Project Management Unit Consultant for the construction of three high pressure gas transmission pipelines in Bulgaria

The Invitation for Expressions of Interest follows the General Procurement Notice for this project published in Procurement Opportunities, on the EBRD website dated 3^rd October 2014 under General Procurement Notice ref. No 7714-GPN-l7149.

Assignment Description: Bulgartransgaz EAD received grant funds from the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (“KIDSF”), administered by the Nuclear Safety Department of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD” or the “Bank”), under Grant Agreement No. 057 for implementation of the Project for construction of high pressure gas transmission pipelines with automated gas regulation stations and connection of the municipalities Panagiurishte, Pirdop, Svishtov, Razlog and Bansko to Bulgartransgaz EAD national network (the “Project”).

Bulgartransgaz EAD established a Project Management Unit (hereinafter referred to as “PMU”) for the purpose of effective management and coordination of the activities on the preparation and implementation of the Project.

Bulgartransgaz EAD now invites Expressions of Interest from consultants for services to support the PMU demonstrating timely and high quality performance according to the regulatory documents and requirements of Bulgartransgaz EAD and EBRD.

The objective of the PMU Consultant is to support the PMU in procurement and contract implementation of the following projects for design, supply and construction of high pressure gas transmission pipelines:

Project A:        Gas transmission pipeline to Panagiurishte and Pirdop

Project B:        Gas transmission pipeline to Svishtov

Project C:        Gas transmission pipeline to Razlog and Bansko

The tender documents/RfP including conditions of contract shall be prepared in accordance with EBRD Procurement Policies and Rules (PP&R) and will be based on the applicable Standard Tender Documents of EBRD and conditions of contract of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).

In order to achieve the goals of the above A, B and C projects, the Consultant, in addition to the PMU support in tender document/RfP preparation, will be obliged to carry out the following tasks:

• Participation in pre-tender meetings;
• Support the PMU in preparing answers to the submitted questions for tender clarification;
• Participation at the opening and evaluation of the tenders in line with EBRD PP&R;
• Preparation of the Tender Evaluation reports;
• Support the PMU in preparing answers to questions and complaints against Bulgartransgaz EAD, if any, regarding the tender procedures;
• Assist the PMU during respective contract awards and issuance of letters of acceptance to the successful tenderer;

All documents prepared by the PMU Consultant shall be in Bulgarian and English language.

Status of the Selection Process: Interested Candidates are hereby invited to submit expression of interest.

Assignment start date and duration: The assignment will start in the second quarter of 2015. The duration of Consultancy contract will take about 24 months in total and man months will be allocated in line with the Time Schedule, which will be enclosed to the RfP.

Maximum budget available for the assignment: EUR 200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Euro) VAT excluded.

Funding source: The contract is financed with grant funds under Grant Agreement 057 from KIDSF.

Eligibility: The selection of a Consultant will be performed pursuant to EBRD PP&R with the exception of country eligibility restrictions defined within the KIDSF Rules and will be open to Consultants from the following eligible countries as of 1 March 2015: EU member states, Switzerland and EBRD countries of operation.

Consultant Profile:

1. The Consultant must demonstrate experience for the last 7 (seven) years in the following areas:

• Procurement, including preparation of tender documents and participation in tender evaluation process under EBRD PP&R and/or other International Financial Institution (IFI)’s regulations for implementation of at least 2 (two) projects, at least 1 (one) of them in the field of the energy sector;
• Management of contract’s implementation funded by EBRD or other IFI.

Experience in Bulgaria and/or in the gas sector is desirable.

2. It is expected that the Consultant will engage a sufficient number of experts to enable the proper support to PMU and the team will include the following key experts, inter alia:

• Project Manager having relevant experience during the last 7 (seven) years in the execution of consultancy contracts funded by EBRD or other IFI’s;
• Procurement Expert(s) having experience during the last 7 (seven) years in tendering, including preparation of tender documents under EBRD PP&R or other IFI’s procurement rules and FIDIC conditions of contract;
• Construction Expert(s) having experience during the last 7 (seven) years in execution of linear infrastructure projects of design and construction of high pressure pipelines (more than PN 16 bar), whereas at least one of the experts shall have experience in projects implemented according to the Bulgarian legislation.

The same expert, having relevant experience, can perform several functions.

The firm (and/or its associates and affiliates) selected for PMU Consultant assignment, will be requested to limit its role to that of PMU Consultant and disqualify itself from work in any other capacity (including tendering on any part of the Project) except that of consulting services for follow on services. Corporate services are required.

Submission Requirements: Consultants seeking to be selected shall provide the following information in order to determine their capabilities and experience:

• An Expression of interest letter;
• Company(-ies) profile, organization and staffing;
• Detailed information on Consultant's successful experience or similar assignments undertaken in the last 7 (seven) years; the information submitted shall include the following: project title; consultancy assignment title/role; location; start and completion dates; name of the Contracting Authority/Client; total project value and consultancy service contract price; funding source, objectives and description of the project, description of functions and tasks carried out within the consultancy assignment and shall be accompanied by letters of reference from the Contracting authorities / Clients;
• CVs of the Project Manager and key Experts of the Consultant's team who could carry out the Assignment with a detailed description of qualifications, experiences, as well as a declaration from each of them of their consent to perform the assigned role.

Consultant Declaration and Completed 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

The above information should not exceed 30 pages, excluding CVs, references and declarations.

One (1) original and four (4) numbered copies of the above information in English and 2 copies in Bulgarian and a CD containing an electronic version of the Expression of Interest in PDF format shall be submitted in an envelope marked:

            Expression of interest for Project Management Unit Consultant for the construction             of three high pressure gas transmission pipelines in Bulgaria

at the office of Bulgartransgaz below no later than the deadline mentioned above.

Address of Bulgartransgaz EAD and contact person:

Important Note

The selection will be made from the responses to this notification only and based on the evaluation of the short-list firms’ proven experience and current expertise related to the assignment. Short-listed Consultants will not be asked to submit proposals. Only the highest-ranked Consultant will be requested to submit technical and financial proposal, if invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding.