Details of REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) For Engineering Backstopping Services to Enhance Water Availability for Crop and Livestock Production in 32 Project Villages

BACKGROUND

Somaliland Food Systems Resilience Project (SL-FSRP) is part of a regional initiative by the World Bank to provide a comprehensive framework for intervention at both the national and regional levels. This Multi-phase Programmatic Approach (MPA) aims to tackle the underlying structural challenges of food insecurity and reduce beneficiaries' vulnerability to unpredictable climate, crisis, and conflict events

The Project Development Objective (PDO) of the project is ‘to increase the resilience of food systems and the Somaliland’s preparedness for food insecurity in project target areas. Progress toward the PDO will be measured using five PDO indicators and intermediate indicators. All relevant indicators will be disaggregated by gender (men and women) and age (youth and adult). The project has six components namely: Component 1: (Re-)Building Resilient Agricultural Production Capacity; Component 2: Supporting the Sustainable Development of Natural Resources for Resilient Agricultural Landscapes; Component 3: Getting to Market; Component 4: Promoting a Greater Focus on Food Systems Resilience in National and Regional Policymaking; Component 5: Contingent Emergency Response Component; Component 6: Project Coordination and Management. 

The Somaliland FSRP will directly benefit an estimated 65,000 of small farmers, agro-pastoralists, and nomadic pastoralists, at least 30 percent of which will be women. In addition, the project will support value chain stakeholders including women-owned agribusiness enterprises, financial services providers, disruptive Agriculture Technology start-ups, agricultural research and extension institutions. Within the public sector, the project will also build the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture Development, Ministry of Livestock and Rural Development and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and other institutions to implement resilience- focused policies.

The main objective of this consultancy service is to support the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Ministry of Livestock and Rural Development of Somaliland by providing specialized technical assistance (backstopping engineering services) for water source identification and abstraction, water infrastructure development, irrigation systems development, capacity enhancement, and the formulation of Bills of Quantities (BoQs) and methodologies for crop production and livestock watering. This support will focus on selected crops and livestock across 32 project villages, ensuring effective and sustainable implementation.  Specific objectives are to:

1) Develop Construction Investment Reports: The Consultant shall, in collaboration with the PIU staff, develop a comprehensive Construction Investment Report. This report shall include all necessary civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, geotechnical, and foundation designs, along with detailed technical specifications, material requirements (quality and quantity), and funding needs presented in a Bill of Quantities (BoQ) for the construction of the proposed water harvesting structures for both crops and livestock watering; 

2) Support in Procurement and Contracting: The Consultant shall support and guide the PIU in the procurement and contracting of a Construction Companies for the implementation of the proposed water structures; 

3) Construction Supervision: The Consultant shall supervise the construction of water structures intended for irrigation and livestock watering to ensure alignment with the approved designs and BoQs, and 

4) Capacity Building: The Consultant shall support the capacity development of PIU and relevant staff from implementing ministries supervising construction activities and promoting climate-smart innovations for irrigation and water access for both crops and livestock production.

The level of effort is estimated at a maximum of 18 months, including preparation, data collection, data analysis, supervision and reporting. The assignment is expected to commence on 1 December 2025, with the final report to be submitted by 1 June 2027.

Skills and qualifications

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found on the following website: https://sl-fsrp.org/vacancies-and-tender/  or it can be provided upon submission of application in person or by e-mail. The e-mail address is provided below.

The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD) now invites eligible consulting firms (“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 (organizational profile, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).  The key shortlisting criteria are as follows:

·         Core business and years in business: The firm must have a core business of at least 10 years in providing engineering backstopping services in rural water supply, small-scale irrigation, and climate-resilient infrastructure, preferably in arid and semi-arid regions.

·         Relevant Experience: Proven experience in conducting at least two (2) similar backstopping services in rural water supply, small-scale irrigation, and climate-resilient infrastructure, preferably in arid and semi-arid regions. The Consultant shall provide the name and contact address of the Client (office and e-mail address and telephone number), date(s) of execution, name (s) of lead and associate firms, contract amount and financing sources.

The firm must demonstrate experience working with government institutions and community-based organizations in fragile and conflict-affected settings, with a focus on participatory planning, capacity building, and sustainable infrastructure development. Prior engagement in the World Bank and/or other donor-funded projects involving environmental and social safeguards compliance is required.

Experience of relevant services in an environment similar to that of Somaliland and/or East Africa is required

·         Technical and managerial organization of the firm: - Provide only the structure of the organization. (Do not provide CVs of staff). Key experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers dated July 2016, revised November 2017, August 2018, November 2020 and September 2023. (“the Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but they should indicate clearly whether the association is a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall jointly and severally liable for the entire contract if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations.

Interested Consultants may obtain further information (in person or by e-mail) at the address below during office hours from 8.00 a.m.– 3.00 p.m. Saturday to Thursday except on public holidays.

How to apply

Expressions of interest should be delivered in a written form to the address below (by e-mail or in person) on or before 15 July 2025, at 3.00 pm EAT, Somaliland local time. The Subject of the email should be marked with “Expression of Interest for Backstopping Services - SO-MOAD-SL-439466-CS-QCBS” and sent to the email below.

Address:
Office of the Project Coordination Unit
Somaliland Food Systems Resilience Project (SL-FSRP)
Ministry of Agricultural Development
Sha'ab Area, east of Assod Hotel
Hargeisa, Somaliland

Attn: Mrs. Zamzam Ahmed, Procurement Specialist

Email: Procurement@sl-fsrp.org  with copy to Procurement.Copy@sl-fsrp.org