Advance Action on Recruitment of Consultants - Invitation for Submission of Expressions of Interest

Country/Borrower: Papua New Guinea

Title of Proposed Project: Bridge Replacement for Improved Rural Access Project

Project Number: 43200-024

Executing Agency: Department of Works (DOW)

Budget: US$6.900 million (tentative)

Brief Description of the Improved Rural Access Project:

The Government of PNG plans to replace temporary bridges from the national roads. The Bridge Replacement for Improved Rural Access Project (BRIRAP) (i) provides a comprehensive program to replace single-lane temporary Bailey bridges and other deteriorated bridges with two-lane permanent structures starting with the 16 Priority National Road Corridors, and (ii) finances the first phase comprising of 25-30 high priority bridges on five national road corridors. These are: (1) Ramu Highway in Madang Province, (2) Sepik Highway in East Sepik Province, (3) Hiritano Highway in Central Province, (4) Magi Highway in Central Province, and (5) New Britain Highway in West New Britain. Based on successful implementation of the first phase, the scope of BRIRAP may be expanded to include other bridges and priority road corridors.

Consulting service are needed for detailed design and implementation support including civil works contract supervision. The consulting services contract will consist of two parts. The first is for the field investigations, detailed design and procurement support to the point at which civil works contracts have been finalized and are ready for award. The second is for the implementation support, including supervision of the civil works contracts and other implementation-related activities. The second part will be subject to a second notice to commence, which will be dependent on the consultant's performance under the first part, and also on each of the project's financier's confirming the financing for the BRIRAP implementation.

Consulting Services:

A total of 267 person-months (159 international and 108 national) of consulting services will be required for the first phase. The consulting services will be financed from the BRIRAP loan.

DOW will select and engage the consultants in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2010, as amended from time to time) using the quality- and cost-based selection (QCBS) method. Short-listed firms will be required to submit technical proposals along with financial proposals.

Key tasks includes 

1. Reviewing all reports and documents prepared for the Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) to determine the optimal solutions for detailed design;
2. detailed design of the bridges and other associated works including site surveys and investigations - traffic, topographic, hydraulic and hydrologic, geotechnical, materials, morphological, and river studies;
3. Preparation of bid documents and procurement support to these bridges;
4. Identifying sources of construction materials;
5. Supervision of construction the selected 25-30 bridges in four provinces;
6. capacity development involving institutional strengthening of DOW

Implementation Period of the Project:

The consulting services are expected to be implemented over a period of about 12 months for detailed engineering and procurement support (consultants inputs: 51 person-months international and 12 person-months national) and 24 months for civil works contract supervision (consultants inputs: 108 person-months international and 96 person-months national) commencing by November or December 2011.

The Department of Works, through the Project Director now invites eligible international firms in joint venture/or in association with national consulting firms to submit their EOI and relevant documents meeting the following criteria:

1. Experience related to the transport sector, the Pacific region, and preferably in PNG;
2. Technical expertise, particularly related to roads and bridges involving detailed design and supervision of civil works;
3. Familiarity with the policies and guidelines of multilateral development banks, preferably ADB, as well as those of Government of PNG.

Interested consulting firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, descriptions of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skill among staff, etc). The consulting firms may associate with other international and national firms to enhance their qualifications.

The deadline for the submission of EOI is 3:00 PM on 18 July 2011 to the address below. All firms will be advised of the result of their expression of interest. Only consulting firms that have been short listed will be invited to submit a proposal for consulting services under BRIRAP. The names and addresses of short-listed firms will be published in the ADB website.

Further information from background documents can be obtained from the EA at the address given below during working hours from 9:00 to 16:00 (Monday to Friday).

Address for submitting EOI:

Mr. Joel Luma
Secretary
Department of Works 
PO Box 1108, Boroko, NCD
Papua New Guinea
Fax: +675 324 1102 
Tel No: +675 324 1107/1114/1473

Or email:pupsteven@yahoo.co.uk
Attention: Steven Pup (Projects Director - ADB Projects)