International communications-satellite manufacturers and operators will be invited in November to tender preliminary proposals to build, launch and operate the Regional African Satellite Communications Organisation (Rascom) system.
The $1.2 billion project is the result of the 1994 Rascom convention signed by 41 African countries. Each nation is required to contribute a minimum investment of $50,000.
The organisation has so far raised $120 million capital, but will need an initial investment of $330 million to build the Rascom 1 and lease transponders on the Intelsat 804 satellite as spare capacity.
The choice of a main contractor to build, launch and operate the system will be made in July 1998.
Source: Flight International