Consultancy Services for a Third-Party Monitoring Firm to Provide Safeguards and Technical Monitoring Services — Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP)

DIGITAL ZAMBIA ACCELERATION PROJECT (DZAP REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION) COUNTRY: Zambia NAME OF PROJECT: The Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP) Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: P505094 Name of Implementing Agency: Smart Zambia Institute (SZI) Assignment Title: Consultancy Services for a Third-Party Monitoring Firm to Provide Safeguards and Technical Monitoring Services Reference No.: ZM-SZ-525295-CS-QCBS 1. Background The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) has received financing from the World Bank for the implementation of the Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The Project is subject to the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), including applicable Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs), the World Bank Group Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines, and relevant national environmental and social legislation. To strengthen implementation oversight and ensure independent verification of environmental, social, and technical performance, the Smart Zambia Institute (SZI) intends to engage an independent Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) firm. 2. Objective of the Assignment The objective of the assignment is to enhance environmental, social, and technical performance under the Project through independent third-party monitoring during the construction phase of: • Subcomponent 1.1: Extending the Backbone and Regional Networks • Subcomponent 1.2: Supplying Last Mile Connectivity 3. Scope of Services The consulting firm will provide independent third-party monitoring services covering: • Environmental and social safeguards compliance; • Technical monitoring and verification of ICT infrastructure works; • Independent reporting on compliance with project requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable standards. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment may be accessed on the Smart Zambia Institute website or obtained upon written request from the address below. 4. Eligibility and Shortlisting Criteria The Smart Zambia Institute now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. (a) General Experience • Core business and organisational profile of the firm; • Number of years in business. (b) Specific Experience The firm shall demonstrate experience in the following areas: (i) Environmental and Social (E&S) Risk Management, including but not limited to: • Occupational Health and Safety (OHS); • Labour management procedures; • Biodiversity management; • Community health and safety; • Stakeholder engagement; • Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRM). (ii) Technical Monitoring of ICT Infrastructure Projects, including: • Fibre optic backbone and access networks; • Last-mile connectivity solutions; • Mobile broadband infrastructure (e.g., 4G/5G); • Towers, satellite or equivalent digital infrastructure systems. (iii) Institutional Capacity • Demonstrated ability to deploy qualified environmental, social, and technical specialists; • Proven capacity in independent monitoring, verification, and compliance restoration support. (iv) Relevant Assignments • Submission of at least six (6) comparable assignment reports (e.g., E&S monitoring, GRM implementation, technical verification, or project close-out reports). (v) International Experience • Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in World Bank-financed or other comparable internationally funded projects. (c) Conflict of Interest Firms must demonstrate absence of conflict of interest, including: • No current or past contractual, financial, or other relationships with contractors, supervising engineers, suppliers, or consultants engaged under the Project; • Compliance with the World Bank’s conflict of interest provisions. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be accessed from the following link: www.szi.gov.zm and can also be obtained following written request to the address indicated below. (c) Technical and Managerial capability of the firm(s) (Provide only the structure of the organization. Do not provide CVs of the Experts). Key Experts will not be evaluated at the short-listing stage. 5. Procurement Approach The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, 3.17, and 3.20 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (7th Edition, September 2025) regarding conflict of interest and eligibility. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a Joint Venture or Sub-consultancy. In the case of a Joint Venture, all partners shall be jointly and severally liable. The Consulting Firm will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method as set out in the World Bank Procurement Regulations. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 08:00 hours to 13:00 hours and 14:00 hours to 17:00 hours Central African Time (CAT) or by email. 6. Submission of Expressions of Interest Expressions of Interest must be delivered in written form and deposited in the tender box at the address below (in person) or electronically submitted via the following link: dzap_procurements@grz.gov.zm by Tuesday 14th July, 2026 at 10:00 hours CAT to the address indicated below: The National Coordinator Office of the President, E-Government Division, SMART Zambia Institute, Corner of Nationalist Road and Independence Avenue P.O. Box 31998, Lusaka, ZAMBIA. ZIP Code:10101 Telephone: +260-211-254478, 253438, 253652, 254599, 254657