SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- ADVISORY ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF A DEFINITIONAL MISSION (DM) FOR MULTI-SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES IN MADAGASCAR (AFRICA REGION)
- Notice Date
- 10/24/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- United States Trade and Development Agency, TDA Contracts Office, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA, 22209-3901
- ZIP Code
- 22209-3901
- Solicitation Number
- USTDA04-Q-007
- Response Due
- 11/26/2003
- Archive Date
- 12/11/2003
- Point of Contact
- Forestine Winters, Contract Specialist, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009, - Della Glenn, Contracts Officer, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009,
- E-Mail Address
-
contract@tda.gov, contract@tda.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is seeking proposals from U.S. Contractors. The opening date for the Request for Proposal is November 11, 2003 and the closing date is November 26, 2003. The United States Trade and Development Agency (hereinafter ?USTDA? or the ?Government?) is considering the provision of grant funds for a multi-sector feasibility study in the Madagascar. The objective of this contract is to secure advisory and assistance services in determining whether to fund a feasibility study(s) or any alternative activities that the Contractor sees as a viable option for USTDA consideration. This means the Contractor?s recommendation will take into consideration the entire range of USTDA program capabilities, such as alternative technical assistance, orientation visits, or training grants. USTDA?s website, www.tda.gov may be used as a resource tool. To specifically meet the objective, the Contractor shall provide expert analysis on: potential risks of the proposed project; potential exports of U.S. equipment and services that could be utilized in project implementation; and priority of the proposed project to the host country. The Contractor shall provide a final report to USTDA. The Contractor shall use a project life cycle approach in formulating recommendations, analysis of the issues and a recommendation on whether USTDA should fund a study or studies on the project(s). All recommendations to fund a study shall include a complete budget and terms of reference. USTDA has received expressions of interest for feasibility funding for projects in the energy, transportation, and mining/natural resources sectors in Madagascar from both the Government of Madagascar and from the local private sector. USTDA staff visited Madagascar to conduct an initial review of proposed projects and has narrowed its interest to one or two strong projects in each of the above sectors. The selected Definitional Mission team will be expected to review each of these projects and others in country to make a recommendation to USTDA for feasibility funding. It is expected that the DM team will travel between the end of November 2003 and the end of December 2003. The Contractor should plan for a significant amount of travel in Madagascar. The DM team will be expected to communicate with USTDA officers in Washington, DC, and Johannesburg, South Africa, on a regular basis. USTDA in Madagascar (Potential Projects) ? TRANSPORTATION: Project No.1 - Pangalanes Canal / Port of Manakara - Constructed by the French in early 1900s to create a safe inland waterway along Malagasy east coast, to offset treacherous Indian Ocean conditions for improved maritime navigation. Upgraded with inland port facilities, dredging by African Development bank during 1980s. Lack of continual dredging has limited effective capacity of canal. If dredging program and capital improvements were implemented, canal would open multimodal transport, cabotage and trade possibilities between Fianarantsoa ?Manakara (via the FCE Railway, to be concessioned) and Manakara ? Tamatave (largest Malagasy port via the canal). The primary financier of the upgrade would be revenue gained from fossil fuels transport, but also local agricultural producers along the canal. A feasibility study needs to focus on two distinct issues: a) The section of the Canal from Tamatave to Manajary that has already been opened up in the past to barge traffic; b) the section from Manajary to Manakara that is not at present wide enough to sustain barge traffic. The feasibility study must consider the Canal de Pangalane as a uniform entity from Tamatave to Manakara, but technical and economic issues vary between the two sections. Project No. 2-Ft. Dauphin (Taolanaro) Port ? The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is working with QMM (Rio Tinto?s ilmenite development) to develop a new, major deepwater port to handle the mineral export and local trade needs for southeastern Madagascar. A $70 million Public Private Partnership (PPP) development, it appears that IFC and QMM will come to terms with the government for financing. Likely not a USTDA interest, unless the parties come back and request additional assistance in design and financial structuring. Project No. 3-Mahajanga Port- A new port is planned for north of Mahajanga, a major industrial city on the west coast. Project No. 4-Diego (Antsiranana) Port - Local industry ? fishing and vanilla ? as well as a co-located shipyard, require port improvements. French government is financing road and port upgrades. Project No. 5 -Tulear Port - Rehabilitation design work already completed under World Bank program. Minimal quay rehab and port extension work envisaged. Government needs to commit resources or line up private equity. Likely not large enough for USTDA interest. Project No. 6 - Tamatave Port ? This project is presently being concessioned with IFC consulting. Need to expand/rehabilitate infrastructure, improve efficiency. Several shipping lines will bid for container terminal concession. No current USTDA prospects. Project No. 7-Ivato Airport - Several plans proposed, including new passenger terminal, new cargo terminal, new highway to connect airport with Tananarive and/or a new convention center. While some re-structuring of airport facilities is necessary (particularly cargo), it appears that Ivato is right-sized for current passenger/cargo throughput. Likely no USTDA potential. POWER - Hydropower is a high priority of the government, given the prohibitive high cost of thermal power generation Madagascar experiences today. Project No. 8-20 MW HPP (near Ft. Dauphin) - QMM will require 10-12 MW when production begins in 2009. It would guarantee offtake. Remainder of power could be sold to local industrial/residential consumers, as Ft. Dauphin is not connected to national grid. No known pre-Feasibility Study (FS) work to date. Site on Mandrare or Marianara River. IFC suggest a wind/solar supplement could be a useful co-renewable add-on to existing thermal facility. Ministry rather is focusing solely on hydro solution. Project No.9-60-70 MW HPP (to supply Muramanga) -Presently, considered under EDF (French company) pre-FS concluded 2003. Ferro-chrome industry and possible Phelps-Dodge nickel mine would require 50-60 MW of power by 2010. With transmission extension, could be easily connected to main highlands backbone power grid. Three sites have been analyzed for construction ? Lohavanna, Volobe, Ranomafana. Project No. 10-40 MW HPP (near Mahajanga) - Several sites have been analyzed for a HPP to supply Mahajanga with power. Facility lacks an obvious industrial guarantor, but power could serve municipality and regional sugar processing. USTDA conducted feasibility study in 1986 on Ambodiroka site. DM needs to review that report and determine applicability to current strategy. Project No. 11-Bagasse Power Projects (facility near Ambanja) - The power unit could require upgrading; bagasse could be extended to its three other facilities. NATURAL RESOURCES ? Project No. 12-Moramanga Nickel Mining - USTDA expects to receive a request from Phelps Dodge/Dynatec for a final feasibility study on its 40,000 tpa nickel mining development near Moramanga that is slated for commissioning in 2010. Project No. 13-Ferro-chrome - USTDA conducted a feasibility study for a facility rehab near Moramanga in 1996. Minister of Mines and Energy requests re-consideration of this project, as well as additional mining opportunities in the sector. Key question for new mining ventures is the amount of preliminary geology that has been done. Project No. 14-Graphite - Similar to Ferro-chrome, Minister of Mines and Energy has requested that USTDA consider the possibility of developing projects where some preliminary geology is available. The French founded and have dominated the sector since the building of the FCE Railway in the early 1900s. Today, 3 French firms operate facilities, though minimal capital has been invested in recent years. New sites could be developed. Project No. 15-Sugar - Sirama, the state sugar company, is undergoing privatization and rehabilitation. Madagascar produces 40,000 tpa of sugar, despite capacity to produce 120,000 tpa. It was unable to make use of its valuable U.S. sugar quota last year. Mauritian firms have expressed the greatest interest, having already invested $3 million in rehabilitation projects in advance of the privatization. The estimated cost for this work does not exceed $40,000. USTDA, located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, promotes American private sector participation in developing and middle-income countries, with special emphasis on economic sectors that represent significant U.S. export potential. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, business workshops, and various forms of technical assistance, we help U.S. businesses compete for infrastructure projects in emerging markets. We assist in building mutually beneficial partnerships between American companies and overseas project sponsors that result in increased U.S. exports and jobs, and the completion of high quality, successful projects in host countries. The Small Business Act, at 15, U.S.C. 252, authorizes procuring agencies to aside procurements or portions of procurements for the exclusive participation of Small Businesses Concerns. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this procurement is 541330. Definition: ?Small business concerns? for purposes of USTDA award of this total set aside contract means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operating for which it is bidding. In determining whether dominance exists for USTDA?s purpose for this contract, consideration is given to annual gross receipts. Any concern that is annual gross receipts above $5 million dollars, averaged over a three year period, is not considered small and is therefore, NOT eligible for award under this contract. All participating organizations involved with supplying professional services must be incorporated or chartered in the United States. Consultants planning teaming arrangements must be U.S. citizens or resident aliens. In accordance with FAR 19.301, offerors will be required to submit self-certification relating to business size. The competitive proposals method of solicitation as set forth in Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1) shall be utilized for this procurement. The solicitation does not obligate USTDA to award a contract, nor does it commit USTDA to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Any explanation desired by an offeror regarding the meaning or interpretation of this solicitation must be requested in writing and with sufficient time allowed for reply to reach the offerors before submission of their offerors. All oral explanations or instruction, given before award of this contract will not be binding. Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning the solicitation will be furnished promptly to all prospective offerors as an amendment of the solicitation, if such information is necessary to offerors submitting proposals or if lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed offerors. The contractor must be in the position to present fair and unbiased information pursuant to the statement of work. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued on/about (15) fifteen days after the publication date of this synopsis. The RFP opening date is NOVEMBER 11, 2003 and the closing date is NOVEMBER 26, 2003. Only written requests for the RFP that indicate the company?s size will be honored. U.S. eligible small businesses interested in receiving the RFP should preferably send an email to contract@tda.gov. Requests by fax may be sent to Forestine Winters at (703) 875-4009 or a letter by U.S. mail to the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Contracts Office, 1000 Wilson Blvd. ? Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. TELEPHONE REQUESTS WILL NOT BE HONORED.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 1000 Wilson Boulevard - Suite 1600, Arlington, VA
- Zip Code: 22209
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 22209
- Record
- SN00459631-W 20031026/031024213432 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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