Request for Proposal (RFP) for - competitionline · 2019. 4. 4. · RFP Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 Page 1 of 41 Request for Proposal for the Provision

RFP Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Request for Proposal (RFP) for Provision of Consultancy Services for

Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in

Northern Afghanistan

RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

RFP Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Request for Proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in


RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet RFP number: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 Project(s): 00084840 Procurement official’s name: Mahbobulhaq Faizi Email: [email protected] Issue date: May 03, 2015

Requests for clarifications due: Date: May 17, 2015 Time: 16:00hrs, Kabul local time UNOPS Pre-Bid Meeting: N/A UNOPS clarifications to Offeror due: Date: May 24, 2015 Time: 16:00hrs, Kabul local time Proposal due Date: May 31, 2015 Time: 10:00am (Morning), Kabul local time Planned award date Date: June 30, 2015 Planned contract start date (on or before)

Date: July 01, 2015

RFP Section 3: Instructions to Offerors RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Request for proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in



Section 3: Instructions to Offerors 1 Introduction

1.1 General: The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is seeking qualified Contractor for the above-mentioned Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (RAIP - Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan. Your company is kindly invited to submit your best technical and financial offer for the requested services. Your proposal could form the basis for a contract between your firm/institution and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

2 Eligibility and qualification criteria 2.1 Excluded nationalities: No nationalities are excluded from submitting a proposal. An Offeror,

and all parties constituting the Offeror, may have the nationality of any country. However, the Offeror or the lead party of the Offeror must have valid business/trade license and/or valid certificate from the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) to legally operate in Afghanistan.

2.2 Conflict of Interest: An Offeror must not be associated, or have been associated in the past, directly or indirectly, with a firm or any of its affiliates which have been engaged by UNOPS to provide consulting services for the preparation of the terms of reference and other documents being used for the procurement of the services under this Request for Proposals.

2.3 Ineligible Offerors: An Offeror that is under a declaration of ineligibility by UNOPS at the date of proposal submission shall be disqualified. Offerors shall not be eligible to submit a proposal when at the time of proposal submission: a. Suppliers are already suspended by UNOPS or any other entity of the United Nations

system, including the World Bank; or, b. Supplier’s names are mentioned in the UN 1267 Terrorist list issued by the Security

Council resolution 1267 which establishes a sanctions regime to cover individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida and/or the Taliban.

c. Supplier has an ongoing litigation or dispute with UN or any other International Organisation.

2.4 Joint Ventures: Proposals may be submitted by a Joint Venture (JV). In the case of a JV: a. The duly filled Annex I: Joint Venture Partner Information Form must be included with the

Proposal; b. All parties to the JV shall be jointly and severally liable to UNOPS for the fulfilment of the

provisions of the contract; and c. The JV shall nominate a Representative who shall have the authority to conduct all

businesses: - For and on behalf of any and all the parties of the JV during the bidding process; and - In the event the JV is awarded the Contract, during contract execution.

2.5 Minimum qualification criteria: The Offeror must have the required and relevant experience, service provision and financial capability necessary to perform the contract as specified in Section 4: Terms of Reference.


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2.6 Misleading of false representations: Offerors may be disqualified if they have made misleading or false representations in the forms, statements and attachments submitted in proof of the qualification requirements; and/or record of poor performance such as, not properly completing contracts, inordinate delays in completion, litigation history, financial failures etc.

3 Solicitation Documents 3.1 Acknowledgement of solicitation documents: The Offeror is requested to acknowledge

receipt of the solicitation documents to UNOPS by filling and returning the Annex A: Proposal / No proposal submission form by e-mail or letter to confirm participation or non-participation.

3.2 Examination of solicitation documents: The Offeror is expected to examine all instructions, forms, terms and requirements contained in the solicitation documents. Failure to comply with these documents will be at the Offeror’s risk and may affect the evaluation of the proposal.

3.3 Clarification of solicitation documents: A prospective Offeror requiring any clarification of the solicitation documents may notify the UNOPS Procurement Official specified in Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet in writing. UNOPS will respond in writing to any request for clarification of the solicitation documents that it receives on or before the date and time specified under the “Requests for Clarifications” in Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet. Written copies of UNOPS’s response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be sent to all prospective Offerors that has received the solicitation documents or shall be posted on UNOPS website and UNGM under the respective business opportunity UNOPS will endeavour to provide the above clarifications expeditiously, but any delay in providing such information will not be considered a reason for extending the submission date of a proposal.

3.4 Amendments of solicitation documents: At any time prior to the deadline for submission of proposals, UNOPS may, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective Offeror, modify the solicitation documents by amendment. All prospective Offerors that have received the solicitation documents will be notified in writing of any amendments to the solicitation documents or in case of an open tender, amendments will be posted on the UNOPS website under the respective business opportunity. In order to afford prospective Offerors reasonable time to take the amendments into account in preparing their proposals, UNOPS may, at its discretion, extend the deadline for the submission of proposals.

4 Preparation of Proposals Technical and Procedural Aspects

4.1 Format of the proposal: The proposal shall be typed or written in indelible ink and shall be signed by the Offeror or a person or persons duly authorized to bind the Offeror to the contract. The latter authorization shall be indicated by written power-of-attorney accompanying the proposal. The proposal shall contain no interlineations, erasures, or overwriting except as necessary to correct errors made by the Offeror, in which case such corrections shall be initialled by the person or persons signing the proposal.

4.2 Language of the proposal: The proposals prepared by the Offeror and all correspondence and documents relating to the proposal exchanged by the Offeror and UNOPS shall be written in the English language. Any printed literature furnished by the Offeror may be written in another language so long as accompanied by an English translation of its pertinent passages in which case, for purposes of interpretation of the proposal, the English translation shall govern.

4.3 Content of the proposal: The proposal must comprise a technical proposal and a financial proposal duly separated.


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(a) The technical proposal shall demonstrate that the Offeror meets all requirements and be concisely presented and structured in the following order to include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following documents: 1) Proposal Submission form: - a statement of intent of the Offeror in which it undertakes

to provide the services in conformity with the provisions as set out in the solicitation documents and the Offeror’s proposal. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex C – Proposal Submission Form.

2) Check List form: - a form in which the Offeror indicates that all the information and documents required under the RFP have been prepared and submitted. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex B – Check List Form.

3) Eligibility and qualifications form: - all the questions in this form must be duly answered and backed up by the necessary supporting documents to demonstrate the Offeror’s eligibility and possession of minimum qualifications for the performance of the services required under the RFP. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex D – Eligibility and Qualification form.

4) Technical Proposal submission form: - a form in which the Offeror shall describe its firm/institution’s expertise, understanding of the assignment, proposed approach and methodology, team composition as well as work-plan and proposed staffing schedule for the performance of the services required under the RFP. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex E – Technical Proposal Submission Form.

5) UNGM Vendor registration Form: - as part of the Proposal it is desired that the Offeror gets registered in the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) registration website at http://www.ungm.org. Proposals submitted by non-registered Offerors shall be still considered. However, if a non-registered Offeror is selected for contract award, the Offeror shall have to register on the UNGM prior to contract signature. Details for registration are provided in Annex G – UNGM vendor registration.

6) Resume for proposed key personnel: - the information about the Offeror’s proposed personnel shall be prepared and submitted using the guidance provided in Annex H of the RFP.

7) Joint Venture Form: - in the case of a joint venture formation for the purposes of this RFP, a form shall be completed and signed in which each JV partner shall accept joint and all liabilities for the execution of the contract and give a mandate to the leading party to sign the contract on behalf of the JV. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex I – Joint Venture Form.

(b) The financial component shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following documents: 1) Financial Proposal submission form: - wherein the Offeror’s authorized representative

affirms the following: (a) a summary of the price in words and figures; and (b) the period of its validity

2) Price breakdown: - wherein the Offeror shall provide itemized breakdown of the price for all the services to be provided.

3) Schedule of payments: - proposed schedule of payment must be expressed by the Offeror, and payment will be made by UNOPS in the currency of the proposal. The payment schedule must be linked to the delivery of the outputs specified in your technical component. Please use the form attached hereto as Annex F – Financial Proposal Submission Form


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Financial Aspects 4.4 Remuneration for preparation of proposal: The cost of preparing a proposal and of

negotiating a contract, including any related travel, is not reimbursable nor can it be included as a direct cost of the assignment. UNOPS will in no case be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the solicitation process.

4.5 Proposal validity: Proposals must remain valid for 90 (Ninety) days from the deadline for submission of proposals. UNOPS will make its best effort to select a firm/institution within this period.

4.6 Proposal currency: The financial component shall be presented in United States Dollars (US$).

4.7 Duties and taxes: UNOPS is a tax exempt entity. Proposals must be submitted net of any direct taxes or customs duties.

5 Submission of Proposals 5.1. Submission of proposals: Your proposal shall be submitted by the deadline specified in

Section 1: Proposal Data Sheet using one of the following methods: (a) Mail/courier/personal delivery: Your proposal shall be prepared in duplicate with one

marked "Original" and the other marked "Copy" and shall be submitted in one outer sealed envelope. In the event of any discrepancy between original and copy, the original shall govern. Furthermore, the “Original” and “Copy” of your proposal shall contain two inner envelopes each. The first inner envelope shall be marked "Technical proposal" and contain all required technical documents as specified in clause 4.3 (a). The second inner envelope shall be marked "Financial Proposal" and shall include all required financial documents as specified in clause 4.3 (b). Proposals shall be delivered to the address specified below:

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Afghanistan Operational Hub, UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road, Kabul, Afghanistan Attn.: Chairperson of Bid Opening Committee

Each envelope shall bear the following marking:

Proposal for: Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan

Project: 00084840 Case No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

Content: Technical/Financial Proposal (Original/Copy) From: Name and address of the Offeror

Offerors should use recycled paper for all printed and photocopied documents related to the submission of this proposal and fulfilment of the resulting contract and shall, whenever practicable, use both sides of the paper. Offerors are encouraged to use green alternatives to bind their proposals instead of binders.

(b) E-mail: Your proposal shall be submitted by e-mail to the following secure e-mail: [email protected] by the submission deadline. Technical and financial proposals shall be submitted in separate e-mails with the subject lines indicating RFP reference, Offeror’s name and a description of the proposal (e.g. RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 - Name of Offeror – TECHNICAL/FINANCIAL PROPOSAL). Both e-mails’ text bodies shall indicate the name and address of the Offeror. The e-mail with Technical Proposal shall not contain any pricing information nor shall the financial email contain any components of the technical proposal.


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In order to avoid last minute line congestion, UNOPS recommends that e-mail submissions are sent as early as possible before the deadline. The receipt time stamp for e-mail submissions shall be the date and time when the submission has been received in the dedicated UNOPS inbox. UNOPS shall not be responsible for any delays caused by network problems etc. It is the sole responsibility of the Offerors to ensure that their Proposal is received by UNOPS in the dedicated inbox on or before the prescribed tender deadline.

Proposals submitted to any e-mail other than specified above will be rejected and not considered for evaluation. E-mail submissions sent via the correct route after having been sent incorrectly will be declared invalid. Size of individual e-mails, including e-mail text and attachments, must not exceed 8 MB. If the size of the email is likely to exceed 8 MB, please send the required Bidding Documents via multiple emails and indicate the email number (email 1 of X, email 2 of X, etc.) in the subject field of each email in addition to RFP reference number.

5.2. Late submission of proposal: Proposals and modifications to proposals received after the deadline for submission of proposals will be rejected. It is the sole responsibility of the Offerors to ensure that their Proposal is received by UNOPS at the dedicated address or in the dedicated e-mail inbox on or before the prescribed tender deadline.

5.3. Modification to and withdrawal of proposal: Prior to the deadline for submission of proposals, proposals may be modified by their Offeror. Modifications to proposals are to be submitted in the same manner as described in clause 5.1 above. At any time prior to the proposal submission deadline, proposals may be withdrawn by written notice or in person by the Offeror, or the Offeror's duly authorized representative.

Withdrawal of the submission after the deadline for the submission of proposals shall not be honoured, and in such cases UNOPS shall open and evaluate the offers together with the other offers received. If the supplier has furnished a proposal security, UNOPS shall withhold such security until the issue has been resolved.

5.4. Alternative proposals: Offerors shall submit a proposal in accordance with the requirements of

the RFP. If an Offeror wishes to submit an alternative proposal, the proposal shall not derogate from the requirements of the RFP. An alternative proposal shall give full details necessary for its complete evaluation and include all documents and information required as specified in the RFP. In addition, the alternative proposal shall include a demonstration of the benefit of the alternative solution over the conforming solution, including quantifiable justification of any economic and/or technical advantage.

5.5. Confidentiality of proposal: If the Offeror wishes to restrict disclosure and/or use of the data included in a proposal for any purpose other than evaluation, a statement to that effect must be included in the proposal. However, no such restrictions shall apply if the Offeror is issued a contract.

6 Evaluation of Proposals 6.1. Preliminary examination: Prior to the detailed evaluation of each proposal UNOPS will

undertake a preliminary examination and proposals will not be considered for further evaluation in cases where: - they are incomplete, i.e. do not include all required documents as specified in Section 3:

Instructions to Offerors, clause 4.3: Content of proposal; - Alterations have been made in the wording of the Proposal submission form and other

contract forming documents, key portions of the original proposal are not signed, stamped and dated by the authorized company representative.

- The validity of the proposal is not in accordance with the requirements of the RFP as specified in Section 3: Instructions to Offerors, clause 4.5: Proposal validity;

- For submissions by mail/courier/personal delivery - technical and financial documents have not been submitted in separate sealed envelopes and/or pricing information is included in the technical proposal envelope.


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- For submissions by e-mail - technical and financial documents have not been submitted in separate emails and/or pricing information is included in the technical proposal email.

6.2. Clarification of proposals: To assist in the examination and evaluation of proposals, UNOPS may at its discretion, ask the Offeror for clarification of its proposal. The request for clarification and the response shall be in writing and no change in price or substance of the proposal shall be sought, offered or permitted.

6.3. Mandatory/pre-qualification criteria: The mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria have been designed to assure that, to the degree possible in the initial phase of the evaluation process, only those Offerors with sufficient experience, financial strength and stability, demonstrable technical knowledge, evident ability to satisfy UNOPS requirements and superior customer references for supplying the services envisioned in this RFP will qualify for further consideration.

6.4. Offerors will receive a pass/fail rating in the mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria section. In order to be considered for Technical Evaluation, offerors must meet all the mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria described in this RFP including acceptance of UNOPS General Conditions of Contract and the UNOPS Contract Form included in this RFP.

6.5. Evaluation criteria: A two-stage procedure will be utilized in evaluating the proposals, with evaluation of the technical proposals being completed prior to any Financial Proposal being opened and compared. The total number of points which a firm/institution may obtain for its proposal is as follows: Technical proposal: 140 points Financial proposal: 60 points Total number of points: 200 points (1) STAGE ONE: Evaluation of Technical Proposals

The technical proposal is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to the TOR. The quality of each technical proposal will be evaluated in accordance with the following technical evaluation criteria and the associated weighting (total possible value of 140 points):

THE EVALUATION CRITERIA TO BE USED BY UNOPS:

No. Description Points

obtainable Overall Total 140

I. Expertise and Capability of Proposer (Total) 80

A. Brief Description of Firm 10 1. Offeror’s general capability including organizational, managerial and financial

capacity, size of firm: - Offeror’s overall organizational structure responsible for the services, company capability to provide the service; - physical size, managerial and financial capacity of the Offeror;

2

2. Offeror’s specific capacity including: - established all necessary permits. Licenses and notices applicable to Impact Assessment Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme; - number and qualifications of personnel to be deployed; - professional/support personnel ratio of the company;

4

3. Previous experience: - with similar projects; - with UN or other major international organization. - with projects based in Afghanistan or in same geographical region

4


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B. Litigation and Arbitration History 5

4 Reference to any history of litigation and arbitration in firm has been involved Ongoing – disqualification Older than 1 year – 1 point Older than 2 years – 2 points Older than 3 years – 3 points Older than 4 years (or no litigation) – 3 points

5

C. General Organizational Capability 35 5. Corporate capability for management of project in accordance with the Terms of

Reference 7

6. Present and ongoing contracts that have a direct relationship to this requirement 4 7. Global network (presence or partners presence in regions of UNOPS operations) 8 8. Key financial ratio analysis using a table format together with their audited financial

statements (financial ratio analysis should cover key financial stability ratios over a 5 years period, including Current Ratio, Quick Ratio and Debt Ratio)

4

9. Demonstration of ability to conduct Impact Assessment Survey where and when required (understanding on UNOPS regions of operations).

8

10. Demonstration of ability to indicate similar programme experience and approach to participation of rural villages, civil society organizations, UN-organizations, provincial authorities and others in the programme were conducted effectively.

4

D. Relevance of specialized knowledge and experience on similar projects 10 11. Evidence of successfully completion of at least one similar contracts within the last

five years - value of the completed contract 3

12. Recent experience on projects of a similar nature, including experience with other UN organizations and other similar public-sector international organizations (Regional Development Banks, EU, World bank, International NGOs etc.)

3

13. Demonstration of successful experience in undertaking Impact Assessment Survey in these organizations (Regional Development Banks, EU, World bank, International NGOs etc.)

2

14. Demonstration of a minimum of 8 years’ work experience in regions of UNOPS operations (Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean) either by yourselves or through arrangements with local / sub-regional consultancy firms

2

E. Quality Assurance Procedures, Risk and Mitigation Measures 10 15. Quality assurance mechanism in place to ensure that all Survey Assessments

undertaken are consistent with the TOR (timeliness and technical updates/dissemination of information)

5

16. Certificate (s) for accreditation of processes, policy e.g. ISO etc. and description of risk and mitigated measures as they relate to the services required under the TOR

5

F. References 10 17. 3 references for current business that are relevant to the services described in the

TOR. If a joint proposal, references must be from sources that are familiar with joint service model.

10

II. Proposed Work Plan and Approach (Total) 60

G. Analysis Approach, Methodology 40 18. Description of the Offerors’ approach, methodology, and timeline for how the

organization / firm will achieve the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the project while meeting or exceeding the stipulations of the TOR

10

19. Details how the work will be carried out; how the different service elements are organized, controlled and delivered; quality assurance programs

5

20. Information security policies and practices, coordination mechanism proposed 5 21. Established and tested survey methodologies relevant to TOR in place 5 22. How would you address technical aspects of project survey scope of work? 5 23. How you would undertake the Survey in areas where you may not have presence

and what arrangements you have to take care of such situations? 5


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Explanation of your firm’s understandings of: 1) UN operations and working environment 2) Clients, Stakeholders and their reporting expectations.

24. Identify any gaps based on the information provided 5

III. Qualifications and competence of key personnel proposed for the assignment (Total)

20

25. Composition of the team proposed to provide, and the work tasks (including supervisory)

10

26. Curriculum Vitae of the proposed team that will be involved either full time or part 4 27. Structure of the team proposed to provide, and the work tasks (including

supervisory) which would be assigned to each relevant to TOR in place. 4

28. Organogram illustrating the office location (city and country), reporting lines, together with a description of such organization of the team structure, should support your proposal.

2

(2) STAGE TWO: Evaluation of Financial Proposals

(a) The financial proposals will be opened only for those Offerors whose technical proposal meets the minimum technical threshold of 70% of the obtainable 140 points for the technical proposal.

(b) Proposals scoring the above threshold shall be checked for any arithmetic errors in computation and summation. Any arithmetical errors are corrected without prejudice to the Offeror as follows: - where there is a discrepancy between the unit rate and the total amount derived

from the multiplication of the unit rate by the corresponding quantity, the unit rate shall prevail and the total amount shall be corrected, unless in the opinion of UNOPS there is an obvious error in the unit rate, in which event the total amount as quoted shall prevail and the unit rate shall be corrected.

- If there is a discrepancy between words and figures the amount in words will prevail.

Amounts corrected in this way shall be binding on the Offeror. If the Offeror does not accept them, its proposal shall be rejected.

(c) If quoted in a currency other than United States Dollars (USD), for comparison and evaluation purposes, UNOPS will convert the proposal amount into USD at the official UN rate of exchange in force at the proposal submission date.

(d) The maximum number of points for the financial component is 60 points. This maximum number of points will be allocated to the lowest Financial Proposal. All other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion according to the following formula:

Points for proposal being

evaluated =

Lowest price X

Maximum number of points Price of proposal being evaluated

Example: Offeror A’s price of USD 10.00 is the lowest. Offeror A receives 60 points.

Offeror B’s price is $20.00. Offeror B receives ($10.00/$20.00) X 60 = 30 points.

(3) Identification of the winning offer: A total score obtained including both technical and financial proposals is calculated for each offer. The offer obtaining the overall highest score is the winning offer. This offer is considered to be the most responsive to the needs of UNOPS and activity concerned.

6.6. Evaluation of lots: If services/works are divided into multiple lots, evaluation will be made based on responsiveness to requirements of each lot and the total cost of each lot, taking into consideration the possibility of UNOPS contracting separately for each lot.


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6.7. Interview: After having established its written provisional conclusions but before concluding the

evaluation, UNOPS may interview the Offeror presenting the overall best proposal (technical and financial) with the objective of verifying the information provided in the Offeror’s proposal. The date and time of any such interview will be confirmed and notified to the Offeror in advance. If the interview proves that the Offeror is not able to stand by his/her proposal, the offer will be rejected, and a new interview be conducted with the Offeror presenting the next best offer. All Offerors interviewed will be forwarded with the same requirements.

6.8. Background check: After completion of the evaluation but prior to award, UNOPS reserves the right to conduct background checks of Offerors’ firms and to reject Offerors not deemed to have the capacity to perform the contract to the satisfaction of UNOPS. Offerors shall permit UNOPS representatives to access their facilities at any reasonable time to inspect the Offeror’s premises.

6.9. Negotiations: UNOPS may enter into contract negotiations with the firm/institution obtaining the highest overall score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal. Such negotiations do not constitute an award of contract.

7 Award of Contract 7.1. Award criteria: A contract may be awarded to the Offeror whose proposal obtained the overall

highest score and found to have the capacity to perform the contract to the satisfaction of UNOPS following the interview and background check processes. Should negotiations have been entered into, award is also subject to completion of successful negotiations.

7.2. UNOPS has the rights to vary scope of services at the time of award: At the time the contract is awarded, UNOPS reserves the right to increase or decrease the scope of services originally specified in Section 4: Terms of Reference without any change in the unit prices or other terms and conditions of the proposal and the solicitation documents.

7.3. Notification of award: Prior to the expiration of the period of proposal validity UNOPS will notify the successful Offeror in writing by email or letter, that its proposal has been accepted. The notifications of award will constitute the formation of the contract. Please note that the Offeror will be required to complete registration on the UNGM prior to the signature and finalization of the contract.

7.4. Signing of contract: At the same time as UNOPS notifies a successful Offeror that its proposal has been accepted, UNOPS will invite the Offeror, provided the Offeror is successfully registered on the UNGM, to sign the final version of the Contract Form provided in the solicitation documents, incorporating all agreements between the parties. In case the Contract has been sent to the successful Offeror by mail or electronically, within 7 days of receipt of the Contract, the successful Offeror shall sign, date, and return it to UNOPS.

7.5. Performance Security: Within 10 (Ten) days of receipt of the Contract from UNOPS, the successful Offeror, if required, shall furnish the Performance Security using for that purpose the Performance Security Form included in the RFP or another Form acceptable to UNOPS. Failure of the successful Offeror to submit the above-mentioned Performance Security or sign the Contract shall constitute sufficient grounds for the annulment of the award and forfeiture of the Proposal Security. In that event UNOPS may award the Contract to the next highest scored Offeror, who is determined by UNOPS to be qualified to perform the Contract satisfactorily.

7.6. Publication of Contract Award: UNOPS shall publish in UNOPS website the following

information: the Contract Number, the Date, the Description of the Goods/Services procured; the Supplier Name and Country; the Beneficiary Country and the Contract Value. After publication of the award, unsuccessful Offerors may request in writing to UNOPS for a debriefing seeking explanations on the grounds on which their bids were not selected. UNOPS shall promptly respond in writing to any unsuccessful Offeror who, after Publication of contract award, requests a debriefing.

RFP Section 4: UNOPS Terms of Reference (TOR)

RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Request for proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in Northern

Afghanistan RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

Section 4: Terms of Reference

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Government of Afghanistan started National Rural Access Programme (NRAP) in 2002 to promote equitable economic growth by providing year round access to basic services and facilities in rural Afghanistan. In order to supplement this programme, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) started financing Rural Access Improvement Project in the four northern provinces of Samangan, Balkh, Jawzjan and Sari Pul with the objective to contribute to poverty reduction in rural areas, bridge regional disparities, and support equitable growth. The project has been implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in association with the four provinces.

1.2 The Government of Afghanistan’s strategy is in line with Swedish International Development Cooperation which aims to enable people living in poverty (particularly women, girls and young men) to enjoy better living conditions in a peaceful, democratic and lawful society and therefore the RAIP has been facilitating achievement of these goals since its initiation.

1.3 The Phase-I of Rural Access Improvement Project (RAIP was initiated in December

2007 and was completed in December 2010. The Phase-II started in February 2010 and ended in December 2013. With successful completion of the two Phases, Phase III started in April 2013 and is now in the final year of implementation that will end on 31st December 2015.

1.4 It may be noted here that Phase I of the project covered only the two provinces of Sari

Pul and Samangan. Balkh and Jawzjan provinces were later on added in Phase II. Further, the Rural Infrastructure Support Fund (RISF) projects were also added later on in Phase II and also included in Phase III for implementing small scale community driven demands/works for villages close to RAIP road construction corridors. Also, new components like RMMS (Road Maintenance & Management System), training activities (capacity building) and tertiary road components were added in Phase III.

1.5 In April 2014, Sida commissioned an Evaluation of the Rural Access Improvement

Programme 2007 – 2015 (Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan for which Indevelop AB, an independent consulting firm, was contracted to carry out the evaluation under Sida’s framework agreement for reviews and evaluations. The main purpose of the evaluation was to provide Sida with lessons from the three phases of RAIP which could form a basis for the design of new interventions. The evaluation also highlighted conclusions and recommendations with regard to the effectiveness of RAIP, the role of UNOPS as an implementing partner, the focus of the programme and cooperation with stakeholders and reflections on implementation modalities for future support. Accordingly, in January 2015, Indevelop AB submitted the report, ‘’Evaluation of Sida’s Support to the Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phase I-III), Afghanistan’’.

2.0 RATIONALE AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK



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2.1 All the three phases of RAIP has been focussing on infrastructure works programme primarily of rural roads and bridges. The overall objectives or goals of all the three phases of the RAIP are to contribute to poverty reduction in rural areas, support economic development of the region, bridge disparities between urban and rural areas, support GOA’s efforts towards equitable growth, build close cooperation and engagement with various partners, develop skills and competencies to design, build and maintain rural roads, build significant employment and economic opportunities for men and women, particularly in Phase II and III.

2.2 Major component of RAIP comprise of roads construction, road maintenance and construction of bridges. However, a number of community infrastructure were carried out under RISF which include water & sanitation facilities, construction and repair of mosques, schools & clinics, community halls and agriculture storage facility, irrigation canals, small village roads, culverts and retaining walls etc. There is another component under capacity building for training of university graduates, official of DPW and RRD, local shuras & foremen, local civil contractors, RAIP III engineers and women entrepreneur aspirants. In addition to above, some gender responsiveness projects (livestock, poultry, baking, weaving, wool spinning, tailoring etc) were also implemented. One of the key objectives was to create employment & business opportunities during the implementation of the projects especially construction and road maintenance programmes.

2.3 The propose impact study will therefore be designed to carry out qualitative analysis

of socio-economic impacts of the projects from Phase I-III. The study will assess the magnitude and distribution of both the direct and indirect socioeconomic impacts of RAIP on target populations, individuals and households, and to determine the extent to which interventions under the RAIP cause changes in the wellbeing of targeting populations by analysing how they change overtime in communities that have RAIP projects as compared to those that do not have.

2.4 The Impact Assessment phase will comprise the following steps:

§ Review the project documents, baseline surveys, socio-economic studies and evaluation reports.

§ Revisit survey instruments. § Development of evaluation methodology. § Undertaking the impact survey. § Carrying out the descriptive and statistical analysis of the surveyed data in

comparison with the base line information. § Organising seminars and workshops with a variety of governmental and a variety

of other stakeholders.

2.5 UNOPS now wishes to hire a Consulting Firm (Consultant) to undertake the following terms of reference relating to implementation of the impact survey assessment to study road sub projects, community infrastructure under RISF component, capacity building and gender responsiveness projects implemented in the four northern provinces of Samangan, Balkh, Jawzjan and Sari Pul.

2.6 The Consultant is expected to hire Afghan Staff, both male and female, with relevant previous experience and education and to provide them with methodological training in participatory data collection methods. At the end of the assignment and prior to the approval of the Impact Study Report, the Consultant will make a series of formal presentations of the study findings and recommendations to UNOPS, Sida and other stakeholders as well. Invitations for the presentations will be extended to all levels and types of stakeholders to the extent possible. The summary of the report should



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also be translated in both Dari and Pashto, and distributed in the areas of implementation and the report should also be presented in local language for effective dissemination of data to all relevant stakeholders. The final payment to the Consultant will be subject to the approval of the Consultant’s Impact Study Report (Final) by UNOPS. UNOPS will formally approve the report after review by Sida.

3.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY SERVICES

3.1 General The general objectives of this consultancy service are to determine possible socio-economic benefits of RAIP. This will in future help to: (i) Adapt policy overtime as result of the evidence from the impact assessment,

and (ii) Support future funding request for rural access improvement (iii) Indicate what the projects have contributed till with regards to the overall goals

of the project throughout the three phases.

3.2 Specific The specific objectives of this consultancy services are to:- (i) Develop a scientific evaluation methodology and survey design to conduct

statistical analysis to determine the magnitude and distribution of the direct and indirect socio-economic impacts of rural road improvement, community projects implemented through RISF, capacity building training provided to various stakeholders and gender responsiveness project component; and the extent to which RAIP interventions cause changes in the well-being of targeted populations overtime compared without project interventions.

(ii) Conduct impact survey of a sample of individuals and households in areas that receive RAIP support (Project areas in four provinces) and on the sample of households that have not received support from RAIP I-III and needs to be statistical significance in the comparison. The sample groups should have adequate number of households for arriving at conclusions that are of realistic statistical value. The Consultant with the help of UNOPS (RAIP) will identify and make the sample for the survey.

(iii) Conduct descriptive statistical analysis of the impact by comparing with any other previous reports, data or base line information with the results from the survey.

4.0 SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks with the final product being the Impact Study Report (Final Report). All the reports (draft and final) will be submitted to the Project Manager, RAIP, UNOPS Regional Office in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Prior to formal approval by UNOPS, the reports will be forwarded to Sida for review and comments.

Task 1: Review of related documents The Consultant will review all the relevant documents of the projects including evaluation reports, baseline surveys, socio-economic studies and any other related



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documents/ reports for the development of methodology to be adopted in impact survey. The following reports/documents, in particular, should be referred in developing the methodology and updating the information that were previous collected- (i) Socioeconomic Baseline Survey: Jawzjan and Balkh Province, Final Report-04 Feb 2012 (ii) A Socio-economic Study of Samangan and Saripul Province-18 Dec 2010 (iii) Evaluation of Sida’s Support to the Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phase I-III), Afghanistan-Jan 2015 and, (iv) Project Appraisal of ARAP (latest)

Task 2: Development of Study Methodology and Piloting (i) The Consultant will develop a detailed survey design and evaluation

methodology. The methodology should be comprehensive enough to ensure a sound statistical analysis of impact assessment, and draw statistically valid inference on the impact of rural roads, community projects, capacity building and gender components on socio economic benefits to the communities.

(ii) The Consultant shall visit the Project areas and refine questionnaires, if necessary. This will include ways of organising and tabulating the information collected in electronic format.

(iii) Suggested indicators to be used for the study are provided in Annex 1. (iv) The Consultant prepares a detailed report on its survey design and evaluation

methodology as described above. The report should include, but not limited to: § Detailed description of Project Areas to be surveyed § Description of performance indicators to be used § Draft survey questionnaire to be used

(v) Pilot the survey design and evaluation methodology developed for both the impact assessment study and road user satisfaction survey and beneficiaries of RISF projects, capacity building and gender components in a small sample of households and habitations with a view of refining them both before finalization and use in the main survey stage. A short report on the outcome of this pilot and the changes necessary shall be prepared.

Task 3: Conducting follow-up survey

(i) Once the methodology is developed, tested and accepted by the client, the Consultant shall conduct a full scale impact survey on selected project areas.

(ii) Undertake qualitative survey of quantifiable data (e.g. Focus group discussions) in a subset of the habitations to gain additional insights and to verify/ augment quantitative survey.

(iii) The impact survey should include a detailed survey of transportation, economic/ income and social variables on both the project and comparison groups. § Transportation variables should include accessibility index, transportation

costs and times, modal choice, a detailed survey of transport needs, preference and demands of the rural communities and households (See Annex 1). The Consultant may use a similar approach and indicators as outlined in the project appraisal of ARAP, essentially focussing on measurable indicators related to improved connectivity, number of inhabitants provided with improved access, increase in traffic, trips made to schools, hospitals and other socio economic centres.

§ Economic/ Income variables should include a detailed survey of economic activities in habitations, measuring agricultural productivity and non-agriculture employment, as well as prices of major commodities, income and expenditure of households (Annex 1)

§ Social variables should include survey of availability and access of education and health facilities.



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§ All data collected is to be disaggregated, when possible, by men, women, boys and girls.

(iv) The Consultant shall submit in electronic form of the impact survey data. The data collected should be classified into habitation-level, household-level and project-level data base. The database should be easily searchable and accessible enough to conduct statistical analysis by the user. This should be in format compatible with baseline data, if any.

Task 4: Impact Evaluation

The Consultant shall not only carry out a descriptive statistical analysis but should rather stress on qualitative analysis of quantifiable data. These should be reached through a combination of FGDs, in-depth interviews, observations, questionnaires etc. The Consultant should note that one of the objectives of the study is to analyse the impact of the projects overtime. In addition, the unintended outcomes and indirect rights holders reached through the projects are also of interest during the study: (i) Compare the changes in both project and comparison groups how they rank

with respect to the indicators in Annex 1. (ii) Conduct statistical correlation between selected socioeconomic variables on

the one hand and the level of current accessibility to motorized transport on the other. This will include a quantitative analysis of how limitations in accessibility contribute to rural poverty.

