Government of Sierra Leone

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

COUNTRY: Sierra Leone West Africa 

NAME OF PROJECT: Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project

PROJECT No: P153437

LOAN NO./CREDIT NO./ GRANT NO.: IDA 57670/TAA7690/IDA D6880

ASSIGNMENT TITLE:  The Review of the National Rural feeder Roads Policy in Sierra Leone

RFEERENCE No: SL-MAFS-236679-CS-CQS

The Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone has received a loan from the World Bank toward the cost of the Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services to Review the National Rural Feeder Roads Policy in Sierra Leone

The consulting services (“the Services”) include a gap analysis of the current National Rural Feeder Roads Policy and identify gaps that relate to:

1. Political environment and road sector policies currently in place
2. Current institutional arrangements in place and improvements required (including capacity building) to transform them especially with regards to the decentralization of responsibilities
3. Funding arrangements for all the tiers/classes of roads and how a balance in funding can be reached which would optimize within budget and capacity constraints, to improve access to rural communities and farmlands through cost-effective infrastructure
4. Procedures in Prioritizing, designing, implementing and quality assurance to ensure durability, cost effectiveness and value for money in rural road programmes
5. Current source of funding, the funding gap and develop strategic framework to improve long-term sustainable financing for feeder road maintenance
6. Technical capacity within the roads sector both public and private sector
7. Current operational arrangements that are in use in SL and how they can be improved
8. Local capacity building to rehabilitate and maintain feeder roads using available community-based labor, materials and tools.
9. To explore an introduction to performance-based contracts for rehabilitation and maintenance in relation to current and proposed funding arrangements
10. Ensuring transport fleet using feeder roads are efficient, safe and loaded within their design capacity.
11. How are the roads managed and the various responsibilities as stated in the enabling legislations

The consultant shall collaborate with the feeder road stakeholders in critically appraising and reviewing the current policy; after which a revised Policy shall be developed primarily by the Consultant that takes into account not only the objectives outlined above but also any other which may arise during the policy review process. The tasks to be carried out by the Consultant are listed in the Terms of Reference

The expected start date of the assignment is June 15,2022 and the estimated level of effort shall be 9.5 man-months spanning over a period of Five (5) months of the commencement date. This period shall cover examination of relevant documentation and interviews with relevant officers, preparation of reports detailed in section 8 of the ToR and facilitation of stakeholders’ workshops.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained at: www.maf.gov.sl  or  The Project Coordinator, Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development project, 1 Scan Drive, Off Spur Road, Freetown, Sierra Leone from Monday to Friday at 9:00am to 4:30 pm, Sierra Leone time

The Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

• the existence of the firm as legal entity (i.e legal incorporation )
• operational history of the firm for at least 10yrs with existence in implementing project activities;
• experience of the firm in managing at least 2 similar assignments completed within the last 10 years; including work volume in monetary terms; and must at least completed one of the three (3) similar assignments in sub-Sahara Africa
• Demonstration of organizational capacity to undertake the assignment ( i.e. illustrated by Organizational chart detailing the  management structure and reporting lines to deliver the assignment )

Please note that Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016  Revisled  November 2017, and Revised August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest as per as per paragraph 3.17 of the Regulations. 

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0f 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm Seirra Leone Time zone from Monday to Friday.

The Expressions of Interest shall be submitted in a written form in sealed envelopes, delivered to the address below and be clearly marked “Expression of Interest for the Review of the National Rural Feeder Roads Policy in Sierra Leone ‘’ in person or by email no later than Tuesday 26th April 2022 at 4:30pm Sierra Leone Time

The Project Coordinator

Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project

1 Scan Drive

Off Spur Road

Freetown

Email: esscubesl@gmail.com and copy alsaio@yahoo.com /diavies8765@gmail.com