Rolando Alberto Dmaz Benavides, Gerente de Planif, Comisisn Ejecutiva Portuaria Autsnoma (CEPA), Edf. Torre Roble, 7a. Planta Blvd los Hiroes, San Salvador, ES, C.A. Tel: (503) 260-5477, Fax: (503) 260-3307

B -- EL SALVADOR NATIONAL RAILROAD REHABILITATION FEASIBILITY STUDY POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the El Salvador National Railroad, FENADESAL. The grantee, the Comisisn Ejecutiva Portuaria Autsnoma (National Port Authority, CEPA), wishes to commission a study to determine whether there is a niche for rail service in which a private sector operator/investor might reasonably achieve a position of return within a period of six years or less. The study will review and evaluate a series of past studies, determine whether phased introduction of improvements in plant and equipment could reduce up-front investor risk, and, if appropriate, recommend a specific program which could lead to concessioning, contract service operations, or selected spin-offs by the year 2002. The study will be comprised of the following tasks: 1. Review the current state of infrastructure and equipment in FENADESAL Districts 2 and 3, both through on the ground inspection and a review of prior studies; 2. Develop a market study to examine both the prospects of expanded business from existing (or former) customers and business opportunities that might arise with specified improvements to plant and equipment; 3. Specify a range of alternatives for rehabilitating the railroad and develop an action plan of approximately 20-25 years; 4. Examine forms of private sector participation and develop implementation strategies; 5. Consider the range of environmental, legal, organization, and social impact analyses required for a structured, systematic contracting and/or concessioning process to go forward in a timely and efficient manner. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $199,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission report is 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 the 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 Proposal in Spanish (one original and five copies) and English (one original) directly to the Grantee by JULY 23, 1999, 4:00pm local time at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.* Posted 06/10/99 (I-SN341548). (0161)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0014 19990614\B-0003.SOL)