A2.6 National consulting and construction industry development

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMSELECTION)

BOTSWANA INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PROJECT:

LOAN NO. 7713-BW

Assignment Title: Consultancy Services for the investigation and training of the National Consulting and Construction Industry in Botswana

Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): BW-MTC-25507-CS-QBS

MTC Tender Number: MTC 240/5/9/2018-2019 (I)

The Government of the Republic of Botswana has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Botswana Integrated Transport Project (BITP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The assignment aims to provide the necessary capacity building and infrastructure improvement, which will, in turn, increase the competitive edge required for the opening up of the opportunity for export diversification through identifying the industry needs and subsequently training the both the construction and consultants industry with the implementation period of two years.

Background

Government of the Republic of Botswana continues to face a number of development challenges in its continuing forward march for progress. The country’s relatively narrow economic base in diamond mining has resulted in the benefits of development not being broadly shared. At this juncture it is therefore essential to diversify, putting increasing reliance on the private sector to lead activities in manufacturing agro-processing and services.

In pursuit of this, the Government of Botswana through the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MT&C), together with the World Bank (WB), is currently in the process of implementing the Botswana Integrated Transport Project [BITP] designed to assist in the restructuring, modernising and, provision of the planning necessary for the entire transport system into the future.

The purpose of this assignment is therefore; to investigate the current challenges faced by the industry, draft a road map on how the industry can be developed and recommend to both address any capacity gaps and to assist the development of the industry.

Project Objective

The purpose of this assignment is to investigate the current challenges faced by the industry, draft a road map on how the industry can be developed and recommend to the Client both how to address any capacity gaps and assist the development of the industry through the implementation of training programs suited to address the recommendations.

Specific Objectives

The objectives of the Study is divided into two Phases. Phase 1 will focus on the industry review and mapping the way forward for the local construction industry. Specific tasks are:

• Follow up with relevant stakeholders for the better understanding of the status quo which will help in making an informed decision

• Develop a comprehensive report on the state of the industry as is and draw up a road map with mitigations on how it can be effectively operating, and

• Recommend a training program to address the gaps identified during the study and to assist the consulting and contracting industry to develop further.

Phase 2 will focus on the implementation of the training programs and will include the following;

• Review the already identified courses and suggest modification if required

• Draft the recommended training needs, including any of the already identified courses for approval by the Ministry.

• After Client’s decision, assist with the implementation of the training through detailed development of the curricula, identification of relevant training institutions and assisting the Client with the implementation thereof.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications now invites eligible consulting firms/Training Institutions (“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. The shortlisting criteria are:

The required competencies are summarised in the following knowledge areas (i)Contracting/Consulting Industry Management; (ii) Training needs analysis and (iii) Developing and delivering training programs.

The key experts to be engaged on the project are those who will study the industry and will manage the training programs.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank Borrowers January 2011 (revised July 2014) (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment:

Conflict of Interest

1.9 Bank policy requires that consultants provide professional, objective, and impartial advice and at all times hold the client’s interests paramount, without any consideration for future work, and that in providing advice they avoid conflicts with other assignments and their own corporate interests. Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interest of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below:

(a) Conflict between consulting activities and procurement of goods, works, or non-consulting services (i.e., services other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines8): A firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide goods, works, or non-consulting services for a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from providing consulting services resulting from or directly related to those goods, works, or non-consulting services. Conversely, a firm hired to provide consulting services for the preparation (before Loan effectiveness) or implementation of a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from subsequently providing goods, works, or services (other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines) resulting from or directly related to the consulting services for such preparation or implementation. This provision does not apply to the various firms (consultants, contractors, or suppliers) which together are performing the Contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract.

(b) Conflict among consulting assignments: Neither consultants (including their personnel and sub-consultants), nor any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, may be in conflict with another assignment of the consultants. As an example, consultants assisting a client in the privatization of public assets shall neither purchase, nor advise purchasers of, such assets. Similarly, consultants hired to prepare Terms of Reference (TOR) for an assignment shall not be hired for the assignment in question.

(c) Relationship with Borrower’s staff: Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants) that have a close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower (or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the loan) who are directly or indirectly involved in any part of: (i) the preparation of the TOR for the assignment, (ii) the selection process for the contract, or (iii) the supervision of such contract may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract.

(d) A consultant shall submit only one proposal, either individually or as a joint venture partner in another proposal. If a consultant, including a joint venture partner, submits or participates in more than one proposal, all such proposals shall be disqualified. This does not, however, preclude a consulting firm to participate as a sub-consultant, or an individual to participate as a team member, in more than one proposal when circumstances justify and if permitted by the RFP.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications or engage expects.

Interested firms must organize their Expression of Interest in the following order: Chapter 1; i) Company Profile, ii) Legal Status (Certificate of Incorporation), iii) Letter of intent of Association, if necessary, iv) organizational chart, a list of Board of Directors, and beneficial ownership. Chapter 2; i) Experience of at least two (2) assignments each with a scope and nature similar to what is stated above during the last 10 years, ii) A summary of similar assignments undertaken as a lead partner, iii) A summary of assignments undertaken in the project country and in Sub Saharan Africa, giving the client name and the year in which the assignment was carried out, and Chapter 3; i) Experience in donor funded projects. The document must properly be paged, and a table of content provided.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Method of Selection method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0730 to 16:30