Leasing of Dark Fiber Pairs for Long Haul Transmission Network

The National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), Islamabad, is procuring long-term lease of dedicated dark fiber pairs for its long-haul transmission network. This procurement specifically targets the integration of missing segments in NTC's fiber backbone where owned infrastructure is unavailable. The scope includes provision of ITU-T G.652 D/G.655 compliant, unused single-mode optical fiber pairs along specified routes for a lease period of fifteen years. The contractor will be responsible for route surveys, legal right-of-way compliance, operation, maintenance, fault rectification, and co-location services where required. The leased fiber must be handed over at designated NTC Points of Presence (PoPs) and maintained with 24/7 fault monitoring and restoration within agreed service levels. Eligible bidders must be registered with Income Tax and Sales Tax Departments, hold a valid PTA license as Long Distance & International (LDI) operators, and have experience in at least three similar projects in Pakistan. Firms must also have a 24/7 Network Operations Center and provide an undertaking on judicial paper regarding blacklisting and ownership restrictions. Bidders must submit a complete technical and financial bid with earnest money of PKR 5,000,000 in the form of Pay Order, Deposit at Call, or Bank Guarantee. The tender follows a single stage-one envelope procedure with electronic submission through EPADS only. The bid closing date is **May 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM**, with bid opening at 11:30 AM the same day at NTC HQ Islamabad. Original bid security must reach the office before the deadline. The contract includes a performance security of 10% of annual lease value and requires completion of provisioning within twelve weeks of the Go-Ahead Notice. Annual availability of 97.5% is mandated with penalties for non-compliance. A practical tip for bidders is to ensure timely submission of both electronic bids and original bid security documents to avoid disqualification. Also, thorough documentation and compliance with all qualification criteria will be critical for responsiveness and evaluation success.