SERVICE PROCUREMENT NOTICE
Location: Georgia, Tbilisi
2.
Procedure
International restricted tender
3.
Programme
Eastern Partnership
4.
Financing
Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund
5.
Contracting Authority
European Investment Bank, 98-100, boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950, Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
CONTRACT SPECIFICATION
6.Nature of contract
Fee-based.
7.Contract description
The overall objective of the Technical Assistance operation is to support the proper implementation of the Water Infrastructure Modernization Project II (WIMP II), financed by the EIB, and to enhance the capacities of the United Water Supply Company of Georgia (UWCSG) in the preparation of the Water Infrastructure Modernization Project III (WIMP III Kutaisi WasteWater), which is planned to be composed mainly of sanitation components in the city of Kutaisi.
The Expert will monitor, report and audit work implementation of the Water Infrastructure Modernization Project II (sanitation components in 28 municipalities around Georgia) and support and review designs and tender dossiers of the sewerage system and wastewater treatment plant of Kutaisi.
8.Number and titles of lots
Not applicable.
9.Maximum budget
EUR 500,000
10.Scope for additional services
The Contracting Authority may, at its own discretion and subject to the availability of funding, extend the scope and duration of the project to cover complementary and/or additional services.
In case of complementary services, the extension shall be up to a maximum, not exceeding, 50% of the initial contract value. In case of additional services, such extension shall be up to a maximum, not exceeding, the length and value of the initial contract.
Any extension of the contract would be subject to satisfactory performance by the Contractor.
CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
11.Eligibility
Participation is open to all legal persons - participating either individually or in a grouping (consortium) of candidates - which are established in a Member State of the European Union or in a country or territory of the regions covered and/or authorised by the specific instruments applicable to the programme under which the contract is financed (see also item 30 below). Participation is also open to international organisations. The participation of natural persons is governed by the specific instruments applicable to the programme under which the contract is financed.
12.Candidature
All eligible natural and legal persons (as per item 11 above) or groupings of such persons (consortia) may apply.
A consortium may be a permanent, legally-established grouping, or a grouping which has been constituted informally for a specific tender procedure. All members of a consortium (i.e., the leader and all other members) are jointly and severally liable to the Contracting Authority.
The participation of an ineligible natural or legal person (as per item 11) will result in the automatic exclusion of that person. In particular, if that ineligible person belongs to a consortium, the whole consortium will be excluded.
13.Number of applications
No more than one application can be submitted by a natural or legal person whatever the form of participation (as an individual legal entity or as leader or member of a consortium submitting an application). In the event that a natural or legal person submits more than one application, all applications in which that person has participated will be excluded.
14.Shortlist alliances prohibited
Any tenders received from tenderers comprising firms other than those mentioned in the short-listed application forms will be excluded from this restricted tender procedure. Short-listed candidates may not form alliances or subcontract to each other for the contract in question.
15.Grounds for exclusion
As part of the application form, candidates must submit a signed declaration, included in the standard application form, to the effect that they are not in any of the exclusion situations listed in Section 2.3.3 of the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions.
16.Sub-contracting
Subcontracting is not allowed.
17.Number of candidates to be short-listed
On the basis of the applications received, between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit detailed tenders for this contract. If the number of eligible candidates meeting the selection criteria is less than the minimum of 4, the Contracting Authority may invite the candidates who satisfy the criteria to submit a tender.
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
18.Provisional date of invitation to tender
March 2015
19.Provisional commencement date of the contract
May 2015
20.Initial period of implementation of tasks and possible extension of the contract
The initial period of execution of the contract shall be of 24 months. This period may be extended, with the prior approval of the Contracting Authority. See also item 10 above.
SELECTION AND AWARD CRITERIA
21.Selection criteria
The following selection criteria will be applied to candidates. In the case of applications submitted by a consortium, these selection criteria will be applied to the consortium as a whole:
1) Economic and financial capacity of candidate (based on item 3 of the application form). In case of applicant being a public body, equivalent information should be provided.
(a) The annual turnover (if the candidate is an individual company) or the average annual turnover (if the candidate is a consortium) of the candidate must be of at least EUR 1 000 000 for each of the last three years (2012, 2013 and 2014) for which accounts have been closed. Note to candidates: In the application form, please make sure to include the actual year for which the data is provided.
