Supply, Installation and Support Services of Data Center Core Switches at Data Center Karachi

State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLIC) invites bids for the supply, installation, and support services of Data Center Core Switches at its Data Center in Karachi. This procurement is aimed at enhancing the IT infrastructure of SLIC's Data Center to support growing digital demands with robust, low latency core switches. The items being procured include: - 02 Data Center Core Switches (Cisco or equivalent, OEM must be a leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant) - 24 units of 1000BASE-T SFP transceiver modules for Category 5 copper RJ45 SFP - 24 units of 10GBASE-SR SFP Modules, Enterprise-Class fiber-optic transceivers The technical scope covers supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, and three years of OEM support including 24x7 Technical Assistance Center access, same-day advance hardware replacement, software updates, and local support services during license validity. Comprehensive training for SLIC's network team will also be provided. The switches must meet detailed technical specifications including L3 switching capacity, port configurations, security protocols, routing capabilities, and advanced features such as VXLAN EVPN fabrics, programmable interfaces, and congestion management. Eligible bidders must be registered with Income Tax and Sales Tax departments, be on the FBR Active Taxpayers List, and have local offices with telephone numbers. OEM vendors should have a registered office in Pakistan for at least 10 years and be authorized partners with local replacement facilities, especially in Karachi. A bid security of PKR 500,000 is required. The procurement follows a single stage two envelope procedure with technical bids opened first, followed by financial bids of technically qualified firms. The deadline for bid submission is 23-09-2026 before 11:00 AM via the EPADS system. Technical bids will be opened the same day at 11:30 AM. Bidders must upload bid security on EPADS and submit the original at the Central Procurement Division office. The contract will be awarded to the lowest evaluated and most advantageous bidder based on technical and financial evaluation. The successful bidder must provide a performance guarantee of 2% of the bid value valid for three years. Delivery and installation must be completed within twelve weeks of purchase order issuance. Interested firms should carefully review the tender documents available on PPRA, State Life, and EPADS websites. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 15-09-2026 at 11:00 AM at the Central Procurement Division office in Karachi. Bidders are advised to ensure compliance with all technical and administrative requirements to avoid disqualification. One practical tip is to ensure timely submission of both the electronic bid and original bid security to avoid rejection. This tender offers a significant opportunity for IT firms specializing in high-end network equipment to partner with Pakistan's largest life insurance corporation in Karachi.