(iii) Prepare a report detailing the findings of the analysis of the baseline and impact survey data to determine the true impact of the project interventions and draw lessons.

(iv) The Consultant is required to provide necessary clarifications for theory of changes as against to the baseline indicators.

5.0 OUTPUTS AND REPORTS

All reports have to be submitted to the Project Manager, RAIP, UNOPS Regional Officer in Mazar-e-Sharif. However, prior to formal approval, UNOPS will submit various draft reports to Sida for review. The Consultant will deliver the following outputs: (i) Inception Report: Within Fifteen (15) days from the effective date of the contract. The

Inception Report shall include work plan, detailed survey design and evaluation methodology.

(ii) Report on the pilot of the Impact Survey: Within Thirty (45) days from the effective date of the contract.

(iii) Impact Survey (Draft Report): Within One Hundred Fifty (150) days from the effective date of the contract (05 hard copies including electronic)

(iv) Impact Study Report (Final Report): Within One Hundred Eighty (180) days from the effective date of the contract. The Final Report shall incorporate all comments and revisions requested by UNOPS following the Draft Final Impact Study Report review by UNOPS and Sida and the Consultant’s presentation of the study findings and recommendations to the project key stakeholders (05 hard copies including electronic). The main report should be maximum 30 pages excluding annexures.

6.0 COMMENCEMENT AND DURATION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICE



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The Consultant shall commence the services immediately following the signing of a Service Contract with UNOPS and will complete the services within Six (6) months after the contract issuance. 7.0 LOGISTICS

(i) The Consultant will be responsible for arranging his own office space and other logistics. (ii) UNOPS Project Team will facilitate the Consultants and its team for scheduling meetings

or workshops with government departments, agencies and other stakeholders by requesting and writing to them.

(iii) The Consultant and its team will be fully responsible for their own security during their services, including field surveys.

8.0 AGREEMENT

The Consultant will be required to enter into an agreement with UNOPS based on a Lump Sum Contract for Consulting Services. Both parties shall sign a Contract Agreement before commencement of the work. 9.0 SITE VISITS

The Consultant shall make site visits to the project site on their own to verify the previous studies data and collect data required for the Consultant’s own study. UNOPS will however, provide contacts to rights holders and community leaders. In addition, the Consultants should feel free to contact the community leaders and local shuras as deemed necessary for the field surveys. 10.0 COST AND PAYMENT OF CONSULTANT’S SERVICES

The Consultant shall meet the full operational costs of its field investigation and survey teams including all travels, remuneration, insurance, emergency medical aid, accommodation, offices and facilities, communications and all that is necessary for the proper operation of the teams. Costs shall include administrative and technical support from the Consultant's Head Office.

Mode of payment to the Consultant shall be made on the following basis:-

I. 1st instalment: 25% (twenty-five percent) of the quoted amount will be paid to the

Consultant after the Inception Report is submitted and accepted by UNOPS.

II. 2nd Instalment: 50% (fifty percent) of the quoted amount will be paid on submission and acceptance by UNOPS of the Impact Survey (Draft Report)

III. Final payment: 25% (twenty five percent) of the quoted amount will be made to the

Consultant after submission and acceptance of the Impact Study Report (Final Report) by UNOPS.

11.0 REQUIRED QUALIFICATION OF THE CONSULTANT

The Consultant’s staff should have extensive experience in impact and socio economic studies and surveys related to social, economic, environmental aspects, road & transport sector, community projects, gender mainstreaming etc. It is highly desirable to have someone in the team with knowledge of human security and conflict sensitivity, environment and disaster risk reduction and resilience. Minimum requirements for the composition and qualification of the Consultant’s project team are provided in the below table: Description of

Staff Level of Qualification

(minimum) Years of professional experience (minimum)



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Team Leader (Socio-Economist)-01 no.

Master’s degree or higher (PhD preferable) in economics, preferably with specialization in social sector, public policy or related field

At least 15 years’ experience in socio- economic assessment of projects; Proven ability to plan, organize, and effectively implement activities; Research and analytical skills; Ability to coordinate and work in teams, and in complex environments; Proven experience in participatory processes, and strong communication and advocacy skills; Experience in designing questionnaires, testing questionnaires, training enumerators; analysis of data and preparing a concise report; Strong knowledge on participatory data collection methodologies, data analysis and report writing; Should have good knowledge of the country, the context, the region and working in conflict zones; Should have completed at least one such similar nature of work.

Transport/ Road Engineer (Technical)-01 No.

Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Transport

10 years’ experience in road design, construction and maintenance particularly rural roads, bridges and also associated civil engineering works; Should have good knowledge of the country, the context, the region and working in conflict zones; Should have completed at least one such similar nature of work.

Gender Specialist- 01 No.

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, Social Science, International Public Policy, or related field.

At least 10 years of substantive experience at International senior programmatic position with recognized expertise and experience in gender; particularly mainstreaming and public policy analysis; Experience with post conflict programming; strong analytical and writing skills; Should have good knowledge of the country, the context, the region and working in conflict zones ; Should have completed at least one such similar nature of work.

Interpreter/ Translator -2 nos. (1 male, 1 female)

Bachelor’s Degree in social studies or related field.

5 years’ experience particularly in Northern Afghanistan. Should have good understanding and knowledge of Afghanistan in the context of governance, political & developmental issues. Should have completed at least one such similar nature of work.

Both men and women should be engaged in the Consultant’s team. Good knowledge of spoken and written English by the Consultant’s key staff is essential. The Consultant shall include CVs of all their key staff proposed for this project.

Annex 1 SURVEY INDICATORS:



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Below are some of the suggested indicators to be used by the Consultant in carrying out the surveys. The Consultant is free to suggest its own list of suitable & feasible indicators:-

1. Transport indicator o No. of trips taken outside village disaggregated by gender, income and social status to

various destinations like colleges/schools, hospitals/ health centres, markets, government offices and nearest city

o Purpose of trips taken-work, business o Time required to reach selected destinations (nearest city, market, school, health centre,

work) o Distance and travel time to the nearest all season road o Distance and travel time to nearest bus station/stop o Vehicles per day (by type of vehicle) o Frequency of bus service o Passenger fares by mode of transport o Rate of truck load of merchandise over a given distance o Transport cost of agricultural products o Ownership of motor vehicles and non-motorized vehicles

2. Agriculture activities indicator o Agricultural Productivity Indicator o Output of key crops per unit of cultivated land o Amount of harvest sold in markets o Use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides o Use of improved seeds o Farm-gate price of key crops o Local market prices of key crops o Unit price of farm inputs o No. of people working in farms o Agricultural day wage o Livestock ownership

3. Non-agriculture activities indicator o No. of stores in village o Ownership of non-agricultural household enterprise (by type) o No. of days worked outside farm

4. Income, expenditure and entrepreneurship indicator o Level and source of income (by gender) o Expenditure composition o No. of sellers/shops in nearest market o Price of key traded commodities o Price of land and housing o Land tenure (by gender) o Access to credit (by gender)

5. Education indicator o No. or primary schools in village o Primary/ secondary schools enrolment rate (by gender) o Primary school dropout rate (by gender) o Distance to nearest primary/ secondary school

6. Health indicator o Type of health facilities available o Distance to nearest health centre/ clinics/hospital



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o No. of visits to health facilities (by age and gender) o Immunization rate of children o Pregnant women receiving prenatal care o Availability of drugs and medical supplies

7. Gender responsiveness component indicator Impact of gender responsiveness projects implemented in the four provinces in terms of: o Benefits of the gender projects for the communities in acquiring new skills o How participation of these women have changed their lives and security o Whether the projects brought changes in socio-economic well being o Whether it helped to create employment o Increase in income and improvement of standard of living (how much the women/groups are

making by selling the products) o Whether the products have good and adequate access to local markets and what can be

done to facilitate them

RFP section 5: UNOPS GCC RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Section 5: UNOPS General Conditions of Contract In the event of an order, the UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for Professional Services available at: https://www.unops.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Procurement/GCCs%20For%20Professional%20Services.pdf will apply. If your company is unable to access the document, please send an email request to: [email protected] and the UNOPS General Conditions will be sent to you electronically.

RFP section 6: UNOPS Contract Form RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Northern Afghanistan RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

Section 6: UNOPS Contract Form

Contract for Services Dear Sir/Madam, Ref.:______/ _______/ ______ The United Nations Office for Project Services (hereinafter referred to as "UNOPS"), wishes to engage your [company/organization/institution], duly incorporated under the Laws of [name of country] (hereinafter referred to as the "Contractor") in order to perform consulting services in respect of [insert summary description of the services] (hereinafter referred to as the "Services"), in accordance with the following Contract:

1 Contract documents 1.1 This Contract is subject to the UNOPS General Conditions for Professional Services, [insert

the current version number and date from the document library], attached hereto as Annex I. The provisions of such Annex shall control the interpretation of this Contract and in no way shall be deemed to have been derogated by the contents of this letter and any other Annexes, unless otherwise expressly stated under section 4 of this letter, entitled "Special Conditions".

