The Star ­ Friday
Date: 11.12.2015
Page 3
Article size: 65 cm2
ColumnCM: 14.44
AVE: 25422.22
Three firms to supply
Shl7bn school laptops
BY DOMINIC WABALA
THREE companies will be
awarded the Shi7 billion
tender to supply 1.2 million
laptops to primary school­
children early next year.
The decision was reached
in a pre­bidders' conference
yesterday.
The meeting addressed
queries by the shortlisted
bidders on specific require­
ments that differ from
market standards.
The companies will supply
the laptops in three lots.
They are required to set
up a local assembly plant
and supply point by July.
Each lot is divided into
two phases. The initial
phase is the importation of
equipment and the second is
assembling.
The bidders were, how­
ever, concerned there may
not be enough time between
award of the tender in
February and supply of the
product in July.
They also raised questions
about the open­endedness of
the teacher­to­learner speci­
fications, which they said are
vague.
Specifications have been
changed from the standard
11.6 inches and 13 inches
to 12 inches, which might
be specific to a particular
manufacturer.
The bidders want to
know what software will be
installed and from whom
because it has to be installed
before laptops are supplied
to schools.
Sources privy to the dis­
cussions at the ICT Author­
ity offices at Teleposta Tow­
ers said three bidders out of
the initial 25 will participate
in the project.
The government is imple­
menting the project through
the Information ministry.
The Education ministry
was to implement the project
but it collapsed.
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