REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDEPENDENT ENGINEER (FIRMS))

UGANDA
PROJECT: DESIGN, BUILD, FINANCE, OPERATE, MAINTAIN AND TRANSFER OF THE KAMPALA-JINJA EXPRESSWAY PPP PROJECT (KJE)

1. The Government of the Republic of Uganda represented by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has received a grant from the European Union, through delegation to the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and intends to use part of the proceeds of the grant towards payment of the costs under the contract for Consultancy Services for Independent Engineer (IE) Services for the Kampala Jinja Expressway PPP Project (KJE).

2. The project involves the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBFOMT) of a 97km limited access tolled expressway: Kampala - Jinja Mainline Expressway and Kampala Southern Urban Bypass, collectively known as the Kampala-Jinja Expressway PPP (KJE) Project. The proposed concession period is thirty (30) years including five (5) years’ Construction period. Government of Uganda represented by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) will procure a private concessionaire (the Project Company) to Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer the Project, under Availability Payment PPP model and hand back the Project to Government at the end of the 30-year Concession term.

3. The objectives of the Project is to:
a) Enhance regional integration, stimulate trade and industry, boost economic growth by improving trade between Uganda and neighbouring countries;
b) Enhance efficient passenger and freight operations, improve mobility, reduce travel times, vehicle operating costs and accident rates;
c) Enhance trade by reducing the cost of doing business, increase commercial viability of Greater Kampala Metropolitan area as well as the Industrial Zones of Kampala, Namanve, Mukono, and Jinja; and
d) Enhance tourism by providing better connectivity to tourism hotspots, better access to local facilities for communities, creation of employment and increase in value for land and properties along the area of influence.

4. The Project is divided into three sections namely:
a. Section 1: 20 Kms of a Dual Carriage Urban Expressway (4 Lanes) forming a Bypass to the South of Kampala City (Kampala Southern Bypass);
b. Section 2: 35 Kms of a Dual Carriage Expressway (6 Lanes) of Mainline Expressway between Kampala and Namagunga; and,
c. Section 3: 42 Kms of a Dual Carriage Expressway (4 Lanes) between Namagunga and Jinja.

5. The Project scope based on the reference Design includes Construction of approximately 16 Interchanges, 11 Locations for Toll Plazas, 12 Kms of Service roads, 30 Kms of Link roads, 5 Kms of Viaducts, 18 Pedestrian Over Bridges/ Underpasses, 54 Vehicular Over Bridges/Underpasses and 1 Rest area in each direction of the Expressway.

6. The Independent Engineer will be jointly appointed by UNRA and the Project Company in accordance with the Independent Engineer agreement with each of the parties meeting 50% of the Independent Engineer’s costs.

7. The main scope of the Independent Engineering Services shall include Project Supervision and Monitoring & Evaluation activities including performing independent verification, Certification and Quality Assurance services with respect to all aspects of the Design, Environmental and Social Monitoring, Permitting, Financing, Construction, Maintenance, Preservation, Alteration, Operation, Management and Administration of the Project.

8. The duration of the Independent Engineering Services shall be seven (7) years, covering the Construction period for the entire Project and the ramp-up period for Operation and Maintenance activities.

9. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) now invites Consultants to indicate their interest in providing these services. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). Consultants may constitute joint-ventures or Sub-consultancies to enhance their chances of qualification.

10. This Request for Expressions of Interest is open to Consulting Firms.

11. Eligibility criteria to AFD’s financing are specified in sub-clause 1.3 of the “Procurement Guidelines for AFD-Financed Contracts in Foreign Countries”, available online on AFD’s website www.afd.fr. Consultants are required to submit, with the application, a fully signed and unaltered Appendix to this Request for Expression of Interest in respect to Integrity, Eligibility and Social and Environmental responsibility which can be accessed from UNRA’s website www.unra.go.ug.

12. The Applicant shall submit only one application, either in its own name or as a member of a Joint Venture (JV). If an Applicant (including any JV member) submits or participates in more than one application, those applications shall all be rejected. However, the same Sub-consultant may participate in several applications.


If the Applicant is a JV, the Expression of Interest shall include:

a. a copy of the JV Agreement entered into by all members; or,
b. a letter of intent to execute a JV Agreement, signed by all members together with a copy of the Agreement proposal.

In the absence of this document, the other members will be considered as Sub-consultants. Experiences and qualifications of Sub-consultants are not taken into account in the evaluation of the applications.

13. Interested Applicants must provide information evidencing that they are qualified and experienced to perform those Services. For that purpose, documented evidence of recent and similar services carried out within the past fifteen (15) years shall be submitted. Determination of the similarity of the experiences will be based on the following parameters:

a. The Contracts Size:
i. Contracts with values exceeding US$4 million;
ii. Contracts requiring high-level of engagement during at least four (4) years.

b. The Nature of the Services: Independent Engineer role on a road PPP project with the following characteristics:
i. Project with initial Capital Expenditures of US$500 million;
ii. Project has reached substantial completion of Construction;
iii. Project is a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBFOMT) PPP Model project with a full Availability-Based Payment;
iv. Project has been completed and is in the Operation and Maintenance phase (including toll collection) for more than three (3) years; and,
v. Project in Urban/peri-urban areas.

c. The Technical area and Expertise in the following areas:
i. Highway, Drainage, Bridge Design and Construction Monitoring;
ii. Expressway Tolling Operations, Mechanical and Electrical Installations, Intelligent Transportation Systems including CCTV, etc;
iii. Expressway Operations and Maintenance;
iv. Environment and Social, Health and Safety monitoring and management. Demonstrated experience on Projects implemented under IFC’s performance standards are a must;
v. Cost and Construction Management;
vi. Stakeholder Engagement and Communications;
vii. Review of Designs, Certification of Design, Construction and Payment Certificates; and,
viii. PPP Contract Management and Dispute Resolution.


UNRA will also take into account, for the Evaluation of the applications, the following items:

a. Skills and availability of in-house technical back-up Experts provided to the on-site Experts;
b. Local representatives/partners;
c. Evidence of international Certifications on Quality Management and Quality Management System the Applicant would use on a similarly scoped project; and,
d. Demonstrated previous experiences in Developing countries/in Africa and on projects financed by Multi-Lateral Development Banks/Development Finance Institutions.

14. Among the submitted applications, UNRA will shortlist a maximum of six (6) Consultants, to whom the Request for Proposals to carry out the Services shall be sent.

15. Expressions of Interest in English shall be submitted either electronically by email or physically (one original and two copies) to the address below no later than 17th January, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with the envelope or packaging clearly marked “Expression of Interest for Consultancy Services for Independent Engineer for Kampala- Jinja Expressway PPP Project”:

The Director/Head,
Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU)
Uganda National Roads Authority
Plot 3-5, New Port Bell Road
UAP Nakawa Business Park, Block D, First Floor;
P.O. Box 28487, Kampala, Uganda
electronically to: procurement@unra.go.ug

16. Interested Consultants may obtain further information at the address above during office hours 0900 hours to 1600 hours (local time) on Mondays to Fridays.



EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR