MALDIVES CLEAN ENVIRONMENT PROJECT

Grant No.: D199-MV

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – SELECTION OF FIRMS)

Assignment Title: Selection of two consultancy firms to undertake the preparation of Environmental and Social Assessments (ESMPs or ESIAs) for the establishment or upgrading of Island Waste Management Centres in Zone 4 & 5 sub-project islands

Number:          (IUL)438-MCEP/438/2020/137  Invitation No: MV-MEE-158464-CS-CQS

Date:               August 12, 2020

The Government of the Republic of Maldives has received funding from the International Development Association (IDA) to develop an integrated SWM system for Zone 4 and 5. The project is titled “Maldives Clean Environment Project” (MCEP) and is implemented by the Ministry of Environment (ME).

Upon completion of phase one of the technical and financial feasibility study for the Regional Waste Management System of Zone 4&5 and delivery of partially completed Island Waste Management Systems report which informs the preliminary requirements for island level component, MCEP has received approval from IDA to commence construction of Island Waste and Resource Management Centers (IWRMCs) in 43 sub-project islands. Based on the population and the size of the islands, 2 distinguished types of technologies are proposed to deal with the organic component of the island waste stream, namely, anaerobic digestion and mechanical aerobic technology (using a mechanized compost machine).

MCEP is categorized under Environmental Category A as per the World Bank safeguards categorization process. Therefore, components and related activities eligible for funding under MCEP will need to fully comply with the World Bank’s safeguard policies as well as with environmental legislation of the Government of Maldives (GOM). 

Hence, as implementing agency of the above project, the Ministry of Environment (ME) is seeking assistance of two qualified and competent consultancy firms for preparing ESIAs and / or ESMPs for the proposed development of IWRMCs in 36 islands of Zone 4&5, including the construction of Island Waste Resource Management Centers, establishing intra island waste collection systems and installation of organic waste treatment systems within the IWRMCs.

Based on this, this assignment includes:

Preparation of ESMP and ESIA reports for the proposed development of IWRMCs in 36 sub-project islands of Zone 4 and 5.

The consultants should note that the environmental and social assessments prepared under this consultancy should meet the World Bank’s safeguards requirements, in addition to the national requirement, and therefore, the scope of sub-projects which require ESMPs will be much broader than the national requirements. The first batch of technical TORs cleared by the World Bank are included in this document. These include the following.

• TOR A: ESMP or ESIA for the establishment or upgrading of IWRMC with Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Technology
• TOR B: ESMP for the establishment or upgrading of IWRMCs with Aerobic Technology using Composting Machine
• TOR C: Updating ESMPs for the establishment of IWRMCs with Aerobic Technology using Composting Machine

The scope of works and corresponding sections are split into 2 lots as follows, each having its corresponding sub-components. Two separate consultancy firms will be selected to carry out the works specified under each lot, through a competitive selection process.

LOT 1: Preparation of ESMPs for 14 upgrading IWRMCs and 6 new IWRMCs with mechanical composting technology.

• Lot 1A: Updating of the original 6 ESMPs to accommodate design and technology change from manual composting to mechanical composting.
• Lot 1B: Preparation of ESMPs for the upgrading of 14 IWRMCs with mechanical composting technology.

LOT 2: Preparation of ESAs for 8 pilot sub-projects (mechanical composting and AD), ESMPs for 8 new IWRMCs with mechanical composting technology. 

• Lot 2A: Preparation of ESIAs or ESMPs for 4 AD pilot sub-project IWRMCs and ESMPs for 4 mechanical composting sub-project IWRMCs.
• Lot 2B: Preparation of ESMPs for 8 new IWRMCs with mechanical composting technology.

Proposals must be submitted separately for each lot. Each lot will be evaluated separately.

The Ministry of Environment now invites eligible Firms to submit their “Expression of Interest” (EOI) for providing the services. Interested Firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services along with the following documents:

• Letter of Expression of Interest.
• Technical Proposal demonstrating Past Performance, Capabilities and Experience, highlight specific experience as a firm and the proposed key experts. All the required supporting documents must be provided as specified in the TOR.
• Management and Implementation Plan, including a contingency workplan taking into account potential COVID19 restriction. Refer to the TOR for specific details.

The TOR for the consulting services is attached with this REOI and will also be available on the Ministry website www.environment.gov.mv.

The attention of interested consulting firms are drawn to paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, 3.17 and 3.18 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for Borrowers under Investment Project Financing, dated July 1, 2016, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Two firms will be selected (one for each lot) in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualification-Based Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations for Borrowers under Investment Project Financing, dated July 1, 2016.

Any requests for clarifications should be submitted to the address by email latest by 13:00 hrs Maldivian time on Wednesday, August 19, 2020.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below by e-mail by 1300 hrs Maldivian time on Wednesday, August 26, 2020.

Mr. Ahmed Nizam,

Project Manager

Maldives Clean Environment Project

Ministry of Environment

Handhuvaree Hingun, Male’, Maldives

Email:  [email protected]