The Government of Lao PDR has received grant from the World Bank, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), AusAid and Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) to establish the Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) to improve the access to and the utilization of basic infrastructure and services for the project’s targeted poor communities in a sustainable manner through inclusive community and local development processes.The project intends to apply part of the proceeds for consultancy firm service for a Technical and Cost Effectiveness Study.
The overall purpose of this study is to review the quality and cost of infrastructure of subprojects, the service delivery of the investments for the purposes intended, and the sustainability of these investments.
Scope of the work:
The key objective of the study is to critically review the following features of PRF sub-projects:
- Technical quality of Subprojects (including relevance of and adherence to appropriate sector standards);
- Access and Utilization (Before and After);
- Satisfaction of the community;
- Cost effectiveness (compare to similar projects and/or government’s project);
- The economic rate of return ;
- Safeguard (Environmental and Social);
- Operation and Maintenance (O&M).
- Coordination with sectors / Supervision;
- Planning and Decision making;
- Community Awareness of infrastructure;
- Gender appropriateness of sub-project design and implementation (e.g., meeting, involvement in subproject selection, sanitation facilities for schools, etc.).
The consultancy service period is 13 weeks starting from April 2013.
The PRF would like to invites eligible consultancy firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultancy firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services, including:
- company background including relevant experience of the firm related to the assignment e.g. work of a similar nature;
- Statement of the Consulting Firm’s ability to fulfill all necessary technical, legal, financial and administrative aspects applicable to the contract, including statement of whether the contract will be undertaken: a) solely by the Consulting Firm, b) as a Joint Venture or c) as a Sub-Consultancy Agreement;
- Statement of the Consulting Firms commercial and financial capability to perform the contract including number and qualify of facilities, office equipment etc… and present financial health of the firm;
A consultancy firm will be selected under Consultants Qualifications Selection (CQS) method in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines “Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers, January 2011 which can be found at the website: www.worldbank.org/procure.
The consulting team will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Interested consultancy firm may obtain further information at the address below during office hours from 8:30 to 16:00 or visit http://prflaos.org/ Only selected consultancy firm will be contracted and requested to submit a combined technical-financial proposal.
Expressions of interest must be delivered by hand, postal mail, fax or email to the address below by 16:00 hour no later than 8 April 2013.
The following documents can be forwarded upon request sent by email to PRF:
· PRF II Manual of Operations
· Recent PRF Quarterly reports
· List of PRF subprojects cycle IX and X.
· More information visit: www.prflaos.org
· Contacted Person(s): Program Management Team (PMT).
Attention to: Procurement Team
Administration and Finance Unit
Poverty Reduction Fund Office
C/O Prime Minister’s Office
Nahaidiew Road, Building 501, 1st Floor
Vientiane, LAO PDR.
Phone: 856-21-261479-80 (ext. 105)
Fax: 856-21-261481
Email: pmt@prflaos.org (cc: youthavinh@prflaos.org)
