorded vital eventsi) What is expectation about the various certificates appearance: is it expected to be a PDF generated by the upcoming system with all the predefined design and legal text (which may be provided in a predesigned template)? Or is it expected to be printed on special certificate papers which including the various certificates template text accordingly and the task for printing perspective is to position the different labels onto it?ii) Does any of the certificates to be printed contain repeating (0-N) sections of data, resulting in dynamic length certificate structure?iii) What is the expectation for the system for changing the certificate printing templates, is it enough with minor software update (for instance making it modular, requiring a single file patch deployment) or some kind of admin UI expected to support this by uploading structures or editing it on the UI (depending on the approach for printing the template) in case there will be change requested on a given certificate later?OE-1i) Does the offline application expected to use local replica/cache from any of the Central Data for availability purposes for the offline scenario (which should be refreshed/kept up-to-date each time it gets online), or only the newly registered data should be stored there (until the next sync upload)?ii) According to Page 6 "updated data (e.g., updated list of persons) is pulled (received)", does this mean that the offline mode applications maintain a replica from the whole/subset of the central database, despite the Use Cases indicate that there are no offline data stored other than the new registrations?Thank you.Responsesi) The various certificates are expected to be generated as PDF. The layout of certificates will be agreed upon with the Vendor during the business analysis process. In addition, the certificates are expected to be printed in unique A4 format securitized certificates.ii) None of the certificates is expected to have dynamic lengthiii) The certificate layout is not expected to change so often, and it is defined in the regulation. Modularity of the system is a crucial requirement.OE-1i) the offline application is expected to use a local database/cache of the central database. The local database should contain the complete list of persons registered (basic information for each of them), which should be synchronized on each connection with the Central Database. Please refer to Use Case 24, "Synchronize the data."ii) the local database in the offline Workstation will maintain a subset of the central database, consisting on the the full list of the persons and for each of them only critical information will be stored (NIN, name, date of birth, etc). In addition to the list of persons, the local database will store the data of the new registrations completed in that Workstation since the last synchronizationiii) see answers above

New clarification added: We would like to inform you that our organization manifesting a real interest to participate in your above RFP. But kindly note that to prepare an exact estimation at per your requirement and to make our best competitive offer we need few more times and accordingly, you are requested to extend the due date of the bid submission by at least 15 days.We look forward to your kind consideration and assuring you best of our services every time.Thanking you,Yours truly,ResponseThe submission deadline was already extended by 3 weeks. 

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS, kindly clarify further aspects of the tender requirements as follows:1. Concerning Form F for the resume of proposed Key Personnel, the information requested concerns personal data which might be contradictory to privacy regulations. Could perhaps UNOPS furnish with a confidentiality undertaking specifically related to this type of shared personal information? Furthermore, as regulations might prohibit sharing personal information such as names of personnel, could a unique identifier such as employee ID be accepted in lieau of names on the proposed Key Personnel forms?Thank you.CVs submitted are used for the evaluation of your  proposal. In addition, if awarded a contract, personnel evaluated remain its emplementers unless changes are agreed upon by UNOPS. For these reasons submitting names of personnel remain crucial. UNOPS' evaluation panel members are appointed and each of them signs a confidentiality and no conflict of interest affidavit prior to being approved by the designated authority. Unique indentifiers are not acceptable. Personal data without names will be regarded as incomplete and may be disqualified. 

New clarification added: Good day, a quick question: Can a Bidder propose an exicting application that fulfills the requirements and functionalities, or is it expected from the awarded bidder to develop an application from scratch? In both situation, what happens with regards to intellectual property ? Thanks. ResponsesThe Bidder is expected to have previous experience(s), which does not exclude the possibility that the Bidder has an existing application. The requested solution, although sharing the same principles of the vital event registration processes, at the end is a custom made solution fitting the NCRA needs. This means that the Bidder is free to choose between customizing an existing application or start it from scratch. The end product should fulfill all the requirements listed in this tender document. In both situations, the Vendor should transfer the source code of the solution developed for the NCRA. 