(b) The average of cash and cash equivalents at the beginning and at the end of year are positive.
2) Professional capacity of candidate (based on items 4 and 5 of the application form)
a) The number of the permanent staff of the candidate (individual company or consortium overall) currently working in fields related to this contract (as they are described in item 7 – “Contract Description” above), must be at least 10 for each of the last three years (2012, 2013 and 2014). Note to candidates: In the application form, please make sure to include the actual year for which the data is provided.
b) For each of the last three years (2012, 2013 and 2014), at least 50% of the overall number of staff of the candidate (individual company or consortium overall) is permanent. Note to candidates: In the application form, please make sure to include the actual year for which the data is provided.
3) Technical capacity of candidate (based on items 5 and 6 of the application form)
(a) The candidate (individual company or consortium altogether) has successfully completed, during the last 5 years (commencement date from January 2010 up to the deadline for the receipt of applications indicated under item 23 below), at least 2 projects of a minimum value of EUR 1 000 000 equivalent, with activities on design, implementation, supervision of works and institutional capacity building and are similar to those described under item 7 – “Contract description” above, and should demonstrate that it had a participation of minimum 60% in each of the project(s) brought as reference. Note to candidates: the referenced projects / service contracts must have been completed (i.e. final payment made by the Client) at any time during the period from January 2013 up to the deadline for the submission of applications. The candidate may refer to a part of an assignment which has not yet competed, but only in so far as that part is successfully completed and its date of completion and the candidate’s contribution may be clearly identified and proven through adequate documentary evidence (such as certificates from the client). Where the projects referenced have been implemented by consortia comprising two or more of the members now associated as a consortium for this tender procedure, their respective percentages shall be added together, in order for the application to be assessed on the basis of the consortium as a whole.
An economic operator may, where appropriate and for a particular contract, rely on the capacities of other entities, regardless of the legal nature of the links which it has with them. It must in that case prove to the Contracting Authority that it will have at its disposal the resources necessary for performance of the contract, for example by producing an undertaking on the part of those entities to place those resources at its disposal. Such entities, for instance the parent company of the economic operator, must respect the same rules of eligibility and notably that of nationality, as the economic operator.
If more than 8 eligible candidates meet the above selection criteria, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the applications of these candidates must be reexamined to identify the eight best applications for the tender procedure. The only factors which will be taken into consideration during this re-examination are, in order of precedence:
(b) The number of projects brought as references which comply with the requirements of criterion 3(a) above;
(c) The cumulated value of projects brought as reference which comply with the requirements of criterion 3(a) above and
(d) The number of projects brought as references implemented in the Caucasus region which comply with the requirements of criterion 3(b) above and 3(c) above.
22.Award criteria
Best value for money.
APPLICATION
23.Deadline for receipt of applications
The applications must be received by the Contracting Authority no later than 17:00 hrs. CET on 27 February 2015.
Any application received after this deadline will not be considered.
24.Application format and details to be provided 25.How applications may be submitted
Applications must be submitted in English exclusively to the Contracting Authority:
• EITHER by recorded delivery (official postal service) to :
European Investment Bank (EIB), Mr Stefan Kerpen, Head of Technical Assistance Unit, OPS/ASD/Technical Assistance Unit (TAU), 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg
• OR hand delivered (including courier services) to:
European Investment Bank (EIB), Mr Stefan Kerpen, Head of Technical Assistance Unit, OPS/ASD/Technical Assistance Unit (TAU), 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg
The Contract title and the Reference code (see item 1 above) must be clearly marked on the envelope containing the application and must always be mentioned in all subsequent correspondence with the Contracting Authority.
Applications submitted by any other means will not be considered.
26.Alteration or withdrawal of applications
Candidates may alter or withdraw their applications by written notification prior to the deadline for submission of applications. No application may be altered after this deadline.
Any such notification of alteration or withdrawal shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with Item 25. The outer envelope (and the relevant inner envelope if used) must be marked 'Alteration' or 'Withdrawal' as appropriate.
27.Operational language
All written communications for this tender procedure and contract must be in English.
28.Additional information
“None”
29.Date of publication of contract forecast
29/07/2014
30.Legal basis
The European Investment Bank Board of Directors’ decision of 14 July 2010 on the establishment of a multi-purpose and multi-sectorial fund: the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund.