Design and construction works for the rehabilitation of centralized irrigation systems in the lower Prut river basin (cis ‘Cahul’ & cis ‘Chircani-Zirnesti’)

Design and construction works for the rehabilitation of centralized irrigation systems in the lower Prut river basin (cis ‘Cahul’ & cis ‘Chircani-Zirnesti’)

• 20.09.2013

 1. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (“MCC”) and the Government of Moldova (the “Government” or “GoM”) have entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact for Millennium Challenge Account assistance to help facilitate poverty reduction through economic growth in Republic of Moldova (the “Compact”) in the amount of approximately 262,000,000 USD (“MCC Funding”). The Government, acting through the Millennium Challenge Account – Moldova (“MCA-Moldova” or “Employer”), intends to apply a portion of the MCC Funding to eligible payments under a contract associated with this Invitation for Pre-Qualification (“IFP”). Payments by the Employer will be subject, in all respects, to the terms and conditions, including restrictions on the use of MCC Funding, of the Compact. No party other than the Government and the Employer shall derive any rights from the Compact or have any claim to the proceeds of MCC Funding.
2. The goal of a Compact would be to reduce poverty through economic growth. The Compact contains the following components:
- Road Rehabilitation Project (RRP). The project would improve profitability and marketability of goods carried on the roads, improve access to social services among communities serviced by the roads, and improve road safety. The proposed project comprises the rehabilitation of existing paved four-lane roads.
- Transition to High Value-added Agriculture (THVA) Project. The project objective is to increase incomes in rural agricultural communities through transition to higher value-added production through rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, radical changes to its management, and increased access to finance, training, and market information, beneficiaries will transition to more intensive and varied crop production and better marketing of the production.
3. This IFP follows the General Procurement Notice that appeared in dgMarket online and in the UN Development Business (“UNDB”) online on April 30, 2013, the local newspapers Monitorul Oficiel on May 17, 2013 and Economicheskoe Obozrenie on May 10, 2012, and was posted on the MCA-Moldova website http://www.mca.gov.md/en/General-procurements-notice.html on April 30, 2013.
4. The Employer through its Procurement Agent now invites applications for pre-qualification (“Applications”) for the execution and completion of Design and Construction Works for the Rehabilitation of Centralized Irrigation Systems (CISs) in the Lower Prut River Basin (CIS ‘Cahul’ and CIS ‘Chircani-Zirnesti’).

The title and address of the Employer’s Procurement Agent is as follows:
Booz Allen Hamilton
Procurement Agent for MCA-Moldova
Attention: Giorgi Tvalavadze
Procurement Agent Manager
International Business Center “Skytower”
10th floor, Office D
63, Vlaicu Parcalab Str.
Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova
Facsimile: +373 22 815-850
Email: tvalavadze_giorgi@bah.com
Rotaru_Valeriu@bah.com
Armasaru_Vadim@bah.com
5. Per the guidance in the Instructions to Applicants, Applicants must demonstrate the minimum qualifications for the contract associated with this IFP. The Employer intends to later invite bids for a design-build contract based on FIDIC Conditions of Contract (Yellow Book) from prequalified Applicants.
The exact area to be rehabilitated in the Lower Prut River Basin (CIS ‘Cahul’ and CIS ‘Chircani-Zirnesti’) is currently being defined through a conceptual design contract. However, it is estimated at time of publication of this IFB for pre-qualification that an area of approximately three thousand (3,000) ha will be rehabilitated. The design-build contractor will finish Designs, obtain required permits, and complete the Works. The anticipated scope of work includes final design of project components, environmental compliance, and construction. Design and Construction Works may be completed on the following features:
- Pressurized pumping plant rehabilitation
- New pressurized pumping plant installation
- Pipeline rehabilitation
- New pipeline construction
- Open earthen surface drain rehabilitation
- Drain lift pump station rehabilitation
- Earthwork
The anticipated design and construction period is from April, 2014 to August, 2015.
6. The Employer will issue Bidding Documents to those pre-qualified bidders that demonstrate capacity to implement the above mention contract. It is expected that invitations for bid to the pre-qualified bidders will be issued in November / December 2013.
7. Pre-qualification will be conducted through pre-qualification procedures described in the Pre-Qualification Document (“PQD”) associated with this IFP, in accordance with the “MCC Program Procurement Guidelines” as amended on September 2010, May 2011 and April 2013, governing procurements funded under the Compact, to be found on the MCC website at http://www.mcc.gov/pages/business/guidelines. Applicants are advised that, while the procedures are similar to the procedures set out in the World Bank procurement procedures and guidelines, there are several significant differences.
8. Applicants interested in submitting an Application should register their interest by sending an e-mail to the address indicated in para 4 above with: “IF#PP6/THVAP/W/PQ/01 – Design & Construction Works for Rehabilitation of CISs in the Lower Prut River Basin – Pre-qualification” in the subject line providing their full contact details, for the Procurement Agent to send the PQD by e-mail.
The purpose of the registration is to facilitate uniform and timely distribution of relevant information such as responses to requests for clarification and amendments. Interested Applicants may obtain further information at the address given in para 4 above.
9. Applications must be submitted in sealed envelopes and delivered to the address below no later than 3:00 pm Moldova time on October 21, 2013. Applications received after this time and date shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened at the request and cost of the Applicants.
International Business Center “Skytower”
10th floor, Office D
63, Vlaicu Parcalab Str.
Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova