REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR CONSULTING SERVICES

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR CONSULTING SERVICES INDIA Name of the Project: DESIGN REVIEW OF DETAILED PROJECT REPORT Loan No/Credit No/ Grant No.: 7995-IN/Cr 4848-IN/Cr 4849-IN Assignment Title: To Conduct a Design Review of Detailed Project Reports (DPR s) And Cost Estimates for Construction, Upgradation and Improvement of Rural Roads under PMGSY The National Rural Roads Development Agency under Ministry of Rural Development, through Government of India has received financing from the World Bank towards Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services for this assignment. The consulting services ( the Services ) are to assess adequacy and reliability / soundness of various Surveys and Investigations, review of Standards, Specifications and Design Methodology and review of scope of Works and BOQ items to identify any possible areas where cost saving could be achieved. The consultant will review a sample of 10 roads each, not package, in each of the following categories in the state of Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, UP, Meghalaya and Uttarakhand. In addition to these 8 states, Ministry may add some more States. National Rural Roads Development Agency, New Delhi invites Expression of Interest from consultancy firms ( Consultants ) to indicate their interest in providing the Services as mentioned in Terms of Reference. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required staff with qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services as per Terms of Reference. The firms must include the following: a. Qualification and experience of the firm to discharge the services mentioned in Terms of Reference. b. Similar completed or ongoing services rendered with details of nature, cost, person month inputs, employer and location of project. c. Availability of key professionals of required qualification with the firm d. Previous or ongoing involvement of consultancy in PMGSY program. e. Firms financial standing: Annual turnover of the last five year The interested firm need to tie-up with an institution that has performed the role of Principle Technical Agency (PTA) / State Technical Agency (STA) for this. 1

2 The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank Borrowers [January 2011, revised July 2014] ( Consultant Guidelines ), setting forth the World Bank s policy on conflict of interest. The Consultants while submitting EOI should clearly state that they do not attract any of these provisions. The Performance Audit Consultancy of NRRDA and Project Management Consultants (PMC) of 8 World Bank funded PMGSY RRP-II States namely Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are not eligible to quote the Expression of Interest. Interested Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours i.e to hours on all working days. The organization details can be accessed on website by the prospective consultants. The EOI, Terms of Reference shall also be available at website (new icon) Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by post) by hours (Indian Standard Time) on or before 24 th June, The submission should be in a sealed envelope clearly written as Expression of Interest for Consultant Services Address for Communication: National Rural Roads Development Agency G-53, Ground Floor, B-wing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi , India Tel: / 02 Fax: ak.sharma52@nic.in Consultant World Bank 2

3 TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING CASE REVIEW OF DETAILED PROJECT REPORTS ( DPRs ) INCLUDING DETAILED ENGINEERING DESIGNS & COST ESTIMATES PREPARED BY DIFFERENT SRRDAs FOR CONSTRUCTION, UPGRADATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL ROADS UNDER PMGSY. 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Roads are arteries of the nation which provide infrastructural development for social and economic growth. A large percentage of Indian population lives in rural area, therefore rural road connectivity is a key component for holistic development of the nation. It provides rural development by promoting access to tap potential by way of generating increased agriculture income, providing better employment opportunities and access to health and educational facilities. It is, also as a result, a key ingredient in ensuring sustainable poverty reduction. Notwithstanding the efforts made, over the years, at the State and Central levels, through different Programs, many habitations in the country are still not connected by all-weather roads. It is well known that even where connectivity has been provided, the roads constructed are of such quality (due to poor construction or maintenance) that they cannot always be categorized as all weather roads. 1.2 With a view to redressing the situation, Government of India had launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana ( PMGSY ) on 25th December, 2000 to provide all weather access to eligible unconnected habitations. In the year 2000, nearly 40% of habitations were not connected by all weather roads. 1.3 The unit for this Program is a habitation and not a revenue village or a Panchayat. A habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change over time. 2. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES 2.1 The primary objective of the PMGSY is to provide Connectivity, by way of an all weather road (with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures, which is operable throughout the year), to the eligible unconnected habitations in the rural areas. The rural road works covered under the program include both construction of new roads and as well as upgradation / improvement of existing roads. The project roads are being selected from a core road network established under the program to provide single road connectivity to each habitation. The roads include through routes serving to larger populations and as well link roads serving smaller populations. In time to come, the through routes may likely be upgraded to the level of other district roads / major district roads and even may be part of the State highways. Land acquisition for the construction of the roads is not made as a component of the program and it is envisaged that land required for the construction of the rural roads will be made available free of cost voluntarily by the beneficiaries. However some States like Uttarakhand are paying compensation for the land being required under the program from the State funds. To minimize the land requirement, the final approved alignment of the roads generally 1

