Invitation for Bids (International Competitive Bidding) Date

Invitation for Bids

(International Competitive Bidding)

Date: 19 December 2014

Grant Name: 0377-AFG: Energy Sector Development Investment Program (Tranche 5)

Contract No and Title: DABS/014/ICB - Package 4: Procurement of Plant, Design, Supply, Installation,

Testing and Commissioning of 500 kV Dasht-e-Alwan (Pul-e-Khumri) Substation.

Deadline for Bid Submission: 27 February 2015 at 10:00 hours (local Kabul time)

Bid Opening (technical envelope): 27 February 2015 at 10:30 hours (local Kabul time)
1. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) toward the cost of Grant 0377-AFG: Energy Sector Development Investment Program (Tranche 5) and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Grants to payments under the contract for the scope described below under item 2.
2. Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) (“the Employer”) now invites sealed Bids from member countries of ADB for a turnkey contract: Package 4: Procurement of Plant, Design, Supply, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of 500 kV Dasht-e-Alwan (Pul-e-Khumri) Substation. International competitive bidding will be conducted in accordance with ADB’s Single-Stage, Two-Envelope Bidding Procedure. Details and specifications are provided in the Bidding Document.

Name of Goods and Related Services

The Project comprising execution of all contract works on an EPC basis, complete in every respect and at turnkey basis for the following: New 500/220/20 kV Dasht-e-Alwan (Pul-e-Khumri) Substation including four one-phase 133/40 MVA, 500/220/20 kV step-down auto-transformer, 40MVAR 500 kV shunt reactors, 500 kV and 220 kV AIS (Air Insulated Switchgear) switchgear and other equipment. The related 500/220/20 kV substation at Arghande (Kabul) and the 500 kV Overhead transmission line although not tendered out as part of this package but the contractor will need to schedule and align its activities and works with this project so that all 3 projects are completed simultaneously. The Scope of Works includes the following deliveries and services: Design, manufacture, testing, supply, insurance, packing for export, shipment, delivery to site, unloading, provision of access roads, civil works and erection and installation of equipment, testing on completion, commissioning, setting to work and documentation. The Works include: Supply and install gantries and bus conductors for the High Voltage and Medium Voltage equipment along with its circuit breakers, disconnect switches & earthing switches, surge arresters, capacitor voltage transformers and current transformers, Supply and install power transformers along with associated OLTC (On Load Tap Changer), RTCC (Remote Tap Changer Control) and accessories. Supply and install earthing and lightning protection system in the switchyard area and the control and switchgear building, All civil works including construction of the control and switchgear building, diesel generator building, guardhouse & security platforms, roads, sewage system, cable trenches, equipment foundations, Control and Protection Equipment for High and Medium Voltage Equipment Supply and install telecommunication and protection signaling equipment and VHF communication system and security surveillance system. Supply and install required equipment and components for a complete Substation Control and Monitoring System, All necessary fire protection system, HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning), AC (Alternating Current) & DC (Direct Current) supply, cabling/wiring/lighting and auxiliary equipment to complete the works

3. International competitive bidding will be conducted in accordance with ADB's Single-Stage, Two-Envelope Bidding Procedure for Procurement of Plant and is open to all Bidders from eligible source countries. For this procedure, bidders will submit simultaneously two sealed envelopes, one containing the technical proposal and the other the price proposal. Initially, only the Technical Proposals are opened at the date and time advised in the Bidding Document. The Price Proposals remain sealed and are held in custody by the Employer. The Technical Proposals are evaluated by the Employer. No amendments or changes to the Technical Proposals are permitted. The objective of the exercise is to allow the Employers to evaluate the Technical Proposals without reference to price. Bids with Technical Proposals which do not conform to the specified requirements will be rejected as deficient Bids. Price Proposals of technically compliant Bids are opened in public at a date and time advised by the Employer. The Price Proposals are evaluated and the Contract is awarded to the Bidder whose Bid has been determined to be the lowest evaluated substantially responsive Bid.

4. Only eligible bidders with the following key qualifications should participate in the bidding:

• 
  Eligible country of bidder or Joint Venture partners
  
• 
  No conflicts of interest
  
• 
  Not having been declared ineligible by ADB
  
• 
  Government-owned entities have to proof their (i) are legally and financially autonomous, (ii) operate under the principles of commercial law, and that they (iii) are not dependent agencies of the Employer
  
• 
  UN Eligibility
  
• 
  All pending litigation shall be treated as resolved against the Bidder and so shall in total not represent more than fifty percent (50%) of the Bidder’s or any Joint Venture Partner net worth.
  
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  Demonstrate current soundness of the Bidder’s financial position for the last 3 years
  
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  Minimum average annual turnover of US$ 25,000,000 calculated as total certified payments received for contracts in progress or completed, within the last three (3) years.
  
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  The Bidder must demonstrate access to, or availability of, financial resources such as liquid assets, unencumbered real assets, lines of credit, and other financial means, other than any contractual advance payments to meet:
  

1. 
   the following cash-flow requirement, US$ 7,000,000 , and
   
2. 
   the overall cash flow requirements for this contract and its current works commitment.
   

• 
  Experience as contractor, management contractor, or subcontractor for the last ten (10) years
  
• 
  Participation as contractor, management contractor, or subcontractor, in at least 3 turnkey contracts for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of substation equipment above 380kV within the last five (5) years, each with a value of at least US$ 30,000,000 that have been successfully or are substantially completed and that are similar to the proposed plant and services.
  
• 
  At least three (3) turnkey contracts utilizing AIS Equipment at voltages at 500 kV or above, each contract being of value at least US$ 20 million which have been successfully or substantially completed. At least one contract should have been completed outside of the contractors’ home country (requirement of foreign country experience is not applicable for Afghan firms).
  
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  The bidder must demonstrate that it has the personnel for the following key positions for this project: Resident Project Manager, Resident Construction/Site Managers, Resident Substation Engineers, Resident civil Engineers, Commissioning Engineer/s, Quality Control Engineer/s, and Substation Design Engineers.
  
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  The bidder must demonstrate that it has the equipment listed hereafter: Mobile Crane, suitable for single-phase auto transformer 133 MVA (2), High Voltage Testing Equipment (2), Secondary circuits and Protection relays testing equipment for both primary and secondary injection (2), Work trucks (5), Personal and material transport vehicles (5), Excavators 130kW minimum (5), Mobile concrete batching plant (2), Concrete dump trucks (2), Transformer oil treatment plant (2) and Cable pulling machine (2)
  
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  Main Subcontractors have to show sufficient experience or shall be replaced
  

5. Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from DABS and inspect the Bidding Document at the address given below, from 08:00 to 14:00 hours (local Kabul time), Saturday to Wednesday.

6. The Bidding Document, in the English language, may be purchased by interested Bidders on the submission of a written application to the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of USD 200 in favor of DABS Bank Account – DABS Project Management Office (PMO) and Bank Account No 1001201138741 at Kabul Bank, Kabul, Afghanistan. The Bidding Documents can also be procured through courier delivery by requesting through a written application, with proof of bank transfer in favor of DABS for the non-refundable amount of USD 200 (for overseas delivery) in addition to US$150 nonrefundable fee. No liability will be accepted for loss or delay in delivery. Only one set of CDs with the Bid Documents will be delivered, no hardcopies shall be provided.
Bid delivery address is:

Attention: Dr. Waheedullah Popalzai, Director PMO

Program Management Office (PMO),

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS)

Street Address: Chaman houzouri

Floor/Room number: DABS Head Quarter, 2nd Floor, Room No. 313, PMO Office

City: Kabul

Country: Afghanistan

E-mail: [e-mail]
7. All Bids must be delivered at the place and time indicated above together with a Bid Security as specified in the Bidding Documents, ITB 21.1. Late bids shall be rejected.
8. DABS will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by Bidders in connection with the preparation or delivery of Bids.