Background:
Building on achievements of the Pilote Project of Nam Kata (PPINK project), the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) are preparing a new project to pursue the development of the climate-resilient irrigation in Lao through the project named “Climate Resilient IrrIgation and Agroecological Transitions Project (CLA1136 CRII-ATP) to start in 2023. The Services of the consultant consist in conducting the feasibility study for this project, which objectives are to (i) improve the resilience to climate change, (ii) reduce poverty and (iii) improve food security in rural areas of Lao PDR. The Project should be financed with a grant of about 5 million euros from AFD, to be submitted to formal approval in 2022. The grant amount is subjected to available grant resources. In that framework, the consultant would also be in charge of defining lessons learnt from the PPINK project implementation.
The feasibility study of this new project will be under the responsibility of MAF. A project preparation team has been created under the Department of Irrigation (DoI/MAF). The DOI/MAF hereby invites Applicants to show their interest in delivering the Services for the preparation of the project described in Attached 1.
The contract estimative amount is about 270 000 euros and the evaluation methodology for technical and financial offers shall be Quality and Cost Base Selection (QCBS). The Feasability study will be undertaken during 2022 T2 and T3 for a total duration of about 7 months. It will be organised in two phases: phase one of around 3 months for the baseline studies and validation of the project structure and phase 2 for the completion of the project design. Therefore, all applicants must make sure that they are capable to deliver such study within the present Covid related travel constraints.
This Request for Expressions of Interest is open to the national and international Consulting firms. Eligibility criteria to AFD financing are specified in sub-clause 1.3 of the "Procurement Guidelines for AFD Financed Contracts in Foreign Countries", available online on AFD’s website: http://www.afd.fr. The firms who will undertake this feasibilisty study, will be also eligible for all future procurement during the implementation of this Project. Consultant firms, research institutes and NGOs involved in the PPINK implementation would not be eligible to the bid.
Submission: The Applicant shall submit only one application, either in its own name or as a member of a Joint Venture (JV). If an Applicant (including any JV member) submits or participates in more than one application, those applications shall be all rejected. However, the same Subconsultant may participate in several applications.
If the Applicant is a JV, the expression of interest shall include:
- a copy of the JV Agreement entered into by all members, or
- a letter of intent to execute a JV Agreement, signed by all members together with a copy of the Agreement proposal,
In the absence of this document, the other members will be considered as Subconsultants. Experiences and qualifications of Subconsultants are not taken into account in the evaluation of the applications.
Interested Applicants must provide information evidencing that they are qualified and experienced to perform those Services. For that purpose, documented evidence of recent and similar services shall be submitted.
Scope of Consulting Services:
Determination of the similarity of the experiences will be based on:
- The contracts size (Indicative inputs): 18 to 23 person-months for the key experts;
- The nature of the Services related to: "feasibility studies", "project preparation", “cost-benefit analysis of project”, “climate co-benefit assessment (climate vulnerabilty assessment, carbon balance)”;
- The technical area and expertise: “small scale iririgation development”, “agroecological transition”, “participative irrigation schemes management”;
- The location (southeast asia) and experiences in Lao PDR is a plus.
The Client will also take into account for the evaluation of the applications the following items:
- Skills and availability of in-house technical back-up experts provided to the on-site experts;
- Local experts/representatives/partners;
- Knowledge of Lao PDR context and irrigation regulatory framework.
Among the submitted applications, the procurement steering committee under the responsiblity of the DOI/MAF will shortlist a maximum of six (6) Applicants, to whom the Request for Proposals to carry out the Services shall be sent. Only Short-listed candidates will be contacted.
The Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the address below (in person and by email) no later than 15 Febuary 2022, 17.00 (Vientiane time).
Attention to: Mr. Soulivanh Voravong, Department of Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Anou Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. Tel: +856 21 216627/+856 20 58343436 Email: vanh2013@yahoo.com
NB: your e-mail response should not exceed 6 MB. If this should be the case, please breaking your answer into multiple emails.
Interested Applicants may obtain further information within 5 working-days after the publication of the REOI at the address below during office hours: Mr. Soulivanh Voravong, Tel: +856 21 216627/+856 20 58343436 (office hours), Email: vanh2013@yahoo.com