4 follows the centerline of the existing paths / tracks (kucha or brick paved or gravel). Only to improve the existing geometrics to the extent possible, minimum possible land is being acquired / taken voluntarily from the owners. 2.2 The PMGSY will permit the up gradation (to prescribed standards) of the existing roads in those districts where all the eligible habitations have been provided all-weather road connectivity. However, it must be noted that up gradation is not central to the Program. In up gradation works, priority is being given to through routes of the rural roads core network, which carry more traffic. 2.3 Govt. of India, Ministry of Rural Development through its technical agency, National Rural Road Development Agency ( NRRDA ), is implementing the program in a big way. The program is being implemented with the support of the States / Union Territories and their respective State Rural Roads Development Agencies ( SRRDAs ) and program implementing units ( PIUs ). However, NRRDA is providing technical & managerial support to the State / Union Territories. As a technical agency, the NRRDA is responsible for the implementation of the program including the day- to- day management and monitoring of the program and providing overall strategic guidance and a central source of expertise. 2.4 PMGSY guidelines emphasize upon quality centered implementation strategies and recognize quality as essence of the program. 2.5 Although the design of the program is basically sound, there are number of areas where enhancements could be made particularly with respect to greater compliance with existing procedures. Preparation of cost effective detailed project reports (DPRs) including selection of most economical feasible alignment, cost effective detailed engineering designs of road, pavement & structures of the roads is one of these areas. 2.6 Roads are being designed using the standards and procedures prescribed in the publications of the Indian Roads Congress ( IRC SP-20 :2002, IRC - SP , IRC: SP & others ), specifications for rural roads published by IRC on behalf of NRRDA, DPR template, operation manual, procurement & contract management manual, different guide-lines, instructions & amendments issued from time to time by NRRDA and an environmental and social management framework developed under the program. 2.7 In general, detailed project reports ( DPRs ) are being prepared by the consultants hired on behalf of the implementing agencies under SRRDAs, however some DPRs are also being prepared in house by the implementing agencies with the help of their own engineers & staff. 2.8 For working out the costing of the work, rates for various items involved in the construction work are being worked out on the basis of the schedule of rates of the PWD of the respective state and standard data book for analysis of rates for rural roads published by IRC on behalf of NRRDA. 2.9 The detailed project reports, prepared either with the help of consultants or in house by the implementing agencies, are scrutinized by the officers of the implementing agencies in respect of (i) most feasible alignment, (ii) provisions of culverts / minor 2

5 bridges etc. proposed towards cross drainage, (iii) provisions for drainage in built up areas, if any, (iv) pavement design & traffic density, (v) availability / use of local construction materials, (vi) provisions for environmental and social management framework and; (vii) analysis of rates for different items involved in the construction work After the approval of the competent officer of the implementing agency, the detailed project reports are forwarded to the State Rural Roads Development Agency. SRRDA also scrutinize the detailed project reports and thereafter the DPRs are sent to the nominated State Technical Agencies for review and comments. State Technical Agencies are already notified by NRRDA for each State On the recommendations of the State Technical Agencies, the detailed project reports are sanctioned by NRRDA, however, a sample of DPRs are also reviewed at the NRRDA level before sanction. A preliminary review of some of the detailed project reports undertaken shows that the cost of the road works seem to be too high especially compared to the small populations to be served by many of these roads. The reasons of the high costs seem to include ( i ) excessive provision of cross drainage structures, ( ii ) neglect of locally available construction materials, (iii) excessive height of the embankment, ( iv ) excessive crust thickness, ( v ) non selection of economical feasible alignment and ( vi ) long lead distance for the procurement of stone aggregates etc. NRRDA proposes to hire the services of a competent and experienced Consultant to review in detail a sample of the detailed project reports including engineering designs, cross drainage structures, pavement design, provisions for environmental & social management framework & cost estimates (of the roads already sanctioned and constructed or under construction / sanctioned but work yet to be awarded / DPRs are under review of STAs and to be sanctioned / DPRs are under preparation) and present a case study report to evolve recommendations for cost savings in the program while still meeting the engineering requirements. The consultant will also have to identify the extent to which actions are required to have cost effective sustainable alignment of the road with minimal requirement of additional land. 3. Objectives of the Assignment 3.1 The main objective of this assignment is to evolve measures to achieve costeffectiveness in the engineering designs of the rural roads. These measures will be evolved through a detailed review of a sample engineering designs of the roads ( roads already sanctioned and constructed or under construction / sanctioned but work yet to be awarded / DPRs are under review of STAs and to be sanctioned / DPRs are under preparation ) under the program. The review is to ensure the suitability of most economical feasible alignment, soundness of designs and overall cost-effectiveness by promoting use of local materials, optimal design standards, and innovative designs; and identify any faults, omissions, inadequacies, and over-designs. The review will cover the following areas. 3

