Framework Agreement for Consulting Services in Fragile Contexts

The “Framework Agreement for Consulting Services in Fragile Contexts” (FA) shall serve to mobilise expertise more easily and speed up the preparation of required expert input for project identification and preparation and improve the quality of consulting services through longer-term engagement of skillful service providers on the basis of module ToR’s such as:

1. Pre-feasibility study ,

2. Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD),

3. Analysis of the Project Executing Agency (PEA),

4. Peace and Conflict Analysis (PCA),

5. Analysis of Target Groups and Project-Affected People (ATG).

The FA will be awarded to several companies (“Panel of Consultants”). The Panel Consultants shall be responsive to individual calls; offer their services on largely standardized terms; be in position to offer adequately qualified experts for the particular tasks; work in fragile states; implement the services swiftly, implying a short mobilization period and timely execution of services.

I. FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

KfW is gradually expanding its work in fragile contexts into one of its core areas of competence. Working in fragile contexts poses specific challenges for KfW: The lack of legitimate state structures or, if any, only very limited partner capacities for the steering and implementation of projects, volatile security contexts, lack of access or acute needs for funds are only some of the most important challenges. With the objective to further improve the quality and effectiveness of its involvement in fragile contexts, KfW intends to set up a panel of pre-qualified consultants (4-6) on the basis of a “Framework Agreement for Consulting Services in Fragile Contexts”. The framework agreement shall serve to mobilise expertise more easily and speed up the preparation of required expert input for project identification and preparation and improve the quality of consulting services through longer-term engagement of skilful service providers. The framework agreement is not yet constituting an assignment but regulates the general cooperation and the framework for the award of future individual contracts for assignments under this scheme.

II. INVOLVED CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES

The selected consultant (Panel Consultant) is a member of the panel of consultants that will be retained by KfW or the respective foreign Project Executing Agency (PEA), as the case may be, for such consulting services.

III. INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS

The selection of the consultant for each individual assignment is based on a competition between the companies of the consultant pool. In some cases, contracts may also be awarded directly. Individual assignments under the framework agreement may contain one or any combination of the modules detailed below. Individual assignments will be contracted based on the Module-ToRs which may be adapted to each specific case. For each individual assignment a form with the specifications will be provided. These Module-ToR build the base for the future procurement of individual assignments, as they shall serve as their standard ToR. In general, they represent a challenging level of tasks and services reflecting the expected high quality of empirical work and reports. Furthermore, KfW reserves the right to update the Module-ToR over time. In such a case, KfW will have talks with each of the Panel Consultants on corresponding adjustments on the financial conditions, especially on the binding ceilings from this tender.

IV. MODULAR TERMS OF REFERENCE

The 5 Module-ToR are:

1. Pre-feasibility study (Pre-FS),

2. Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD),

3. Analysis of the Project Executing Agency (PEA),

4. Peace and Conflict Analysis (PCA),

5. Analysis of Target Groups and Project-Affected People (ATG).

V. PANEL OF CONSULTANTS

The framework agreement will be awarded to several companies (“Panel of Consultants”), selected in the Negotiated Procedure with prior contest for Participation for a duration of 4 years. The Panel Consultants shall a) be responsive to individual calls and the number of such calls with proper proposals in line with the Framework Agreement; b) offer their services on largely standardized terms, both by content and by commercial conditions; c) be in position to offer adequately qualified experts for the particular tasks; d) work in fragile states; and e) – if assigned with a contract – implement the services swiftly, implying a short mobilization period and timely execution of services. The consultants will have to cooperate on two levels with KfW:

1. As Panel Consultants they shall make their proper arrangements to be in a position to react properly - in line with the standards they have been selected as Panel Consultants - adequately and swift upon the future mini competitions or direct calls for individual services with responsive proposals. Naturally, there will be no obligation to submit such proposals.

2. As selected Individual Consultants they shall render the services based on the standards they have been selected as panel consultant AND as the individual consultant.

VI. SECTORAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

The sectoral fields are likely: Water; Energy; Transport; Health; Education; Peacebuilding, crisis prevention and promotion of social coherence. Geographically the individual assignments are to be carried out in 29 countries within the Middle East (8), as well as francophone (9) and anglophone (12) African countries. The individual countries are listed in the Terms of Reference.

Due to the dynamic situation and development, there may be changes in this list of countries during the duration of the contract. KfW reserves the right, to select from the Panel in line with its framework as well in cases other countries will be added to this list of fragile states. Panel Consultants and their future key experts shall have proper experience in working in such challenging environments and they should be willing to continue to do so. Furthermore, a network of (cooperation) partners (e.g. companies, local offices and/or local experts) in such countries is considered an advantage in this regard for the Panel Consultant. For some individual assignments the consultant may be required to conduct field visits. Consultants are expected to implement their own safety and security measures and decide casewise whether they will participate in such mini-competitions. These safety and security measures have to be adequate for the context of the country and/or area where the work shall be implemented.

VII. QUANTITY AND BUDGET

The stage 2 Tender Document ‘Price Sheet’ Tab ‘FP’ contains both the total quantity and the individual quantities of modules 1 – 5 over the whole term of the Framework Agreement.

The overall budget of the Framework Agreement, including taxes and all other expenses, is estimated to be in the range of 10 million to 12 million EUR not including VAT.

Preis - Gewichtung: 30

Anzahl der eingegangenen Angebote von KMU: 3

Anzahl der elektronisch eingegangenen Angebote: 8

The contractors 1 - 6 specified in section V.2.3) are NOT members of a consortium. KfW rather concluded a Framework agreement with six separate partners listed above.

Genaue Angaben zu den Fristen für die Einlegung von Rechtsbehelfen: