SAFARICOM PLC TENDER FEBRUARY 2024  

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

SELF-SERVICE HARDWARE.

Document Release Date:  13th FEBRUARY 2024
Last Date for Receipt of Proposals:  27th FEBRUARY 2024 17:00PM EAT

1.0  INTRODUCTION

Safaricom PLC is a leading mobile network operator in Kenya, the company is continuously expanding and reviewing its business to meet the changing landscapes, needs, and profiles of its customers. Our efforts are geared towards positively impacting the lives of our customers and communities around us, and thus we strive to change the present to improve the future.

The company has dynamic operations running within the direct and indirect channels of the business, resulting to the need of digitizing, and automating our operational processes to drive simplification, efficiency, and flexibility to easily adopt to the dynamic operational environment for both internal and external customers whilst gaining a competitive edge of the business.

Our promise and commitment to our retail customers focuses on driving experience excellence, which is a key part of our promise to ensure customers can access our services and create memorable interactions that exceed expectations.

In line with this commitment, we seek to provide the right tools and solutions to both internal & external customers. The company is in the process of engaging in partnerships with organizations that can supply self-service hardware, which will provide customers with do-it-yourself services, enabling them to independently perform tasks or access services without direct assistance.

We invite your esteemed company to participate in our Expression of Interest (EOI) process for the lease of self-service hardware, and we look forward to learning more about your innovative solutions that will contribute to an enhanced customer journey within our outlets.

2.0  OBJECTIVES

This Expression of Interest (EOI) is intended to identify experienced and reputable partner(s), who will jointly with Safaricom PLC implement and support a solution that will facilitate self service automation through the provisioning of necessary hardware. The supplier will be tasked to provide hardware and support SFC in implementation and support of the self-service solution in line with the industry’s best practice.

The interested companies who express interest in co-creating this solution MUST have demonstrable capacity and experience in implementing & maintaining a dynamic self-service system. The objective of this document is to highlight the various use cases and requirements of the Self-Service Kiosk which will guide us in identifying a vendor who will provide a solution that will enable Safaricom to meet its expectations. Our main objectives for the Self-Service solution will be to provide customers with the following, and not limited to the listed.

  1. i)Product catalogue / locator and information.
  2. ii)Point of sale and ordering.

iii)   Service provision i.e., Account issues, Bill payment. etc.

  1. iv)Customer onboarding (New / additional lines)
  2. v)Sim dispensing (Swap and new Lines).
  3. vi)Customer feedback. vii. Digital signage.

vii)  QMS (Queue management – integration with existing system).

In this regard, the solution provider MUST have the capabilities / offerings below.

Requirement ID Requirement Statement
SSK001 Qualification and experience.

Build a detailed response showcasing your firm’s capacity and experience in Self Service hardware on similar projects, provide references and years of experience.

In your response include details and evidence of the organization’s compliance and certification. Where applicable provide evidence of partnership from the Original Equipment Manufacturer(s) – OEM’s.
SSK002 Product specifications, pricing and timelines.

Product specifications: Provide comprehensive details about the features and functionalities including technical specifications of your self-service hardware, hardware compliance to industry standards & regulations and demonstrate unique features of your product that make you competitive.

Highlight any innovative features or cutting-edge technologies integrated and outline any industry best practices and trends that your organization may consider relevant for Safaricom’s considerations.

Pricing: Include details of the pricing model. Provide breakdown of pricing components associated with your hardware, including any licensing or maintenance fees. (Actual costs to be provided during RFP stage)

The preferred procurement model is on a leasing basis. Elaborate how your business is suited to support our dynamic operations and long-term strategy.

Timelines: Provide expected lead time for delivery and installation after an agreement is agreed upon.
SSK002 Integration capabilities: Indicate in detail capabilities in place to support seamless integration of your hardware with the Safaricom infrastructure. Safaricom will provide the software.

Hardware must be compliant to minimum requirements as below;

o    Operating system: Windows 11 Enterprise.

o    Customizable: Ability to integrate into internal systems.

o    Compatible with industry standard hardware: Ability to operate standard

o    hardware and adheres to the respective ISO standards

o    Security: Adheres to standard security policies (i.e. Separation of user roles,

o    secure passwords, use of encryption for transmission and storage of data) as applicable.

o    Logging: Ability to provide/support logs on hardware/network activity and

o    customer transactions/activity and transmit them to remote system.

o    Admin & Monitoring: Ability to integrate and enable remote monitoring

o    and administration of the kiosk, inclusive of hardware component monitoring.
SSK003 Security: Given the nature of our operations and business, security is of utmost importance. Elaborate on security features incorporated on the hardware and including Data Security and Privacy governance.
SSK004 Support and maintenance: Provide detailed outline of your support services, during and post implementation. This is inclusive and not limited to warranty, technical support, training etc.
SSK005 Customization and scalability

Customization options: Provide comprehensive details about the extent to which the hardware can be tailored to align with our requirements, strategy, and brand. Describe any user interface and experience designs and / or customization features supported by the kiosk hardware.

Scalability: With growth in the business, we may need to expand our scope or kiosk deployments. Elaborate how your hardware solution is suited to support future growth.

3.0  SCOPE

The scope of work the solution vendor is expected to cover is as below.

Provision of secure self-Service hardware and peripherals on a leasing commercial model. Compliant to Safaricom’s minimum baseline security requirements and industry standards.

Infrastructure and cabling setup. This includes shipment and insurance during transportation, custom clearance, installation and setup on site or relocations on a need basis and other logistical activities.

Preventive maintenance, support, and operationalization of Kiosks in liaison with Safaricom.

Training of both technical support and end users.

Warranty.

4.0  HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

Detailed specification of the EOI are accessible using the link: https://www.safaricom.co.ke/images/Downloads/EOI-PROVISION-OF-SELFSERVICE-KIOSKS-HARDWARE.pdf

5.0  SUBMISSION OF ENQUIRIES AND RESPONSES

All enquiries relating to this EOI, and the final responses should be addressed to; Cokumu1@Safaricom.co.ke; copy to bids@Safaricom.co.ke on or before 27th FEBRUARY 2024 15:00PM EAT.

6.0   EOI Requirements for the bidders

Detailed requirements of the EOI are accessible using the link; https://www.safaricom.co.ke/images/Downloads/EOI-PROVISION-OF-SELFSERVICE-KIOSKS-HARDWARE.pdf

7.0  INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

Below are instructions that responses to this EOI MUST adhere to.

Please provide all responses in standard file formats i.e., XLSs, DOC(X) and PDF.

Please NOTE that the receipt of a response shall not bind Safaricom into any contractual agreements with the vendor responding to this EOI. Such arrangements shall only come into place once a tender process has been undertaken and an award issued to successful bidder(s) as evaluated technically and commercially.

Please NOTE that any costs associated with the preparation and submission of the response to the EOI shall be borne by the vendor.

Please note the scope is set for two hardware types as referenced on requirements 5.1/5.1.1 and 5.2 /5.2.1. Please clearly indicate the applicable area of interest your organization would wish to express interest in. The bid is open to either select one or both, as per requirements defined.

Please indicate willingness to provide hardware for review, testing through integrations to internal software and validation of customer journey use case(s). This will be applicable for a set period (to be agreed upon) in subsequent processes prior to the tender and contractual processes. Please NOTE that any costs associated with the process shall be borne by the vendor.

Please indicate if you intend to submit this bid as a joint venture/consortium or any other joint format and state the partner in this case.

Please submit your organization and staff experience information in the format provided in appendix 1 (Information on staff and organization experience) of this document.

Please share accompanying links to demos/documentation on the necessary technical descriptions of previous work undertaken of a similar nature.

8.0  NEXT STEPS

Once Safaricom PLC receives responses to this EOI on the closure date indicated, an Evaluation team will be constituted to evaluate the responses provided by the EOI respondents.

The Evaluation team constituted shall evaluate all the responses to the EOI and include all supporting documents, links & documentary evidence. Please NOTE that failure to submit requisite supporting documents or documentary evidence may lead to rejection of the EOI response.

The Evaluation team may seek additional documents as it deems necessary, at its discretion, as part of the evaluation exercise that will be undertaken.

EOI respondents who meet the minimum requirements will be called for a detailed presentation for further evaluation of their technical capability, product quality, Quality Analysis procedure, etc. as part of the EOI evaluation. This will include integration to test journeys upon integration.

Only those EOI respondents that meet the minimum requirements indicated will be shortlisted following successful presentation of their offering/solution proposal.

Successful potential partner(s) will be notified accordingly.

Below is a summary of activities from when the EOI will be sent out to closure/contracting.

NOTE: These dates are tentative and any changes that deviate from the below will be communicated.

No. Activity Approximate Dates
1        EOI sent out 13th February 2024
2        EOI receipt 27th February 2024
3        EOI responses review and evaluation 28th February – 15th March 2024
4        Tender Process 18th March – 30th June 2024
5        Award and contracting 1st July – 20th July 2024

9.0  NOTE

Safaricom PLC reserves, at its sole discretion, the right to select or reject either in totality or partially, any or all proposals made in the context of this EOI. Any such decisions made will be final and no correspondence will be engaged in, other than to inform the bidders of the outcome of the process.

Full EOI is accessible using the link; https://www.safaricom.co.ke/about/join-safaricom/our-suppliers/tenders

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