1.2 The Contractor and UNOPS also agree to be bound by the provisions contained in the

following documents, which shall take precedence over one another in case of conflict in the following order:

a) this letter;

b) UNOPS’ Request for Proposal, reference [insert reference number], dated [insert reference

date], and subsequent amendments and clarifications, assumed to be known to both parties, including the Statement of Work / Terms of Reference, attached hereto as Annex II;

c) the Offeror’s technical proposal [reference [insert reference number], dated [insert reference date]], as clarified by the agreed minutes of the negotiation meeting [dated [insert meeting date]], both documents not attached hereto but known to and in the possession of both parties.

1.3 All the above shall form the Contract between the Contractor and UNOPS, superseding the

contents of any other negotiations and/or agreements, whether oral or in writing, pertaining to the subject of this Contract.

2 Obligations of the Contractor 2.1. The Contractor shall perform and complete the Services described in Annex II with due diligence

and efficiency and in accordance with the Contract.


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2.2. The Contractor shall provide the services of the following key personnel:

Name Specialization Nationality Period of service [insert name] [insert specialization] [insert nationality] [insert period of service] [insert name] [insert specialization] [insert nationality] [insert period of service] [insert name] [insert specialization] [insert nationality] [insert period of service] [insert name] [insert specialization] [insert nationality] [insert period of service]

2.3. Any changes in the above key personnel shall require prior written approval of the Director,

[insert name of Director] RO/OC UNOPS.

2.4. The Contractor shall also provide all technical and administrative support needed in order to ensure the timely and satisfactory performance of the Services.

2.5. The Contractor shall submit to UNOPS the deliverables specified hereunder according to the

following schedule:

Inception Report Within Fifteen (15) days from the effective date of the contract. The Inception Report shall include work plan, detailed survey design and evaluation methodology.

Report on the pilot of the Impact Survey Within Thirty (45) days from the effective date of the contract

Impact Survey (Draft Report) Within One Hundred Fifty (150) days from the effective date of the contract (05 hard copies including electronic)

Impact Study Report (Final Report) Within One Hundred Eighty (180) days from the effective date of the contract. The Final Report shall incorporate all comments and revisions requested by UNOPS following the Draft Final Impact Study Report review by UNOPS and Sida and the Consultant’s presentation of the study findings and recommendations to the project key stakeholders (05 hard copies including electronic). The main report should be maximum 30 pages excluding annexures.

2.6. All reports shall be written in the English language, and shall describe in detail the services

rendered under the Contract during the period of time covered in such report. All reports shall be transmitted by the Contractor by [MAIL, COURIER AND/OR FAX] to the address specified in 9.1 below.

2.7. The Contractor represents and warrants the accuracy of any information or data provided to

UNOPS for the purpose of entering into this Contract, as well as the quality of the deliverables and reports foreseen under this Contract in accordance with the highest industry and professional standards.

3 Price and payment

3.1. In full consideration for the complete and satisfactory performance of the Services under this Contract, UNOPS shall pay the Contractor a fixed contract price of [insert currency and amount in figures and words].

3.2. The price of this Contract is not subject to any adjustment or revision because of price or currency fluctuations or the actual costs incurred by the Contractor in the performance of the Contract.


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3.3. Payments effected by UNOPS to the Contractor shall be deemed neither to relieve the Contractor of its obligations under this Contract nor as acceptance by UNOPS of the Offeror’s performance of the Services.

3.4. UNOPS shall effect payments to the Contractor after acceptance by UNOPS of the invoices submitted by the Contractor to the address specified in 9.1 below, upon achievement of the corresponding milestones and for the following amounts:

Mode of payment to the Consultant shall be made on the following basis:-

I. 1st instalment: 25% (twenty-five percent) of the quoted amount will be paid to the Consultant after the Inception Report is submitted and accepted by UNOPS.

II. 2nd Instalment: 50% (fifty percent) of the quoted amount will be paid on submission and acceptance by UNOPS of the Impact Survey (Draft Report)

III. Final payment: 25% (twenty five percent) of the quoted amount will be made to the

Consultant after submission and acceptance of the Impact Study Report (Final Report) by UNOPS.

4 Special conditions

4.1. No special conditions shall apply.

5 Submission of invoices 5.1. An original invoice shall be submitted by mail by the Consultant to the Project Manager – RAIP-III

Project for each payment under the Contract to the following address: UNOPS – RAIP-III Project Darwazi Shadian, Charahi Zabiullah Shahid, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan

5.2. Invoices submitted by fax shall not be accepted by UNOPS.

6 Time and manner of payment 6.1. Invoices shall be paid within thirty (30) days of the date of their receipt and acceptance by

UNOPS.

6.2. All payments shall be made by UNOPS to the following Bank account of the Contractor: [Name of the bank] [Account number] [Address of the bank]

7 Entry into force. Time limits. 7.1. The Contract shall enter into force upon its signature by both parties. 7.2. The Contractor shall commence the performance of the Services not later than [insert date] and

shall complete the Services within [insert number of days or months] of such commencement. 7.3. All time limits contained in this Contract shall be deemed to be of the essence in respect of the

performance of the Services.

8 Modifications 8.1. Any modification to this Contract shall require an amendment in writing between both parties duly

signed by the authorized representative of the Contractor and the Director, [.....] UNOPS.


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9 Notifications 9.1. For the purpose of notifications under the Contract, the addresses of UNOPS and the Contractor

are as follows: For UNOPS: [Insert name of RO/OC Director] Director [RO/OC.....] UNOPS Address Ref.______/______/______ [Insert contract reference and number] Phone: [Insert phone number] Fax: [Insert fax number] Email: [Insert email address] For the Contractor: [Insert name, address, phone, and fax/email]

10 Good faith 10.1. The Parties undertake to act in good faith with respect to each other's rights and obligations

under this Contract and to adopt all reasonable measures to ensure the realization of the objectives of this Contract. If the above terms and conditions meet with your agreement as they are typed in this letter and in the Contract Documents, please initial every page of this letter and its attachments and return to this office one original of this Contract, duly signed and dated.

Yours sincerely, [Insert name of RO/OC Director] Director [......] RO/OC

For [Insert name of the company/organization] Agreed and Accepted: Signature ____________________________ Name ____________________________ Title ____________________________ Date ____________________________

ANNEX I – UNOPS GCC for Professional Services

ANNEX II – TERMS OF REFERENCE ANNEX III – BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

ANNEX A RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Proposal/no proposal confirmation form

Request for proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for

Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan

RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 After assessing this opportunity and determining to submit or not to submit a proposal, we would appreciate if you could return this form confirming your participation or indicating the reasons for non-participation. (This for needs to be sent before the indicated closing date). Date: To: UNOPS AFOH

Mahbobulhaq Faizi Email: [email protected]

From: Subject:

UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 – Request for proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan

( ) YES, we intend to submit an offer.

( ) NO, we are unable to submit a proposal in response to the above mentioned RFP due to the reason(s) listed below: ( ) The requested services are not within our range of services ( ) We are unable to submit a competitive offer for the requested services at the moment ( ) The requested services are not available at the moment ( ) We cannot meet the requested terms of reference/scope of works ( ) The information provided for proposal purposes is insufficient ( ) Your solicitation document is too complicated ( ) Insufficient time is allowed to prepare a proposal ( ) We cannot meet the delivery requirements ( ) We cannot adhere to your terms and conditions (please specify: payment terms, request

for performance security, etc.) ( ) We are closed during the holiday season ( ) We have to give priority to other clients’ requests ( ) We do not provide services directly but through agents/distributors ( ) The person handling the proposals is away from the office ( ) Other (please provide reasons)

______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

_______ ( ) We would like to receive future RFPs for this type of services ( ) We don’t want to receive RFPs for this type of services

If UNOPS has questions to the Offeror concerning this Proposal / No Proposal Confirmation Form, UNOPS should contact Mr. /Ms. (_______________); phone/email (_______________), who will be able to assist.

ANNEX B RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Check List Form




Activity Yes/No/NA Page # in your offer

Remarks

Have you duly completed all the technical proposal submission forms and sealed them separately in the Technical Proposal Envelope?

· Proposal /No proposal confirmation (Annex A)

· Check List Form (Annex B)

· Proposal Submission Form (Annex C)

· Eligibility and qualifications form (Annex D) - including all necessary supporting documents

· Technical Proposal Form (Annex E) - including all necessary supporting documents)

· UNGM Vendor registration form (Annex G) or existing UNGM Vendor number

Have you included in the technical proposal envelope the additional documentation for qualification purposes, including:

· Certification of incorporation of the Offeror

· Experience and technical capacity related documents (Annex H)

· Financial capability related documents (audited financial statements, balance sheets, etc.)

· JV Form (Annex I), if applicable

Have you duly completed all the financial proposal submission forms and sealed them separately in the Financial Proposal envelope?

· Financial Proposal Form (Annex F)

Signed: (Insert signature of person whose name and capacity are shown below) In the capacity of (Insert legal capacity of the person signing the Form) Name: (Insert complete name of the person signing the Form) Duly authorized to sign the bid for and on behalf of: (Insert complete name of the Offeror) Dated on ____________ day of __________________, _______ [insert date of signing]

Note: Do not leave blank

ANNEX C RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Proposal Submission Form



RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 TO: United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Afghanistan Operational Hub (AFOH) UNOCA Compound, Jalalabad Road Kabul, Afghanistan Dear Sir/Madam: Having examined the RFP for provision of above mentioned services, the receipt of which is hereby duly acknowledged, we the undersigned, offer to supply the required services in conformity with the requirements of this RFP for the sum as may be ascertained in accordance with the financial component attached herewith in a separate sealed envelope as part of this proposal. Provided that a contract is issued by UNOPS within the proposal validity period, the undersigned hereby commits, subject to the terms of such contract, to commence and complete delivery of the services at the prices offered and within the time frame stipulated. We understand that UNOPS are not bound to accept any proposal you may receive and that a binding contract will result only after final negotiations are concluded on the basis of the technical and financial components proposed. This proposal shall be valid and binding upon us for 90 (Ninety) days from the date of proposal submission deadline. Any request for clarification or additional information regarding the contents of this Proposal may be addressed to:

Name: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 Title: Request for proposal for the Provision of Consultancy Services for


Address: Telephone Number:

Email Address: Yours Sincerely,

Name of Offeror: Address of the Offeror:

Telephone Number:

Email Address: Authorized signature and stamp:

Name of Signatory (type or print):

Functional title of Signatory:

ANNEX D RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Eligibility and Qualifications form



Eligibility criteria Offeror’s response

1. The Offeror is duly incorporated under the Laws of its country of incorporation and a copy of Certification of Incorporation is included in the Proposal

Yes ____ No ____

2. Offeror has a valid business licence to operate and a copy of its business license is included in the Proposal

Yes ____ No ____

3. Offeror shall be able to have an office representation with full time staff in Afghanistan

Yes ____ No ____

4. Offeror is not suspended by UNOPS or any other entity of the United Nations system, including the World Bank

Yes ____ No ____

5. Offeror’s name is not mentioned in the UN 1267 Terrorist list issued by the Security Council resolution 1267 which establishes a sanctions regime to cover individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida and/or the Taliban.

Yes ____ No ____

6. Offeror does not have any ongoing litigation or dispute with UN or any other International Organisation.

Yes ____ No ____

7. Offeror has been in continuous business of providing consultancy services during the last 3 years and no adverse actions have been taken against the Offeror during this period.

Yes ____ No ____

8. Offeror is providing or has provided at least one service of similar nature and scope during the last 3 years in Afghanistan

Yes ____ No ____

9. Offeror’s profit margin, i.e. profit before interest and tax x 100 / Sales revenue (turnover) is greater than 0 for the last two years (Offeror must include in their Proposal audited profit and loss accounts covering the last 2 exercises).

Yes ____ No ____

10. Offeror’s average annual turnover for the last 3 (Three) years was equal to or greater than USD 200,000.00. (If yes, Please provide supporting documentary evidence)

Yes ____ No ____

11. Offeror fully accepts the terms and conditions stated in the UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for Professional Services and UNOPS Contract for Professional Services template (RFP Sections 5 and 6)

Yes ____ No ____

Mandatory/ Pre-qualification Criteria Offeror’s Response

1. Possesses a minimum of 3 (Three) years of experience in the field of Impact Assessment Survey and Study of Infrastructure, Social and Community Services projects.

Yes ____ No ____

2. Provide a brief description of the organization / firm submitting the proposal, its legal mandates/authorized business activities, the year and country of incorporation, types of activities undertaken, and approximate annual budget, etc. Include reference to reputation, or any history of litigation and arbitration in which the organization / firm has been involved that could adversely affect or impact the performance of services, indicating the status/result of such litigation/arbitration.

Please explain


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3. Provide accredited annual sales turnover report of minimum US$ 200,000 - Demonstration of accredited license for Consultancy Services certification and valid Domestic or International Certificate under such service. (Supporting document to be provided).

Yes ____ No ____

4. Maintains a good track record in serving international organizations, embassies and multinational corporations; list of corporate clients should be provided

Yes ____ No ____

5. Financially stable (2013 and or 2014 Annual financial report - audited financial statement to be provided)

Yes ____ No ____

6. Willing and able to guarantee the delivery of quality services and competent personnel in accordance with the performance standards required by this TOR

Yes ____ No ____

Qualifications Confirmation and Information Offeror’s Response

1. What year was your firm/organization established? 2. In what province/state/country is your firm/organization established? 3. Has your firm/organization ever filed or petitioned for bankruptcy? (If

YES, explain in detail the reasons why, filing date, and current status.)

Yes ____ No ____

4. Have you ever been terminated for non-performance on a contract? (If YES, describe in detail.)

Yes ____ No ____

5. Have you ever been suspended or debarred by any government, a UN agency or other international organization? (If YES, provide details, including date of reinstatement, if applicable.)

Yes ____ No ____

6. It is UNOPS policy to require that offerors and their sub-Offerors observe the highest standard of ethics during the selection and execution of contracts. In this context, any action taken by an Offeror or a sub-Offeror to influence the selection process or contract execution for undue advantage is improper. In pursuance of this policy, UNOPS defines, for the purposes of this provision, the terms set forth below as follows: (i) “corrupt practice” is the offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly

or indirectly, of anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party;

(ii) “fraudulent practice” is any act or omission, including misrepresentation, that knowingly or recklessly misleads, or attempts to mislead, a party to obtain financial or other benefit or to avoid an obligation;

(iii) “collusive practices” is an arrangement between two or more parties designed to achieve an improper purpose, including to influence improperly the actions of another party;

(iv) “coercive practices” is impairing or harming, or threatening to impair or harm, directly or indirectly, any party or the property of the party to influence improperly the actions of a party;

(v) “obstructive practice” is (aa) deliberately destroying, falsifying, altering or concealing of

evidence material to the investigation or making false statements to investigators in order to materially impede a Bank investigation into allegations of a corrupt, fraudulent, coercive, or collusive practice; and/or threatening, harassing, or intimidating any party to prevent it from disclosing its knowledge of matters relevant to the investigation or from pursuing the investigation; or

(bb) acts intended to materially impede the exercise of UNOPS’ inspection and audit rights.

Confirm Yes ____ No ____


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Qualifications Confirmation and Information Offeror’s Response

Confirm that the Offeror and its sub-Offerors have not engaged in any corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, coercive or obstructive practices in competing for this solicitation. (Provide details, if applicable.)

7. Officials not to benefit: Confirm that no official of UNOPS has received or will be offered by the Offeror or its sub-Offerors, any direct or indirect benefit arising from this solicitation or any resulting contracts. (Provide details, if applicable.)


8. Confirm that the Offeror is not engaged in any activity that would put it, if selected for this assignment, in a conflict of interest with UNOPS. (Provide details, if applicable.)


9. Confirm that the Offeror and your sub-Offerors have not been associated, or had been involved in any way, directly or indirectly, with the preparation of the design, terms of references and / or other documents used as a part of this solicitation. (Provide details, if applicable.)


10. UNOPS policy restricts companies from bidding on or receiving UNOPS contracts if a UNOPS staff member or their immediate family are an owner, officer, partner or board member or in which the staff member or their immediate family has a financial interest. Confirm that no UNOPS staff member or their immediate family are an owner, officer, partner or board member or have a financial interest in either the Offeror or its sub-Offerors. (Provide details, if applicable.)


