Site Management, Interpretive, and Visitor Experience Plans for Zvërnec – Narta & Bënja Thermal Waters touristic sites

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

 (CONSULTING SERVICES)

Albania

Albanian Development Fund (ADF)

Project for Integrated Urban and Tourism Development (PIUTD)

IBRD Loan No: 8656- ALB.

Project ID Number: P15562

Issuing date: June 28, 2018

 Assignment Title: “Site Management, Interpretive, and Visitor Experience Plans for Zvërnec – Narta & Bënja Thermal Waters touristic sites”, consulting services

 Reference No.: AL-ADF-67670-CS-CQS

The Government of Albania has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Project for Integrated Urban and Tourism Development (PIUTD), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) include: “Site Management, Interpretive, and Visitor Experience Plans for Zvërnec – Narta & Bënja Thermal Waters touristic sites”.

The purpose of this assignment is to (i) define the key elements to enhance the tourism experience in the Zvernec-Narta area; (ii) prepare a site management and maintenance plan (SMMP)  that improves visitor experience, site access, visitors safety and site interpretation as well as maintenance at Zvërnec – Narta touristic site; (iii) prepare a SMMP that improves visitor experience, site access, visitors safety and site interpretation as well as maintenance  at the Bënja Thermal Springs area of Bredhi i Hotovës protected area; iv) prepare technical designs for the interventions identified in these plans that are to be implemented by the project, and; v) provide technical supervision of these works.

This assignment is composed in two phases as follow:

I. Phase A: Site Management and Maintenance Plans and Design Services

Under this phase the Consultant will carry out the following main activities:

• Carry out a rapid inception desk-review, including stocktaking and preparation of a Work-Plan.
• Prepare Site Management Plans for each site, which will provide sustained stewardship and management to the touristic sites including interpretation plans, visitor access, visitors safety and management structures.
• Prepare Maintenance Plans for each site. After the completion of the works, at the end of Defects Liability Period, the Works of the subproject will be taken over by the beneficiary authority, which is the organization that has the ownership and administration right of the sub-project. An operation and maintenance agreement will be signed between ADF and the beneficiary, including the maintenance plan prepared by the consultant, which outlines obligations of the beneficiary for at least a 5-year period of operation and maintenance.
• Prepare a priority list for site infrastructure improvements based on the management and maintenance plans, to include but not limited to the access roads, parking areas, trails, core tourism areas, and interpretive, orientation and informational signage to be submitted for approval by the Client.
• Prepare preliminary concept designs for the prioritized infrastructure intervention projects within the 2 sites, aimed to the achievement of the above management plans and comply with the PIUTD package of financing and guidelines.
• Prepare detailed designs, BoQs, Price Analysis, technical specifications, technical reports and works schedule for selected investments so that they are ready for bidding.

The activities for Phase A are expected to be performed through the following tasks:

Task 0: Inception Report and Working Plan;

Task 1: Site Management and Maintenance Plan;

Task 2: Identify and prioritize the interventions for the touristic sites. Prepare Preliminary Projects Design for the identified infrastructure interventions;

Task 3: Detailed Designs and bidding documents;

 II. Phase B: Supervision of Works Services

 The activities for supervision services are expected to be carried out through the following phases.

Activity 1: Inception Phase

Activity 2: Construction Phase

Activity 3: Defects Liability Period

Albanian Development Fund (ADF) now invites eligible consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

Qualifications

 Site Management Plans and Detail Design Phase: A multi-disciplinary team of 7 key staff professional and technical personal will be required for the execution of the project.  The Consultant Team should be led for the full term of the project by a Principal Team Leader with international experience in tourism planning, site management especially in natural protected areas (Core team: Key staff 1) and a local tourism specialist should be mobilized fully for the duration of the consultancy to serve as local liaison (Core team: Key staff 4) and can deliver consortium consultancy services. The Team Leader and tourism specialist (of the local liaison) should make a minimum of field visits to the project areas each as part of the development of site management plans & design services, which will be reflected in the work plan and be subject of evaluation and selection process of the Consultant. The presence of the key international staff is considered obligatory as part of the deliverable in the stakeholder workshop.