6 Review of the facts considered for the finalization of most economical and feasible alignment ; Review of the data adopted for finalization of road / carriageway formation level; Standards and specifications including geometric design standards, quality of engineering designs, pavement design method, and the designs of protection structures, culverts and bridges, and side drains for both hilly and plain areas including flood prone areas; Scope of the works and the BOQ quantities: justification for various items included in the DPRs as well as quantities of various BOQ items; Analysis of the rates for various BOQ items including the lead distances, basic rates of various inputs (manpower, material, and machinery), royalties and taxes used, and over-heads and contingencies; Provisions made for the environmental and social management framework; and Quality and timeliness of inputs provided by the STAs in vetting the project estimates & DPRs 4. Scope of the Review 4.1 The consultant will review a sample of 10 roads each, not package, in each of the following categories in the state of Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, UP, Meghalaya and Uttarakhand. In addition to above 08 States (World Bank assisted), Ministry may add some more States: (i) Roads already constructed during the last two years and are under five years maintenance (ii) Roads under construction (iii) Roads sanctioned but work yet to be awarded (iv) Roads scrutinized by STA and under sanction by NRRDA (v) Roads for which DPRs are under review of STAs (vi) DPRs are under preparation The review will be done through desk studies, discussions with the design engineers and consultants, field visits, and sample checking of field surveys and laboratory tests (the consultant can request for these to the implementing agencies if needed). The scope of the review will include the following: 4.2 Task 1: Review of Surveys and Investigations: Adequacy and reliability / soundness of the various surveys investigations including transect work, soil and material surveys, various topographical surveys, hydrological surveys, traffic surveys, surveys for environmental parameters including tree-cutting, identification of land requirements and impact on structures, identification of project affected people, need for shifting of utilities and services, surveys carried-out to assess the bearing capacity and waterway requirements for bridges and culverts, assessment of the structural strength of existing culverts and bridges to justify the need for replacing them, surveys carried-out for design of drainage and protection structures. Equipments and procedures used for the surveys vis-à-vis those prescribed by the IRC/NRRDA. 4

7 Task 2: Standards, Specifications, and Design Methodology: This will include a review of the following: (i) Pavement Pavement design method used including the estimated traffic; Justification of various pavement layers and their thicknesses proposed including the drainage layer and hard shoulders; Possibility and efforts made for the use of local materials in base and sub-base; Alternatives if exist to the proposed pavement composition such as the use of surface dressing, use of some local materials/bricks in the base and wearing course, soil stabilization, which will lead to considerable cost savings; Material specifications proposed; In case of hill roads if the hard stone available from the cutting has been properly utilized and the debris has been used for some productive use, such as constructing parking places or passing places at appropriate locations; and Method used for the formation cutting in hill roads full cutting or an optimal mix of cutting and filling; (ii) Geometric Design: Geometric design standards followed vis-à-vis the traffic level; Could some of the standards for formation width, bridge width, permissible slope, sight distance, and minimum radious be modified considering the best engineering practices to achieve cost-effectiveness and / or to improve road safety / performance? Justification for the marginal improvements such as widening the existing formation width of existing roads (iii) Bridges, Culverts and other structures: The designs used for the existing bridges and culverts can these be modified considering the best available engineering practices; Criteria used for assessing the need for replacement of existing culverts, causeways, and bridges; Could solutions like causeways, paved dips, and other low cost water crossings be used to achieve cost-effectiveness? Efforts made by the DPR agency for selection of structures leading to cost effective solutions. Adequacy of design loadings and other design parameters used for bridges and culverts; Adequacy of the type of retaining walls, side drains, and other protection structures proposed especially in the hill roads including the design methodology followed for them; and Could alternative designs of protection structures and drains be proposed such as use of simple and cost effective solutions for protection structures like dry masonry and bio-engineering measures for slope stability and erosion control in hill roads. 5

8 Task 3: Scope of the works and BOQ Items: Based on the above tasks, the consultant will critically review the various proposals for the road formation, pavement, bridges and culverts, protection structures, and drains to identify any possible areas where cost-savings could be achieved. These could be achieved both by proposing alternative designs, standards, and specifications and by possible modifications in the existing provisions. The critical elements will include the following: Task 3.1 Earthwork Quantities and Formation Cutting: (i) Plain Areas: Critically examine the formation height alternatives such as submersible road if the raising the formation height is found to be very costly submersible roads in isolated sections subjected to heavy floods could be a better engineering solution; Justification for formation height in road sections not affected by floods or passing on high grounds and ridge lines; Lead distances for earthwork - in most cases the local earth would be suitable; Justification for widening of an existing embankment if it is marginally short of the specified widths; and Treatment proposed for flood prone areas. Is the alignment an optimal one avoiding to the extent possible critical locations and as per PMGSY guidelines? (ii) Hill roads: Balancing of cut and fills in hill roads rather than making the entire road in cutting; Cost-effective solutions for debris disposal i.e. by using it to construct parking places and passing places etc at suitable locations; Use of stone material available from the cutting operations for soling or for construction of protection structures; Is the alignment an optimal one avoiding to the extent possible critical locations and as per PMGSY guidelines? Task 3.2 Pavement: Justification for various pavement layers including sub-grade of improved soil, sub-base, base, surfacing, and drainage layers Is their other alternatives exist which would save costs; Have the existing pavement layers like soling and WBM been adequately considered while making proposals for improvements for existing roads? Pavement thickness proposed for the rocky formation in hill roads; Justification for the drainage layer if provided for well drained sub-grades and existing pavements; and Adequacy of the material specification proposed visà-vis the local road building material available; 6

9 Task 3.3 Bridges and Structures: Justification for the construction of new and replacement of existing culverts, causeways, bridges, and other structures; Adequacy of type of structure, waterway, span arrangements, depth and type of foundation considering the scour and safe bearing capacity, protection works and river training works, general arrangement for superstructure, length and width proposed for culverts, causeways, and bridges; Need and adequacy of the side drains use of cost-effective solutions like V shape drains or unlined drains; Use of improved designs of culverts, causeways, paved dips and bridges using the experiences available in India and elsewhere; and Justification for protection structures, side drains, and measures proposed for slope stability Task 4: Cost Estimation: This will include a review of rate analysis of various items and cost estimates including the lead distances, schedule of rates, basic rates of various inputs (manpower, material, and machinery), royalties and taxes, contractor s profit, and overheads and contingencies. Task 5: Other Aspects: The consultant will also review compliance of the prescribed IRC publications, PMGSY Operational Manual, and PMGSY guidelines, and the proposed ESMF; Format of the detailed engineering report including various drawings and presentation of the results of various surveys and investigations; Task 6: The consultant will also review the quality of inputs provided by the STAs in checking the designs, provisions & costs of different items provided in the project reports. The consultant will also suggest the usefulness of checking by STAs and suggestions for improvements; Task 7: Analysis and Recommendation: Based on the above review the consultant will suggest specific measures to be applied, to the rural roads under the programe to achieve cost-effectiveness while maintaining acceptable engineering standards. The measures evolved by the consultants will be discussed in a workshop to be organized by the NRRDA and reviewed by some identified experts nominated by NRRDA before finalization. Task 8: Assistance for implementation of the Measures/Recommendations: The consultant will assist the implementing agency to implement the measures in preparation of detailed project reports including training of the field engineers. 7

10 5. Duration of the Assignment: (i) Five months for the package covering the States of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, (ii) Five months for the package covering the States of Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, (iii) Six months for the package covering the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya 6. Reporting Requirements: The Consultant shall furnish to the client following reports, drawings & documents. All reports and documents shall be in English and in A-4/A-3 booklet shape: i) Inception report within 15 days of commencement of services in 5 copies. ii) Monthly progress reports in 5 copies, to be submitted by 7 th day of the coming month. iii) Detailed draft Review study report containing the outcome of the review and the Tasks defined above in 5 copies within 4 / 5 months from the commencement of services. iv) Final Review report including the report on the Training of the staff of the implementing agency to modify the engineering designs using the measures evolved during the review in 5 copies within one month after receipt of comments on the basis of discussions held in the workshop to be organized by NRRDA. copy. The draft and final review reports shall also be submitted by the consultant in soft 7. Consultant s Team: 7.1 The consultants are encouraged to propose a staffing plan and mobilization plan that best suites the needs of the consultancy. It is anticipated that a maximum of 20 man months would be required for this assignment for package no. 1 & 2 and 25 man months for package no 3. The core team of the consultant s key professional staff will consist of: i. Highway Engineer Cum Team Leader ii. Materials Engineer iii. Bridge Engineer iv. Survey Engineer v. Social & Environmental Expert vi. Quantity Surveyor / Documentation Expert 8

11 7.2 Experience and qualification of the Key professional staff would be as under (i) Highway Engineer Cum Team Leader: Should be BE (Civil) with minimum of 10 years of experience in roads / highway sector with a minimum of 5 years experience in detailed engineering designs of road works including selection of road alignments, soil and material investigations, pavement design and specifications, preparation of estimates of rural roads / highways. (ii) Materials Engineer: Should be a graduate in Civil Engg. with minimum of 8 years experience in roads / highway sector, out of which at least 5 years experience in pavement design and materials testing. He should be well conversant with the MoRD, MoRTH, IRC&IS specifications. (iii) (iv) Bridge Engineer: Should be a graduate in Civil Engg. having at least 8 years experience in roads / highway sector, out of which at least 5 years in design of bridges, cross drainage structures. He should be familiar with MoRTH/ IRC specifications. Survey Engineer: Should be graduate in Civil Engg. with minimum 7 years of professional experience, out of which at least 5 years on similar projects in project preparation and construction and thorough understanding of modern computer based methods of surveying such as total station etc. or diploma in civil engineering / surveying with minimum 10 years experience, out of which at least 7 years on similar projects in project preparation and construction and thorough understanding of modern computer based methods of surveying such as total station etc. (v) Social & Environmental Expert: Candidate must have masters degree or equivalent in environmental science/ engineering/ PhD in sociology or equivalent qualification and having overall 5 years experience in road sector / transportation / infrastructure projects in related assignments. He should have 3 years experience on environmental impact assessment of development related projects. The candidate must have the experience of preparing environmental management plans and supervising & monitoring implementation of the plans. Experience in supervising & monitoring the implementation of the resettlement action plans is essential. (vi) Quantity Surveyor / Documentation Expert: Candidate should be graduate in Civil Engineering / Certificate Course from "Institution of Quantity Surveying " with minimum 7 years of professional experience out of which at least 5 years in preparation of Bill of Quantities, Contract documents and documentation for road projects. 7.3 During the implementation of the services, the Team shall be supplemented with other support staff and associated specialists for accomplishment of various tasks indicated in para 4 above. 9

12 8. Inputs to be provided to the Consultant: The NRRDA and the implementing agencies will provide all the available information for the assignment and assistance required for field visits, desk studies, and discussions. 9. Inputs to be provided by the Consultants: 9.1 The consultants should make provision for renting a suitable office space to accommodate their personnel to discharge the services smoothly including maintenance and watch & ward of the office space in their financial proposals. The floor area of the office space should be limited to 125 sq. m. The office space should be located in Lucknow or Jaipur for package no. 1, Patna for package no. 2 and NCR Delhi for package no The consultants should provide for their own all the logistics, consumables, furniture, furnishings, computers and other equipment required for the smooth delivery of the services and the consultants shall make the provision in their financial proposals. The provision should be made for rentals only including maintenance and running including consumables and stationary. No provision for purchase of any items towards logistics should be made in the financial proposals. 9.3 For local transportation cost for local visits and as well for site visits, the consultants shall make provisions for the rental of the vehicles including running & maintenance charges towards transportation in their financial proposals. No provision for purchase of vehicles should be made in the financial proposals. 10