NOTICE AT-A-GLANCE

Project ID: P166187

Project Title: Competitiveness and Sector Diversification

Country: Suriname

Notice No: OP00347058

Notice Type: Request for Expression of Interest

Notice Status: Published

Borrower Bid Reference: SR-MNR-466470-CS-CQS

Procurement Method: Consultant Qualification Selection

Language of Notice: English

Submission Deadline Date/Time: Apr 22, 2025 16:00

Published Date: 20-Mar-2025

Description: Business Plan for DAS

Details:

REPUBLIC OF SURINAME

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION

Country: Republic of Suriname

Name of Project: Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification Project

Project No.: P166187

Loan No.: IBRD Loan 8985 - SR

Assignment Title: Business plan for DAS – (Delfstoffen Authoriteit Suriname)

Reference No.: SR-MNR-466470-CS-CQS

The Republic of Suriname has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include technical assistance towards the establishment and the commissioning of the "Delfstoffen Authoriteit Suriname" (DAS) within the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in the priority activity area identified, which is the development of a Business Plan. This support will be based on the existing vision for the DAS, international good practices, the Consultant’s knowledge of the mining sector and the Consultant’s experience with mining institutions worldwide as well as other expert inputs already received or in the process of being produced. The Services are expected to start as early as possible as from April 2025.

The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.

A Consulting firm will be selected in accordance with the Regulations for Consultant’s qualifications-based selection (CQS) described in the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018.

The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within MNR 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 qualification criteria are:

1. Established experience of revenues assessment or management for governments experience for at least 7 years preferably for the mining sector including:
   1. Public sector financial analysis
   2. Revenue model development
   3. Mining sector economics
2. Proven track record in institutional restructuring
3. Familiarity with EITI standards and mineral taxation
4. Excellent knowledge of Suriname’s economic context and mining sector
5. Staff with excellent writing and communication skills in both English and Dutch
6. Experience working with government institutions and international development projects is preferred

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the Procurement for IPF Borrowers, issued July 2016, as revised November 2017 and August 2018 setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment:

Bank policy requires that consultants provide professional, objective, and impartial advice and at all times hold the client’s interests paramount, without any consideration for future work, and that in providing advice they avoid conflicts with other assignments and their own corporate interests. Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interest of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below:

1. Conflict between consulting activities and procurement of goods, works, or nonconsulting services (i.e., services other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines8 ): A firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide goods, works, or non-consulting services for a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from providing consulting services resulting from or directly related to those goods, works, or non-consulting services. Conversely, a firm hired to provide. consulting services for the preparation (before Loan effectiveness) or implementation of a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from subsequently providing goods, works, or services (other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines) resulting from or directly related to the consulting services for such preparation or implementation. This provision does not apply to the various firms (consultants, contractors, or suppliers) which together are performing the Contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract.
2. Conflict among consulting assignments: Neither consultants (including their personnel and sub-consultants), nor any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, may be in conflict with another assignment of the consultants. As an example, consultants assisting a client in the privatization of public assets shall neither purchase, nor advise purchasers of, such assets. Similarly, consultants hired to prepare Terms of Reference (TOR) for an assignment shall not be hired for the assignment in question.
3. Relationship with Borrower’s staff: Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants) that have a close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower (or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the loan) who are directly or indirectly involved in any part of: (i) the preparation of the TOR for the assignment, (ii) the selection process for the contract, or (iii) the supervision of such contract may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract.
4. A consultant shall submit only one proposal, either individually or as a joint venture partner in another proposal. If a consultant, including a joint venture partner, submits or participates in more than one proposal, all such proposals shall be disqualified. This does not, however, preclude a consulting firm to participate as a sub-consultant, or an individual to participate as a team member, in more than one proposal when circumstances justify and if permitted by the RFP.

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.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 09:00 to 14:00 Suriname time (UTC – 3 hours)

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by close of business on Tuesday 22 April 2025.

Ministry of Natural Resources

Attn: Mr. Clyde Griffith, Component Coordinator SCSD C1

Mr. Dr. J.C. de Mirandastraat 11 -15, Paramaribo, Republic of Suriname

Tel: (+597) 474666 (PIU Office) or (+597)8532104 (Component Coordinator)

Fax: (+597) 475752

E-mail: [email protected]

REPUBLIC SURINAME

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification Project

Reference: SR-MNR-466470-CS-CQS

Terms of Reference

Expert for the development and implementation of the

DELFSTOFFEN AUTORITEIT SURINAMEBUSINESS PLAN

Introduction

The Republic of Suriname has received a loan from the World Bank for a Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification (SCSD) project, which seeks to facilitate sector governance, competitiveness, and diversification in Suriname by addressing enabling environment constraints in the targeted industries of mining, agribusiness, and tourism. This will be achieved by financing technical assistance for policy, legal and regulatory reforms; capacity building of key institutions; and business development services and matching grants for SMEs and value chain development.

The project comprises two components which will be implemented by Project Implementation Units (PIUs) at the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) (component 1) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation (MEZ) (component 2) under the guidance of a Project Coordination Committee (PCC). Each PIU will be led by a Component Coordinator responsible for the implementation of project activities under the relevant implementing ministry. A Project Coordinator will provide strategic and problem-solving guidance to both PIUs and chair the PCC.

The focus of Component 1 implemented by the PIU at the MNR is strengthening the mining sector governance, transparency, accountability and administration. This component focuses on supporting improvements to the legal, regulatory and institutional framework governing mining in Suriname. The purpose is to align Suriname’s framework to international best practice, and to provide its institutions with knowledge and tools to carry out their mandated functions. Specific activities include:

• Strengthening the legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks governing the mining sector through support towards the revision of relevant legislation and regulations and the establishment and operationalization of a Minerals Institute which will integrate and strengthen the mining cadaster, geological data management; and mining inspectorate functions; and which will also produce export statistics and setting up of a minerals statistics database.
• Sector administration capacity building to assist the Government of Suriname to build the required technical skills and managerial capabilities to regulate and monitor the mining sector.
• Strengthening revenue assessment, collection and forecasting by setting up systems to improve revenue collection in a transparent and accountable manner.
• Enhancing environmental, health and social performance of the mining sector including the preparation of a strategic environmental and social assessment and capacity support to enhance social and environmental impact management
• Building independent oversight capacity and stakeholder consultation mechanisms by providing support to non-state actors in the Suriname extractive industries transparency initiative to strengthen their participation in increasing transparency and disclosure in the mining industry.

During project preparation it was assessed that the project may be subject to a number of risks especially in terms of financial sustainability. In order to successfully implement the project while minimizing risks the project institutional and implementation arrangements therefore have identified a number of specialist staff and consultants that will support the PIU at the MNR of which an expert specialized in development of a business plan.

Objective

To develop a comprehensive cost projections business plan for the Delfstoffen Autoriteit Suriname (DAS) that ensures accurate forecasting, cost optimization, and financial sustainability and develop diversified revenue generation strategies to ensure long-term institutional sustainability

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for creating a detailed cost projections business plan that addresses the following key areas:

1. Cost Analysis Components

1. Conduct historical expenditure analysis (past 5 years)
2. Assess potential future source of revenues based on existing operations and advanced exploration projects (starting from prefeasibility stage) which may come into production in the next 10 years.
3. Map current operational cost structure and budget allocation
4. Identify key cost drivers and inefficiencies in:
   • Licensing administration
   • Geological data management
   • Compliance monitoring
   • Environmental management
5. Develop 5-year cost projection models with different scenarios

1. Revenue Stream Identification
   1. Evaluate existing revenue sources:
      1. Mining license fees
      2. Royalty collection mechanisms
      3. Penalty systems
      4. Data licensing fees
   2. Identify potential new revenue streams:
      1. Value-added geological services
      2. Technical advisory services to private sector
      3. Premium licensing for expedited services
      4. Digital platform monetization
      5. Strategic partnerships with research institutions
   3. Conduct market analysis for proposed revenue streams
   4. Develop implementation roadmap for prioritized revenue options

