Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project: Project Implementation Management

Project ID: P130014

The Government of Vietnam has received a Credit from the World Bank for the Vietnam Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project (VIAIP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Credit to eligible payments under the contract "Technical Assistance Consulting Services for Project Implementation Management". Description of the project and consulting services are provided below:
 
The project development objective is to improve the sustainability of irrigated agriculture production systems in seven provinces of the central coastal and northern mountainous regions of Vietnam, namely Ha Giang, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, and Quang Nam. The project's activities incorporate four main components with a total investment cost of US$210 million, in which, US$180 million will be funded from IDA and GOVN will provide US$30 million of counterpart funds. The project components are as follows:

*Component 1: Improved Water Management (US$9.5 million). This component will improve institutional capacity for modern, efficient, and accountable irrigation and drainage service delivery. The establishment of a financially self-reliant and transparent water services sector will enable reductions in recurring government expenditure on operation and maintenance of irrigation systems in all project provinces and at Ministry level.
*Component 2: Irrigation and Drainage Scheme Level Improvements (US$170.5 million). This component represents the bulk of infrastructure investments in the project areas (83,400 ha). It will improve bulk water delivery to irrigation systems, service delivery and management in the selected irrigation and drainage schemes through: (i) physical improvement of selected existing large, medium and small scale irrigation and drainage infrastructure such as canals, pumps, weirs, pipes, and control structures; (ii) improvement and protection works for existing dams; (iii) rehabilitation and construction of small multi-purpose water village ponds; and (iv) construction of measuring devices.
*Component 3: Support Services for Climate Smart Agricultural Practices (US$23 million). This component will build on the improved irrigation infrastructure and water delivery activities realized under Component 2 to improve the productivity and quality of agriculture, increase farmers' incomes, and reduce their vulnerability to adverse climatic events. including : (i) enhancing on-farm systems for crop intensification and diversification; (ii) provision of laser land leveling services; (iii) provision of advisory services to facilitate shifts into feed and horticultural crop production; (iv) identification and implementation of measures to reduce the  water and environmental footprints of cropping systems; (v) support for Project beneficiaries, including WUAs, for the implementation of climate-smart agricultural plans; (vi) stimulating modernization by promoting the use of sprinkler and drip irrigation systems; and (vii) application of remote sensing imagery for the monitoring of crop performance.
*Component 4: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (US$7 million). This component supports the operational costs for the implementing agencies including MARD and the seven provinces to manage the project. The activity would finance: (i) Incremental Operating Costs; (ii) equipment and vehicles purchase; (iii) monitoring and evaluation, including third-party monitoring; (iv) staff training; (v) internal and external audits; and (vi) various consultancies for the design, construction supervision, quality control support, gender action plan and safeguards compliance.

The consultancy services are to provide technical assistance for overall project implementation management in all activities, including management improvement, modernization of irrigation systems, and climate-smart agricultural practices. The selected consultant would be expected to provide an integrated service with specialists who can link improvement of physical works with improvement of water management, and agricultural development changes which lead to improved agricultural production. The consultancy is expected to be executed over the period 2014-2020.
 
The Central Project Office (CPO) under Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD) now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing services for the above contracts. Interested consultants must provide information indicating they are qualified to perform the services by providing a description of the firm, competence relevant to the assignment, references of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, and availability of appropriate skills among staff. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications, but should specify in their Expression of Interest whether the proposed form of association is a joint venture or sub-contract.
 
State-owned enterprises or institutions in Vietnam may participate only if they can establish that they: i) are legally and financially autonomous, ii) operate under commercial law; and iii) are not dependent agency of MARD or a project province (excluding Specialized Institutions defined in the Finance Agreement).
 
Consultants will be selected in accordance with the selection procedures set out in the World Bank's Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers January 2011. Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below from 09:00 – 16:00 hours of the working days. Expressions of interest and above- mentioned information must be delivered to the address below no later than 4:00 PM, June 19, 2014.

Mr. Vu Dinh Hung
Deputy Director General, Central Projects Office (CPO)
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Add: No. 23 Hang Tre Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: 844 8 262 857
Fax: 844 8 242 372
E-mail: iaip@cpo.vn