The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) invites expressions of interest from consulting firms, or consortia, who wish to be considered for the provision of services to the IDB for the development of activities related to the Development of a Sustainable Urban Transport System in Arequipa, Peru. The Government of Peru expects to receive funding from the Japanese Trust Fund for Consultancy Services for the purpose of completing this technical cooperation (TC).

The objective of this TC is to facilitate the improvement of the transportation system in Arequipa through the development of an urban transportation project for the short-term (three years) with special focus on public transportation, to be executed with the support of an IDB loan. Other areas of important attention include maintenance of road infrastructure, traffic operations and non-motorized transportation facilities. This project is to be formulated within the context of the organization of a comprehensive medium-term (ten years) master plan for urban transportation. The TC is to include the definition of those actions necessary to construct the institutional, legal and financial structure with which to implement the components of the urban transportation project, as well as the execution of those actions necessary for the implementation of the components associated with its first stage (one year). Activities associated with the institutional, legal and financial structure are expected to require about 50 per cent of the funds available.

Only Japanese firms or consortia led by Japanese firms, with at least part of the staff proficient in English and Spanish, are encouraged to express their interest in these consulting services. The estimated duration of the services is 12 months. For the purposes of defining and partially implementing the institutional, legal and financial structure necessary for the execution of the urban transportation project, direct experience will be required with similar Latin American urban transportation systems. Specifically, direct experience will be required with efficient privately operated and publicly regulated urban public transportation. Since much expertise exists in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, it is expected that a Latin American consultant, with extensive experience in one or more of these countries, be hired. Hence, the Japanese firm will be expected to subcontract Latin American consultants with such direct experience. It will be necessary that the Japanese firm and its Latin American subcontractors closely coordinate activities throughout the development of the urban transportation project. However, the Japanese firm will have the final responsibility for the entire work.

Interested consulting firms must include in their letter (of no more than ten pages; two copies in English): name, electronic and mail addresses, phone and fax numbers, year the firm was founded, organizational chart and main areas of activity, financial statements of the last two years, a general background and a brief description of qualifications indicating previous experience in similar work.

Following standard IDB bidding procedures and regulations for the use of funds from the Japanese Trust Fund for Consultancy Services, after reviewing expressions of interest, a shortlist of no more than six suitable consultants will be invited to bid. Detailed terms of reference and pertinent project information will be provided to the consulting firms asking to prepare a proposal for review. In addition, upon request, all interested firms will receive a list of potential Latin American consultants available for subcontracting with the direct expertise described above.

Contracting will be done directly between the IDB and a selected consulting firm. A Japanese firm must be the principal, and more than 50 percent of resources of the contract must go to the Japanese firm. The call for expressions of interest will remain open until 16 October 2001. Documents received after this date will not be accepted.

Attn: Daniel Turk

Inter-American Development Bank

1300 New York Ave. NW, Mail Stop E-0805

Washington, DC 20577, USA

Tel: (1-202) 623-3886. Fax: (1-202) 623-2064

E-mail: danielt@iadb.org