Request for Bid

Information Systems

Design, Supply and Installation of Higher Education Management Information System

Purchaser: Ministry of Education and Research (MoER)

Project:Moldova Higher Education Project

Contract title: Design, Supply and Installation of Higher Education Management Information System

Country: Republic of Moldova

Credit No.:6542-MD

RFB No:MD-MOED-244633-GO-RFB

Issued on: September 15, 2023

1.        The Ministry of Education and Research has receivedfinancing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Moldova Higher Education Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds toward payments under the contractfor Design, Supply and Installation of Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS).

2.        The Ministry of Education and Research now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for Design, Supply and Installation of HEMIS. HEMIS will collects, monitors, manages, analyzes, and disseminates information about higher education inputs, processes, and outcomes - in particular, information regarding students, lecturers, higher institution resources and so on. The main objective of HEMIS is to provide the MoER, other central public administration authorities, local public administration authorities, higher education institutions and the citizens with updated data on the higher education system for analysis, strategic planning, education policy development, monitoring and evaluation of the impact of their implementation.

3.        Bidding will be conducted through national competitive procurement using Request for Bids (RFB) as specified in the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers”, issued on July 1, 2016, revised on November 1, 2016 and August 1, 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), and is open to all eligible Bidders as defined in the Procurement Regulations  that meet the following minimum qualification criteria:

(a)    The bidder shall furnish documentary evidence that it meets the following financial requirements:

• The average annual turnover of the Bidder should be not less than USD 300,000.00 (three hundred thousand), or equivalent, for the most recent three (3) years (2020, 2021, 2022) and this turnover must have been derived solely through the provision of Information Technology (IT) Systems and services.  Where the Bidder is a Joint Venture the sum of all Partners' average turnover amounts may be used.  Also, where the Bidder is a Joint Venture, the Partner in charge must have had an average annual turnover equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the amount required, whereas the other partners shall have not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the total requirement. 

The Bidder should provide audited financial statements and balance sheets for the last three complete financial years demonstrating the soundness of the Bidder’s financial position and demonstrating that it has the financial resources necessary to handle the requirements of the proposed Contract.   

• The Bidder must demonstrate access to, or availability of, financial resources such as liquid assets, unencumbered real assets, lines of credit, and other financial means, other than any contractual advance payments to meet the following cash-flow requirement: USD 20,000.00 for the subject contract net of the Bidders’ other commitments.

(b)   Experience and technical capacity:

The bidder shall furnish documentary evidence (including information about the completed contracts and contact information of clients from whom the references could be taken or whom the Purchaser may, when necessary, visit to familiarize themselves with the systems put into operation by the Bidder) to demonstrate that it meets the following experience requirements:

-   It should have been in operation for at least 5 years with an important part of its business being the provision of Information Technology (IT) Systems, including software and services.

-   The bidder must have demonstrated experience as a prime supplier, management contractor, JV member[1] in conducting at least two (2) contract within the last three (3) years, each with a value of at least USD 150,000,00 that have been successfully and substantially completed and that are similar complexity[2] to the proposed Information System.

The successfully completed similar contracts shall be documented by a copy of an Operational acceptance certificate (or equivalent documentation satisfactory to the Purchaser) issued by the purchaser(s).

(c)    Staff qualification:

          The Bidder must demonstrate that it will have suitably qualified key personnel.

The bidder core technical team must include the following staff qualifications:

Project Manager:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant domain;

-             At least 5 years of experience of IT software development and implementation projects;

-             Managing of implementation of at least 3 projects of similar kind and size within 5 last years;

-             Experience in IS project implementation in governmental or public sectors;

-             Experience in implementing at least two projects containing personal data;

-             Experience in developing flexible reports with the possibility of changing/updating;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

Business Analyst:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant domain;

-             At least 5 years of business analysis experience in IT / software development projects of similar kind and size;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

-             Deep understanding of business process management (BPM) technologies;

-             Legal background constitutes a strong advantage;

-             Understanding of enterprise lifecycle constitutes a strong advantage.

Senior software developer / software architect:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant domain;

-             At least 5 years of business analysis experience in IT / software development projects of similar kind and size;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

-             Deep understanding of business process management (BPM) technologies;

-             Legal background constitutes a strong advantage;

-             Understanding of enterprise lifecycle constitutes a strong advantage.

Software developer:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant field;

-             At least 5 years' experience in software development;

-             At least 3 years of experience in software development using required technology stack;

-             Certifications in any technology in the required technology stack is an advantage;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

Software Tester:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant field;

-             At least 3 years' experience in software testing in projects of similar complexity;

-             Proven experience in software test analysis and design;

-             Proven experience in automated testing;

-             Proven experience in performance testing (load and stress testing);

-             Proven experience in information systems security testing;

-             Certification in testing or any technology in the required technology stack is an advantage;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

Trainer:

-             University degree in Computer Science or another relevant domain;

-             At least 5 (five) years of overall professional experience in training users in using information systems;

-             Participation in at least 3 (three) projects of similar complexity;

-             Significant professional experience in development of training courses and content for e-learning platforms;

-             Significant professional experience in the development of user guides and other training materials;

-             Working knowledge of Romanian. English or/and Russian would be an advantage.

-             Although the Consultant may offer any development technology stack, programming languages and databases, that meet criteria of business and technical requirements of this document, the task of Senior software developer / software architect is to ensure the chosen technologies are in line with overall requirements for governmental systems.

4.        Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from: Ministry of Education and Research, e-mail: mhep@mec.gov.mdand inspect the bidding document during office hours 09:00 to 17:00 hours at the address given below.

5.        The bidding document in English may be obtained by interested eligible Bidders upon the submission of a written application to the address below. The document will be signed electronically[3] and sent by e-mail.^[4]

6.        Bids must be submitted ONLY ELECTRONICALLY to the electronic mail address mentioned below on or before October 31, 2023; 11:00 AM, local time. Late bids will be rejected. Bids will be publicly opened via online conference where the bidders’ designated representatives will be invited and to which can join anyone who decide to participate at the online conference for bids opening.  

7.        All Bids must be accompanied by a “Bid-Securing Declaration,”.

8.        The address (es) referred to above is:

Attention: Sergiu Harea

Address: 180 Stefan cel Mare str.  Floor 13, room 1307

City: Chisinau; ZIP Code: MD-2012

Country: Republic of Moldova

Telefon:  +373-22-23-25-02; Fax: +373-22-23-25-02

Electronic mail address: mhep@mec.gov.md;with copy tocezar.captaciuc@gmail.com