Establishment of National Artificial Intelligence Hubs Across Pakistan

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), Government of Pakistan, is procuring services for the establishment and operation of seven Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hubs across major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit. This initiative aims to accelerate AI adoption and ecosystem development nationwide under the National Artificial Intelligence Advancement Initiative (NAAI). Items being procured: - Establishment and operation of 7 AI Hubs with fully equipped facilities including office space, internet, furniture, fixtures - Startup incubation and coaching support for 560 startups over two years (4 cohorts, 20 startups per hub per cohort) - AI-focused curriculum and training programs - Collaboration spaces and multimedia facilities - Linkages with incubators, accelerators, and VC networks - Organization of 2 AI Hackathons - Conducting 4 AI Awareness Sessions - Design and implementation of a National AI Startup Seed Grant Funding Program for 150 startups The scope includes design, infrastructure development, strategic program management, innovation curation, ecosystem development, operational management, financial sustainability, knowledge management, and capacity building. The hubs will provide mentorship, business development support, access to testing environments, and sector-specific programs in health, agriculture, fintech, education, and public sector innovation. Eligibility requires proof of incorporation, NTN, FBR sales tax certificates, audited financial statements, bid security of PKR 3 million, and submission through EPADS 2.0. The technical bid must be separate from the financial bid. The contract duration is initially one year with possible extension to two years. The tender closing date is **Aug 19, 2026 at 02:00 PM**. Bids must be submitted online via EPADS 2.0 and hard copies delivered to the Ministry of IT & Telecom, Islamabad. Earnest Money in the form of a Bank Draft or Pay Order in favor of Ministry of IT & Telecom must accompany the technical proposal. A practical tip for bidders: Ensure strict compliance with the EPADS 2.0 submission process and submit all mandatory documents including bid security before the deadline to avoid disqualification. Also, avoid including any financial information in the technical proposal to remain eligible for evaluation. This tender offers a significant opportunity for firms with expertise in AI ecosystem development, incubation, and program management to contribute to Pakistan's digital transformation agenda.