Contact: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Private Bag 13341, Windhoek, Namibia, Phone: 264-61-208-9111, Fax: 264-61-235-325

B -- NAMIBIA -- DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN RAILWAY EXTENSION FEASIBILITY STUDY POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 Development of the Northern Railway Extension Feasibility Study. The Grantee invites submission of Prequalification Statements from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study to examine the technical, financial, environmental, and other critical aspects associated with the extension of Namibia's rail system northward between Tsumeb and the Ondangwa-Oshakati-Oshikango area. Based upon the Prequalification Statements, the Grantee will develop a short list of qualified firms which will be invited in writing to submit a formal Technical Proposal to carry out the study. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) is providing a grant to the Namibia's Ministry of Works, Transportation and Communications (MWTC), which controls the Trans Namib Limited (TNL) and has formed a steering committee for a project which will extend the Northern Railway. The grant shall be used to conduct a feasibility study for the expansion of the existing railway network in Namibia northward from Tsumeb by construction a railway line from Tsumeb to Ondangwa and to consider a further extension from Ondangwa to Oshakati and/or Oshikango at the Angolan border. The expected extension would be approximately 300 km at most, and would be a part of a 2382 km national rail system. The feasibility study Terms of Reference includes the following: a baseline assessment of the national railway insofar as it will have an effect on the proposed extension; demand forecast in terms of regional development, commodity flow forecast, and passenger demand forecast; a preliminary operational scheme; a definition of alternatives; an evaluation of environmental, social, financial, and economic impacts; and recommended alternatives. Study reports to be prepared by the consultant will include an inception report, monthly progress reports, a final written report, and an oral report to the MWTC. The feasibility study team must include a team leader with broad-based transportation project development experience, a transportation economist, a financial analyst, a transport planner, a railway engineer, and an environmental analyst. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $260,000 grant to MWTC from TDA. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes the requirements for submission of the Prequalification Statements and the Technical Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission/desk study report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may 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 TDA-financed 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 host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Prequalification Statements as outlined in the RFP in English directly to MWTC by 4:00 PM, January 19, 1998 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Prequalification Statements and the Technical Proposals are included in the RFP. Price will NOT be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. MWTC reserves the right to reject any and/or all Prequalification Statements or Technical Proposals. MWTC also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. MWTC is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals. (0352)

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