ANNOUNCEMENT: Invitation for Expressions of Interest/Consultant Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer

GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA

INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING OF THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PORTS

TROPICAL STORM ERIKA POST RECOVERY EFFORTS

CONSULTING ENGINEERING SERVICES TO UNDERTAKE DETAILED HYDROLOGIC/HYDRAULIC DESIGNS OF FLOOD MITIGATION WORKS – POST TROPICAL STORM ERIKA

REQUEST OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The Government of The Commonwealth of Dominica (GOCD) has applied for financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of Institutional Strengthening of the Ministry of Public Works and Ports (MPW) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued.  Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOCD and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement.  The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.  No party other than GOCD shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

MPW, the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure the services of a Consultant Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer to complete requisite designs which will support the Ministry in its post disaster recovery efforts.

The expected outcome of the Project is the production of high-quality designs for the rehabilitation or reconstruction of selected infrastructure, based on the selection of the least life-cycle cost alternatives, with the integration of climate resilient standards and guidelines for satisfying the appropriate design criteria. 

The Consultant Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer will report to the Chief Technical Officer, MPW, or an officer designated to Coordinate the post Tropical Erika recovery efforts, and will be responsible for all technical designs, planning, monitoring, supervision, quality control and capacity building as it relates to works specific to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of selected infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Erika. They shall also be responsible for the verification and certification of Hydrologic/Hydraulic designs, namely as it relates to bridges, culverts and river defence works conducted through consultants and in consultation with the structural engineer.  The Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer will work closely with engineers within the Ministry to complete the requisite designs. The additional scope of services includes, but are not limited to:

1. reviewing and analysing all relevant additional data available, including: inter alia, rainfall statistical data; design and maintenance data for the infrastructure; previous studies; meteorological, hydrological and hydraulic information; potential climate change impacts; topographical data; existing and proposed land use; and any other information relevant for the assignment;

1. overseeing and or completing field surveys and investigations to suitably inform the design processes, in particular:

1. detailed bridge condition inspection surveys;

1. topographical surveys;

1. location of utilities; and

1. hydraulic surveys.

1. preparation of the preliminary hydraulic structure designs, including culverts, open channels, pipes, crossings and bridges in consultation with structural and road design engineers in accordance with guidelines published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) or similar authoritative international guidelines acceptable to GOCD and CDB;

1. assessing the validity of the recommended preliminary design alternatives through the use of hydraulic modelling and analyses, peak discharge calculation, cost estimates and ensuring that the least-cost alternative has been recommended.  Life-cycle costs shall be considered;

1. preparing final hydraulic designs for the rehabilitation or reconstruction of the infrastructure at identified locations, utilising approved national standards, relevant AASHTO specifications and guidelines or other authoritative, international design standards/references acceptable to GOCD and CDB.  The alternatives will assume a minimum 75-year structural design life for new structures, and will adhere to guidance by AASHTO;

1. identifying climate vulnerability of the design options and make recommendations on the most appropriate return frequency for the design storm event. Factors to be considered should include: increases in the frequency and/or intensity of extreme precipitation leading to more frequent flooding events; and increased river flows.  Based on this analysis, the consultants should identify adaptation/resilience building options;

1. preparing an Environmental and Social Management Plan along with any initial environmental and social screening to identify potential impacts due to the proposed works and measures to mitigate negative impacts;

1. preparing implementation schedule and estimate of resources needed, including base costs, life-cycle costs, physical and price contingencies for the development of each preliminary design option proposed;

1. preparing detailed final hydraulic and hydrologic designs and specifications as necessary, for all civil and structural works installations and items of equipment to be procured.  The detailed specifications will be produced in accordance with accepted international standards; and in particular the Caribbean Unified Building Code;

1. preparing bills of quantities (BOQs) and detailed cost estimates for the proposed works, based on the designs and specifications above.  Current costs for similar works in Dominica will be used as a basis for all unit rates and detailed costings; and

1. assisting MPW personnel in the preparation of the Tender Documents.

Prospective candidates must be a civil engineer with a minimum of the following qualifications:

1. a Masters Degree or equivalent in Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineering with a minimum of 7 years’ experience in hydrologic analysis and design varying catchment areas and rivers, verify the design and implement the design during construction and a minimum of at least 5 years’ experience in construction management/supervision; and

1. the ability to complete hydraulic structural designs, including culverts, open channels, pipes, crossings and bridges; and

1. experience of planning and monitoring geotechnical and hydraulic investigations for bridge, drainage and river defence works, work closely with structural and road engineers and interpreting the findings thereof, formulating and implementation of work schedules/quality assurance plans, would be required.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of ten months.

MPW now invites interested eligible individual consultants to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services.

Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

1. the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and

1. in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.

Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.

In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience on similar assignments, and existing commitments.  All information must be submitted in English.  Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 0800 and 1600 hours, Monday to Friday.

Four hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than 1400 hours on Friday, October 30, 2015 and one hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the secondaddress below.  The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked Expression of Interest – Consultant Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer.

Following the assessment of submissions, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to negotiate a contract to provide the consultancy services.  GOCD reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety.  It will not be bound to assign any reason for not selecting any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.