New clarification added: Regarding the Key Personnel required Certifications:Certified professional for Software Architecture – Certified  by who?Certified Database Expert – Certified  by who?ResponsesThe required certificates are meant to be internationally recognized certificates like the examples given in certification requirements. The certificate should be issued by an internationally recognized body and should be related to the technology (platform, programming language, database, etc.) proposed by the Bidder.1. Certificate issued by an internationally recognized body or directly by the Vendor of the technology proposed to develop the system2. Certificate issued by an internationally recognized body or directly by the vendor of database proposed

New clarification added: Regarding Form D: Technical Proposal Form.Question: The Bidders have been asked to enter their responses within the appropriate cells of Form D.We assume that a Bidder can refer from a specific cell where its specific response redies, to an external attached document to attest some declarations, like: customer reference letters, presentations, etc. Please approve to add external documents, which can be referred to from Form D.  ResponseYes, bidder can refer to attached documents to substanstatiate it proposal, it required. 

New clarification added: Good Morning Procurement Team,We wish to seek clarification on the following:1. The terms of reference (TOR) schedule does not in any way make reference to payments/revenue collection platform. Please clarify whether a solution is required to address payments/revenue collection.2. Time scales are too tight for delivery considering the covid-19 pandemic situation and other issues relating to manufacturing and shipping of products; and other flight challenges relating to movement of product developers. Is there any opportunity to give a realistic timetable to address product delivery? Could there be an extension of the timeline of six months to a more realistic schedule for product implementation considering the challenges highlighted above?3. How many permanent registered officers, districts and general staff will be accessing and using the system?4. How many hospitals, primary health units (if any), etc will be using the system? 5. What's the estimated total number of  users required for utilizing the system?6. Considering the challenges involved in mobilizing resources for bid submission in a covid-19 pandemic era, could there be an opportunity for bidding submission extension to an additional two (2) weeks to allow for a more through submission?Sir/Madam, a clear explanation and clarification of the above issues will enable us fully understand your intentions for this bid/tender. Responses1. Any payments/revenue collection platform is outside the scope of this tender.2. The Vendor should deliver within the given timeframe. There is no extension planned at this stage of the tender. However, if the Covid 19 pandemic situation in the region (West Africa) will escalate, we will try to address it accordingly.UNOPS has to validate this3. The indicative number of online users is given at the performance requirement PF-2. The expected maximum number of online users connected at the same time is 250 (two hundred fifty). The other performance requirement PF-5, is asking “ The system shall be scalable to handle up to twice the currently planned volumes of online CRVS system activity.”.This means the system should be planned to handle 500 online users. The number of the other users that will use the offline application, will depend very much on the strategy that NCRA will follow. No exact number can be given at this time.4. The NCRA will develop a staged deployment strategy. Depending on the connectivity options, the health units will use either online or offline version. The strategy is under development. For some indicative figures on the number of expected users, please refer to the answer to the question 3 

New clarification added: 12.    Referring to Location of the Project: The project is located in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The CRVS system will be implemented in Freetown. The warranty and operational support services can be performed remotely. In the light of the current situation with regard to COVID - 19 and possible travel restrictions, will the Bidder be able to provide system designed, developed and implemented remotely or partially remotely?13.    Customer engagement is very important during system implementation and especially in designed and acceptance phases. How many clients staff / operational professionals will be involved and how will their involvement be ensured during the requirements analysis and system acceptance?Responses12. Yes, part of the services can be provided remotely. All the sub-activities that are planned to be performed fully or partially remotely should be included in the workplan and agreed with the client.13. But some activities like business analyzes, validation of user requirements, acceptance test, etc. need to be undertaken on the site.NCRA will appoint all the needed professional staff to work closely with the Vendor. No exact number of the client’s staff dedicated to this project can be given at this time.

New clarification added: 9.    Referring to LDAP requirements (Page 58): Does NCRA already have LDAP repository of users? Can the existing LDAP repository be used for the user portal of CRVS? In what cases the new LDAP repository can be required? Should licenses for new LDAP be included by the bidder in the proposal?10.    Referring to National Identification System adoptions requirements: Upgrade of the existing biometric enrolment application (PAGE 60): Could you indicate the technologies of the biometric enrolment application to be upgraded (i.e., DBMS, source code language, is it a custom-made system or of-the-shelf product, etc.). Does the customer have and will be able to provide the source code to the Bidder? Does the Bidder understand correctly, that the warranty will only cover those parts that will be modified by the Bidder?11.    Referring to National Identification System adoptions requirements: Upgrade of the Identity Management System to accommodate the enrolment changes (PAGE 61): Could you indicate the technologies of the biometric enrolment application to be upgraded (i.e., DBMS, source code language, is it a custom-made system or of-the-shelf product, etc.). Does the customer have and will be able to provide the source code to the Bidder? Does the Bidder understand correctly, that the warranty will only cover those parts that will be modified by the Bidder?Responses9. No LDAP exist in the current Solution. Sucessful bidder will be required to implement10. The source code will be made available. Existing warranties will be used but in the event a new one is required as a result of the upgrade, the vendor will be required to provide it.11. Same as 10. 

New clarification added: 5.    Keeping in mind short Tender implementation schedule late equipment delivery is foreseen as potential project implementation risk. Referring to requirement OE-5, “Servers” could you please explain how equipment delivery schedule will be managed to avoid current Tender delays?6.    Referring to scheme 2 Interlinkage of the three systems at NCRA, (Page 5) The Civil Register and the Population Register do not currently exist and therefore both need to be developed. Should the Population register be implemented from scratch in the scope of this project? Should it be a separate system from the CRVS, only integrated with it?7.    Background information: For the full implementation of these two exercises, an ICT Infrastructure was implemented at NCRA that includes the central ICT systems consisting of an IDMS (Identity Management System) and AFIS (Automatic Fingerprint Identification System). A total of nearly 3,600 mobile biometric registration kits were procured for the exercises with capability to register people both online / offline mode (page 1). National Identity System: So, the National Identification System manages the: - Persons’ identity data (alphanumeric data and biometric data) and - identity documents (e.g., National ID Cards) lifecycles (Page 3). Page 60 lists IDMS and AFIS as the components of National Identification System.Do we understand correctly: IDMS and AFIS are part/ modules /components of National identification system?8.    Referring to requirement RE-1: How many reports will be required in the scope of the project? Could you indicate the maximum?Responses5. Primary Data Center, including the servers will be procured through a separate tender process.6. The scheme presented in page 5, gives a conceptual design as referred in the UN guidelines for the implementation of CRVS systems.The Population Register should be developed from scratch (because it does not exist) and should be integrated with the Civil Register which also does not exist, and should be developed from scratch too.7. Your understanding is correct: IDMS and AFIS are part/ modules /components of National identification system. The IDMS hosts the Database and AFIS handling the Biometric solution. They are existing as a single entity with application interfacing with them ie. IDMS and AFIS systems8. There is a list of 10 (ten) required reports as presented in RE-1. The NCRA will provide the full list of reports needed, which in any case cannot exceed the provided list by more than 30%, meaning that the maximum number of reports can be 13 (thirteen)

New clarification added: Can a fully secure, cloud based solution be considered for this? Such a solution will have 99.999% availability.  Can a fully secure, cloud based solution be considered for this? Such a solution will have 99.999% availability. ResponsesNo cloud based solution will be considered. All the systems, applications and data will be stored in the Primary Data Center located at the NCRA headquarters in Freetown.

New clarification added: Regarding Submission Deadline and Clarifications Deadline - Although UNOPS has granted a two weeks extention of the submission deadline, by answers to some bidders' requests (on May 24th, 2021), the presentation of those deadlines (the submission and clarifications) did not change on the entry screen of the UNOPS/eSourcing web site. Please clarify. As the submission deadline has been extended with two weeks, we assume that the clarifications deadline is extended accordingly with two weeks. Please confirm.Thank you for your rapid replies.  ResponseA total of 3 weeks extension were granted and clarification time extended accordingly. 

New clarification added: Hello Sir,With respect to the following clause, please clarify if we need to procure new AFIS licenses that would work on new infra or you will provision the existing licenses that can work on new infra?Transfer the IDMS and AFIS systems to the new infrastructure that will be in place at the Primary Data Site.ResponsesThe Vendor is not asked to procure any new AFIS licenses.The Vendor is not asked to procure any new IDMS licenses too.The procurement of any licenses related to the above mentioned components is not within the scope of this contract.All needed licenses (AFIS, IDMS, Operating Systems and Database engines) and installation packages related to the existing Identity Management System will be provided by NCRA.The Vendor is free to provide any additional licenses or latest versions of the existing software on their own costs

New amendment added #2: Extending the closing date by 7 days to allow time for the technical team to respond to clarification requested

New clarification added: Good Morning Procurement Team,We wish to seek clarification on the following:ResponsePlease note that responses to all technical question are being prepared. They will sent out as soon as they are ready.  Thank you. 

New clarification added: Dear UNOPS Representative,​Could you please clarify on that if a JV/Consortium is formed where one party fails to meet one or multiple pass/fail criteria on "Evaluation Criteria" section while the other party meets the corresponding criteria, would you disqualify the JV/Consortium entity from further bid evaluation?In other words, could JV/Consortium entity only need to satisfy Evaluation Criteria cumulatively?  ThanksResponseThe evaluation of technical and qualification criteria such as specific experiences, certifications,  financials requirements (check criteria) for all joint venture partners combined, whilst eligibility criteria are per each joint venture partner. 

New clarification added: Regarding EVALUATION CRITERIA: Financial capability. Liquidity: the ratio Average Current assets / Current liabilities over the last 3 years must be equal or greater than 1. Offerors must include in their Proposal audited balance sheets covering the last 3 yearsQuestion: As a bidder can be a Consortium/JV, we assume that the requirement of "ratio Average Current assets / Current liabilities over the last 3 years must be equal or greater than 1" can come from the accumulated figures (Current Assets and Current liabilities) of all the Consroitium members in order to comply with this requirement of greater than 1.Please approve.Your prompt reply would be highly appreciated. ResponseThe evaluation of qualification criteria such as specific experiences, certifications,  financials requirements (check criteria) for all joint venture partners combined, whilst eligibility criteria are per each joint venture partner. 

New amendment added #1: 1. Extending the closing date by 14 days as requested by interest bidders.2. Amending the sustainability criteria to at least 30% female representation. 

New clarification added: We would like to know if we can submit a proposal as a consortium of firms. If, yes, do all the companies need to be registered in the UNGM plateform or just the leading firm (us)? We would like to know if we can submit a proposal as a consortium of firms. If, yes, do all the companies need to be registered in the UNGM plateform or just the leading firm (us)?Yes, UNGM registration is mandatory for all UNOPS suppliers.

New clarification added: Below are the questions from us regarding tender RFP/2021/19606.1.     Could you please clarify on what exactly NEC refers to? National Electoral Commission?2.     Please clarify on issue related to server preparation which according to the TOR is not currently online and the need to purchase other related hardware necessary for developing CRVS system.3.     Regarding to the Technical Proposal evaluation criteria shown on UNOPS eSourcing website, the detailed points distribution is not displayed, and only has 20, 25, 10, 5, 20 for a total of 80 points. Furthermore, in terms of "Certification" part of "Technical Capacity" section, we have a number of excellent developers when PERCENT was commissioned to develop a Civil Identification Register for the Government of Angola (this project is inherently similar to this tender), but the problem now is that they don't currently process certificates to "prove" their competence. In other words, if the requirement for certificate procession is absolutely the only criterion to demonstrate our professionality and the points distribution is unknown, then we might not be able to proceed to bid.4.     PERCENT is currently undergoing the process for IPO and unfortunately pre-IPO financing has resulted an increment of its current liability, causing current ratio less than 1. According to the Qualification Criteria in Evaluation Criteria on UNOPS eSourcing website, the average current ratio must be greater than or equal to 1. This requirement is strictly on Pass/Fail clause. So we are wondering if we can waive this one and of course we will be presenting audited balance sheet upon bid submission.(Please treat this particular question as confidential as we do not want to disclose financial information prior to IPO to the public)ResponsesQn.1. Yes, NEC refers to National Electoral Commission.Qn.2. The CRVS system comprises 2 components; 1. the CRVS software (the subject of this RFP) and 2. the Data Center. The Data Center will be the subject of a subsequent tender. The successful bidder will be apprised of the specifications of said system upon awarding of the contract, or publishing of the tender (whichever comes soonest). Therefore, the server (data center) is not online currently.Qn.3. The points are not only for certification; they combine academics and experiences.Qn.4. A liquidity ratio of at least 1 is mandatory. 

New clarification added: Hello Sir,Looking at the scope and the pandemic situation, we request you to postpone the submission date by 2 weeks at least. Kindly consider our request. Thanks. Hello Sir,ResponseTwo weeks' extension granted.

New clarification added: Hello Sir,Looking at the scope and the pandemic situation, we request you to postpone the submission date by 2 weeks at least. Kindly consider our request. Thanks.ResponseTwo weeks' extension granted.

New clarification added: As we have come across this tender just recently, and as this tender is a comprehensive one and very important for the country, we kindly ask the UNOPS to extend the submission deadline with at least 2-3 weeks. This will expand the competition with additional experienced bidders and allow all bidders to prepare a comprehensive and most compliant proposals, for the sake of the country. Thank you for your consideration.  Response:Two weeks extension granted.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Question 1: Following the analysis of the project complexity and considering the administrative procedures heaviness, we ask you to please consider an additional period of three (3) weeks for the offer submission  so we can develop a qualitative offer according to the CSC and the responses to the questions asked.Kindly confirm if this request is acceptable?  Question 2 :We understand that the requirement to present an ISO 9001 certificate by the bidders is not a mandatory requirement, is this correct?  Question 3 :We understand that for technical and marketing supports (brochure, product description) that a simple translation is sufficient, can you confirm?Besides as it is a UNOPS process which is an organization part of the United Nations, we understand that legal and administrative documents (Company certification, financial status, past contracts to support similar experience) can be sent in French as it is one of the official languages. Kindly advise. ResponsesQn.1. 2 (two) week extension period granted.Qn.2. ISO 9001 Certificate or an equivalent is a mandatory requirement.Qn.3. The required tender submission language is English. There are other UN languages, but proposal evaluators may not know tthem. Proposers shall be responsible to translate specific documents requested to be submitted with their proposals.

New clarification added: Tender Reference : RFP/2021/19606Tender Name: Implementation of an Integrated Civil Registration and Vital Statistic System for the National Civil Registration Authority of Sierra LeoneImplementation of an Integrated Civil Registration and Vital Statistic System for the National Civil Registration Authority of Sierra LeoneThe clarification request:Please can you explain us where is the Tender Particulars section in the documents.Answer, TheTender Particulars section is in eSourcing. Please once in eSourcing refer to the third green tab from the left. 

New clarification added: We would like to know if we can submit a proposal as a consortium of firms. If, yes, do all the companies need to be registered in the UNGM plateform or just the leading firm (us)?An. Yes, it is mandatory for all UNOPS suppliers to register in UNGM. 

New clarification added: Below are the questions from us regarding tender RFP/2021/19606.1.     Could you please clarify on what exactly NEC refers to? National Electoral Commission?2.     Please clarify on issue related to server preparation which according to the TOR is not currently online and the need to purchase other related hardware necessary for developing CRVS system.3.     Regarding to the Technical Proposal evaluation criteria shown on UNOPS eSourcing website, the detailed points distribution is not displayed, and only has 20, 25, 10, 5, 20 for a total of 80 points. Furthermore, in terms of "Certification" part of "Technical Capacity" section, we have a number of excellent developers when PERCENT was commissioned to develop a Civil Identification Register for the Government of Angola (this project is inherently similar to this tender), but the problem now is that they don't currently process certificates to "prove" their competence. In other words, if the requirement for certificate procession is absolutely the only criterion to demonstrate our professionality and the points distribution is unknown, then we might not be able to proceed to bid.4.     PERCENT is currently undergoing the process for IPO and unfortunately pre-IPO financing has resulted an increment of its current liability, causing current ratio less than 1. According to the Qualification Criteria in Evaluation Criteria on UNOPS eSourcing website, the average current ratio must be greater than or equal to 1. This requirement is strictly on Pass/Fail clause. So we are wondering if we can waive this one and of course we will be presenting audited balance sheet upon bid submission.(Please treat this particular question as confidential as we do not want to disclose financial information prior to IPO to the public)ResponsesQn.1. Yes, NEC refers to National Electoral Commission.Qn.2. The CRVS system comprises 2 components; 1. the CRVS software (the subject of this RFP) and 2. the Data Center. The Data Center will be the subject of a subsequent tender. The successful bidder will be apprised of the specifications of said system upon awarding of the contract, or publishing of the tender (whichever comes soonest). Therefore, the server (data center) is not online currently.Qn.3. The points are not only for certification; they combine academics and experiences.Qn.4. A liquidity ratio of at least 1 is mandatory.