Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION) GEORGIA

The Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation and Land Project (GRAIL) – P175629 Credit No. 95040-GE

Assignment Title: Preliminary Design, Final Design for and Conducting the Supervision of rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation and drainage schemes in  (Tashiskari, Tiriponi, Zeda Arkhi, Zemo Alazani, Phase I, Narekvavi, Shavgele Massif)

Reference No: GR/CS/QCBS/01

The Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation and Land (GRAIL) project is co-financed by the World Bank and Government of Georgia. The total project cost is USD 150.00 million comprising of an equal share of USD 75.00 million by each co-financer.

The project development objectives are to: (a) improve irrigation, and drainage services, and agricultural production in project areas; and (b) strengthen national irrigation and land management institutional capacity for climate resilient planning.

Consultancy services required for the implementation of the Sub-component 1.1, Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Modernization. The Sub-component is designed to finance rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation and drainage systems at main, secondary, and tertiary canal, collector and drain levels selected and shortlisted during the  project preparation based on technical feasibility, economic viability and importance of irrigation and drainage to the agriculture production in the relevant command areas. The shortlisted schemes cover a command area of 26,687 ha and include: 1) Tashiskari (12,615 ha) and 2) Tiriponi (5,210 ha) in Shida Kartli region, 3) Zeda Arkhi (1,490 ha) in Kvemo Kartli region, 4) Zemo Alazani (6,110 ha) in Kakheti region, and 5) Narekvavi (655 ha) in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region,  and a drainage scheme 6) Shavgele Massif (807 ha) in Samegrelo region.  Currently all managed by “Georgia Amelioration” LTD State Company (GA).

Scope of works supported by GRAIL project will include rehabilitation, and modernization of headworks, main canals, distribution networks, collectors, and on-farm network.

Sub-component 1.1 will restore mainly previously irrigated and drained areas, and not build new schemes. While a large part of the rehabilitation will involve reconstruction of original systems, the preliminary and detailed design studies will systematically examine the opportunities to modernize water control and delivery structures, including automation of headworks or introduction of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to monitor and control water distribution in some of the larger canal systems. Wherever the adjacent topography allows for conversion of secondary and tertiary networks to pressurized systems, it will be considered for application of modern irrigation techniques (drip, sprinkler, etc.).

The consulting services are included the (i) development of preliminary design for the selected 6 schemes, (ii) development of the final design for the selected 6 schemes; (iii) assessment of existing design documents for Kvemo Samgori and recommendations on further implementation of rehabilitation works ; (iv) supervision of the civil works to be implemented based on the selected designs. 

Accordingly, the requested consultancy services consist of three main assignments:

Assignment A: Preparation of preliminary designs for shortlisted schemes, and final selection of schemes to be implemented in the framework of GRAIL project. 

Assignment B: Preparation of detailed designs for the shortlisted schemes and technical part of bidding documents for the schemes selected to be implemented under GRAIL project.   The key areas of required expertise for Assignments A and B include assessment of design for Kvemo Samgori, engineering planning, studies, surveys, investigations, development of technical specifications for pumps and all the other nessecary equipement for Narevkvai rservoir,  design, cost estimating, economic and financial analysis, social, environmental and land acquisition and resettlement assessment, technical part of bidding documents preparation. 

Assignment C: Construction supervision for ensuring quality, quantity, timeliness, and regulatory compliance of works. Estimated duration of this assignment is about 5 years starting from the second year of project implementation.

The tentative duration of the Assignment A and B is 24 months and Assignment C 60 months plus 12 months for defects liability period for. 
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) 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. Expression of interest should cover, but not limited to: corporate profile, years in business, experience relevant to the project activities, key staff resources, and core business. The shortlisting criteria are:

• General experience;
• Experience within the last 10 years (i.e. since January 2012) in preparation of detailed engineering design for irrigation schemes and canals;
• Experience within the last 10 years (i.e. since January 2012) in supervision of construction and rehabilitation works in water sector including irrigation and drainage systems;

Note: the MEPA reserves it’s right to verify submitted references and use obtained information for evaluation purposes.

The Attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14 of the World Bank's Procurement Framework and Regulations: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers, July 2016, revised November 2020 ("Consultant Guidelines"), setting forth the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest. 
Consultants may associate with other firms. (Please take into account that form of association acceptable for the World Bank is either sub-consultancy or Joint-Venture and submission must clearly indicate the nature of the association. The experience of sub-consultants will not be taken into account while evaluating the corporate experience of the consultant).

Experience in the projects relevant to the assignment should be submitted in the Form attached at the bottom of this page below “Form for References - Consultant’s Experience”, please download the sample.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection Method (QCBS) method set out in Section VII of the Regulations: Approved Selection Methods: Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers - July 2016, revised November 2020.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 10:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. at MEPA, Mr. Ioseb Tchonkadze, Procurement Consultant.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in English in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by September 25, 2023, at 13:00.

For ToR please see the link below:

Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia 
Attn: Mr. Ioseb Tchonkadze, Procurement Consultant
6 Marshal Gelovani Ave, 0159 Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel.: +99532 2378038
E-mail To: iosebtchonkadze@gmail.com; rusudan.manjgaladze@mepa.gov.ge