Invitation For Expression Interest

The above named client, intends to use part of the proceeds of a loan from/grant administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the Bank) and set out above and from Client's own funds towards the cost of the above named project. Contracts will be subject to the Bank's Procurement Policies and Rules.
Funding Details:
A loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the Bank)
CFM is going to use part of the loan funds for the preparation of the above mentioned Feasibility Study.

The proceeds of the loan from/ grant administered by the Bank will not be used for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, of for any import of goods, if such payment or import is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations or under a law of official regulation of the Client's country.

Contracts to be financed with the proceeds of a loan from/ grant administered by the Bank and will be open to firms from any country.


The main objective of the assignment shall be:

Project description
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has granted a loan to the State Company 'Moldovan Railways'; (CFM) for the implementation of the 'Moldovan Railways Restructuring Project'; (the 'Project'), aiming at the improvement of the railway infrastructure conditions, modernization of the traction rolling stock, efficiency of the branch activity, and improvement of the safety levels and in general of the railway services.
EIB is providing a parallel loan to co-finance the Project.
The Total Project Budget (including the EIB co-financing) is EUR 100,750,000, divided in two tranches.
Assignment objective
The objective of the assignment consists in the preparation of a Feasibility Study (FS), financed under Tranche 1 of the Project, aimed at determining the priority rail infrastructure rehabilitation works to be financed under Tranche 2 of the Project. These works have a total budget of EUR 55.00 million (including the EIB co-financing).
CFM intends to employ a qualified Consultant to prepare the before mentioned Feasibility Study in accordance with the terms of reference set and the available budget.

To achieve the purpose of the Feasibility Study, the Consultant will perform the following tasks:
1) Data collection and analysis
2) Technical assessment of the whole rail infrastructure
3) Identification of Project Options for the rehabilitation works of the railway infrastructure, including the application for the screening decision on the environmental and social impact to the competent authority
4) Screening process and definition of the Priority Investment Programme (PIP), to be financed under Tranche 2.

The assignment is expected to start in 12/02/2016 and last about The assignment is expected to start in the 1st semester 2016, with a duration of 16 weeks..

This consultant selection will be conducted by e-procurement using the EBRD Client E-Procurement Portal (ECEPP). Interested firms should register on ECEPP at this link:

https://ecepp.ebrd.com/respond/34UMP65UKQ

and express an interest in this assignment.

In order to determine the capability and experience of consulting firms seeking to be shortlisted, the information submitted shall include the following:

• Company profile, organisation and staffing;
• Details of experience or similar assignments undertaken in the previous not more than 5 years, including their locations;
• CVs of staff who could be available to work on the assignment.

The above information should not exceed 25 pages.

Following this Invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be created and the Client will select one firm to be invited to negotiate a contract.


Other Information: Consultant's profile: The Consultant shall be a company (or a group of companies) with experience in performing planning and feasibility studies and designs for railway transport systems, preferably of 1520 mm gauge railway systems, and technical, financial, safety and institutional due diligence of railway infrastructure.
The Consultant's team shall include the following specialists with relevant university degree, at least 10 years of relevant professional experience in planning and feasibility studies and designs of railway transport systems (preferably for 1520 mm gauge railways) and at least 2 similar assignments in IFIs funded projects carried out in the same role:
- Project Manager, Transport Engineer
- Transport Economist
- Rail Track Engineer
- Expert in environmental studies.

Submission requirements: Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest. In order to determine the qualifications and competence of consulting firms seeking to be shortlisted, the information submitted should include the following:
- brief overview of the firm/group of firms including company profile, organization and staffing;
- details of similar experience of firm or group of firms and related assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, percentage carried out by the Consultant in case of association of firms or subcontracting, main activities, objectives;
- CVs of key experts who could carry out the assignment detailing qualifications, experience in similar assignments, particularly assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, main activities, objectives.
The above information should not exceed 25 pages (excluding CVs).
The complete expression of interest (including CVs, Consultant Declaration and Contact Sheet) should be submitted, in English with the translation into Romanian and/or Russian electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The expression of interest shall be one file (pdf). The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of firms submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size exceeds 4MB, the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.

Note:
1. The selection will normally be made from responses to this notification only. Consultants will NOT be asked to submit a proposal. The highest-ranked Consultant will be selected from a shortlist and be invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding.
2. The shortlist selection criteria are:
- Consultant's experience in development of feasibility studies on railway infrastructure funded by the International Financial Institutions: 15%;
- Consultant's experience in the railway sector, no less than 10 years, particularly on studies for 1520 mm gauge railway systems: 30%;
- Qualification and competence of the Consultant's key experts based on the CVs received: 50%;
- Assumed that English is mandatory, Fluency in Russian and/or Romanian language of the Key Experts: 5%.

Communication and clarifications:
The procurement process for this contract will be undertaken using the EBRD e-platform ('ECEPP'). All communications and clarifications shall be handled via ECEPP.
Client Address:
Alina DIACENCO, Director of the Directorate for Strategies and International Relations, Head of the Project Implementation Unit
State Company 'Moldovan Railways' (CFM)
Calea Ferata din Moldova (CFM)
Vlaicu Pircalab 48, Chisinau, MD2012, Moldova
Tel. Requests for clarification and communications will be undertaken using the EBRD e-platform ('ECEPP')., Email: alina.diacenco@railway.md