Invitation to tender

Date of publication Simap : 11.07.2016

1. Contracting authority
1.1 Official name and address of the contracting authority

Contracting authority/Authority of assignment : Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Procurement authority/Organizer : Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Swiss Cooperation Office Dushanbe, attn Ms Walburga Roos, 3, Tolstoy Street, 734004 Dushanbe, Tajikistan

1.2 Offers should be sent to the following address

PLEASE DO NOT OPEN
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
CIS Division, attn Mr. Richard Chenervard, Freiburgstrasse 130, 3003 Berne, Switzerland

1.3 Desired deadline for questions in written form

25.07.2016

Remarks : No information is given by telephone. Any question can be made by 25.07.2016 anonymously in the forum space at www.simap.ch. Questions submitted late cannot be answered. Answers will be published on www.simap.ch by 29.07.2016. Bidders are themselves responsible for downloading the answers from SIMAP and for taking them into consideration in the preparation of the bids.

1.4 Deadline for submitting offers

Date: 15.09.2016, Specific deadlines and formal requirements: The “Technical Proposal” and “Financial Proposal” shall be submitted in one envelope and shall contain
a. one original signed hard copy of the Technical and Financial Proposal labelled “Original”
b. three signed copies of the Technical and Financial Proposal labelled, “Signed Copy”
c. one data storage device (e.g. CD, DVD or Memory Stick) of all Technical Proposal and all Financial Proposal Documents.
Language for offers: English

1.6 Type of contracting authority

Confederation (Central federal administration)

1.7 Type of procedure

Open procedure

1.8 Type of order

Order for services

1.9 According to GATT/WTO agreement, respectively to the international treaties

No

2. Objects of procurement
2.1 Service category CPC:

[27] Other services

2.2 Project title of the acquisition

Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation Management in Tajikistan (SWSMT) - GBAO and Eastern Khatlon region, Phase I, 2016-2020. The project will improve quality of life of 150.000 people through sustanable mechanisms of water and sanitation management

2.3 Reference / project no.

7F-09243.99

2.4 Common Procurement Vocabulary

CPV: 98300000 - Miscellaneous services

2.5 Detailed task description

Tajikistan is rich in water resources; drinking water, however, is hardly accessible for the rural population or is of inadequate quality. Waterborne diseases are widespread and negatively influence population’s health. Since 1998 Switzerland is assisting the country to improve water governance (incl. water supply) both at community and policy levels. This project will improve access to and quality of drinking water and sanitation for 150’000 people, living in 200 isolated mountainous villages in areas of Eastern Tajikistan. These results will be protected from the impact of natural hazards and are expected to produce specific positive impact on the lives of women and children, as well as to promote participation and empowerment of the local population in governance and management of their water supply systems.

The winning Bidder will be responsible to deliver the services listed in the Tender Documentation as published in the simap.ch and to contract construction companies to realize the "Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation Management in Tajikistan (SWSMT) - GBAO and Eastern Kathlon" project including sanitation and construction works of the project.

The project aims to work on community, district and national level and focuses on the three key aspects:

(a) People (improved access to sustainable safe drinking water and sanitation facilities)
(b) Service providers (improved collaboration between local government, civil society and communities through joint capacity development in rural WSS management)
(c) Policies and Institutions (the policy and legal framework for efficient and improved decentralised services provision in rural and remote mountain areas, including pro-poor and most vulnerable people).

The project will ensure engagement of as many as possible local and national specialists in the implementation of the project as staff members and will work closely with technical specialists of the water departments at local and national levels. The project will also set up a steering committee at provincial level, including representatives from Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, relevant authorities from GBAO and Eastern Khatlon and representatives from Swiss Cooperation Office in Dushanbe. The implementing partner will serve as Secretariat for the committee.

2.6 Location where service is to be delivered

Republic of Tajikistan, Eastern Khatlon and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO)

2.7 Division into lots?

No

2.8 Will variants be accepted?

Yes
Remarks : Variants are to be indicated expressly as such and to be submitted separately in addition to the basic bid. Bidders must give reasons in writing for the advantages and equivalence of the variants in relation to the achievement of objectives. Otherwise they will not be taken into consideration.

2.9 Are partial offers permitted?

No

2.10 Implementation date

Start 01.12.2016 and finish 30.11.2020
Remarks : Phase 1: Inception period from 01.12.2016 - 28.02.2017, Main period form 01.03.2017 - 30.11.2020

3. Conditions
3.1 General conditions of participation

None

3.2 Deposits/guarantees

None

3.3 Conditions of payment

None

3.4 Costs to be included

None

3.5 Consortium of bidders

Consortia of bidders are permitted. Should SDC conclude the Contract with several Contractors (consortium), all parties must sign, having first designated a person to represent the consortium vis-à-vis SDC. The representative is expressly authorized to act for and on behalf of the consortium members. The consortium members shall be jointly and severally liable. Consortia members are allowed to participate exclusively in one bid. The bidder lists all members and their roles.

3.6 Subcontractor

Subcontractors are permitted. If the bidder engages a subcontractor to provide certain services, the bidder bears full responsibility for the provided services. He lists all subcontractors involved with their assigned roles according to annex 2 Declaration of bidder. Subcontractors are allowed to participate in different bids.

3.7 Suitability criteria

based on the criteria given in the documentation

3.8 Evidence required

based on the evidence required in the documentation

3.9 Award criteria:

based on the criteria given in the documentation

3.10 Conditions for obtaining the tendering documentation

Costs: none

3.11 Languages for offers

English

3.12 Validity of offers

180 days after deadline for receipt of offers

3.13 Supplying source of the tendering documentation

at www.simap.ch
Documents of the invitation to tender are available from : 11.07.2016 until 15.09.2016
Languages of documents : English
Further information for obtaining the tendering documentation : The documentation on the public call to tender for the project mentioned can be downloaded from the platform www.simap.ch under: Running procedures, Confederation, Invitations to tender. In order to do so, you first have to register in the mentioned project. You will then be able to log in and use the password that you will have been sent by e-mail to download the documentation desired.

4. Other information
4.1 Conditions for countries not party to the WTO agreement

None

4.2 Terms of business

General Conditions of Business (GCB) for Project Implementation Mandates – Version December 2015
These General Conditions of Business (GCB) shall be deemed accepted by the Contractor on submission of the offer.

4.3 Negotiations

remain reserved

4.4 Basic procedural principles

The contracting authority awards public contracts for services provided in Switzerland only to bidders who ensure compliance with the health and safety regulations and employment conditions for employees, as well as equal pay for women and men.
If the service is provided abroad, the bidder must ensure at least compliance with the International Labour Organization’s fundamental conventions in accordance with Annex 2a PPO.
The self declaration form “Compliance with working conditions, workplace health and safety regulations and requirement of equal pay for men and women: Declaration by the supplier” has to be signed and is to be submitted with the offer.

4.5 Additional information

1. The option of directly awarding follow-up mandates is reserved
2. The tender proceeds in accordance with Section 3 of the Federal Ordinance on Public Procurement (FOPP). There is no right of appeal.

4.6 Official organ of publication

www.simap.ch