The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) invites eligible Consultants (Individual) to tender EOI documents for the following works:
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of 5,114,162 km², and in 2015 had an estimated population of over 349 million.
Applications are invited for:
Title: Expression of Interest (EOI) - Selection of a Consultancy Firm for the Study to Define the Architecture of the ECOWAS Earth Observatory Satellite (ECOSAT 1)
Preamble
Space provides a unique opportunity for cooperation and sharing of infrastructure (including data) to proactively develop and manage strategic physical, human, economic and environmental sectors. Indeed, for many decades, space technologies have offered individual or cooperation opportunities (e.g. ESA, ARABSAT, etc.) between countries on commercial, scientific and technological level and also strategic advantages for those who control them. Thus, apart from military applications where they derive part of their continuous evolution, space technologies support the development of many sectors of human activity. The fields of environment, agriculture, communications and information technologies, broadcasting, are among the known historical beneficiaries of space applications.
In developed countries, new space science and technology applications are constantly being discovered and the spin-offs of space technology have led to progress in fields as diverse as medicine, material science and computers. Generally, space science technology applications help control epidemics, the management of natural resources and the environment, provide responses to natural disasters, weather forecasting, climate change mitigation and adaptation; agriculture and food security, peace and conflict-keeping missions, early warning, education and health services in rural and remote areas. In West Africa, as in most of the other African regions, space applications are more widely used in telecommunications, audiovisual communications, weather forecasting and air navigation sectors. However, their use can be further strengthened in agriculture and environmental management, which are very important economic sectors
In 2020, the ECOWAS Commission initiated a study to identify the needs of users of satellite data in the region as a basis for the design and manufacture of the first ECOWAS Earth Observation Satellite (ECOSAT 1). This study is part of the ongoing process of building the ECOWAS Earth Observation Satellite.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Consultancy
Due of the special nature of the assignment, this study will be entrusted to a (consulting firm, research firm, etc.) specialized public or private firm for development and research in the field of Space Sciences and Engineering. The firm should:
- List the tools, instruments used in their activities and those available in the region
- List the software (proprietary and open) used or potentially adapted for big data and image processing in particular and any other need expressed by users
- List the materials to be used for the design, assembling and launch of ECOSAT-1
- Draw up a list of potential partners for the projects
- Present the architecture of ECOSAT-1
- Propose a capacity building plan for regional stakeholders
- Define an overall cost of the project.
To this end, it should:
- Organize and plan activities related to the study;
- Produce a technical report on the study;
- Produce a financial report on the study;
- Participate in the presentation of the report before the sponsoring department of the study and if possible before the ECOWAS Management Committee;
- Participate in the validation of the final study report to stakeholders and experts in the field.
Qualification Requirements
The firm responsible for the study must have the following required qualifications and experiences:
- Be a legal person with expertise of more than 15 years in the field of Technologies / Space Science and Space Engineering;
- Have a network of reliable technical partners at regional, continental and international levels;
- Demonstrate credibility and transparency skills;
- Know the official languages of the region (English, French and Portuguese).
Technical expertise:
- Due to its particular nature, this study requires special skills on the part of the firm to be recruited. To do this, the entity must comply with the following minimum provisions:
- Have carried out similar three (03) studies within the last 15 years.
- Have experience in the design, development, launch and operation of a Satellite at a national, regional or international level over the past 15 years.
- Have experience and the ability to implement technologies and capacity building programs at a national, regional or international level in space science research field and development, geomatics and space engineering.
- Have qualified personnel to carry out all the activities and be able to mobilize additional unforeseen skills if necessary.
The ECOWAS Commission now invites eligible Consultants (Individual) to indicate their interests in providing these services. The interested Consultants must provide all information supporting their qualification to perform the services (Kindly attach detailed Curriculum Vitae that highlights the following: Curriculum and Certificates; Past Experiences of similar jobs over the past ten (10) years; Computer knowledge; knowledge of the area; language and any other information useful for the accomplishment of this project).
Please note that if individual consultants are proposed by firms, only the experience and qualifications of the individuals shall be used in the selection process, their corporate experience shall not be taken into account, and the contract, if given, will be signed with the proposed individual.
Application Closing Date
11:00 am (GMT+1), 22nd February, 2022
Submission of Documents
Expression of Interest (1 original and 3 copies) must be delivered in sealed envelopes and clearly marked “Selection of a Consultancy Firm for a Study to Define the Architecture of the ECOWAS Earth Observation Satellite (ECOSAT 1)" to the ECOWAS Tender Box located in the:
Directorate of General Administration,
Procurement Division,
1st Floor ECOWAS Commission,
101 Yakubu Gowon Crescent,
Asokoro District, P. M. B. 401,
F.C.T - Abuja.
Click Here (PDF) for a detailed description of the EOI.