Contact: Lance Ludman, USTDA, 1621 North Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

B -- BULGARIA -- PORT OF BURGAS CONTAINER TERMINAL FEASIBILITY STUDY POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 Port of Burgas Container Terminal Feasibility Study. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) invites expressions of interest from U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for the upgrade of the Port of Burgas Container Terminal Facility. The Port of Burgas is Bulgaria's largest port. It is situated near the entrance to the Black Sea and is therefore the first significant port-of-call for merchant ships entering the Black Sea. Because of this locational advantage, the port provides strategic access to Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Near East. Under the terms of this potential grant, a more detailed technical, engineering, and financial feasibility study of the container terminal at the Port of Burgas will be conducted. The feasibility study will be expected to include: (1) a review of past and current activity; (2) a detailed inventory of current facilities; (3) traffic forecasts; (4) the determination of specific components of the new intermodal facilities; (5) a determination of communications and navigational aids requirements; (6) a master plan; (7) economic and financial forecasts; (8) an environmental impact assessment; (9) a determination of personnel requirements; (10) a study of MIS requirements; and (11) an identified institutional structure prospectus. As a a result of a competition conducted after bids are solicited, the U.S. firm selected would be paid from funds from a yet undetermined grant to the Grantee from TDA. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission/desk study report will be available from TDA upon future notice, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. This notice is simply an effort to solicit expressions of interest. Only U.S. firms and individuals will be eligible to bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses would be included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit an expression of interest in English directly to TDA by fax or mail. (0251)

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