REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PROJECT PHASE 1 (FINAL VERSION)

1. SUMMARY

This Request for Proposal (RFP) invites suitably qualified consultants to submit proposals to provide services required under Phase 1 of an electronic commerce project. The project will be conducted under the guidance and oversight of a Steering Committee, established by the APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG). Australia (Project Overseer), Indonesia, and the USA are members of the Steering Committee.

The purpose of Phase 1 of the project is to provide participants with a sound base of knowledge and skills in electronic commerce to enable them to install electronic commerce systems in their businesses, and prepare them for the trialing of messages under Phases 2 and 3 of the project.

Phase 1 is to commence in June 1999 and be completed in December 1999.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this consultancy is to deliver courses that will:

• assist businesses (including Government owned) involved with international transport and related trading activities to implement electronic commerce systems that best meet their needs;
• provide examples of successful implementation of various forms of electronic commerce so that businesses can more readily judge the system best suited to their needs;
• demonstrate the process for implementing electronic commerce in a consistent manner which is compatible with as wide a range of trading partners as practicable. This will enable the benefits of electronic commerce in APEC economies to be maximised;
• identify and assist in removing technical and business barriers to the adoption of electronic commerce and increase the capability of businesses in APEC economies to adopt this technology;
• prepare participants for the trialing of messages under Phases 2 and 3 of the project.

3. PROJECT CONTEXT

Increasing the electronic commerce capability of businesses in APEC economies will make a significant contribution to facilitating the development of efficient systems for the international transport of sea and air freight. The issue of electronic commerce in transport, and how best to promote its cost-effective use, has been on the TPT-WG's agenda for several years.

At its 14^th meeting in October 1998, the TPT-WG agreed that, subject to final funding approval, actions be taken to implement Phase 1 of the project. The final funding approval for Phase 1 was given in November 1998.

While the full project involves three phases, Phase 1 can also be regarded as a stand-alone education and awareness project. However, it is hoped that a significant number of participants in Phase 1 will also go on to take part in Phases 2 and 3.

It is envisaged that participants in Phase 1 will include staff involved with the international movement of sea and air freight, and have a basic understanding of the relevant documentary requirements and the use of computers.

General

Prospective tenderers should note that the budget of $67,000, mentioned in section 9 of this RFP, is based on Phase 1 being delivered to eight economies. With this in mind, the final cost of Phase 1 will be subject to negotiation with the successful tenderer on the basis of decisions by the Steering Committee on the exact number of economies to be covered by Phase 1.

Tenderers should be aware that the economies in which the courses are to be delivered are expected to provide the following:

• a local coordinator to make the required arrangements at local level (eg arrange venue and notify participants of dates and venue for the course);
• a venue for the course; and
• basic facilities such as desks, overhead projector, and whiteboard.

The successful tenderer will be required to perform the following tasks:

• develop and conduct a five day course in each of the participating APEC economies;

• at this stage Indonesia, Singapore, and Hong Kong have confirmed their participation in Phase 1 of the project and provided information on their local coordinator and participating businesses. China, the Philippines and Brunei are probable participants, but will need to advise the name of their local coordinator and participating businesses before firming up their commitment. It is possible that a further two economies may participate in Phase 1 of the project;

• prepare course notes for distribution to participants prior to commencement of the course, and liaise with the local coordinator in each economy in which the courses are to be delivered in order to confirm dates, venues and participants attending the courses (details of local coordinators will be provided to the successful tenderer prior to contracts being signed); and
• provide regular reports on progress in implementing the required tasks.

On completion of each course the consultant will be required to submit a report containing information (including effectiveness) about the course work delivered. In respect of effectiveness, the consultant and participants will be provided with a questionnaire which they should fill in and return to the Project Overseer.

All documentation associated with this consultancy is to be in English.

• Introduction

• systems available and general characteristics
• current situation with use of EC use in international trade
• awareness of EC projects in APEC groups and how these can be used by participants in current project
• Associations for facilitating adoption of EC

• Functions and uses of EDI
• EDI Standards including EDIFACT process
• Functions and uses of E-Forms and e-mail
• Facilities for linking E-Forms to EDI through bureau services
• Costs and benefits of different EC systems
• Use of the Internet
• Use of Value Added Networks (VANs)
• Role of software suppliers and availability of software for particular functions. Consider availability of local software.
• Security of information and authentication of electronic documents
• Documentary flows for commercial transactions in sea and air freight and how EC can be used to simplify and make the process more efficient
• Open forum discussions/questions/answers relevant to implementation of EC
• Development of national strategies for extending use of EC to as many trading partners as practicable both within economies and overseas
• Processes for establishing trading partners including Trading Partner Agreements for doing business electronically
• Requirements for businesses to get set up to trial the exchange of electronic messages (including EDI, E-Forms and e-mail) with trading partners including re-engineering business processes to obtain maximum advantage from operating in an electronic environment
• Practical exercises to test the extent to which lectures and presentations have been understood

• Details of follow up work to prepare for Phases 2 and 3, including reading lists and in-house training within participating organisations.

