Prijedor District Heating Project -Project Implementation and Engineering Supervision

THIS PROCUREMENT NOTICE HAS BEEN AMENDED: EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ARE REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED IN ONE OF THE THREE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (SERBIAN, BOSNIAN OR CROATIAN) AS WELL AS ENGLISH (PLEASE SEE SECTION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS)

Executing Agency (Client): The Toplana AD, Prijedor (the Company) in the City of Prijedor as Borrower and the joint PIU to be established by the City and the Company will act as the Executing Agency for this assignment.

Assignment Description: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the EBRD or the Bank) is providing a loan of up to EUR 7.0 million to the Toplana AD, Prijedor (the Company) in the City of Prijedor (Prijedor or the City) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is considering a parallel grant in the amount of up to EUR 2 million to co-finance the investments.

The Bank’s financing will be focused on construction of a new biomass fired district heating plant with total installed capacity of 20 MW and a small cogeneration system. The investment is aimed to replace existing generation of heat fired with HFO (heavy fuel oil) with wood biomass and will contain a new complete plant including heat generation equipment, buildings and access roads, biomass storage and preparation inclusive external wood chipper, flue gas stack and cleaning, flue gas condenser, I&C and electric installations, and ash handling.

Sida's grant would be used to for demand side investments (introduction of metering of heat consumption and modernisation of individual heat substations).

The Company now wishes to engage a consultant (the Consultant) to assist it in ensuring that the Project is successfully implemented, in all aspects, within the planned time schedule, within the budget and to an acceptable quality, including contract administration and engineering supervision for biomass fired district heating plant, procurement of demand side measures, loan and grant disbursements and progress reporting (the Assignment).

Specific tasks include, inter alia:

During pre-construction stage,

• Establishing procedures for proper works supervision, delegation and sub-delegation of authorities; verifying, reviewing, and approving the Contractor's documentation;
• Assisting the PIU in obtaining the necessary permits.

During construction stage,

• Supervising and monitoring timely completion of all stages of contracts; analysing and approving Contractor’s plans and programmes for construction works;
• Preparing and coordinating the site and bi-weekly progress meetings and other coordination; maintaining a continuous liaison with the PIU;
• Monitoring the validity of Contractor’s documentation as well as all the permits and other related documents; approvals of all elements of the designs and works;
• Site inspections; contract change management support, variance orders administration, handling unforeseen activities;

After the completion of the works, temporary inspection and support of the PIU during the defect notification period of 12 months, on a quarterly basis and upon detection of defects.

In addition, the Consultant will be assisting in procurement and contract management of demand-side investments according to EBRD Procurement Policies and Rules and respective contract documents.

It is expected that with the involvement of the selected Consultant, the Company will have access to best practice in the implementation of projects and procurement, as well as advice on specific technical, operational and financial issues. The Consultant will provide assistance in administration and supervision of the contracts in accordance with the procedures and documentation of the Bank and pursuant to all other agreements stipulated in the Loan Agreement and the Grant Agreement signed between the Company, the City and EBRD.

Status of Selection Process: Interested firms or group of firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.

Assignment Start Date and Duration: The Assignment is expected to start in 1Q 2015 and has an estimated overall duration of 18 months.

Maximum Budget available for the Assignment: EUR 400,000 (exclusive of VAT).The Consultant must determine whether any indirect taxes/VAT are chargeable on the proposed services and state the basis for such. If any indirect taxes/VAT are payable, the Client will have to pay indirect taxes/VAT element to the services directly to the Consultant unless otherwise agreed.

Funding Source: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)

Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions.

Consultant Profile: Corporate services are required. The Consultant shall be responsible for mobilisation of qualified engineers, technicians and other professional staff with the proven experience in the administration, management, and supervision of similar construction works and acquiring the equipment for the Project in comparable climatic and geological conditions. Where staff does not speak the local language, interpretation and translation will be the responsibility of the Consultant.

The Consultant shall employ supervision staff with a good knowledge of the local design and construction laws and regulations to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations.

It is anticipated that the Consultant’s team shall include the following expertise with short-term support as required in other disciplines:

• Project Manager (minimum 15 years’ relevant engineering experience with 10 years’ supervision experience of FIDIC based contracts – or similar – in DH sector projects);
• Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and DH Engineers (at least one engineer of each specialization, at least 8 years’ experience each with a minimum 5 years’ experience in supervision of DH sector projects);
• IFI Procurement Specialist (at least 8 years’ experience with a minimum 5 years’ experience in procurement according to the rules of IFIs, preferably the EBRD’s);
• Local support staff.

All experts shall have experience of the activity for which they are being proposed and in a similar position and shall have:

• Experience of construction supervision and/or project management in countries with climatic conditions similar to the project site;
• Good knowledge of FIDIC (or similar) contractual arrangements and experience of working with IFIs;
• Experience in BiH and neighbouring countries would be an asset;
• Knowledge of the requirements of local legislation concerning construction (including health and safety), financial, accounting and disbursement issues would be an asset.

Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultants to be shortlisted, the information submitted should include the following:

(a) brief overview of the firm/group of firms including company profile, organisation and staffing;

(b) details of similar experience of firm or group of firms and related assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, percentage carried out by consultant in case of association of firms or subcontracting, main activities, objectives;

(c) CVs of key experts who could carry out the Assignment detailing qualifications, experience in similar assignments, particularly assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, main activities, objectives;

(d) Completed Declaration of Impartiality and Contact Sheet

The expression of interest shall not exceed 25 pages (excluding CVs and contact sheet).

One original and one copy of the expression of interest, in English, plus two copies of the expression of interest in one of the three official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Serbian, Bosnian or Croatian), shall be submitted to the Client in an envelope marked EXPRESSION OF INTEREST for Prijedor District Heating Project -Project Implementation and Engineering Supervision, to reach Client not later than 12 December 2014 at 14:00 (local time).

One further electronic copy of the expression of interest in English and Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian should be submitted to the EBRD’s contact person by the same due date.

Important Notes:

Note 1. Following this invitation for expressions of interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Consultant selection and contracting will be subject to availability of funding.

Note 2. Shortlisting criteria and respective weightings are:
a) Firm’s previous relevant experience in district heating projects, including specific experience of construction of biomass fired district heating plants, preferably within the last 7 years - 40%
b) Firm’s experience in district heating projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina and/or other Western Balkans countries - 20%
c) CVs of team of experts – 40%