Date of issue: 21 November 2012 AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC Corporate and Public Sector Accountability Project Procurement of hardware & software platforms for the operating of FARABI system

Credit No. 4405 AZ Grant No. TF057849 İFB-İCB # 2.3.2a/2012

1.This Invitation for Bids (IFB) follows the General Procurement Notice (GPN) for this project that appeared in UNDB online on December 15, 2009

2.The Ministry of Finance of Republic of Azerbaijan has received a credit from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development toward the cost of Corporate and Public Sector Accountability Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to payments under the agreement(s) resulting from this IFB:  # 2.3.2a. This Contract will be jointly co-financed by Azerbaijan Government and World Bank.  Bidding will be governed by the World Bank’s eligibility rules and procedures.

3.The Ministry of Finance of Republic of Azerbaijan serves as the implementing agency for the project and now invites sealed bids from eligible Bidders for procurement of hardware & software platforms for the operating of FARABI system. The FARABI is for introduction of automated  accounting and financial reporting system based on National Accounting Standards for Budgetary Organizations (NASBOs), and collection and centralization of accounting functions and creation of business intelligence system for analytical reporting, improvement of money flow management system, as well as establishment of basis for further improvement and automation of other primary and secondary business processes of Budgetary Institutions of the Azerbaijan Republic. The period for supply and installation is 180 days from contract signing.

4.Bidding will be conducted using the International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedures specified in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement under İBRD Loans and IDA Credits, edition of May 2004, revised October 2006 and May 2010, and is open to all Bidders eligible as defined in these Guidelines, that meet the following minimum qualification criteria:

Financial Capability

Turnover

I.The average annual turnover of the bidder of the last three years (2009 -2010 - 2011) must exceed US $4,0 million or equivalent

II.The averages of cash and cash equivalents at the beginning and end of year are positive in the last three years (2009 - 2010 - 2011).

Liquidity

At least US $ 0.5 million or equivalent in the form of liquid assets. In case of Joint Ventures lead partner’s liquid assets should not be less than 50%.

Experience and Technical Capacity

Experience

The Bidder shall furnish documentary evidence to demonstrate that it meets the following experience requirement:

The Bidder must have completed two (2) successful contracts involving the procurement of hardware required for the initial configuration of the system and training of users from 35 or more institutions of higher learning with a budget of at least US $2,5 million each in the fields related to this contract within the past five years.

Personnel

As explained in detail in Section VI. Technical Specification, the bidder individually or as a joint venture must have at least the following staff in each of the following specialist areas involved in the project:

a) Project Manager, b) Windows System Administrator, c) UNIX System Administrator, d) Network and Security Administrator, e) Database Administrator, f) Trainer(s) g) Storage Systems Administrator

Bidder should commit full time manpower on regular employment exclusively for the assignment of the system.

Certification

The Bidder is responsible to provide certification according to Section Vİ Technical Requirements Clause 2.0.1.

5.Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from the Ministry of Finance of  Republic of Azerbaijan and inspect the bidding documents at the address given below from 10.00 -17.00 Baku time

6.A complete set of bidding documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written application to the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of 200 USD (two hundred United States Dollars) or 160 AZN (one hundred sixty Azerbaijani Manats). The method of payment will be direct deposit to the bank account given below.

Beneficiary name: Project Management Unit of the CAPSAP project under the Ministry of Finance of Azerbaijan Republic Tax Code: 1400108191

Acc.no: 33308039449330224120

The Open Joint Stock Company International Bank of Azerbaijan Premier Customer Services Branch Code: 805250 Corr. acc: AZ03NABZ01350100000000002944 Bank’s Tax Code: 9900001881

S.W.İ.F.T:  İBAZAZ2X

The document will be sent by mail for local delivery. The Bidding Documents will be sent by courier if requested and additional non-refundable fee of AZN 100 (one hundred Azerbaijani Manats) or in US$ 125 (one hundred and twenty five United States Dollars) is deposited to the same account. The Project Implementation Unit will not be responsible for the postal delays, in delivery of the documents, if any, or non-receipt of the same.

7.Bids must be delivered to the address below at or before 15 January 2013, by 17:00 Baku time. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security of not less than USD 80,000.00  or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency, and be delivered to the address below at or before 15 January 2013, by 17:00 Baku time. Late bids will be rejected.  Bids will be opened in the presence of Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below at 18 January 2013, 17:00 Baku Time.

8.The attention of prospective Bidders is drawn to (I) the fact that they will be required to certify in their bids that all software is either covered by a valid license or was produced by the Bidder and (II) that violations are considered fraud, which can result in ineligibility to be awarded World Bank-financed contracts.

Ministry of Finance of Republic of Azerbaijan Attn: Mr. Fuad Nasirov Director of Project Management Unit 83 Str., Samed Vurgun AZ 1022, Baku, Azerbaijan Tel: (994 12) 404 47 27; 404 47 16 E-mail:  [email protected]; [email protected]  Web site: www.maliyye.gov.az ttp://www.maliyye.gov.az