The Government of Rwanda has received financing from the International Development Association (IDA) toward the cost of the Commercialization and De-risking for Agricultural Transformation (CDAT) Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting service of hiring Dam Expert.
The Terms of Reference (TOR) related to this assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.
The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)/ Commercialization and De-risking for Agricultural Transformation (CDAT) Project now invites eligible Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Service. Interested Consultants should provide their CVs demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Service.
The shortlisting criteria are:
- The Dam Expert must have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering with specific18 years demonstrated/proven professional experience in Large dams’ design and Supervision works and contract management skills. (at least Two (2) certificates of good completion with contracts or service certificates)
- Relevant Procurement related experience is required.
- Knowledge of design and construction of Large Dam for multipurpose sectors particularly for hillside irrigation, marshland irrigation, earth dams (small and Large scale), rural roads, portable water supply facilities.
- Computer literate with excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, Power Point, AUTOCAD, with capability to run and use Civil Engineering and Dam engineering design software specifically.
- Proven regional/African experience.
- He/she should be able to communicate fluently, in writing and orally in English
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” Fourth Edition September,2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
The evaluation shall be based on the relevant qualifications and experience of the Consultant. Individual Consultants selected to be employed by the RAB/CDAT Project shall be the most experienced and best qualified among the candidates,
Expressions of interest must be delivered through e-procurement system on www.umucyo.gov.rw by the time indicated in the system.
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR HIRING DAM EXPERT AS TECHNICAL ASSITANT FOR MULTIPLE DAMS UNDER CDAT PROJECT
1 Introduction and Background
The World Bank approved $300 million in financing under the International Development Association’s (IDA’s) grant, credit, and Scale Up Window to help the Government of Rwanda increase the use of irrigation and commercialization among producers and agribusiness firms in supported value chains, and to increase access to agricultural finance.
The Commercialization and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT) will support the Government to provide services and create an enabling environment for the private actor throughout the agricultural value chain. It will finance public investments in the seeds sector, develop and rehabilitate irrigation systems on over 17,673 ha, provide accompanying land husbandry development on about 10,986 ha in surrounding water catchment areas to increase productivity and promote climate smart agriculture.
The project will also support commercialization by helping farmers’ access markets and availing matching grants for investments in mechanization, post-harvest infrastructure and processing equipment. A CDAT challenge fund will invest in particularly innovative solutions for the sector that can be brought to scale. The project is nationwide and is foreseen to directly benefit at least 235,000 households, including women and youth.
In partnership with financial institutions, the Commercialization and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project will seek to enhance access to affordable financial services and products in the agricultural sector by providing short and long-term financing and reducing risks and challenges faced by agricultural value chains through strengthening market linkages and scaling up agriculture insurance.
The project development objectives indicators are:
- Increase in share of agricultural produce sold by participating producers.
- Increase in the cultivated area being irrigated in new and rehabilitated schemes.
- Increase in value of agricultural production quantities procured by participating aggregators (cooperative and contract buyers).
- Increase in number of borrowers obtaining agricultural loans from participating financial institutions.
- Total number of benefitting households reached by the project.
2 Activities of the Dam Expert assignment
The consultant’s primary responsibilities will be to provide Technical support to CDAT Project. Specifically, she/he will be requested to review all Dam and Civil engineering activities relating to planned project activities, i.e.: (Large Dams and its appurtenance s under CDAT project these sites include: 2 dam sites, Multiple diversion Headworks across the more than 20 sites , 4 on canal irrigation reservoirs , and 4 Pumping intake works and pressurized systems ) Specifically, the expert will undertake the following tasks:
- Enhance the client’s staff technical review capacity on dam design matters;
- Attend a joint workshop with other panel experts to present and discuss the dam design (for design review) & construction procedure and standards to be used by consulting firms contracted by the project;
- Review the dam type and design made during the feasibility and detail design phases and in particular: review the layout of dam and appurtenant structures; review design criteria and calculations; review technical specifications and construction schedules; assess the adequacy of construction work for the dam and appurtenant structures; review design adoptions during construction; review construction procedures, plan, and schedule; assess the safety requirements with respect to stability and performance of the dam and appurtenant structures during operation based on results of safety inspections; review and evaluate the optimized reservoir operation in view of the multipurpose aspects in addition to irrigation.
