Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Local Government Engineering Department
Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (SRIIP)
Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar
Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh

Memo. No. LGED/PD/SRIIP/ISMC/2010/25                                          Dated: 14/11/2010

Invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI)

For Institutional Support and Monitoring Consultancy (ISMC) Services
for Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (SRIIP)

1.       The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) will receive a loan, subject to final approval scheduled in Novmber, 2010 from the Special Funds resources of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and grant assistance from KfW towards the cost of Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (SRIIP) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this loan & grant to eligible payments under the consultancy services for which this invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) is issued. The terms and conditions of the contract and payments by ADB & KfW will be subject to the terms and conditions of the still to be concluded Loan Agreement respectively Financing Agreement, including the Guidelines on the Use of Consultants by ADB and its Borrowers. Except as ADB & KfW may specifically otherwise agree, no party other than GOB shall derive any rights from the loan or have any claim to the proceeds of the loan. This EOI is an advance action prior to the conclusion of the Loan and Financing Agreements, so that the financing of the consulting services is conditional to the conclusion of these agreements.

2.       The project aims at increasing rural incomes and reducing rural poverty through sustainable economic growth, rural development, social and gender development and improved infrastructure in the project area. The key objectives are to : i) promote overall development of the transportation system by improving upazila and union roads development of growth centers (rural markets), and building drainage structures (culvert and bridges) on upazila and union roads. Develop socio economic condition of the rural people by providing assistance where higher agricultural production and their marketing. ii) help the rural people in poverty reduction effort by reducing the transport cost, develop marketing system, increase of sustainable agricultural production and creating short and long term employment opportunities in agricultural and non agricultural sectors, iii) strengthen institutional capacity of LGED and other local government institutions to help develop a sound criteria for operation and maintenance of the rural roads, markets/growth centers etc. iv) encourage women's participation in tree plantation and caretaking activities including the development of rural markets and growth centers and off pavement maintenance activities of developed roads and to ensure equal payment to women for same nature of work comparing with men, v) increase local employment opportunities throughout the project period by developing the different components.

3.       Being selected as the Executive Agency (EA) for the project, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under Local Government Division (LGD) of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD&C) now invites eligible consulting firm(s) who have adequate (at least five years) experience in institutional and capacity development activities to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) for Institutional Support and Monitoring Consultancy (ISMC) services for Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project as a part of advance action plan agreed during the loan fact finding mission in August 2010. The Institutional Support and Monitoring Consultancy (ISMC) package will involve anticipated 48 person months of international staff and 228 person months for national staff. The firm will be selected through international competitive bidding with Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) procedures in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the use of consultants (April 2010 or as amended from time to time). The consulting services contract is expected to commence in July 2011 and will continue up to the end of the project duration.

4.       The consultants of this package get local support (staff, office equipment, travel budget etc) to carry out the scope of work. The Employer (LGED) will provide office accommodation to the consultants. The main objective of the ISMC consultancy services is to provide technical guidance and assistance to all phases of training and capacity building activities that will be carried out under the SRIIP, particularly in the areas of local governance, institutional support to LGED, gender equality, adaptation to climate change and benefit monitoring and evaluation. As a part of this project, funds are available for capacity development measures in close relation to the work of the ISMC consultants. The international consultants working under this ISMC contract should ensure that on-the-job training is provided and expertise on capacity building and project

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management is transferred to associated counterpart officials.

5. In general, the scope of consultancy services will include, but not be limited to the following:

a.   need assessment, design and conduct training programs and orientation curriculum employing participatory approaches, compilation of handbooks and manuals for various courses and workshops in line with the project objectives including gender and social analysis through Participatory Rural Approach (PRA) or Knowledge Attitude & Practice (KAP) approach, participatory governance, resettlement planning, environmental assessments, leadership development and other social development issues;

b.             ensure that poverty, social development and gender as well as environmental /climate change issues are integrated in all training/orientation program and courses where relevant;

c. evaluate the effectiveness and assess impact of training/orientation programs both at institution and community level with gender perspectives.

6. The ISMC consultant is expected to have expertise in participatory and contemporary training methodologies and approaches, sound knowledge of Government policies, administrative systems and procedures, and expertise (in capacity development, rural infrastructure development, local governance, training, gender and environment & climate change) is required. The consultant will be required to make own arrangements under the consultant's contract for appropriate for appropriate English/ Bangla translation and interpretation service that may be required.

7. EOIs may be submitted by a firm, association, or joint venture. An international / national firm, as a lead firm, associate or partner can only be nominated in one EOI. The consultant appointing another short-listed consultant as a sub-consultant at the time of submission of "Request for Proposal (RFP)" will not require prior permission of the client but in such cases, the proposal shall be submitted in the title of the short listed consultant.

8. To avoid confusion and possible elimination after short-listing, lead firms of associations or joint ventures are strongly advised to confirm relationships (exclusive or non-exclusive) with selected associates or partners prior to expressing interest.

9. Interested firms may submit E01 in standard template for consulting firms (available for download from web address: http://www.adb.org/consulting/toolkit-template.asp) along with:

a.             Cover Letter signed by authorized signatory with name(s), address(es), contact details of partners / associates (if any),

b.             Agreement of Joint Venture or Association or Partnership with clear indication of share of responsibility and business (if applicable),

c. Additional information / documentation on the following (documentary evidence to be attached):

i) Legal Status (Trade License and proof of other Registration such as- Value Added Tax (VAT), Taxpayer's Identity Number etc.), ii) Nature of business or operation, iii) Years of similar, relevant and general experience; iv) Experiences in similar working condition, v) Annual turnover of last 5(five) years; vi) Company Profile or Brochure, and vii) Information of core team of key professionals on permanent pay roll (Name, Date of Birth, Educational Qualification and relevant Professional Experience — Time & Brief Description) .

10. Interested firm(s) must submit EOI in sealed envelope containing original and 5 (five) copies addressed to "Project Director, Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (SRIIP), Local Government Engineering Department, LGED Bhaban (Level-11), Agargaon, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh" not later than 3:00pm local time on 30 December 2010.

11. EOI's will be evaluated on the basis of —(a) background of the firm, (b) general & similar working experience, (c) lead firm working experience in Bangladesh, (d) professional strength & (e) financial strength

12. Further information including scope of work and outline Terms of Reference will be available at the office of the undersigned during regular office hours.

 

(Md. Shahidur Rahman Pramanik)

Project Director

Telephone: +880-2-9142982

Fax : +880-2-8124037

E-mail: pramanik_pd@yahoo.com