[kictanet] State cancels the Laptop Project tender process?

[Ngigi Waithaka]

Listers,

This is probably the most important decision Kaimenyi has made to date and
also that will define his 5 year term in Education. And I totally agree
with him.

We are being let down by lack of creativity in our Procurement processes,
yet we have persons who profess to have Masters & PHDs in Procurement, but
they they can't think beyond their pockets.

Thing is, in large scale procurement, you have to look at how to not only
get the best value, but how to manage the risk and also, how to ensure fair
play amongst the vendors.

Any tender for a country-wide project just can't be awarded to a single
vendor. This doesn't happen in industries like roads (Can you imagine GoK
saying that they are issuing out a tender to tarmac every road in Kenya
that will end up with a single vendor?), but in ICT we do it with impunity.

Since this is a Country Wide Project, the first thing that needs to be made
are the standards and specifications for these laptops. Lock them down and
then ask Original Equipment Manufacturers to quote on how much it would
cost to supply these laptops in batches of 1,000. You do not need HP, IBM,
Lenovo. Go and talk to the OEM Manufacturers directly, and let them give
you Laptops branded KenyaONE with those specs.

If you are buying 20K Laptops, you can make Laptops to be made to your
specification, unbranded at almost half the cost. How do I know, we once
had special hardware made for a client here, who was buying just 500 pieces
with full support and warranty.

If you think I am kidding, just take a look here
http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/oem-laptop.html. You get laptops with Intel
Core 2 Duo Chips & Motherboards at between 100 - 200 USD depending on
quantities.

How do you support them? Give those contracts to every University, College
and Youth Group that gets registered and the parts can be bought centrally
then the local guys can buy them from there and resell to the schools.

How do you ensure quality? Ask KEBS to approve Samples. Give kids in select
schools to play around with them for a month and get feedback, Once
approved, then every laptop after that has to meet those specs as per those
Samples.

And before anyone screams that China makes 'cheap' products, remember every
major manufacturer including the one that makes your treasured iPad,
manufacturers them in China. Even one DJ CK was shocked how our average
perception of China is during a recent visit
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/2013/08/lessons-from-uhurus-landmark-china-visit/

Regards
Waithaka Ngigi
A1.iO


On Thu, Oct 17, 2013 at 11:33 AM, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:

> NAIROBI, KENYA: The Government has now cancelled the Laptop Project tender
> for schools over a budget deficit as bidders exceeded the budgetary
> projections.
>
> Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi announced that the tender
> process was canceled as lowest bidder quoted Ksh 32B against an anticipated
> budget of Ksh 20B.
>
> read more @
>
> http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000095732&story_title=jubilee-laptop-project-halted
>
> ~~~~
> Not sure if it is true but I think Kenyans need to ask serious questions
> on this.  We cannot spend our time and effort putting forward ideas on how
> to best implement a high-risk project and then suddenly we are told it is
> over...kapput.. finito..go home. just like that!
>
> For example If money is the problem why not modify the project to fit 20B
> the budget?  I still think 20B would be sufficient if this project was
> tilted and tweaked towards the form1 student labs or even university
> students.  The idea was noble and timely but execution and target audience
> for me (not Yawe :-) has always been doubtful.
>
> Right now we are told suppliers asked  for 32B Ksh and but we had 20B so
> cancel the project, no questions asked and perhaps wait for 2-3yrs later to
> read from the Auditor General about how the 20B was (mis?)used.
>
> I think the CS for ICT should make a pitch to salvage the project in the
> modified form - assuming ofcourse the project was truly intended.
>
> walu.
>
>
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-- 
*Regards,*

*Wait**haka Ngigi*
Chief Executive Officer | Alliance Technologies | MCK Nairobi Synod Building
T + 254 (0) 20 2333 471 |Office Mobile: +254 786 28 28 28 | M + 254 737 811
000
www.at.co.ke
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