procurement notice

5751-EOI-17149

Assignment title: Independent Supervisor

Assignment Description:

Pursuant to the Framework Agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF) in Bulgaria, administered by the EBRD, has been financing and co-financing preparation and implementation of selected projects that would assist in the necessary restructuring, upgrading and modernisation of the energy production, transmission and distribution sectors and to improve energy efficiency.

The majority of street lighting systems in the municipalities are in very poor condition as they have been used beyond their normal lifetime and badly maintained over the previous decades. The Project includes installation of new, automated systems, with new generation of lamps with highly efficiency and short pay back periods in 20 municipalities on the territory of the country. Depending on the current status of the lighting system, a new system may achieve 50% electricity saving for the same degree of the lighting service. The increase in efficiency reduces the energy bill of the municipalities. The improvement in the quality of the street lighting provides higher comfort and safety for the population in the concerned regions and municipalities. The selection of Contractor/s for the implementation is ongoing.

In order to assist in the monitoring of implementation and assess the results of the Project, MEE intends to use the services of an Independent Supervisor (IS).

The IS shall be expected to accomplish the following tasks:

- Train nominated representatives of the Beneficiaries of the Sub-projects how to perform day-to-day supervision of the relevant Sub-project: how to inspect, verify and report the implementation;
- Advise the Beneficiaries on any other issues related to the daily supervision of the implementation;
- Authorize changes, proposed by the Contractor(s);
- Validate successful partial/overall completion of the Sub-projects/Project by the Contractor(s) based on the reports of the Beneficiaries and on site inspections;
- Authorize payments to the Contractor(s);
- Develop a methodology for monitoring and proving the effect of implemented measures;
- Make preliminary evaluation of the effect of the measures implemented, based on the inputs of the energy efficiency assessment of the buildings before the project implementation.

The IS shall be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in Section 5 of the EBRD Procurement Policies and Rules.

Assignment Start Date and Duration: Anticipated start date is 04/08/2008, the engagement of the IS will flexibly allocated within an overall duration of 18 months.

Maximum Budget Available for the Assignment: 100 000 Euro

Funding Source: KIDSF

Eligibility: Consulting companies/consortia/teams of experts must be registered in an eligible country. The eligible countries as at 1st of April 2008 are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, all so-called PHARE countries and the EBRD's Countries of Operations.

Consultant’s Profile: The IS might be a company/consortium/team of experts, which has established adequate capability, experience and skills.

The IS must provide evidence of experience in the following key areas:
- Supervision and/or management of the implementation of energy efficiency projects;
- Provision of training related to the supervision of energy efficiency projects;
- monitoring and appraisal of project results.

Experience in Bulgaria shall be considered an advantage.

Status: Interested companies/consortia/teams of experts are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.

In order to determine the capability and experience of the consulting companies/consortia/teams of experts, seeking to be shortlisted, the information submitted should include the following:
- Company/Team of experts/Consortium profile;
- Details of previous experience or assignments similar to the task of the IS (not more than 5 project references).

The above information should not exceed 15 pages.

One original and five copies of the above documentation, in English, should be submitted to MEE in sealed envelope marked “Expression of Interest – Independent Supervisor, Project: Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings”, not later than 15:00 local Bulgarian time on 13/06/2008 at the following address:

Ministry of Economy and Energy
Energy Markets and Restructuring Directorate
Projects Department
8 Triaditsa St.
1040 Sofia
Bulgaria
Contact person: Iveta Filipova
Chief Expert, Projects Department
e-mail: i.filipova@mee.government.bg
telephone: +359 2 9263 257
fax: +359 2 9800 110

Note: Following this Invitation for Expressions of Interest, a shortlist of qualified companies/consortia/teams of experts shall be drawn and proposals invited from the shortlisted companies/consortia/teams of experts.