REQUEST EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Date: December 7, 2022
Country: Republic of Uzbekistan
Project ID: CUZ1017 02 S
Project: "Construction of sewerage systems in the Karmana district of Navoi region" and "Reconstruction and construction of sewerage systems in the city of Shakhrisabz and the district center of the Kitab district of Kashkadarya region"
Assignment title: Consulting services for the technical support of the PIU during the implementation of the project.
Package Number: SDP/QCBS/01

I- Background
Uzsuvta’minot, hereafter referred to as the Employer has received a financing from Agence Française de Développement ("AFD") and a grant from the European Union (“EU”) and intends to use part of the funds thereof for payments under the following project: Sanitation Development Project in the cities of Shakhrisabz, Kitab and Karmana, for a total amount of 113,15 million Euros
The specific objectives of the Project are: (i) to provide access to a well-managed sanitation service in the selected project area; (ii) to reduce pollution of the environment, (iii) to preserve the water resource and to reuse wastewater treated for irrigation, and (iv) to strengthen the Uzsuvta’minot skills to operate and maintain the service and to improve the quality of services. The project encompasses the following components.
COMPONENT 1 - CONSTRUCTION / RECONSTRUCTION / EXTENSION OF CENTRALIZED SANITATION SYSTEMS
Sub-component 1.1: Reconstruction and extension of a centralized sanitation system in the city of Shakhrisabz (Shakhrisabz sub- project) - AFD financed
Shakhrisabz (135,000 inhabitants) in Kashkadarya province is equipped with a centralized sanitation system in very poor structural condition and with limited coverage. Only 20% of households are connected to the sewer network, whereas the raw effluent is conveyed and discharged directly in a watercourse, bypassing a non-functional soviet-era wastewater treatment plant.
The project will provide for the reconstruction of the sewer network as well as its extension (indicative total length: 300 km), aiming at approximately 80% coverage of the population. It will include the connection of 27,850 households to the sanitation system. It will also provide for the dismantling of the old wastewater treatment plant, and the construction under a Design-Build-Operate contract of a new facility compatible with the reuse of the treated effluent in irrigation. In addition, the project will cover the engineering services conventionally associated (detailed design, tender documentation preparation, support to tendering process, works supervision, follow up of the environmental and social monitoring).
A part of the works for the sewerage network will be in the Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz, which contains a collection of exceptional monuments which are registered in the UNESCO World Heritage list. These works could lead to specific constraints and authorizations prior and during the construction phase. The Technical Assistance has to bear a specific attention to this topic during the implementation of the project.
Sub-component 1.2: Construction of a centralized sanitation system in the city of Kitab (Kitab sub- project) – AFD financed
Kitab (45,000 inhabitants), in the Kashkadarya region, is not equipped with a centralized sanitation system. The Project will provide for the construction of a sewer network (indicative total length 140 km), aiming at approximately 80% coverage of the population. It will include the connection of 10,000 households to the sanitation system. It will also provide for the construction under a Design-Build-Operate contract of a modern wastewater treatment plant compatible with the reuse of the treated effluent in irrigation. In addition, the project will cover the engineering services conventionally associated (detailed design, tender documentation preparation, support to tendering process, works supervision, follow up of the environmental and social monitoring).
Subcomponent 1.3: Construction of a centralized sanitation system in the city of Karmana (Karmana sub- project) – AFD financed
Karmana (50,000 inhabitants), in the Navoyi province, has been recently equipped with a modern water supply system under an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-financed project which covers most of the city. But no centralized sanitation system has been implemented in parallel. The proposed project will complement the ADB-financed intervention in providing the construction of a sewer network (indicative total length 100 km), aiming at a 100% coverage of the population and a 90% connection rate. The project will also provide the construction of a modern wastewater treatment plant. The Project will cover the engineering services conventionally associated (detailed design, participation in tender documentation preparation, support to tendering process, works supervision, follow up of the environmental and social monitoring).
Component 1.4: Participation to the DBO contract – EU financed
To ensure a smooth knowledge transfer and a reliable hand-over from each wastewater treatment plant Contractor to the concerned Uzsuvta’minot, both contracts for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant will include the full responsibility for the operation during the first two years
The related contracts will be based on the Gold FIDIC form of contract (Design Build Operate contract, DBO). This approach is quite new in Uzbekistan but key to ensure the sustainability of the operation. Indeed, the newly created Uzsuvta’minot are young entities with weak technical and financial capacities and require important capacity development to be able to operate this new kind of infrastructure (especially during the two first years). It is proposed that part of the EU-grant serve as an incentive for adopting this sustainable approach. After the first two years, the operations of the infrastructure will be handed over to the two Uzsuvta’minot.
COMPONENT 2 - SUPPORT TO PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (UE funded)
Uzsuvta’minot is the Project Executing Agency and will host the Project PIU.
Technical assistance (TA) will be provided to the Uzsuvta’minot hosted PIU to support project implementation. The TA scope of services will encompass technical review of the project studies, project planning, monitoring of project progress implementation, procurement, contract management, social compliance, environmental compliance, and grievance mechanism monitoring.
COMPONENT 3 - SUPPORT TO THE TWO FINAL BENEFICIARIES (Suvtaminoti) (UE funded)
Sub-component 3.1: Capacity development of Suvtaminoti Navoi and Suvtaminoti Kashkadarya – EU financed
Uzsuvta’minot are young entities which need capacity development in a wide range of areas: investment planning to increase coverage and access (regional investment master plans), customer management including billing, asset management, including gradual implementation of a Geographical Information System, Metering, Non-Revenue Water management, accounting, financial management including tariffs consideration, quality control, communication, etc. Moreover, as these two Uzsuvta’minot will be in charge of operating the newly constructed Kitab-Shakhrisabz and Karmana sanitation systems after the two first years and smooth handover period, it will be key to strengthen their capacity.
Capacity development will be provided to the two Uzsuvta’minot in the above-mentioned areas in close coordination with IFIs already involved in the sector with the objective to improve their general performance and consolidate their financial sustainability.
Capacity development will be provided to strengthen the Uzsuvta’minot skills towards reliable operation of centralized sanitation systems, and to help them develop new sanitation services : management of industrial effluents and possible need for pre-treatment, Information Education Communication campaigns on the new system connections, management of connection requests from poor households, handling of by-products (solid waste, grease and oil, sludge) including valorisation of sludge , re-use of treated wastewater in irrigation, improvement of laboratory analytical skills, specific trainings, etc.
Sub-component 3.2: Procurement of equipment to support operation by the two Suvtaminoti – EU financed
Specific equipment will be procured to support the two Uzsuvta’minot in their operational tasks. The equipment will fall into two categories:
- Equipment related to the operation of the newly built centralized sanitation systems: high pressure sewer cleaning trucks, automatic wastewater sampler, H2S sensors, etc.
- Equipment related to the need for modernizing the Uzsuvta’minot’ operation, in line with the sector reforms under implementation: financial management, broader use of IT, etc
Equipment shall be prioritized and specified by the Uzsuvta’minot’ support Technical Assistance to Operations.
COMPONENT 4 – SUPPORT TO PROJECT MONITORING AND INSTITUTIONNAL DIALOGUE (UE funded)
International technical support will be provided for policy dialogue and sector coordination, publications, workshops, and networking between the different projects, in order to animate a platform gathering both stakeholders and public authorities. It will be directly managed by additional human resources to be deployed within AFD office in Tashkent. Respective staff will be also in charge of administrative tasks such as reporting to the EU, local counterpart’s supervision, audits, and evaluation activities. It will ensure procurement and implementation of the EU communication and visibility plan.
II- Description of duties
The Services for the consultant, which are specifically financed through Component 2 shall consist of the provision of technical assistance to the Project Implementation Unit which shall be created by Uzsuvta’minot for this specific project
The contract has a total duration of 66 months. It consists of the following missions:
 support the PIU team to perform the general project management at every stage of the project implementation
 Support the PIU for the initial technical studies steering and monitoring processes, along with all the project stakeholders
 prepare the following tender documents:
o Tender documents for the sewage network construction contact(s) (except technical terms of reference, ESIA, ESMP and RAP to be prepared by the Engineering consultant– currently under tender-, but reviewed and validated by the PIU and the TA to PIU)
o Tender documents for the WWTP DBO contract(s) (except technical terms of reference, ESIA, ESMP and RAP to be prepared by the Engineering consultant – currently under tender- but reviewed and validated by the PIU and the TA to PIU)
o ToR and tender documents for the Supervision contract(s)
o Tender document for the annual audits
o Tender documents for the purchase of equipment. Technical specifications will be prepared by the Technical Assistance to the PIU during the Capacity building need assessment, and completed by the Technical Assistance to operations
 support the PIU for the initial technical studies steering and monitoring processes, along with all the project stakeholders, and notably studies such as, but not limited to:
o Environmental and social assessment and related project management plans (ESIA, ESMP, RAP) provided by the Engineering consultant
o Update of the feasibility studies provided by the Engineering consultant
o Technical ToR for the sewage network construction contract(s) provided by the Engineering consultant
o General layouts and ToR for the WWTP DBO contract(s) provided by the Engineering consultant
o Specifications for the purchase of equipment provided by the Technical Assistance to Operations.
 Support the PIU during the bidding processes
o Response to the bidders during the bidding process if they have any question,
o Attend to the site visit if needed,
o Assessment of the technical and financial offers for all of the bidding processes launched by the PIU
o Preparation of the evaluation reports
o Negotiation and finalization of the contracts
 Support the PIU during the start of works:
o Check the site installations
o Check the guarantee and insurance which have to be submitted by contractors before starting works
o Check the CVs of the contractors
o Support to PIU in every task at the start of works
 Support the PIU during the construction phase:
o Site visit on regular basis (at least every quarter)
o Support the PIU in the preparation of the periodic technical and financial progress reports
o Support the PIU in the monitoring of the ESMP and RAP and grievance management
 Support the PIU at the completion of works

The Technical assistance to PIU shall be deployed in 2 phases:
1. Initial setting up and launch of the project: when a permanent team leader shall work permanently with the PIU staff in Tashkent, implementing the project administration and coordinating the various experts’ involvements.
2. Project implementation and monitoring: during which the Technical Assistance shall be limited to short term missions both from the team leader and the experts ‘pool, according to the project’s schedule and needs.
The team leader might be also mobilized on a permanent basis during the final period of the project, especially during the reception phase of works.
Additional expert missions might be added during the contract
Uzsuvta’minot hereby invites Applicants to show their interest in delivering the Services described above.
This Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) is open to:
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 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 considered 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:
The applicants should be firms or consortium of firms having an extensive experience in technical assistance to Project Implementation Unit for wastewater or potable water projects of comparable amount including treatment plants, financed by IFIs
The Employer will also consider for the evaluation of the applications the following items:
 Experience of company in successful implementation of contracts for PIU support and capacity building with a consulting budget of at least $ 1,4 million US for the period from January 1, 2016
 Experience of company in successful implementation of contracts related to DBO projects with a consulting budget of at least $ 1,4 million US for the period from January 1, 2011
 Experience of company in successful implementation of contracts in projects financed by (AFD, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, EIB) with a project cost of at least $ 50 million US
 Experience of company in successful implementation of contracts in field of water supply or sewerage system in Central Asia or CIS countries with a consulting budget of at least $ 1.4 million US
 Existence since several years of a permanent team of experts in the company specialized in the fields related to capacity building and technical assistance to project management
 ISO 9001 Certification
In order to ease the evaluation process, it is required that the application documents do not exceed 70 pages. General expertise requirements for the Consultant are presented above. Detailed expertise requirements will be presented at the next phase (Request for Proposals).
Among the submitted applications, the Employer will shortlist a maximum of six (6) Applicants, to whom the Request for Proposals to carry out the Services shall be sent.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in electronic or paper form by 16:00
January 9, 2023 (Tashkent time) to the address below. Late applications are not accepted. EOI must be submitted in English.

Additional information can be obtained at the address below during business hours from 9:00 to 17:00 Tashkent time.

Mr. Rustam Mamadzhanov
Vice-chairman
JSC "Uzsuvta’minot"
st. Niyozbek yuli 1,
Tashkent, 100035,
The Republic of Uzbekistan
Email Mail: afd_piu@uzsuv.uz