- Provide technical advice on general rural infrastructure activities under the Project including but not limited to irrigation development, earth dams, feeder roads and building constructions;
- Contribute to the design, implementation and capacity building activities of dam infrastructures and implementation of CDAT capacity building activities on Dam and Civil Works;
- Support CDAT on tasks’ management, field mission organization and review of designs, preparation of terms of references and project supervision;
- Assist in Preparations of TORs, bidding documents, request for proposals and bid evaluation reports for procurement of Dam Works and Civil Works.
- Undertake inspection of works to verify quality, quantity and timeliness of work done and prepare and/or verify payment certificates for services providers engaged on project Dam activities;
- Ensure that the maintenance programme of each Dam and its appurtenances are properly designed, and put in place appropriate mechanisms for its execution during and after the project, in accordance with the stipulation of the appraisal report.
- Ensure that environmental and social (ES) safeguards measures are implemented as part of infrastructure development, as well as conducting regular ES monitoring activities, as required by the World Bank ES Framework, and the Rwandan regulations.
- Supervise any other Civil infrastructures activity in the portfolio of projects;
- Assist the SPIU and CDAT project management in the daily contracts management for all Dam consultancies and works under implementation.
- The consultant will also be required to perform any other relevant tasks assigned to him/her by the Project Coordinator and other supervisors.
- Develop a program of capacity building and training for the Project Engineers on Engineering design, Dam design softwares, and contract management.
- Quality control and documents review – The Engineer will provide quality control on draft terms of references, feasibility studies, detail designs and construction tender documents. He/She will also review and provide written technical feedback to draft feasibility studies, engineering designs, procurement documents, etc., of Dam sub-projects and make sure that they are incorporated in the final documents and designs.
- The Dam Expert will provide the technical assistance on dam instrumentation and monitoring systems and plans
- The Dam Expert will facilitate and approve the Panel of Experts reports during the course of Design, Supervision and Post Construction Phase.
- Monitor quality of construction – The Engineer will conduct technical and quality assessments of the Dam sub-projects including the following areas:
- Technical quality of sub-project designs based on engineering standards
- Technical quality of the sub-projects based on the detailed engineering design and program of works; determining whether there were deviations and whether such deviations were reflected in the sub-projects cost and whether appropriate approvals were sought and documented for any changes;
- Quality of materials used;
- Timeliness of construction;
- Operation and maintenance (O&M), including O&M plans.
- Provide technical support to the SPIU during bi-annual Implementation Support Missions, The Engineer will prepare assessment findings and recommendations. This will primarily entail an assessment of the technical quality of sub-projects and a comparison of construction as against the agreed technical specifications. The assessment will draw on site visits, including discussions with local officials, contractors, contractor supervisors, community members, and other relevant stakeholders on any issues or problems during the implementation phase. The assessment shall include recommendations to enhance quality assurance and accountability in the construction phase of the program.
3 Administrative and Technical Reporting
The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the CDAT Project Manager and under the immediate supervision of the Head of Irrigation Unit.
4 Duration of the Assignment
The assignment will be for twenty-four 24 months with possibility of renewal, subject to satisfactory performance. For the entire duration of the assignment, the consultant shall be physically present at the CDAT Head office fulltime.
5 Qualifications and Experience required
- The Dam Expert must have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering with specific18 years demonstrated/proven professional experience in Large dams’ design and Supervision works and contract management skills .
- Relevant Procurement related experience is required.
- Knowledge of design and construction of Large Dam for multipurpose sectors particularly for hillside irrigation, marshland irrigation, earth dams (small and Large scale), rural roads, portable water supply facilities.
- Computer literate with excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, Power Point, AUTOCAD, with capability to run and use Civil Engineering and Dam engineering design software specifically.
- Proven regional/African experience.
- He/she should be able to communicate fluently, in writing and orally in English
6 – Payment Modality
The payment modalities will be negotiated based on the guidance from the World Banks procurement regulations
7 Application and Evaluation Processes
The prospective consultants’ expression of interest will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- General Qualification and suitability for the task to be performed
- Experience in the specific assignments described in the ToR proved by working certificates
- Experience working with International organizations
- Language Proficiency
- Knowledge of the region
