Delivery of Advanced Network Technologies to Europe (DANTE), on behalf of the Ubuntunet Alliance and European National Research and Education Networks, is coordinating procurement efforts under the AfricaConnect project. The project, funded by the European Commission Development and Cooperation-Europe Aid directorate (http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm), aims to establish a high-capacity network for research and education in Southern and Eastern Africa (ESA) region, and to connect this network to the worldwide community of Research and Education Networks through GÉANT, the pan-European Research and Education Network operated by DANTE.

The beneficiaries of AfricaConnect are the NRENs under the UbuntuNet Alliance, the regional research and Education Network for the ESA region. The Alliance currently has membership drawn from 14 countries namely:

— The Democratic Republic of Congo,

— South Africa,

— Ethiopia,

— Kenya,

— Madagascar,

— Malawi,

— Mozambique,

— Namibia,

— Rwanda,

— Somalia,

— Sudan,

— Tanzania,

— Uganda

— Zambia.

The project has European partners comprising the National Research and Education Networks (NREN) of Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal - who respectively represent the GÉANT community. DANTE seeks data links from UbuntuNet Alliance PoP in Nairobi to Port Sudan and Amsterdam and from the UbuntunNet Alliance PoP in Lusaka to London. Connectivity will be required at a minimum of STM-1 to Sudan and STM-4 from Lusaka. Pricing is required for 1, 3, 5 and 10 year terms subject to commercial considerations and overall affordability of the total solution.

Bidders should note that both submarine and terrestrial routing options are acceptable.

To access the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire suppliers must first register an account on the DANTE eProcurement portal at www.dante-procurement.net