1.   E – Government

1.1     Trade facilitation

US $440,000 is allocated for the purchasing of equipment under this component The actual amount spent for the procurement of equipment for the Trade Board Information System is US$165,579.68.

Trade Board Information System (TBIS) Lots 1 and 3

TBIS Lots 1 and 3 contracts were awarded to ILLUMINAT (Jamaica) Ltd.  Contract values are:

• Lot 1 – US$ 85,654.80 or J$ 5,295,916.37 and

• Lot 3 – US$ 18722.00 or J$ 1,157,555.05.

Fiscal Services Limited (FSL) has prepared and submitted the test report to Inter-American Development Bank Project Execution Unit (IDB/PEU). All payments have been made to the supplier as per contract. 

Trade Board Information System (TBIS) Lots 2 and 4

 Lots 2 & 4 were re-tendered due to the fact that the initial proposals received were ineligible.

 Lot 2 was awarded to Fujitsu Transaction Solutions (Jamaica) Ltd. The Contract value is US $32,349.00 or JA$2,090,191.82. Fujitsu delivered and installed the TBIS Lot 2 equipment at Fiscal Service Limited (FSL).  FSL prepared and submitted the testing report for the Lot.  All payments have been made to the supplier as per contract.

 Lot 4 was awarded to IBM World Trade Corporation.  The Contract   value is US$ 39,856.14 or J$ 2,575,256.66.  IBM delivered all equipment and all payments have been made to the supplier as per contract.

 1. 2 Public Key Infrastructure

US $100,000 is for Public Key Infrastructure. Public Key Infrastructure project document was approved by MITEC, Trade Board and the Bank.  The PEU with the assistance of the Trade Board Limited and the International Telecommunications Union (Mr. Ntoko) have prepared the bidding document for the Public Key Infrastructure.  This has been transmitted to the IDB for its approval which was received on February 2, 2007.  The tender was advertised in the Sunday Gleaner on February 18 & 25, 2007 with a bid submission date for March 26, 2007.  The PEU extended the bid submission date to April 13, 2007.  Two proposals were received which are currently being evaluated by the PEU, Trade Board Limited and the International Telecommunications Union (Mr. Ntoko). 

 

 1.3     E-Government

     1.3.1  On-line  Tax Portal

Since the implementation of the Online Tax Pilot there has been an increase in the collection of taxes.  The total collected to date is in excess of over J$340 million This confirms the continued acceleration in the adoption and use of the online payment facility by tax payers.   Over 9,000 users have registered to access the system. There has also been a marked increase in the utilization as a result of the public education campaign.

    1.3.2  Re-Engineering

The Price Proposal Opening for the Re-engineering Consultancy was held on July 28, 2006 at the Ministry of Industry, Technology Energy & Commerce (formally Ministry of Commerce Science and Technology) at 10:00 am. The price proposals were evaluated and the IDB approved the ranking.  The highest ranked bidder, IBM World Trade Corporation, was notified and was asked whether the professional’s stated in the proposal was still available.  IBM advised the PEU that three of the original proposed professional were unavailable and hence submitted a proposal to use other professionals.   The resumes of the proposed professionals were evaluated and accepted by the PEU.   The PEU invited IBM to a negotiation meeting held at the Ministry of Finance and Planning on October 23, 2006. 

 The MITEC’s Procurement Committee approved the evaluation report on May 13, 2007. Tender report, transmittal form and Cabinet Submission were prepared and submitted to the National Contracts Commission (NCC) and IDB for approval.   The Bank gave their non-objection on May 16, 2007.  NCC’s approval and the Cabinet have approved the contract valued at US$230,000. It was signed on July 19, 2007. 0. The consultancy commenced on September 1, 2007.

  1.3.3  Framework Contract

The Framework Contract will allow the procurement of a maximum amount of items over a maximum period of time based on the availability of funding. Provisions have been made for technology refresh and consideration for reduction in the unit costs for the equipment.

 The procurement of the majority of e-government equipment will be facilitated under a framework procurement contract. An International Consultant with experience in framework contracts was employed on November 11, 2005 to assist in the preparation of bid documents. The PEU received the procurement documents for the following:

Lot 6 Storage Area Network Solution;

Lot 2 Computer Hardware and Software and Associate Software ;

Lots 3A LAN Hardware and Software and Associate Software;

Lot 3B WAN Hardware and Software and Associate Software;  and 

Lot 3C Network Security System and Associate Software. 

