Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Department of Planning and Finance Lao Agriculture Competitiveness Project
Date: 25/03/2019
Request for Express of Interest
Consultancy Services on Baseline Assessment (Firms)
Ref: MAF/CQS-03
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (GoL) received a US$ 25 million credit from World Bank to implement the Agriculture Competiveness Project (ACP). The project development objective is to enhance the competitiveness of selected agricultural value chains in the project areas. The project will be implemented over 6 years from 2018 to 2024 in five project provinces, including Khammouane, Bolikhamxay, Xayabouly, Vientiane Province, and Vientiane Capital. The project implementation is led by the Department of Planning and Finance (DPF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), and its implementing agencies include technical departments of MAF, technical department of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC), Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices (PAFO), Provincial Industry and Commerce Office (PICO) in the five project provinces.
The consulting services (“the Services”) include technical assistance to Government of Lao PDR in conducting a household, farmers’ group and village level survey in the five project target provinces. The firm will work in close collaboration with local counterparts and the project team in the development and supervision of all phases of data collection for the household survey. The objective of the consultancy is to assist the Project in system implementation and day-to-day procurement operations for the project. The main objective of this consultancy is to collect, via face-to-face interviews, data at the household, farmers’ group and village level as well as other project stakeholders that will serve as the baseline for an evaluation of the overall impact of the LACP. The key focus of the baseline study is to establish benchmarks to track progress of key project development objective indicators and all indicators in the result framework at individual, household, village levels, Agri-businesses and project implementing agencies through qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. In support of this objective, the baseline study will include a household and Farmers’ Groups Survey and a project stakeholders’ survey. The assignment is expected to be completed within 100 days of contract signature. The assignment is expected to start in May – June 2019.
The National Project Management Office (NPMO) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The candidate firms selected should have competence, expertise and track record for conducting assignments of similar complexity and magnitude for public sector institutions globally. The following experience criteria shall apply in shortlisting the qualified firms:
- Be a reputable firm/ NGO which is registered at least 3 years in Laos.
- Experience in implementing complex, multi-topic household surveys with male and female household members.
- Be a legal entity acceptable to enter in contract with Public agencies under World Bank funded projects;
- At least three years of general experience implementing management contracts worldwide and specifically in developing countries; experience in ASEAN is an advantage;
- At least three years of specific experience in providing similar services in developing countries;
- Proven record on successful completion of at least two assignments related to the assignment over the last three years;
- Availability of qualified internationally experienced expert and qualified local experts to undertake this assignment fully based in Lao PDR.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Regulations – Procurement in Investment Project Financing – Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services (July 2016 revised November 2017 edition), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultants Qualification-based Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
Further information, including Terms of Reference can be obtained at the address below during office hours – 09:00 to 17:00 o’clock.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 16:00h April 26, 2019.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Ban Phonexay, Saysettha District, Vientiane Capital City, Lao PDR
Tel: 856 21 410074 Fax: 856 21 410073
Email: s_phouthone@yahoo.com and Cc: keophouthoneinthivong@gmail.com
Director General
Department of Planning and Finance