REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
COUNTRIES: Western Balkan/Republic of Croatia
PROJECT TITLE: SAVA AND DRINA RIVER CORRIDORS INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SDIP)-Phase 1, Part 4 – Regional Cooperation
PROJECT ID: P175192
ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Preparation of the management plans for the Sava River Basin
REFERENCE No. (as per Procurement Plan): HR-ISRBC-505383-CS-QCBS
The International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC) has received financing, by signing the Grant Agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), which acts as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), for the GEF Sava and Drina Rivers Corridors Integrated Development Program (SDIP), toward the cost of the implementation of the Part 4 – Regional Cooperation of the SDIP, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services (“the Services”).
The overall objective of the Services is to enhance water resources management and increase capacities for planning and implementing environmental and climate change actions in the Sava River Basin. The objective of this Assignment is to provide technical assistance in updating the 2nd RBMP and the 1st FRMP, and in developing the 1st SMP for the Sava River Basin, aligned with the FASRB and its related Protocols and relevant EU environmental acquis. This Assignment will facilitate the identification of common objectives and foster coordinated action across all planning instruments within the region, ensuring integration, consistency and synergies in planning, financing, and policy development.
Implementation period for the Contract for this activity is 20 months from the commencement date with planned start of the activity in January 2026.
The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the primary procurement stage for the assignment can be found at the ISRBC website: www.savacommission.org.
ISRBC now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.
Details on required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services:
- The Consultant’s core business should comprise water resources planning and management, with demonstrated evidence of at least fifteen (15) years of experience in implementing similar types of Assignments including development of relevant planning and strategic documents on national regional or/and transboundary level.
- The Consultant must provide evidence of at least one (1) successfully completed contracts similar to this Assignment (elated to the development of RBM, FRM and Sediment management plans) in the last seven (7) years, demonstrating a proven record of scope, complexity, and value. References for the listed assignments should be provided.
- The references should include proven experience in participatory approaches in stakeholder engagement at the regional level.
- The Consultant must demonstrate solid technical and managerial capabilities of the firm providing only the structure of the organization, general qualifications, and the availability of appropriate skills of key experts[1].
Note The Consultant’s team needs to possess adequate proficiency in the official languages of the FASRB Parties (The Parties to the FASRB are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Serbia and Republic of Slovenia) to ensure fluid communication and engagement with national entities in the countries of the Sava River Basin during the contract implementation
The criteria for the selection of the Consultant are:
a) Overall experience relevant for the assignment – 35 points
b) Similar contracts to demonstrate specific experience – 50 points
c) Firm Organization and availability of key experts– 15 points
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” (dated November 2020 – “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 (QCBS) method set out in the “Procurement Regulations”.
Further information can be obtained at the email addresses below.
Expressions of interest should be prepared in English and delivered in pdf format by e-mail to the email address isrbc@savacommission.org (cc:procurement_sdip@savacommission.org), marked as: “Expression of Interest – activity: Preparation of the management plans for the Sava River Basin” by September 19, 2025 (until 1 pm – following Croatian Local Time).
[1] No need to provide CVs of key experts. The key and non-key experts will be evaluated at the next stage of the procurement procedure.
