@Ngigi
+++1
I still do not understand why people like you do not sit on these so many Government Boards, Committees, Taskforce, etc.
But then again, its perhaps because your ideas add value to the country, while the folks who would be sitting next to you (fellow board members) will be thinking "local pocket"...and your ideas will potentially with the clash with mood around the table...pricking conscience... a.k.a..noisemaker.
walu.
--------------------------------------------
On Thu, 10/17/13, Ngigi Waithaka <ngigi@at.co.ke> wrote:Date: Thursday, October 17, 2013, 2:42 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] State cancels the Laptop Project tender process?
To: "Walubengo J" <jwalu@yahoo.com>
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
NgigiChief Executive Officer
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/
RegardsWaithaka
NgigiA1.iO
On Thu, Oct 17, 2013
at 11:33 AM, Walubengo J <jwalu@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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Waithaka
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.