• Participants will have developed a sound base of knowledge and skills in electronic commerce to enable them to install electronic commerce systems in their businesses and to prepare for trialing messages.

Phases 2 and 3

While Phases 2 and 3 will be subject to separate RFP’s, information about the requirements of these phases is provided so that tenderers are aware of what is envisaged under all phases of the project.

• Finalise agreement on what EC messages are to be used by individual participating businesses
• Finalise fitting of software for trialing of messages
• Commence trialing messages
• Resolve problems arising from trials

• Participants will have trialed the use of a number of electronic commerce messages and experienced the processes involved, including the resolution of problems.

• Finalise trials of the key electronic commerce messages that individual participants wish to use.

• Commence the successful use of electronic commerce messages for actual business transactions and resolve any further difficulties that may arise.

• Participants will have completed testing the use of electronic commerce messages for the transactions required in their particular business.

5. PROJECT OVERSIGHT

The successful tenderer will be subject to directions from the Project Overseer who will chair the Steering Committee. This Committee will be subject to the arrangements and procedures contained in Appendix 1. The Project Overseer will be:

Ms Joanne Blackburn
Assistant Secretary, Maritime Division
Department of Transport and Regional Services,
GPO Box 594,
CANBERRA CITY ACT 2601, AUSTRALIA.
Phone: +61 2 6274 7982, Fax: +61 2 6274 7744
E-mail: Jblackbu@email.dot.gov.au

6. TIMING AND PAYMENTS

The following is a summary of the estimated key dates relating to Phase 1:

• 5 March 1999: Closing date for receipt of responses to this RFP.
• 24 March 1999: Economies submit one preferred tenderer to APEC Secretariat.
• 23 April 1999: Complete selection process for consultant for Phase 1.
• 17 May 1999: Sign contract with consultant
• June 1999: Consultant to commence work required under Phase 1
• December 1999: Complete delivery of courses and reports required under Phase 1

An indicative schedule for the performance and payment of services for Phase 1 of the project is as follows:

PHASE 1 SCHEDULE

7. SELECTION PROCESS

Proposals submitted by tenderers will be assessed on the basis of:

• Soundness of methodology
• Suitability of consultant

• Attention to detail
• Demonstrated technical expertise in developing and delivering electronic commerce courses similar to the ones required under Phase 1
• Awareness of the objectives of APEC and the TPT-WG electronic commerce work program. This information be found on the Internet at http://www.apecsec.org.sg and http://www.apectptwg.org.au
• Value for money. This should include details of tenderers charges, the time frame for carrying out the requirements of the project, and the most cost effective way of delivering the required Phase 1 courses.

8. PROPOSALS

Tenderers should demonstrate their ability to meet the project requirements in a formal proposal incorporating the following components:

• outline of methodology. This should include an explanation of how the tenderer proposes to meet the objectives of Phase 1 of the project by demonstrating a clear understanding of the various electronic commerce systems available, including relevant costs and benefits;

• qualifications and experience for the required tasks;
• previous experience on similar tasks;
• proposed timetable;
• itemised budget covering charges for services to be provided; and
• preferred payment arrangements.

Tenderers must lodge their detailed proposals via registered mail or courier to the nominated contact officer in the relevant economy. Addresses are as follows:

(relevant postal/courier and e-mail addresses to be inserted by each economy advertising the RFP).

Proposals must be received by the contact officer in each economy by 5 pm on Friday 5 March 1999.

9. BUDGET

The maximum budget allocated for delivering courses under Phase 1 to eight economies is US$ 67,000 and bids must not exceed this figure. Tenderers should submit details of the basis of their cost calculations which must include: air fares, daily rate for consultant’s fee, and per diem rate to cover hotel and all other incidental expenses.

10. PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS

Payment arrangements will be subject to negotiation. When seeking payment, the successful tenderer will be required to submit itemised invoices and receipts for major costs such as air fares (include boarding passes) and accommodation.

11. PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE

Details of members of the Project Steering Committee are as follows:

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PROJECT PHASE 1 – (Number TPT01/99T)