 Lot 6 Storage Area Network (SAN) Solution

The final procurement documents for the SAN Solution was prepared and sent to the IDB who gave its no-objection on February 28, 2006.     An Invitation for Bids was sent to the local suppliers for a response by April 7, 2006.  Upon request by suppliers for clarifications the submission date was extended to April 21, 2006.  The PEU received Bidding documents from two suppliers which were evaluated and an evaluation report was prepared sent to the Bank who gave their no-objection. Illuminat Jamaica Limited was the highest ranked bidder with a cost of US$424,568.

IDB gave their no-objection to the recommended supplier on July 11, 2006.  The PEU received approval from the National Contracts Commission for the submitted SAN Solution tender evaluation report and transmittal form on August 17, 2006.   The Cabinet Submission was approved by Cabinet on November 1, 2006.

The contract for the SAN Solution was signed on January 12, 2007.  On January 19, 2007 a meeting was held at the PEU with FSL and Illuminat Jamaica to discuss the implementation phase of the project.  All the SAN Solution equipment was delivered to FSL for installation and testing. All equipment have been delivered by the suppliers also all payments have been made.

Lots 2 , 3A, 3B, and 3C

The overall Framework Information Technology Contract to facilitate procurement of equipment for E-Government as well as the detailed schedule of requirements, local and international advertisements and the estimated budget for Lots 2, 3a, 3b, 3c, were submitted and approved by the IDB on April 6, 2006.  Advertisement was posted in the UND Business, the Sunday Gleaner and the Observer on April 30, 2006 and on the website www.e-jamaica.gov.jm . Bid documents were purchased at the PEU.  Request for Clarifications were sought by potential bidders and the PEU with the assistance of FSL have clarified the queries and forwarded the clarifications to all the organizations that bought bidding documents. 

Bid submission and opening was on July 28, 2006.  The PEU received Bids from three Bidders.  A copy of each bid document received was sent to the evaluators. The Lots 3a, 3b, 3c evaluation was completed by FSL and the PEU and presented to MITEC’s procurement committee.  The procurement committee approved the evaluation reports for Lots 3a, 3b, 3c in December 2006.

The PEU is currently preparing the evaluation report for submission to the Bank and the NCC.

 

2.  STRENGTHENING OF THE MINISTRY

2.1    Ministry of Industry Technology Energy & Commerce (MITEC)Training

A training plan was developed for the upgrading of the staff of the Ministry and its agencies and has been approved by the IDB.  

 To facilitate the capability of the MITEC Training Plan, all computers and other equipment to facilitate the capability of the MITEC Training Plan were procured and delivered to the Ministry.  

 The outstanding equipment (projectors) were advertised on the e-Jamaica website and sent to vendors inviting them to quote.  The quotations received by the PEU were evaluated and subsequently approved by the procurement committee of the Ministry. Illuminat Jamaica Ltd.  was highest ranked based on the specifications and price.  Three multi-media projectors procured by the PEU with the project funds for the Ministry were delivered to the PEU by Illuminat Jamaica on January 10, 2007 and were handed over to the Ministry on January 12, 2007.

 2.2      Legal Reform

Single Regulator

On the July 31, 2006, the Information Committee of Cabinet requested that the Ministry prepares a Cabinet Submission on the Single Sector Regulator.  Under the ICT Project, the PEU hired a consultant to assist the Ministry in the preparation the Cabinet Submission.  The Ministry revised the Cabinet Submission and it was tabled at the meeting of September 11, 2006. However, there concerns were raised that the Single Regulator was not articulated in the Telecommunications Policy. Therefore the Ministry took a decision to develop a Telecommunications Policy 2007 recommending a single regulator for the sector in order to deal with inadequacies in the legal and regulatory framework. The Single Regulator Cabinet Submission will be revisited after the approval of the Telecommunications Policy 2007.

 A PowerPoint presentation of the key elements of the draft Policy was made to the Information Committee of Cabinet on 21st March 2007. The comments received during the meeting were used to revise the draft Policy and the full document was tabled for discussion at the 30th April 2007 meeting of the Information Committee.  The feedback received during the stakeholders meetings, the Information Committee meetings and the written comments were taken into consideration to produce the current version of the Policy (May 2007).  The revised Policy of May 2007 was submitted on May 23, 2007 for the approval of Cabinet.

 

2.3  Electronic Transaction Bill

The electronic transaction bill was approved by Cabinet on July 31, 2006 and by Parliament on October 31, 2006. The Act was appointed by the Minister on April 2, 2007.  The Ministry will be embarking on a Public Education Campaign during the second quarter of the fiscal year.

2.3     Audit

The audit of the PEU for the financial year 2005-2006 was completed.  The Audited Financial Statements were submitted to the PEU which was sent to the IDB.  The PEU has submitted the financial data to the auditors, who have prepared the draft audit report. PEU has reviewed the draft and provided comments to the auditor incorporation with the final report.

2.4   Information Technology Authority (ITA) Specialist

The ITA Specialist assumed duties in July 2006.  The consultant has completed the Review of CITO and provided assistance to develop the National ICT Strategy 2007-2012. The Ministry has given no-objection on May 3, 2007 to the reports related to the review of CITO and the assistance given to develop the Strategy. The contract has been extended to six months to finalize completion of activities.

2.5   FOSS Migration Specialist and WEB Consultant

The Bank gave no-objection to the TORs, estimated budgets with the recommended amendment May 25, 2006.  FOSS Migration Specialist and WEB Consultant consultancies were advertised in the Sunday Gleaner and Observer on June 18, 2006.  Deadline for submission of application for the consultancies is July 7, 2006.  Applications were submitted to the PEU which were forwarded to CITO.

 The evaluation process was completed. The ranking of applicants and contracts were submitted and approved by the IDB.  Upon the review and concurrence of the Ministry and the consultants, the contracts were signed.  The FOSS Consultant commenced January 02, 2007 and the Web Standard Consultant commenced January 22, 2007.

 The reports from the consultants are due and will inform on the progress to date.

 

3.   COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Community Outreach Component will support the establishment or improvement of at least ten Community Access Points (CAPS) in mostly marginal locations that would ordinarily be passed over by commercial providers.  The component’s objective is to enable low-income citizens to gain access to information and services available online (employment exchange, market information, distance learning, technical assistance, local projects) and conduct transactions using the Internet.

Ten Community Access Points have been implemented in the pilot phase. The MITEC/PEU prepared the equipment list, estimates and specifications for the CAP’s computers and related equipment. Request for Quotations (RFQ) and the document detailing the procurement requirements and specifications were prepared and advertised on the E-Jamaica website http://www.e-amaica.gov.jm/about/project/procurement.htm inviting eligible companies from the IDB’s member countries to submit price quotations of the listed items.

Community Access Points

The project has implemented seven CAP sites that are in full operation. These are:

1. Burgher

2. Peace Centre Olympic Gardens Community Centre

3. Santa Cruz Branch Library.

4. Community Organizations for Management and Sustainable  Development  (COMAND)

5. Jeffery Town Farmers’ Association

6. Scientific Research Council

7. Annotto Bay High School Vocational Training School

8. Bath

9. Lucea Training Centre

10. Hills United Development Organisation

 The PEU continues to receive and process applications from communities desirous of having CAPs in their communities

The following Revenue Centers are ready to be to be equipped.

• Montego Bay,

• St. Ann’s Bay

Other entities which are now ready are:

• Point Hill Reading Diagnostic Centre

The PEU is currently without a Community Outreach Specialist.  The position was advertised in the Sunday Gleaner on February 18 and 25, 2007.  Applications received are evaluated and a shortlist was prepared. Interviews have been completed and a final selection made. It is anticipated that the person will commerce work by October  2007.

 Despite the absence of a Community Outreach Specialist, the PEU has tried to continue to do as much as possible in this area.  The recruitment of a CAP officer will accelerate these activities.

4.    HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

Sixteen government workers were trained to support the pilot phase of the Tax Portal and have been assisting taxpayers to use the on-line facility in the King Street and Constant Spring Collectorates.

 The re-scoping of the project has resulted in virtual elimination of this component. A small provision remains. This is to facilitate the training of staff to provide support to the government on-line services.  The training and related requirements are to be determined in consultation with the Tax Administration and Fiscal Services Limited.  This activity is expected to be implemented after the Re-Engineering Consultancy has been completed and recommendations made regarding the human resource requirements.