Invitation to tender: Mid-Term Review of PROGESTIÓN - Municipal Management and Local Development Strengthening Programme in Nicaragua

The Embassy of Finland in Managua hereby invites tenders concerning the Mid-Term Review of PROGESTIÓN - Municipal Management and Local Development Strengthening Programme in Nicaragua.

The tender shall include the CVs of each proposed expert (max 5 pages), methodological proposal (max 3 pages) the price (fees for each expert, EUR/day) and time of delivery. The Terms of Reference is included as an annex to this invitation. It should be noted that the ToR is a draft version. The ToR will be finalised within the forthcoming weeks, but no major changes are expected.

The evaluation will be based on the economically most advantageous principle (quality and technical requirements are 60 %, methodologicalproposal is 20%, and price is 20 %). Criteria for selection are technical quality (experts' relevant professional experience, relevant experience in developing countries, especially in Central America, education, language skills and complementary of the Team), quality of the methodological proposal (understanding of the main characteristics of the Review and approach), and fees. The evaluation shall be carried out by an evaluation team at the Embassy of Finland. The Tenderer must comply with the requirements and conditions set forth in this invitation and attached annex. A non-compliance with the tender dossier may result in the disqualification of the tender.

Joint tenders are also accepted. In case of joint proposal, one tenderer shall be nominated as the leading partner with whom the agreement will be signed.

The other costs besides the fees of the mission will be reimbursed according to the Standard Terms for the Payment of Fees and Reimbursement of Costs by the Ministry. The other conditions for the services are described in the General Conditions for Consulting Services available in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland webpages.

The Tender shall be valid and the personnel proposed in the Tender shall be available for 60 days from the closing date of the Tender.

The Tender Dossier becomes public when the invitation to tender is signed. CV's are not deemed confidential.

Companies are reminded that according to the guidelines participation to this mission will disqualify from participation to the tendering of the possible implementation of the programme. The Ministry does not bind itself to accept any Tender.

The language of the Tender shall be Spanish.

The field mission to Nicaragua is scheduled to late September and the duration of the mission will be approximately five weeks.

Consultancy companies interested in tendering are requested to inform their intentions before 1.00 pm 3^rd of August 2006 Managuan time by e-mail (maria.babini@formin.fi and Sanomat.MGU@formin.fi). Please, ask for confirmation of the receipt. After the 3^rd of August 2006, all the correspondence concerning the tendering process will be addressed only to the Tenderers who have indicated their intention to submit a proposal.

The Tender must be received by the Embassy not later than 1.00 pm 18^th of August 2006 Managuan time. The Tender must be submitted by e-mail to maria.babini@formin.fi with a copy to inka.mattila@formin.fi. The tenderers should request a confirmation of the arrival of their tender by the Embassy (Maria Babini).

Contact person in the Embassy Maria Luisa Babini, tel. +505-266 3415, e-mail maria.babini@formin.fi.

Marja Luoto
Ambassador
Embassy of Finland in Nicaragua