Request for Proposal

Request for Proposal

Urja Nepal Program

Hydropower Expert to Support OIBN

1. Background

The USAID Urja Nepal Program (Urja Nepal) is supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP. Urja Nepal aims to create a financially viable electricity sector that provides affordable, reliable, and secure power and enables the entry of private sector investment into the Nepal market through following four objectives:

    Objective 1: Utility Performance and Relevant Sector Policies Improved

    Objective 2: Advanced Energy Systems Deployed

    Objective 3: Increased Private Sector Engagement

    Objective 4: Cross Border Electricity Trade between Nepal and its Neighbors Advanced

USAID Urja Nepal is providing technical assistance to the Office of the Investment Board Nepal (OIBN) in evaluating projects for investment approval. Previously, Urja Nepal supported OIBN in reviewing the draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the 800 MW West Seti Hydropower Project. Based on recommendations from the review, the developer amended the draft DPR to incorporate the suggested revisions. OIBN now intends to conduct a final review of the DPR submitted by the consultant. To support this effort, USAID Urja Nepal seeks to engage a technical engineering firm to assist OIBN in conducting the final technical review of the project.

2. Scope of Work

The engineering firm needs to provide an independent technical review of reports (Final DPR) for the project of West Seti, submitted by the project developer in coordination with the OIBN technical team. This includes:

• Verifying the incorporation of major suggestions provided in the draft DPR, based on the comments and recommendations from the review report.
• Conducting meetings with the OIBN technical team to understand the key inputs they want to incorporate into the final report.
• Reviewing the hydraulic design of key project structures, including the intake, connecting pressure conduit, settling basin, spillway, barrage, tunnels, caverns, surge tunnel, pressure shaft, hydro-mechanical and electro-mechanical equipment, powerhouse structures, and tailrace.
• Reviewing investigation designs, cost estimates, scope of work, contracts, and arrangements for geotechnical investigations and soil laboratory analyses.
• Reviewing hydrological and sedimentology investigation reports prepared by the developer.
• Reviewing construction planning for main civil works, hydro-mechanical and electro-mechanical components, switchyard and transmission line works, access roads, transportation methods, and construction power.
• Performing any other tasks as directed by the OIBN technical team in relation to the West Seti Project.

3. Reporting Requirements and Duty Station

The firm will report to OIBN and work closely with other technical officials at the OIBN. The duty station will be in the premise of OIBN itself.

4. Deliverables

Detailed review report on final DPR report to be submitted and accepted by OIBN.

5. Proposal Submission

Cost Proposal: No more than two (2) pages long.

Narrative explanation of cost (1-3 paragraphs, as required).

Technical Proposal: No more than five (6) pages long, including:

• Brief background of firm (1/2 page)
• CVs of technical team (1/2 pages for each candidate)
• Relevant experience of the consultants in similar work including prior work in the topic area(s) (2-3 pages)

The proposal must be submitted by December 27, 2024 (before 5:30 pm), to be considered in the bidding process.

6. Proposal Evaluation Criteria:

Proposal shall be evaluated based on the following criteria.

Other requirements:

• The bidder is expected to submit proposal in English language only.
• The proposal should clearly line out the role of respective resources according to their fields of expertise for carrying out project requirements.
• The bidder is expected to strictly adhere to the timelines proposed. Any delay in any of the deliverable shall be reported and aligned with Urja Nepal in advance.
• The resources should be immediately deployed after the award of the contract (And estimated date of deployment 2 January 2025.)
• The deliverable must be acceptable to Urja Nepal and end beneficiary, OIBN.
• The different activities shall be documented in a professional manner to be shared with relevant stakeholders for information dissemination.
• The consultant should at all times of the assignment possess the copyrights (licenses in the case of software packages) of the documents, pictures, technical papers, standards used in the study. All documents need to be treated with confidentiality. The bidder may be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that uses an Urja-provided template.

Instruction for Proposal Submission

1. Please submit a technical and financial proposal with specific details on the goods and services on the company letterhead via e-mail. The e-mail should be sent to  kbasyal@urja-nepal.com & klawati@urja-nepal.com
2. Kindly submit samples of the previous work
3. Please include a copy of your company’s VAT/PAN registration document and tax clearance document 
4. Please include banking details
5. If any specifications differ from those mentioned in our requirements, the vendor should specify those differences in the quotation.
6. Cost should not exceed NPR 1,200,000 inclusive of all taxes.
7. Please send in your proposal by December 27, 2024 (Friday).

Additional Requirements/Requests (Please detail your response to each requirement to indicate which you can meet or not meet for any reason.)

1. Vendor to accept direct wire transfer.  If not, please mention the other payment mode………………………………………………………………….
2. Vendor should be willing to accept deduction of TDS or other applicable taxes per law.
3. Pricing should be submitted in local currency with explicit information on VAT or other taxes. 
4. Vendors willing to accept payment 5-10 business days after the delivery of the goods/service and successful completion of the job. 
5. Please detail any other restrictions, requirements, or relevant considerations……………………….

Note: This document does not constitute a commitment on the part of Urja Nepal to fund any proposed project.