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Expression of Interest (EOI) AnnouncementReference No.: EDR/EOI-1/2025Subject: Consultancy Services for Training Package and Software Supply

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Project Title:
Consultancy Services for Training Package and Software Supply


  1. Background

The Ethio-Djibouti Railway Share Company (EDR) is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified consultancy firms for the supply of licensed engineering software and the provision of corresponding training packages. This initiative is aimed at enhancing engineering capabilities and strengthening operational efficiency through advanced software tools and targeted technical training.

The implementation of this project is expected to significantly improve EDR’s engineering workflows, analytical capacities, and execution of complex infrastructure projects, contributing to the broader goal of “Improving Railway Operational Efficiency through Innovative Engineering Solutions.”


  • Objectives

The selected firm will collaborate closely with EDR management and engineering staff to deliver on the following objectives:

  • Enhance the capacity of EDR’s engineering personnel through access to state-of-the-art engineering software and high-performance computing resources.
  • Deliver training to improve efficiency, accuracy, and innovation in design, simulation, and analysis processes.
  • Support the successful execution of engineering projects requiring advanced computational tools and specialized expertise.

  • Scope of Work

The consultancy firm will be responsible for the provision of licensed and authorized software as well as comprehensive training programs across the following domains:

A. Civil Engineering Software and Training:

  • Bentley OpenRail
  • OpenRoad Designer
  • ETABS
  • SAFE
  • CSI Bridge
  • PLAXIS
  • MS Project
  • WaterCAD
  • ArcGIS
  • KENPAVE
  • Cost X

B. ETS (Electrical Traction System) Software and Training:

  • eTraX™ (ETAP module)
  • EPLAN Electric P8
  • Prover iLock

C. Electro-Mechanical Software and Training:

  • Revit
  • SIMPACK
  • SolidWorks
  • ANSYS

  • Application Process

Interested and eligible firms are invited to submit a sealed pre-qualification application demonstrating their competence and experience in delivering the required consultancy services.

  • Submission Requirements:
  1. Applicants are responsible for all costs related to the preparation and submission of the EOI. EDR will not reimburse any such costs.
  2. All pages of the application must be numbered and signed by an authorized representative.
  3. Incomplete or incorrectly filled applications will be rejected.
  4. All documents must be submitted in English.
  5. Applicants may be contacted to clarify submitted documentation.
  6. EDR reserves the right to reject any application without further communication.
  7. The evaluation and shortlisting process is confidential. EDR’s decisions shall be final and binding.
  8. Following the selection process, EDR prefers that the financial proposal be submitted in Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
  9. Applications must be submitted in accordance with the requirements outlined in this EOI.
  10. All document shall be submitted both in hard and soft copy
  11. For additional information, interested firms may contact:

Ethio-Djibouti Railway Share Company (EDR)
Furi Lebu Railway Station, Office Building
Engineering Department or Procurement Department
Telephone: +251 910614097, +251 945828689

  • Eligibility and Participation

Legally registered and eligible firms are invited to participate in this Expression of Interest (EOI). Applicants must not be listed on any governmental or institutional blacklist. All competent bidders that meet the stated criteria are encouraged to submit their complete applications in a sealed envelope via courier to the address below, no later than May 29, 2025.


  • Project Duration

The expected duration of the assignment is one month and two weeks from the date of contract signing. However, the completion date will be determined based on project-specific requirements and formalized during contract negotiation and signing.


  • EOI Submission Requirements

Interested firms must submit an Expression of Interest that includes the following documents:

  • A cover letter on the organization’s official letterhead with company seal, including:
    • EOI subject line
    • Reference number of the EOI notice
    • Full legal name and address of the applicant
  • Proof of registration and legal status:
    • Valid business license with the latest renewal
    • Government-issued registration certificate
    • Tax clearance certificate valid at the time of submission
    • Authorization letter or power of attorney from a legal representative
  • Company credentials:
    • Organizational profile
    • Statement of capacity (including manpower, equipment, and facilities)
    • Financial statements verified by a certified audit institution
  • For Joint Ventures:
    • Legal documents confirming the joint venture arrangement
  • Registration with the Procurement Agency (if applicable)
  • All documents must be prepared and submitted in English
  • Submission deadline: May 29, 2025, at 4:00 P.M. (Local Time)
  • EDR reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications without obligation to provide reasons.

  • Contracting Process

Following the evaluation of EOI submissions, shortlisted companies/firms will be invited to participate in the next phase of the procurement process. The final selection will be based on the evaluation results and the shortlisted firms’ willingness and ability to meet the project’s objectives, including the delivery of licensed software and the associated training package.


  1. Confidentiality

All information, documents, and data obtained or generated during the assignment will be treated as strictly confidential. Materials provided by EDR will remain the property of EDR and must not be disclosed to any third party without prior written consent.


  1. Expertise Requirements

EDR seeks qualified and experienced firms with proven expertise in the supply of licensed engineering software and the delivery of experienced technical trainers Applicants are expected to have:

  • A minimum of five (5) years of experience in delivering similar services
  • Experienced trainers with demonstrated competence in the respective software platforms
  • A solid track record of successful implementation in similar assignments
  • Rejection Criteria

Bidder have to comply with the following under listed criteria, otherwise it will be automatically rejected.

  • Experience delivering hyper-convergent infrastructure ( HCI) is required to ensure compatibility issues
  • Software should  licensed
  • Training and Knowledge Transfer Package
  • On board troubleshooting system
  • After-sales service and maintenance support 
  • Minimum eligibility criteria

Firms service providers minimum eligibility criteria are as under:

Table 1: Eligibility Criteria

Mandatory Requirements
No.Eligibility CriteriaProof
1The bidder should provide all relevant and renewed legal trade licenses which shows the related stream of business.   Copy of trade license/other relevant documents                                                                     
2Tax clearance certificate that works to date of the submission of the EOICopy of certificate /other relevant documents                                                                     
3Complete organization profile, Company capacity statement, Financial, Manpower and equipmentDocument , written evidence and testimonial letters
4The bidder should have at least 3 prior experiences in supply and implementation of Software & Virtualization projects with similar project complexity in last 5 [five] years.
The contracts submitted as experiences must have been completed successfully and should be currently operational.
Reference and Testimonial Letters with clear address, letters will be subjected for authentication
5The bidder must have Experiences under Similar Information Systems Supply, Installation and Implementation and support contracts in the role of prime contractor for at least the last 6 [six] years.written evidence and testimonial letters
6Manufacture Authorization letter (MAF) for major productsProduct Manufacturer Authorization letter (MAF)
7Fulfilling the minimum specification in Compliance sheet. Please specify which item you have proposed in line with our technical specification in the RFP.Completed Compliance sheet
8Datasheets of the offer productsDatasheet document to all proposed products
9BOQ (Bill of quantity) without Price in bidder’s technical offer and matching our RFP requirements. Please specify which item you have proposed in line with our technical specification in the RFP.BOQ (Bill of quantity) without Price
10The bidder should provide training (Formal instructor lead and on job) for related Staff for each sub system as described on RFP.Confirmation letter or training proposal on technical document.
11Qualifications and experience of technical experts allocated for the jobList of professionals their CV, and Certification
12Bid validity period shall be 120 days.Confirmation letter or express on technical document.
13manufacturer’s warranty period as specified in the RFPwritten warranty letters
14Concurrent support period as specified in the RFPBidders should provide exhaustive and practical support strategy this include details onsite and offsite supports
  1. Medium of Communication

All documentation, including the training Plan, must be prepared in English. Furthermore, all communications and document review discussions related to this project will be conducted exclusively in English.



ANNEXES

ANNEX: Company Profile Contents

Table 1 – General Information

  • Name of the Company
  • Address
  • Phone Number
  • Fax Number
  • Email Address
  • Address of Other Offices (if any)
  • Name and Designation of the Contact Person
  • Legal Status (provide certified copies of registration)
  • Registration Number
  • Place of Registration
  • Principal Place of Business
  • VAT Registration Number
  • Attach certified copies of relevant documents

Table 2 – Company Experience in the Last Three Years

  • Start Date (Month/Year)
  • End Date (Month/Year)
  • Client
  • Description of Services
  • Contract Amount
  • Remarks (attach documentary evidence)

Table 3 – Similar Experience in the Last Three Years

  • Year
  • Client
  • Description of Works
  • Contract Amount
  • Remarks (attach documentary evidence)
  • Include copies of completion certificates issued by former clients and/or
  • Performance evaluation/appreciation letters from former clients (including contact details and their approval to be contacted)

Table 4 – Ongoing Contracts (if any)

  • Client
  • Description of Contracts
  • Location
  • Contract Amount
  • Percentage of Completion (attach documentary evidence)

Table 5 – Adequacy of Working Capital

  • Source of Credit Line
  • Amount
  • Remarks (attach documentary evidence)
  • Include proof of financial competency and audited financial statements for the past three financial years

Table 6 – List of Permanently Employed Staff

  • Name
  • Designation
  • Qualification
  • Number of Years of Experience
  • Attach an organizational chart and detailed CVs of key management and technical personnel

Table 7 – Any Other Information

  • Companies may also include brochures and any other relevant documentation

Declaration:
I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that the information provided in this form is accurate. I also acknowledge the obligation to inform EDR of any changes to the submitted information as soon as they occur.


Submission Deadline
interested consultancy firms are invited to submit their Expression of Interest by May 29, 2025.


Contact Information:
Ethio-Djibouti Railway Share Company (EDR)
Furi Lebu Railway Station, Office Building
Procurement Department
Telephone: +251 910614097, +251 945828689

Thank you for your interest in supporting EDR’s business process!

Somalia Reopens Doolow Airport in Jubbaland after 4-month Ban

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Somalia’s federal government has lifted a months-long flight ban to the Doolow airport in Gedo region amid longstanding political tensions with Jubbaland. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that domestic flights could resume to Doolow, nearly five months after Mogadishu grounded traffic to the southwestern town of Jubbaland State. The airport was shut down on December 23, 2024, following an incident in which a Halla Airlines flight on the Mogadishu–Kismayo route was allegedly diverted and forced to land in Doolow without clearance. Federal officials called the landing a breach of Somali airspace laws. Interior Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag said the reopening decision followed a federal security review and fresh guarantees from local Doolow authorities…But the row over the airport has exposed deeper rifts between the central government and the Jubbaland regional administration, which had accused Mogadishu of using the ban to punish communities seen as politically aligned with President Ahmed Madobe — whose controversial re-election in 2019 is still not recognised by the federal government. Residents in Gedo had decried the airport closure for cutting off critical medical and trade routes. (The EastAfrican)

SSPDF Takes Control of Border with Ethiopia

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The governor of Upper Nile State, Gen. James Koang Chuol, confirmed Tuesday that the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) have taken full control of areas in Nasir County near the border with Ethiopia, previously held by the White Army, a loose band of armed Nuer youths. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Chuol said the border areas, including the payams of Jikmir and Burebiey, were brought under SSPDF control Monday. He stated that troops from Nasir town captured the last remaining villages along the border, cutting off supply routes from Ethiopia to Akobo and Nasir…Gen. James Tongyik Wang, an opposition commander who was near the South Sudan-Ethiopia border, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the SSPDF controlled Burebiey and Jikmir payams and the border with Ethiopia…Conflicts in eastern parts of Upper Nile State began last year between the SSPDF and the White Army but intensified earlier this year. (Radio Tamazuj)

New Study Reveals Changing Attitudes to FGM Among Sudanese Communities in Egypt

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Since Sudan’s devastating war erupted in April 2023, over a million people have fled to neighbouring Egypt seeking refuge. Both countries have laws banning female genital mutilation (FGM), but despite this, Sudan and Egypt have some of the highest rates of FGM globally. A timely new study, Female Genital Mutilation Amongst Sudanese Migrants in Greater Cairo: Perceptions and Trends, by Equality Now and Tadwein for Gender Studies, provides valuable insights into how migration and exposure to new cultural environments and social networks are influencing FGM practices amongst Sudanese families in Egypt.

In-depth interviews revealed positive attitudes toward abandoning FGM. Younger, educated individuals and women with personal experiences of FGM harm voiced some of the strongest opposition to continuing the practice, while men often cited FGM’s negative impact on marital intimacy as a key reason for discontinuation. 

However, FGM is viewed by some as a means of maintaining cultural identity and status, and as essential for social acceptance. Many interviewees thought families who embraced FGM in Sudan would likely continue it in Egypt. (Press release)