REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)
For Consultancy Services as Facilitating Partners (FPs) Under the Citizens Charter’s Elements Project (CCEP)
Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG)
Country: Afghanistan
Name of Project: Citizens Charter’s Elements Project
Phase One (CCEP-I)
Grant No.: ARTF (TBD)
Project ID: P155497
Assignment Title: Facilitating Partners (FPs) for the CCEP
Reference No.: IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-1 to IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-4
1. The Afghanistan Citizens’ Charter is a promise of partnership between the Afghan state and communities and is the foundation stone for realizing the National Unity Government’s development vision. The Citizens’ Charter National Priority Program (CCNPP) is a whole-of-government effort to build state legitimacy and end fragmentation. The Charter is a commitment to provide every community in Afghanistan with basic services, based on community prioritization. A key aspect of the Charter is that communities can oversee their own development goals, the quality of service delivery, and report grievances. The Charter will promote inclusive development and accountability at all levels. The Citizens’ Charter Elements Project Phase One (CCEP-I) is that part of the CCNPP proposed to be funded by the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). The first phase of the same is expected to be for the period from October 2016 to September 2020.
The Charter includes an urban and a rural component. The following refers to the urban component only.
2. The Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA), applied for a grant (around US$ 90 million) from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), administered by the World Bank, for Citizens’ Charter Element Project Phase One (CCEP-I), and it intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for consulting services to be procured under this project. The consulting services (“the Services”) being procured via this REoI is for services as Facilitating Partners (FPs) for the CCEP and will cover the around 600 urban communities in the four major cities of Hirat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif for a minimum three-year period each. The Services comprises extensive and comprehensive facilitation support to communities and their elected Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Guzars (GAs) for the whole period, extending from community mobilization to full utilization of their block grants under the program.
3. The IDLG (“The Client”) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. The detailed Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the FPs will be made available in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to shortlisted firms. The following box provides a summary of the key responsibilities expected under these Services:
• Community mobilization, remobilization, election and registration of Community Development Council (CDC)/Guzar Development Councils (GDCs)• Capacity building of CDCs/GDCs to fulfill mandates as whole-of-government entities
• TA to CDCs/GDCs for oversight & coordination of sub-committees
• Socioeconomic profiling through participatory exercises
• Train CDCs/GDCs on inclusive development and reaching marginalized groups
• Active engagement of communities to enhance women's empowerment, participation and inclusion.
• Participatory Community Monitoring team establishment and training
• Participatory community development planning at community & cluster
• Linking CDCs/GDCs to district/provincial governments/development actors – particularly CCNPP partners
• Engaging CDCs/GDCs and Communities in Participatory community empowerment process
• Establishing social audit and grievance handling mechanisms, and a report card system for CDCs/GDCs to monitor sectoral service, in collaboration with relevant Ministry
• Supporting bank account openings for CDCs/GDCs
• Support CDCs/GDCs for development plan ( with five year vision )
• CDCs/GDCs profile for six CC area and submit accurate date CC’s district team for recording
• Train CDCs/GDCs on resource mobilization and fundraising
• Train CDCs/GDCs on operation and maintenance of their own community level projects
• TA to government (IDLG) social mobilisers and other civil servants and Community Consultants at community and district level.
• Support CDCs/GDCs in subproject proposal preparations and later, implementation of the approved subprojects.
• Provide monitoring, technical assistance and capacity building for the subproject implementation and use of block grants by the communities.
• Support communities in full block grant related reporting and accountability measures.
3.1 The Services will be procured as in 4 separate contract packages with 1 package per FP. There are a total estimated 1,195 CDCs and 240 GAs in the 4 cities but of these, this REoI only covers 600 CDCs and 120 GAs 240. It should be noted that the actual list of districts/communities for coverage will be pre-selected by the Government of Afghanistan and will be stated in the RFP.
3.2 The type of contract will be Lump Sum and the contract duration will be 3 years.
3.3 This procurement will follow the World Bank’s Fixed Budget Selection (FBS) method. The full detailed list of districts and number of communities per package is available in the full REoI available at the websites stated below. The summary of the packages is shown below:
The packages to be covered are:
Package # / City / # of CDCs under the ARTF / # of GAs under the ARTF / Maximum cost ceiling in US$ / Maximum cost ceiling in AFA1 / Herat / 200 / 40 / 2,290,000 / 158,010,000
2 / Kandahar / 150 / 30 / 1,717,500 / 118,507,500
3 / Mazar-Sharif / 150 / 30 / 1,717,500 / 118,507,500
4 / Jalalabad / 100 / 20 / 1,145,000 / 79,005,000
Sub total / 600 / 120 / 6,870,000 / 474,030,000
Note: Since it is a Fixed Budget Selection, please note that at RFP stage neither the price proposals nor the final contract value can exceed the contract package wise fixed budget mentioned above. The proposals exceeding the respective Fixed budget amounts will be summarily rejected.
Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The following instructions need to be followed when submitting Expressions of Interest (EoI):
3.3 EoIs can be submitted both in hard and/or soft copies within the stated deadline. If being send only in soft copy, all pages need to be signed and scanned when sending.
3.4 An EoI must be a maximum of 15 pages. Any EoI submission over 15 pages will only be reviewed for the first 15 pages.
3.5 If submitting EoI(s) in hard copy, the EoI for each package must be submitted in a separate envelope marked "EoI for Consultancy Services as FP for CCEP: Package ID CCEP-I/MRRD/CS/FP-____; Submission Date ______(dd/mm/yyyy); Submitted by ______(name of firm or firms).
3.6 If submitting EoI(s) in soft copy, the EoI for each package must be submitted in a separate email marked "EoI for Consultancy Services as FP for CCEP: Package ID CCEP-I/MRRD/CS/FP- ______; Submitted by ______(name of firm or firms).
4. Each EoI needs to include the following elements:
4.1 A cover letter expressing interest in the services and briefly stating which package is being applied for. (Maximum 2 pages)
4.2 Organizational Structure
4.3 Information on Manpower with qualifications, technical and professional competence necessary for successful implementation of the assignment (no need to provide CVs)
4.4 Consultant's overall profile (Maximum 2 pages)
4.5 Consultant's overall organizational structure (Maximum 2 pages)
4.6 Experience of the firm/ firms submitting the EoI in a tabular form including country, client and donor, project title, project reference number, project value, # of international staff months, # of national staff months, project period, brief description of consultant's role in the project. List only the most important and relevant ones. (Maximum 5 pages) (Note: List the largest value and most relevant projects to this assignment first)
4.7 List Consultant's direct experience in large community-driven development projects (Maximum 1 page)
4.8 List Consultant's direct experience in Afghanistan and/or other conflict/ immediate post conflict zones/ countries (Maximum 1 page)
4.9 List Consultant's direct experience in projects related to citizen's charters, citizens score cards, rural development through service provision, or related areas (Maximum 1 page)
4.10 Contact and registration details of the firm or all the firms forming part of the joint venture. (Maximum 1 page)
4.11 Submit financial audit report with annual turnover of the last 3 years (2013, 2014 & 2015);
4.12 Provide evidence for being in business for at least last (5) years.
4.13 Copies of verifiable of similar nature contracts with certificates and full address and contact information of the employer.
5. The short-listing criteria for the EoIs for each package will be as follows:
5.1 Most relevant experience in urban community based development/ CDD programs
5.2 The consultant shall demonstrate having sound financial situation and capacity by submitting financial audit report with annual turnover of at least the minimum amount indicated in the table in any of the last 3 years (2013, 2014 & 2015);
5.3 The consultant should have been in business for at least last (5) years. The consultant shall also have executed at least two contracts of similar nature, each with the minimum value indicated in the table below.
5.4 Organizational Structure
5.5 Manpower with qualifications, technical and professional competence necessary for successful implementation of the assignment (no need to provide CVs)
Package # / LocationProvinces / Annual Turnover Million AFN / Similar Contract Value Million AFN
IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-1 / Herat / 2,200,000 / 1,100,000
IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-2 / Kandahar / 1720000 / 860,000
IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-3 / Mazar-Sharif / 1720000 / 860,000
IDLG/DMM /CCEP/CS/FP-4 / Jalalabad / 1200000 / 600,000
6. Guidance Note on Shortlisting:
6.1 For converting the turnover and similar contract value to USD the exchange rate the date of deadline of this REOI will be considered and the source will be Da Afghanistan Bank.
6.2 Firm has option to apply for any number of assignments. Any firm applying for more than one assignment then at the RFP stage they will be required to propose entirely different sets of key staff for each assignments.
6.3 In case a firm apply for more than one assignment then the aggregate qualification will be considered for shortlisting
6.4 If a firm wants to apply for more than one assignment then they need to provide separate REOI for each assignment in line with guidance provided under bullet# 3.5 & 3.6 above.
6.5 Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. If consultants intend to associate with other firms, they are advised to clearly identify the lead partner and state the composition and nature of the association (JV/ sub-consultant) in their EOI.
6.6 In case the EOI is submitted in form of JV, each partner in the association shall meet the minimum requirements defined in Para.3 above, under the short listing criteria. However, the short listing criteria will not be applied and considered for sub-consultant.
Please note that short list shall be entirely comprising of Only Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs). NGOs are not for profit organizations and are uniquely qualified to assist in these contract packages essentially because of their involvement and knowledge of local issues, community needs, and/or participatory approaches which is key for success of the Citizens Charter.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers published by the Bank in January 2011, Revised 1st July 2014.
(“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Fixed Budget Selection (FBS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e. 08:30 to 13:00 on working days from Saturday to Wednesday. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person or by e-mail) by 24th July 2016.
Procurement Department, Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG)
Attn: Mr. Ahmad Sayed Faizi
Copied to: AbdulBari Ahmadzai
DMM Compound, Address: House # 45, Butcher Street, Behind Bakhtawar Palace, DMM, Kabul, Afghanistan
E-mails: , and ,
Draft V1: REoI for FP Procurement for CCEP-I Page # 3/3