Last week, the department issued a tender inviting prospective service providers to supply internet connectivity, among other things, to schools.
The tender with the previous service provider that built 1 538 computer labs, Cloudseed, was cancelled in March. The labs were each stocked with 25 computers and other equipment.
Under the new e-Learning Solution, the department is looking to move from using traditional personal computers to “end-user devices” such as tablets.
In May, a closed tender was issued to about 15 companies, asking them to provide 80 000 tablets for 1 600 schools, with each school receiving 50 tablets.
The Star understands that the department is in the process of evaluating the bids it received. Specifications in the latest tender request bidders to provide internet access for these tablets.
“The successful bidder’s connectivity solution must ensure maximum network availability, such that the entire quantum of (80 000) end-user devices are accommodated. It is preferable to have uncapped data per device on a monthly basis. However, this must be aligned to global norms.
“It is not the intention of the GPG (Gauteng provincial government) to restrict bidders’ ideas (and) inventions… however, the GPG requires sufficient explanations and descriptions in order to make good value judgments,” the tender states.
The specifications further state that the connectivity solution must “be able to upscale to the province’s network solution in future”.
The Gauteng Broadband Network initiative aims to provide province-wide internet connectivity.
Unlike with the previous tender, where all aspects of the project – the computers, the software and the connectivity – were supplied by a single service provider, the department is now sourcing different aspects of the project from various suppliers.
Tablet prices range from about R1 700 to R3 500 each, which means costs will run into hundreds of millions of rand for private/public partnerships that have agreed to come on board.
The closing date for bid submissions is June 28.