 The key team composition for Detail Design phase shall be as below:

• Team Leader (Key staff 1 /International)-  International Tourism Expert M. Sc. in Tourism or equivalent with postgraduate qualifications in Tourism Planning. He/she should have at least 15 years of working experience in tourism planning, site management especially in natural protected areas;
• Architect (Key staff 2)- M.Sc. in Architecture or equivalent with postgraduate qualifications in Cultural heritage management and interventions. 10 (ten) years in design/supervision/construction of infrastructure projects with previous experience in interventions in cultural heritage sites/build heritage;

• Expert on Protected Areas Management (Key staff 3) – Graduated in biology or forestry. MSc degree or post graduate course in natural resources management, biodiversity protection or forestry management and planning He/she should have at least 5 (five) years of professional experience in preparation and implementation of protected areas management plans; good knowledge of local actors involved in protected areas management; resource protection and visitor management.

• Local tourism expert (Key staff 4) – Graduated in Tourism or M.Sc. He/she should have at least 5 years of professional experience, particularly in ecotourism/adventure tourism.

• Civil Engineer (Key staff 5) –  M.Sc. in Civil Engineering with 5 years  postgraduate experience in different construction projects design in urban infrastructure, civil works, etc;

• Environmental Specialist (Key staff 6) – With relevant postgraduate qualifications in the relevant field with at least 5 years’ experience with preparation of EIA reports according to national laws. Certified for Environmental Impact Assessment – EIA, from the National Licensing Center for EIA, National Registration Center extract; Experience with WB and other international institutions requirements for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is a plus

• Topographic Engineer (Key staff 7) – M.Sc. in Topographic Engineering with 10 (ten) yrs. postgraduate experience in topographic surveys of similar projects. GIS Expertise

Supervision phase:

The Consultant shall provide an experienced construction supervision and contract administration team of 5 key staff as the supervision team with proven technical and managerial competence and experience in the supervision of construction works under World Bank Conditions of Contractor, Albanian Legislation and internationally recognized contract conditions used by IFI’s. It is the responsibility of the Consultant to make sure that there is continuity between Design Phase and Supervision Phase .For this reason the architect from the design phase will be the team leader of supervision phase.

The key team composition for the supervision phase shall be as below:

• Team Leader (Key staff 1)-Sc. in Architecture or equivalent with postgraduate qualifications in Cultural heritage management and interventions with 10 (ten) years in design/supervision/construction of infrastructure projects with previous experience in interventions in cultural heritage sites/build heritage;
• Site Supervision Engineer – (Key staff 2) – He/she shall have at least a Master (3+2) or equivalent University Degree in Civil Engineering with 8 (eight) years in design/supervision/construction of infrastructure projects (roads, urban infrastructure, buildings, etc.);
• Material Engineer (Key staff 3)- He/she shall have at least a Master (3+2) or equivalent University Degree in Civil Engineering with 10 (ten) years of material engineer experience in design/supervision/construction projects;
• Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Specialist (Key staff 4)- University Degree in Environmental Engineering or equivalent with 8 (eight) years on environmental engineering. Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or equivalent. Extra qualifications in social aspects are a plus;
• Quantity Surveyor/Engineer (Key staff 5) – He/she shall have at least a University Degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent with 8 (eight) years of topo-surveying experience in design/supervision/ construction of large infrastructure projects;

The short listing criteria are:

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011, revised July 2014), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

The consultant should be a Firm. The selection method to be applied for this services through Consultant Qualifications selection procurement procedure (CQs), in accordance with the procedures set out the World Bank’s Guidelines Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers” (January 2011, revised July 2014).

 Site Management and Design Services should be performed within 4 months period, and the level of inputs required is 13 man/months. The firm will be contracted for the design phase under a lump sum contract.

 Supervision Services should be performed within 11 months period, and the level of inputs required is 14 man/months. The firm will be contracted for the supervision phase under a time base contract.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 08:00 to 16:30 (Monday to Thursday) and 08:00 to 14:00 on Friday.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by July 13, 2018.

 Albanian Development Fund (ADF)

Project for Integrated Urban and Tourism Development (PIUTD)

Address:  Rruga: ”Sami Frashëri”, Nr. 10, Tirana

Tel/Fax: +355 4 2235 597/8; +355 4 2234 885

Att: Mr. Erik Qirjaqi

Att: Mr. Artur Zaja

E-mail: eqirjaqi@albaniandf.org

E-mail: azaja@albaniandf.org

https://www.albaniandf.org