Implementation of Fully Managed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) VSAT for AfDB 36 Office Locations in Africa

The African Development Bank Group is procuring a Fully Managed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) VSAT connectivity solution to deliver high-throughput, low-latency satellite connectivity to its 36 office locations across Africa. LEO VSAT (typically Starlink Business or equivalent) offers a step-change in satellite performance compared to traditional GEO VSAT, providing speeds and latencies competitive with terrestrial broadband. The deployment will serve as primary or backup connectivity depending on site, complementing the AfDB Dedicated Internet Access programme. The bidder will manage hardware, service activation, monitoring and support across all sites under a single managed service agreement.

Site survey and LEO suitability assessment at each of the 36 AfDB office locations. Procurement and delivery of LEO VSAT terminals and accessories. Service activation and provisioning of business-grade plans. Configuration, integration with existing AfDB network and security policy. Centralised monitoring, SLA management and reporting. 24x7 NOC and incident response. Hardware refresh during the contract period. Decommissioning of legacy VSAT equipment where applicable.

Authorised LEO VSAT service provider or partner (e.g. Starlink, OneWeb or equivalent) able to deliver in all relevant African jurisdictions. Demonstrated multi-site enterprise managed VSAT track record. Compliance with AfDB procurement rules. Strong technical and financial standing.

AfDB standard procurement: mandatory eligibility, technical evaluation (LEO authorisation, multi-country availability, managed service capability, references, security), financial evaluation. Award to highest combined-score responsive bidder.