Specific tasks include

Cost Analysis Tasks

1. Historical Expenditure Analysis
   1. Conduct a 5-year retrospective review of DAS’s operational and administrative costs.
   2. Analyze spending patterns across departments (e.g., licensing, compliance, environmental management).
   3. Assess revenue sources for the next 10 years looking into current operations, and advanced projects.
2. Cost Structure Mapping
   1. Map current operational cost structures, including fixed vs. variable costs.
   2. Allocate budget expenditures to strategic priorities.
3. Key Cost Drivers & Inefficiencies
   1. Identify inefficiencies in:
      1. Licensing administration processes
      2. Geological data management systems
      3. Compliance monitoring frameworks
      4. Environmental management protocols
4. Multi-Scenario Projections
   1. Develop 5-year cost projection models under baseline, optimistic, and conservative scenarios.
5. Cost Optimization Strategies
   1. Propose actionable measures for cost reduction (e.g., process automation, resource reallocation).
6. Budget Allocation Framework
   1. Design budget allocation strategies aligned with DAS’s strategic objectives.
7. Risk Management Framework
   1. Create a risk mitigation plan for cost overruns (e.g., commodity price fluctuations, staffing gaps).
8. Performance Metrics
   1. Establish KPIs for cost management (e.g., cost-per-license processed, monitoring efficiency).
9. Monitoring & Evaluation System
   1. Develop tools to track cost-control measures and audit outcomes.

Revenue Stream Identification Tasks and vulnerabilities

1. Existing Revenue Evaluation
   1. Audit current revenue sources and related risks:
      1. Mining license fees
      2. Royalty collection mechanisms
      3. Penalty systems for non-compliance
      4. Geological data licensing fees
2. New Revenue Opportunities
   1. Identify and prioritize potential revenue streams, such as:
   2. Value-added geological services (e.g., data analytics, consulting)
   3. Premium licensing for expedited permit processing
   4. Digital platform monetization (e.g., GIS data subscriptions)
   5. Technical advisory services for private mining firms
   6. Partnerships with research institutions (e.g., joint exploration projects)
3. Market Feasibility Analysis
   1. Assess demand, pricing, and competition for proposed revenue streams.
4. Revenue Implementation Roadmap
   1. Prioritize revenue options based on viability (cost-benefit analysis) and develop phased implementation plans.

Cross-Functional Tasks

1. Stakeholder Engagement
   1. Present findings to DAS, MNR and World Bank representatives.
   2. Incorporate feedback into final deliverables.
2. Integrated Financial Sustainability Plan
   1. Combine cost optimization strategies and revenue diversification plans into a unified 5-year roadmap.
   2. Align with EITI standards and Suriname’s mining sector reforms.
3. Capacity Building
   1. Train DAS staff on using cost/revenue management tools and systems.
      

Deliverables

1. Inception Report with methodology (within 15 working days)
2. Comprehensive Cost Analysis Report including:
   1. Cost structure mapping
   2. Efficiency improvement opportunities
   3. 5-year projection models
3. Revenue Stream Assessment Report containing:
   1. Current revenue performance analysis
   2. Prospective future revenues
   3. Viability assessment of new revenue options
   4. Implementation priority matrix
4. Integrated Financial Sustainability Plan combining:
   1. Cost optimization strategies
   2. Revenue diversification plan
   3. Risk mitigation framework
5. Stakeholder presentation package

Duration of the Assignment

The approximate assignment period will be eighty (80) working days spread over a calendar year starting in April 2025.

Consultant Qualification Requirements

The Consultant firm should meet following qualification criteria:

• Established experience of revenues assessment or management for governments experience for at least 7 years preferably for the mining sector including:

• • Public sector financial analysis
  • Revenue model development
  • Mining sector economics
• Proven track record in institutional restructuring
• Familiarity with EITI standards and mineral taxation
• Excellent knowledge of Suriname’s economic context and mining sector
• Staff with excellent writing and communication skills in both English and Dutch
• Experience working with government institutions and international development projects is preferred

CONTACT INFORMATION

Organization/Department: Ministry of Natural Resources

Name: Clyde Griffith

Address: Mr. Dr. J.C. de Mirandastraat 11 – 15, Paramaribo, Republic of Suriname

City:

Province/State:

Postal Code:

Country: Suriname

Phone: (+597) 474666

Email: [email protected]

Website: