Request for Quotations (RFQ) for Internet Services

The U.S. Embassy Lilongwe, under the Department of State, is soliciting quotations for a one-year firm fixed price contract to provide a dedicated 70 Mbps digital circuit for synchronous VPN Internet Services at the Chancery in Lilongwe, Malawi. The contract requires the contractor to furnish all engineering, labor, tools, equipment, materials, supplies, and services necessary to deliver and maintain a fully transparent, full-duplex circuit capable of handling 70,000 kbps with zero bit loss, ensuring a bit error rate no greater than 1 in 10^6 for 99.9% of the time and achieving 99.9% monthly availability, calculated to meet a minimum of 8,751.24 operational hours annually. Payment will be made monthly in Malawi Kwacha on a firm fixed price basis, with Value Added Tax excluded from line items and required to be billed separately; the Government is exempt from foreign taxes under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The base performance period runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, with an option to extend services for up to six months and a total contract duration cap of three years inclusive of all options. Installation must be completed within 60 days of award, and the Government reserves the right to inspect and accept the service within 24 hours of delivery. The award will follow a lowest-price technically acceptable (LPTA) evaluation, where proposals must pass mandatory eligibility gates for acceptability, responsibility, and compliance with FAR 9.1, including financial capability, organizational competence, ethical standards, and adherence to NDAA Section 889 prohibitions on telecommunications from certain foreign entities. All offerors must be registered in SAM, submit completed SF-1449 forms, provide proof of registration, Section 5 representations and certifications, five years of relevant client references, and Defense Base Act insurance costs. Invoices must contain detailed required information, including CLIN, funding cite, performance period, and authorized signatures. The contract incorporates numerous FAR clauses including 52.212-4 and 52.212-5, prohibit contracting with Kaspersky Lab and other covered entities under 52.204-23 and 52.204-25, enforce compliance with the Contractor Code of Business Ethics under 52.203-13