I, [Insert complete name of the person signing the Form], certify that I am [Insert legal capacity of the person signing the Form] of [Insert complete name of the Offeror] and that by signing this Proposal for and on behalf of [Insert complete name of the Offeror] I am certifying that all information contained herein is accurate and truthful and that the signing of this Proposal is within the scope of my powers. Signed: (Insert signature of person whose name and capacity are shown below) In the capacity of (Insert legal capacity of the person signing the Form) Name: (Insert complete name of the person signing the Form) Duly authorized to sign the bid for and on behalf of: (Insert complete name of the Offeror) Dated on ____________ day of __________________, _______ [insert date of signing]

ANNEX E RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Technical proposal submission form


Northern Afghanistan RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 The Offeror’s proposal must be organized to follow the format of this RFP. Each Offeror must respond to every stated request or requirement and indicate that Offeror confirms the acceptance of and understands UNOPS stated requirements. The Offeror should identify any substantive assumption made in preparing its proposal. The deferral of a response to a question or issue to the contract negotiation stage is not acceptable. Any item not specifically addressed in the Offeror’s proposal will be deemed as accepted by the Offeror. Where the Offeror is presented with a requirement or asked to use a specific approach, the Offeror must not only state its acceptance, but also describe, where appropriate, how it intends to comply. Failure to provide an answer to an item will be considered an acceptance of the item. Where a descriptive response is requested, failure to provide the same will be viewed as non-responsive. Where a statement of non-compliance is provided, the Offeror must indicate its reasons and explain its proposed alternative, if applicable, and the advantages and disadvantages to UNOPS of such proposal. Offeror shall attach additional sheets as necessary for the provision of comprehensive responses to the stated requirements.

Section Required information Offerors response

1. Weight 25%

Firm/institution's expertise

Q1.1. Provide a brief description of your firm’s capability to provide the services including your overall financial and managerial capacity.

Q1.2. Provide a brief description of your firm’s:

· established recruitment and staff management processes

· number and qualifications of experts deployed and in the database;

· professional/support personnel ratio of the company;

Q1.3. Provide an outline of your firm/institution’s recent and current experience including: · projects of a similar nature; · projects for same client or other major

similar clients; · projects undertaken in Afghanistan or

in same geographical region · list of references that can be contacted

to verify your performance

Reference 1 Reference 2 Reference 3

2. Weight 25%

Understanding of the assignment

Q2.1. Provide an explanation of the risks and assumptions affecting the execution of the assignment.

Q2.2. Provide comments or modifications of


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importance you would propose to the TOR for the successful execution of the assignment, in particular its objectives and expected results. Innovativeness will be appreciated, including workable suggestions that could improve the quality/effectiveness of the assignment.

Q2.3. Provide comments on the data, support services and facilities including office space, local transportation, equipment etc. to be provided to the Offeror or any other key issues related to the achievement of the objectives and expected results.

3. Weight 30%

Proposed approach and methodology: This section should include a detailed description of your understanding of the assignment and the manner in which your firm/institution would respond to the TOR and execute the assignment:

Q3.1. Provide a detailed description of the approach proposed for implementation of the assignment. You should highlight the problems being addressed and their importance, and explain the technical approach you would adopt to address them.

Q3.2. Provide a detailed description of the proposed methodology for carrying out the activities and obtaining the expected results. You should highlight the compatibility of those methodologies with the proposed approach.

Q3.3. Provide a description of the inputs and resources (team of experts, facilities, etc.) required to achieve the expected results. You should describe the structure and composition of your team including support staff and list the main activities of the assignment and the key expert(s) responsible for these activities. An organogram illustrating the reporting lines together with a description of such organization of the team structure should support your proposal. The curriculum vitae of all proposed experts must be included in the proposal as an annex.

Q3.4. Provide the timing, sequence and duration of the proposed activities including a bar chart illustrating milestones and delivery dates in the execution of the assignment. The proposed work plan should be consistent with the technical approach and methodology, showing understanding of the TOR and ability to translate them into a feasible working plan. A list of the final documents, including reports, drawings, tables etc. to be delivered as final output, should be included here

Q3.5. Provide a staffing schedule indicating the expected number of working days required from each category of experts (both


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international and national) during the period of execution of the assignment and the proposed timing of each input for each proposed expert (show separately the work in the field and in the home office)

4. Weight 20%

Personnel

Q4.1. Provide full information on the qualifications of the key-experts of the company and the assigned project manager for provision of the services.

Q4.2. Provide full information on the proposed candidates for undertaking the assignment.



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Financial proposal submission form




a. This Financial Proposal Submission Form must be completed in its entirety. b. Financial proposals must be submitted in United States Dollars US$. c. The entire Price Proposal must be placed in a separate envelope pre-addressed and marked as

according to the instructions listed in section 5, Submission of Proposal: DO NOT OPEN! - RFP No UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 - Provision of Consultancy Services for Impact Study of Rural Access Improvement Programme (Phases I-III) in Northern Afghanistan – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL – (name and address of offeror)

If submitted by email, the email subject line should read: RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 – (name of offeror) – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL d. The completed Financial Proposal Submission Form constitutes Offeror’s Financial Proposal and

fully responds to Request for Proposal No ___________. I commit my Offer to be bound by this Financial Proposal for carrying out the range of services as specified in the solicitation package.

In compliance with this RFP the undersigned, propose to furnish all labour, materials and equipment in order to provide goods and services as stipulated in the RFP. This shall be done at the price set in this Schedule and in accordance with the Contract terms in this RFP. ____________________ ___________________________ ____________________ (Signature) (Name) (Title) ________________ (Date) Provide the name and contact information for the primary contact from your company for this quotation: Name: ________________________________ Title: ________________________________ Mailing address (street name/number/city/town/province/state): __________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Tel. no: _________________________ Fax no: ___________________________ Email address: _______________________________ Offer valid until: _____(date)_____ Must be at least _(X)_ days Currency of offer: (state currency) Payment terms 30 days accepted: □ Are you a UNOPS registered vendor? □ Yes □ No If yes, provide vendor number: __________

ANNEX F UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Appendix to Financial proposal submission form Breakdown of costs and total price



RFP No.: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002 The Offeror shall provide the pricing schedule of the services per below format. Remarks and narratives may be added to support clarity. Impact Assessment Survey Costs under four provinces Balkh, Jawzjan, Samangan and Sar-i-Pul

Quantity Unit Cost per month

Total Cost per month

a. Recruitment and

deployment services

Team Leader (Socio-Economist)

1

Road Engineer (Technical Transport)

1

Gender Specialist 1

Translator/Interpreter (1 Male & 1 Female)

2

Total Costs LS

Impact Assessment Survey other associated Costs

Quantity Each Line Costs

b. Management, Support

and administration for

the whole contract

period

Office & Accommodation LS

Transportation to regions LS

Project Management LS

Communications LS

Admin Costs LS

Insurance, Security, International Travel etc.

LS

Total Lump Sum Costs

Firm’s total Proposal Price (A+B =___________________________________United States Dollars).


ANNEX G RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

Page 37 of 41



UNGM Vendor registration

As part of the bid, it is desired that the offeror goes to the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) registration website: https://www.ungm.org/Vendor/Registration and fills out the registration. If the offeror is already registered with UNGM, please provide your UNGM registration number. Please ensure that your firm’s information on UNGM is current. Offerors need to familiarise themselves with the United Nations Supplier Code of Conduct. UNOPS encourages all suppliers to subscribe to the United Nations Global Compact. The offeror may still bid even if not registered with the UNGM. However, if the offeror is selected for contract award, the offeror must register on the UNGM prior to contract signature.

ANNEX H RFP: UNOPS-AFG-RFP-015-002

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Format of resume for proposed staff

Name of Staff: ___________________________________________________ Title: ____________________________________________________ Years with Firm: _____________________/Nationality: ____________________ Education/Qualifications: (Summarize college/university and other specialized education of staff member, giving names of schools, dates attended and degrees-professional qualifications obtained. Employment Record/Experience (Starting with present position, list in reverse order, every employment held. List all positions held by staff member since graduation, giving dates, names of employing organization, title of position held and location of employment. For experience in last 5 (Five) years, detail the type of activities performed, degree of responsibilities, location of assignments and any other information or professional experience considered pertinent for this assignment. References Provide names and addresses for at least 2 (Two) references. I, the undersigned, certify to the best of my knowledge and belief, this bio-data is accurate. ______________________________________ __________________ Signature of Staff Member or Firm Representative Date (Day/Month/Year)

ANNEX I


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JOINT VENTURE/CONSORTIUM/ASSOCIATION INFORMATION FORM (To be completed and returned with your proposal if the proposal is submitted as a Joint

Venture/Consortium/Association)

JV / Consortium/ Association Information

Name

Names of each partner and contact information (address, telephone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail address)

Name of leading partner (with authority to bind the JV, Consortium, Association during the Bidding process and, in the event a contract is awarded, during contract execution)

Proposed proportion of responsibilities between partners (in %) with indication of the type of the Works to be performed by each

Signatures of all partners of the JV: We hereby confirm that, if the contract is awarded, all parties of the Joint Venture/Consortium/Association shall be jointly and severally liable to UNOPS for the fulfillment of the provisions of the Contract. Name of partner: ____________________________ Name of partner: ____________________________ Signature: __________________________________ Signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________________________ Name of partner: ____________________________ Name of partner: ____________________________ Signature: __________________________________ Signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________________________

UNOPS Headquarters Marmorvej 51 P.O. Box 2695

2100 Copenhagen Denmark

Tel: +45 45 33 75 00 Fax: +45 45 33 75 01