Request for Proposals (RFP) No. LIT 2025-0003
RFP for Procurement of Internet Service
Leaders In Teaching (LIT)
Education Development Center, Inc.
(Hereafter referred to as “EDC”)
RFP for Procurement of
Internet Services in Liberia
Date of Issuance:
July 28, 2025
Table of Contents
3.1 Offeror’s Understanding of the RFP.. 4
3.4 Eligibility of Proposals. 5
5.2 Detailed Budget & Budget Narrative. 8
7.1 Organization Overview and Certification.. 8
EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)
EDC is one of the world’s leading nonprofit research and development firms. Established in 1958, EDC designs, delivers and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic opportunity. Our services include research, training, educational materials, and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale national and international initiatives.EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Project Description
Mastercard Foundation’s Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative aims to transform secondary education across Africa by strengthening secondary-level teaching and learning so that young people have the 21st-century skills and competencies needed for employment, lifelong learning, and adult life. Education Development Center (EDC) is coordinating and implementing the LIT program in Liberia in collaboration with a consortium of over 10 local education partners and the Ministry of Education, focusing on all four LIT programmatic pillars: 1) Teacher Recruitment; 2) Teacher Training; 3) Education Leadership and Management; and 4) Teacher Motivation. Each program component under the respective LIT pillars will be implemented with a strong focus on inclusion and gender equity, addressing the unique needs of marginalized young women, youth with
The purpose of this RFP is to invite prospective Internet Service Provider (ISP) to submit proposal for the provision of robust Internet service that will adequately provide Internet connectivity to hundred of networked computer hosts in the Leaders In Teaching (LIT) office located in Fish Market, Tubman Boulevard, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia The requested service will have adequate redundancy at critical network points and at all other necessary levels so as to ensure interruptible Internet service and smooth operations at all times
This procurement is open to offers from organizations incorporated or legally registered under the laws of the Republic of Liberia.
EDC shall retain the RFP, and all related terms and conditions, exhibits and other attachments, in original form in an archival copy. Any modification of these, in the Offeror’s submission or subsequent contract, is grounds for immediate disqualification.
The following schedule applies to this RFP but may change in accordance with EDC’s needs or unforeseen circumstances. Any changes made to the stated timeline will be announced as formal modifications to the RFP.
| Line | Time | Date | Time Table |
| A | 4:00 PM Liberia Time | July 30, 2025 | Deadline for submission of questions to EDC. Questions should be sent in writing by email to LITProcurement@edc.org |
| B | 4:00 PM Liberia Time | July 31, 2025 | Estimated date for issuance of responses by EDC. Responses will be issued and will be sent to all known prospective Offerors. |
| C | 4:00 PM Liberia Time | August 5, 2025 | Deadline for submission of quotations via email to LITProcurement@edc.org with reference to LIT 2025-0003 in the Response Line. |
3.1 Offeror’s Understanding of the RFP
In responding to this RFP, the Offeror fully understands the RFP in its entirety and in details, including making any inquiries to EDC as necessary to gain such understanding. Clarification questions must be submitted by potential Offerors—in writing— by the date and time designated in Line A of the Chart in Section 2.3. Responses will be published in writing. EDC reserves the right to disqualify at its sole discretion any Offeror who submits a Proposal that is not responsive or that demonstrates less than such understanding. That right extends to the cancellation of the contract if a contract has been made. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault, cost, or liability whatsoever to EDC.
Verbal communication shall not be effective. In no case shall verbal communication govern over written communications.
Offerors’ inquiries, questions, and requests for clarification related to this RFP are to be directed in writing in English by the date and time designated in Line A of the Chart in Section 2.3 to:
Education Development Center, Inc.
Attention: Operations and HR Manager
E-mail: LITProcurement@edc.org
Email subject: “Questions regarding RFP No. LIT 2025-0003
Proposals must be provided on the Offerors’s letterhead or stationery and sent by email to:
Education Development Center, Inc.
Attention: Operations and HR Manager
E-mail: LITProcurement@edc.org
Email subject: “Proposal in Response to RFP No. LIT-2025-0003
Proposals must have the subject line of “Proposal in response to RFP No. LIT-2025-0003 and must include the number of emails (for example, Email 1 of 2, Email 2 of 2, etc.) in the subject line. The Proposal itself must include all documents required by the RFP in Word, Excel, or PDF and those documents must be attached to the email message(s); all attachments must be clearly labeled and must be numbered sequentially in order for EDC to review the Proposal. If the Proposal is sent in more than one email message, the Offeror must send all of the email messages with the Proposal submission on the same day and time the sending of the emails as closely as practicable.
It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure timely delivery of the Proposals to EDC by the date and time designated in Line C of the Chart in Section 2.3.
Offerors must submit all components required by this RFP, including its annexes, in order for their Proposals to be complete. Before evaluating Proposals, EDC will determine which Proposals include the components required by the RFP, see Annex B, to be considered complete Proposals. Please note that although EDC will determine certain Proposals to be complete, this determination does not signify that an award will be made to one or any of the Offerors with complete Proposals. Only complete Proposals will be evaluated and considered for an award.
Offerors may be disqualified if a check of past performance demonstrates that the Offeror has not been able to deliver similar services on time and in a satisfactory manner.
The evaluation of each complete proposal submitted in response to this RFP will be based on its demonstrated competence, compliance, format, and organization. The purpose of this RFP is to identify those organizations that have the interest, capability, and financial strength to supply the services identified in Section 4.
Evaluation Criteria:
| Technical Criteria Category | Description | Maximum Points |
| Expertise of Firm/Organization | · Transmission of internet via cable and satellite technologies · Ethernet protocols · Network security | 30 |
| Past Performance and References | · Information on the source of primary transmission · Information on the source of redunt transmission · Demonstrated experience in designing and managing Wide Area Network · Demonstrated experience in trouble shooting in WAN issues. · 24/7 client support | 40 |
| Technical Methodology | · Clear description of transmission technology | 30 |
Cost proposals will be evaluated, but will not be assigned a rating. The evaluation of cost will include a determination of cost realism, completeness, and reasonableness. Cost realism is defined as the offerors’ ability to project costs which are realistic for the work to be performed; reflect a clear understanding of the requirements; and are consistent with the offeror’s technical capacity.
EDC may award a contract without discussions with Offerors. As such, Offerors are strongly encouraged to submit their best Proposals with their original submissions. EDC reserves the right to site visits and/or to conduct discussions, which may result in revisions to Proposals, with one or more than one or all Offeror(s) if EDC determines, at its sole discretion, discussions to be necessary. Discussions may include oral presentations provided by the Offeror.
The project will require a detailed site survey by potential Internet Service Provider to provide an internet data link over fiber that will terminate directly into the EDC Office’s located at Fish Market, Tubman Boulevard, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia
The provider will subsequently develop options for solutions that will meet the EDC requirements.
Due to the critical nature of the applications that are operated through this Internet link, the provider shall be required to ensure availability of this service at all times. Any interruptions or service degradation below what is agreed upon or below EDC’s expectations will result in the loss of the subscription fees in the form of service credits commensurate with the duration that the service was un-available or when the service quality was unacceptable.
The provider shall ensure that there is a twenty four hour technical coverage of the service support and should therefore be operating a 24X7 support center. The provider shall provide any required hardware; telecommunications applications or software upgrade including any licenses that may be required to keep the service operational after the service has been commissioned. After the service has been commissioned the provider shall bear any installation costs that may be required to keep the quality of the service acceptable to EDC. Further, the provider will be responsible for additional costs arising from technical modifications, change of Internet provisioning technologies or change in agreements of the provider and her partners.
4.2 Technical Requirements
| Lots | Item | Description of requirement |
| 1 | Bandwidth Required | CIR (1:1) Dedicated – 6 Mbps Uplink/6 Mbps downlink – service provider upgrade to 10 Mbps at no cost to support our operations effectively. |
| 2 | Mode of connection | Option A: Physical connection: Fiber Optic Cable Option B: Wireless mode: Fiber Optic cable connection via P2P link |
| 3 | Service Availability | 99.9%, the ISP will provide performance monitoring tool to EDC/LIT office. |
| 4 | Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) | The ISP must provide CPE to enable connectivity |
| 5 | Redundancy/Backup link | The ISP must provide alternative connection for redundancy or a backup link. ISP must configure and test for automatic switching between primary and secondary backup link Redundancy:ISPs should provide a backup link with automatic failover (e.g., wireless backup or secondary fiber) to ensure minimal disruptions. |
| 6 | Setup and configuration | The ISP will be responsible for setup and configuration of CPE necessary for testing and commissioning to ensure that internet is accessible. |
| 7 | Documentation | The ISP must provide all the documentation concerning the configuration and setup of the link. A clear and comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA) must be provided by ISP SLA and Reporting:Maintain 99.9% uptime but include a requirement for monthly performance reports and service credits for downtime beyond agreed limits. |
| 8 | Upgradable | The solution provided by the ISP must allow for upgrade or scalability of the bandwidth. |
| 9 | Public IP Address | The ISP must provide at lease two (2) dedicated Public IP Address to the EDC/LIT Office. Each of the two(2) IP can be used one at a time and one (1) for reserved.
|
| 10 | Period of contract | August 30, 2025 to September 1, 2026 |
| 11 | Delivery Period | The ISP must indicate the delivery period within which the proposed service shall be connected and activated. |
Offeror must submit:
5.2 Detailed Budget & Budget Narrative
The detailed budget must be submitted in Microsoft Excel format and show:
The budget should include all applicable costs assocated with provision of the Internet services including but not limited to:
| No. | Description of Service | Unit Number | Unit Price (USD) | Total Price (USD) |
| Grand Total (USD) | ||||
EDC anticipates issuing a fixed price contract with payments made upon submission of agreed-upon deliverables. The selected organization must agree to abide by the price submitted for the duration of the contract
EDC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to revise the payment schedule before issuance of a contract.
The anticipated contract terms and conditions for any resultant contract are provided in Annex C.
7.1 Organization Overview and Certification
In order for their Proposals to be considered, the Offeror must complete and submit the organizational information form included in Annex A to this RFP and submit all the attachments required by Annex A to this RFP.
In order for the Proposals to be considered, the Offeror must complete and submit the proof of their Business Registration and up to date Tax Certification as an attachment to this RFP.
Annex A—Organizational Information and Certification Form
The Offeror must ensure that this form is duly completed and correctly executed by an authorized officer of the Offeror’s company.
A1. Organizational Information
Full legal name of the Offeror’s company:
Year the Offeror’s company was established:
Contact information regarding the proposal:
Offeror’s Dun & Bradstreet Number[1]:
The Offeror certifies, by checking the applicable box(es), that:
The Offeror is a non-U.S. entity and it operates as:
a corporation organized under the laws of (country name),
an individual,
a partnership,
a nongovernmental nonprofit organization,
a nongovernmental educational institution,
a governmental organization,
an international organization, or
a joint venture.
A2. References
Please list the names, email addresses, phone numbers, and contact people at three organizations to which the Offeror has provided services of a similar or larger size and scope during the last 24 months, whom EDC can call on as references, and a description of the services provided to each organization. It is recommended that the Offeror alert the contacts that their names have been submitted and that they are authorized to provide performance information if requested by EDC.
Reference #1:
Organization Name:
Contact Person:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Type of Services Provided:
Value of the Services Provided:
Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:
Reference #2:
Organization Name:
Contact Person:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Type of Services Provided:
Value of the Services Provided:
Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:
Reference #3:
Organization Name:
Contact Person:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Type of Services Provided:
Value of the Services Provided:
Month and Year During Which Services were Provided:
A3. Incorporation, Registration, and Litigation
The following documents must be included in your proposal.
Documentation showing the Offeror’s current legal incorporation in the country in which it is incorporated:
Attached
A copy of the Offeror’s currently active registration in the Liberia, demonstrating that the organization can legally operate in the Liberia if the Offeror will complete any work under a contract resulting from this RFP in the Liberia.
Attached
Offeror certifies that it will not complete any work under a contract resulting from this RFP in the Liberia and further certifies that it can legally operate in the country(ies) in which all work under a contract resulting from this RFP will take place.
Information regarding any current lawsuits, legal proceedings, court cases, or other litigation in which the Offeror, or any of the entities in the collaboration, are involved, regardless of the jurisdiction where the litigation resides.
Attached
Offeror certifies that it is not currently involved in any lawsuits, legal proceedings, court cases, or other litigation.
A4. Key Individuals
The names and titles of the Offerors’ key individuals are:
(a) the principal officers of the organization’s governing body (e.g., chairman, vice chairman, treasurer and secretary of the board of directors or board of trustees):
(b) the principal officer and deputy principal officer of the organization (e.g., executive director, deputy director, president, vice president):
(c) the program manager(s) for the proposed contract:
(d) any other person who will have significant responsibilities for the administration of the US Government-financed activities or resources under the proposed delivery of the services:
A5. Awareness and Agreement to the Content of this RFP
By signing this form, the Offeror attests to its awareness and agreement to the content of this RFP and all accompanying calendar schedules and terms and provisions contained herein, including but not limited to the payment terms in Section 6.
A6. Compliance With Applicable Laws and Regulations
By signing this form, the Offeror agrees to comply with all applicable U.S. federal laws and regulations including those governing affirmative action, E-Verify, equal employment opportunity, use of human participants in research, disabilities, prohibitions against supporting terrorism, prohibitions on human trafficking and prohibitions against discrimination, and, if the value of the contract resulting from this RFP is $10,000 or more, Executive Order 13496, Notification of Employee Rights Under Federal Labor Laws, see 29 CFR Party 471, Appendix A to Subpart A. Offeror hereby certifies that it is not delinquent on any State or Federal tax. The Offeror will cooperate with EDC in its efforts to comply with all laws, regulations and any award terms and conditions imposed by EDC by the sponsor(s) of this project.
A7. Debarment and Suspension
The Offeror further certifies that their firm (check one):
IS
IS NOT
currently debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment by any United States federal entity. The undersigned agrees to notify EDC of any change in this status, should one occur, until such time as an award has been made under this procurement action.
A8. Proposals Validity
This proposal is submitted in response to an RFP issued by EDC. The undersigned is a duly authorized officer and hereby certifies that:
(Offeror Name)
agrees to be bound by the content of this Technical and Cost Proposals and agrees to comply with the terms, conditions and provisions of the referenced RFP. The Proposals shall remain in effect for a period of 90 calendar days as of the Due Date of the RFP.
A9. Authorized Negotiators
Person[s] authorized to negotiate on behalf of this firm for purposes of this RFP are:
| Name: | Title: | ||
| Signature: | Date: | ||
| Name: | Title: | ||
| Signature: | Date: |
A10. Signature
Signature of Authorized Officer:
| Name: | Title: | ||
| Signature: | Date: |
Annex B – RFP Checklist
Please include this checklist with your Proposals
Name of Vendor: ________________________________________________
| Items to be included with Proposals | Submitted (Yes/No) |
| 1. Proposals on Letterhead | |
| 2. Price guarantee valid for 120 days | |
| 3. Technical proposal that describes the Internet services the Offeror intends to provide in response to the statement of work | |
| 4. Annex A – Organizational Information & Certification (completed and signed) | |
| a. Certificate of Incorporation in the Republic of Liberia | |
| b. List of Key Personnel | |
| c. Referees (3) | |
| 5. A copy of valid Tax Certificate | |
| 6. Financial Proposal | |
| 7. Annex D, Vendor Representation |
Annex C—Education Development Center, Inc. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Provider is obligated to understand the rules and regulations that govern this Agreement. Provider will cooperate with EDC in its efforts to comply with all laws, regulations and any award terms and conditions imposed on EDC by the sponsor(s) of this project.
[1] Bidders that currently have a Dun & Bradstreet Number are requested to provide this information. Bidders who are not registered with Dun & Bradstreet may do so at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. There is no charge for this registration. A Dun & Bradstreet Number is not required for submission of a proposal, but may be required before a contract is issued. Whether or not an Bidder currently has a Dun & Bradstreet number will not affect the evaluation of the Bidder’s proposal.