Project Monitoring Consultant for Water and Wastewater and District Heating Sector Frameworks (49633)

Project Monitoring Consultant for Water and Wastewater and District Heating Framework - Project Manager

Project Description: The Government of Kazakhstan ("GoK") signed the Enhanced Partnership Framework Arrangement ("EPFA") with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "EBRD" or the "Bank") to provide grant co-financing for projects where the Bank will provide loans with the aim to: (i) facilitate the implementation of urgent upgrades of facilities; (ii) provide incentives for the cities to undertake their investment programmes, whilst avoiding the perverse incentive of grant allocations without the need for reforms (the "Project").

In line with this, the EBRD approved two investment frameworks to provide financing for the modernisation of water and wastewater and district heating infrastructure in the Republic of Kazakhstan as follows:

(i) The Water and Waste Water Infrastructure Modernisation Framework (the "EPFA Water Framework") will consist of loans benefitting an estimated 10-12 private and municipal water and wastewater utilities in Kazakhstan in the total amount of up to EUR 150 million.
(ii) The District Heating Infrastructure Modernisation Sector Framework (the "EPFA District Heating Framework") will consist of loans benefiting 7 – 10 district heating utilities in Kazakhstan in the total amount of EUR 200 million.

Assignment Description: To oversee the implementation of the EPFA Water Framework and the EFPA District Heating Framework (together the "EFPA Frameworks"), the Bank now intends to engage three individuals, to act as Project Monitoring Consultants who will work in close co-operation with the EBRD and with the respective Project Implementation and Corporate Development consultants under each sub-project and carry out the scope of services as set out below (the "Assignment"). The Project Monitoring Consultants would include a Project Manager (the "Project Manager"), who would also have the lead role and coordinating function between the individuals, plus two Sector Engineers (each specialising in one of the two focus sectors) (the "Sector Engineers") (together, the "Experts").

The expected outcome of the Assignment is to assist the EBRD to monitor implementation of the sub-projects under the EPFA Frameworks; to ensure that investments are implemented on time and within budget, and in accordance with the sub-project investment plans.

This invitation for expressions of interest is for the Project Manager. Please see corresponding procurement notices for the roles of the Water and Wastewater Sector Engineer and the District Heating Sector Engineer. The Experts will be expected to coordinate and work together fully to achieve the aims of the Assignment.

The Project Manager is expected to provide the following services:

1. Coordination of Experts under the Assignment:

The Project Manager will be responsible for coordination of the support provided under the Assignment, including that of the two Sector Engineers to ensure that, as necessary, their support is provided to the Bank in a timely manner and to the benefit of the sub-projects.

2. Monitor sub-project implementation under the EPFA Frameworks:

The Project Manager, together with the relevant Sector Engineer, will review the sub-project implementation arrangements in place to ensure that they are sufficient to support successful implementation. To this end, they will observe, assess and report on the:

a) sub-project implementation arrangements including the sub-project organisation, staffing, sub-project management systems, arrangements for construction, identification and management, and contract management for signed EPFA sub-projects;
b) quality control/assurance systems, confirming that there is no evidence of any material problems with current or expected future quality and that the investments are likely to meet the specified technical, environmental and social performance requirements at the date of operation.

3. Progress and costs against schedule and budget:

The Project Manager, together with the relevant Sector Engineer will review, evaluate and comment on progress and costs against schedule and budget for the EPFA sub-projects. To this end, the following tasks will be undertaken:

a) monitor and report on sub-project progress including in design, procurement and construction. Verify and confirm that an adequate progress control system is in place and functioning properly. Report on actual progress versus the original plan.
b) monitor and report on sub-project costs. Confirm that adequate cost control systems are in place and working properly. Present a cost report showing the original budget, revised outcome estimate and variance for each budget item, highlight any actual or expected variance in the overall subproject cost and confirm whether or not the sub-project is likely to become operational within the given budget.

4. The review and comment on all relevant sub-project documentation and reports:

The Project Manager, together with the relevant Sector Engineer, shall:

a) review procurement documentation for contracts placed and tenders issued. Monitor payments for works, goods and services, and review cost certifications related to EBRD-financed contracts;
b) confirm that all relevant sub-project documents, including "as built" drawings, manuals, etc, have been properly assembled, collated, indexed and handed over;
c) review payment certificates and disbursements and confirm that they are in compliance with the loan agreements and implementation agreements(eg used for the purposes for which they were intended, proportion between Loan and state funds are respected);
d) review on a sample basis, payment certificates, test results, and other relevant sub-project documentation. Compare the sub-project documentation with the actual works carried out on site, as necessary.

5. Review Project account records:

The Project Manager will review records of the Project account of the companies where the GoK funds will be kept and provide reports on utilisation of these funds, including compliance with provisions of Implementation Agreement.

6. Matters of material interest:

The Project Manager, together with the relevant Sector Engineer will alert the EBRD to any emerging problems, be they of a contractual, technical, environmental, social or financial nature, which have the potential to jeopardise the achievement of the sub-project objectives and advise the EBRD on timely appropriate corrective action.

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

Assignment Start Date and Duration: The Assignment is expected to start in fourth quarter of 2015 – first quarter of 2016 and has an estimated overall duration of 36 months.

Cost Estimate for the Project: EUR 600,000 (exclusive of VAT).

Funding Source: Austrian Fund for Municipal Infrastructure

Eligibility restrictions applicable for the overall Project: 70 per cent of the total funding available will be used to finance two experts of Austrian nationality. The remaining 30 per cent will be used to finance the services of a local expert who can be a national of the following countries: Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Armenia or Kygyz Republic.

Cost Estimate of the Assignment: EUR 180,000 (exclusive of VAT).

The Assignment may be extended subject to the performance of the selected Project Manager, availability of further funding and the specific needs of the Bank.

The Consultant must determine whether any VAT would be chargeable on the services and the basis for that determination, without taking into consideration the special status of the Bank as an IFI and state this to the Bank in their response to the Invitation for Expressions of Interest. To the extent that a Consultant incurs input VAT on goods and services purchased in connection with the provision of services (eg VAT on airline ticket) which is not otherwise recoverable by the consultant from the local tax authority, the gross cost to the consultant of such expenses shall be treated as a reimbursable expense.

Assignment Eligibility: Individuals or consultancy firms proposing individuals must be citizens or permanent residents of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Armenia or Kyrgyz Republic.

Consultant Profile: Individual services are required. The Project Manager shall be an expert preferably with extensive previous professional experience in:

1. project management in the municipal services sector;
2. monitoring the implementation of projects including aspects such as procurement, design and supervision of construction works for projects in comparable climatic and geological conditions;
3. project cost control and disbursements;
4. working with international financial institutions ("IFIs2).

The Project Manager must possess :

(a) preferably a minimum of 7 years of previous professional experience in range of multi-disciplinary project management roles such that he/she can respond to issues as they arise and address them appropriately.
(b) relevant university degree and the necessary professional qualifications for the role.
(e) Fluency in English and Russian/Kazakh – both written and spoken.

Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of experts seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted should include the following:

1. Cover letter (max. 2 pages) summarising why the expert believes to satisfy the requirements as defined in the above section Consultant Profile;

2. CV (not exceeding 4 pages) which should include full descriptions of responsibilities carried out, not just a job title, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) , main activities, objectives.

3. Completed Consultant Declaration Form and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:

http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc.