REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
Country: Republic of Tajikistan
Project: Tajikistan Strengthening Water and Irrigation Management Project
Grant No.: IDA E0790-TJ and TF0B8740-TJ
Assignment Title: WUA support and capacity building consulting services in irrigation management
Reference No.: SWIM-CS-QCBS-04
The Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, with the financial support of the World Bank (WB and EU), is currently implementing the Strengthening Water and Irrigation Management Project (hereinafter referred to as the Project).
Recognizing the importance of water resources to its development agenda, the Republic of Tajikistan has committed itself to comprehensive reforms. The National Water Sector Reform Program 2016-2025 identifies water as a valuable resource and calls for the widespread implementation of integrated water resources management based on the basin principle.
The development objectives of the project (TSWIM) are to (i) strengthen capacity in water resources planning and irrigation management in Tajikistan, and (ii) improve the efficiency of selected irrigation systems in the Vakhsh and Zeravshan river basin areas. These objectives can be achieved by rehabilitating irrigation canals to reduce water losses in the two selected schemes and by providing some limited assistance in restructuring and strengthening institutions that manage irrigation infrastructure.
For the purposes of this consultancy, selected Consultant will technical assistance in support of strengthening capacity of WUAs in the country at the national and target schemes level. Strengthening capacity of WUAs is a long-term process that requires significant efforts. First, it is important to streamline support and monitoring of WUAs from an institutional point of view, so that these functions are performed not only within the framework of individual investment projects, but integrated through institutionalization and strengthening of the WUAs Support Unit within the ALRI. Secondly, WUAs support after the implementation of the initial list of activities to establish the boundaries of WUA, conduct basic training on water measurement, develop water management plans, strengthen financial management and establish good governance mechanisms, create an initial register of assets and users of irrigation water should be based on WUAs performance. The performance-based incentives for WUAs to be piloted under the project shall help to shape the policy for future incentive for improved on-farm irrigation management. The subject consultancy is expected to provide advisory, facilitation, capacity building and administration support to improve on-farm irrigation management through strengthening capacity of WUAs at the national and target scheme levels.
The period of execution of the tasks identified in this Terms of Reference is (30 months) from the Commencement Date including mobilization period.
The draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the primary procurement stage of the assignment is provided in the request for expressions of interest and can be found at the following link:
The State Entity “Ferghana Valley Water Resources Management Project Management Unit” under the ALRI now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information confirming that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.
Consultants will be assessed based on their Expression of Interest (EOI ). As part of the EOI, consultants must demonstrate their ability to undertake assignments of similar scope and scale along the following criteria:
1. General Experience:
The applicant must demonstrate previous experience in working on capacity building, and training assignments with community-based organizations in the water sector in the past seven years.
2. Relevant experience:
The applicant must demonstrate experience in successfully completing at least two similar capacity building projects for Water Users Associations covering at least 20 WUAs in total. Similar assignments shall include: (i) activities related to setting-up demonstration plots for water-saving technologies and practices, (ii) restructuring of WUAs and development of the water users registry, and (iii) introduction of water accounting systems. The consultant shall submit either stand alone contracts covering all these three areas or submit different previous contracts provided there at are at least two assignments for each of the three areas.
3. Technical and managerial competence:
The applicant must submit an organogram that demonstrates that its organizational structure includes relevant expertise for this assignment.
4. Experience in Central Asia or other countries at a similar level of development.
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” (July 2016, revised in November 2017 and August 2018 and November 2020) – Procurement in Investment Project Financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality-And-Cost Based Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00 hours (local time).
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form in English and Russian languages to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by January 13, 2025, 17:00 p.m. (local time).
PMU FVWRMP
Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe,
5/1, Shamsi Street, Dushanbe city, Tajikistan, 734054
Fax: +992 (378) 81-11-85
E-mail: fvwrmp@mail.ru