Student Accomodation Expert

We have just been shortlisted for a Transaction Advisory and a Project Preparation Project in Azerbaijan.

This assignment consists on supporting us on preparation of the pilot university student accommodation PPP projects, and help strengthen the capacity of the government in PPPs.

In general, the Scope of Work of this assignment is the following:

1. The consultants will help to assure quality of the project preparation documentation, and (ii) the MOEc (as the chair of the tender committees to be established for each project’s procurement) to (a) develop and revise, if needed, the prequalification and bidding documents for BSU and ASOIU PPP projects (including draft PPP contracts per section 3 of the Rules), (b) carry out the bidding for the projects, (c) interact with the winning bidders after the bidding, and (d) interact and update, if needed, the project agreement documentation between the contracts’ signing and the financial close. The consultants will also provide institutional strengthening and capacity building to the MOEc, as the country’s PPP authority, in the priority measures envisaged under the Strategic Road Map for the manufacture of small and medium entrepreneurship-level consumer goods in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

2. In helping the MOE, BSU and ASOIU to review the project proposals and preliminary feasibility studies prepared by the PPF, the consultants will ensure its inputs are provided in an objective, constructive, and solution-oriented manner.

3. The consultant’s support during project tendering and commercial and financial closing will be guided by the requirements of the tender committees. The substantial description of the areas, in which the consultant will support the tender committees, is presented in Chapter 6 of the PPP Certification Guide.9 Illustratively, the support areas are:

• Project Marketing and Tendering
(i) Prepare Project Information Memorandum(IM)/ Expression of Interest (market teaser);
(ii) Based on the approved final Project structure, develop the draft heads of PPP contracts into complete PPP contracts in preparation for the tender;
(iii) Prepare the tender documents, including pre-qualification documents;
(iv) Issue market teasers in local and international markets and, based on pre-determined criteria, assess the capability of the local and international market/prospective bidders (including sponsors, contractors, sub-contractors and financiers) to deliver the Project;
(v) Support the launch of RFQ process by arranging pre-qualification conferences and respond to queries/clarifications from bidders on the RFQ, and RFP as necessary;
(vi) Develop mechanisms to evaluate responses to the RFQ and RFP, to prepare evaluation reports and to recommend the lists of pre-qualified/preferred/reserve bidders for the PPP contract, to ensure bidder selection that maximizes competition and provides most value for money on the Project;
(vii) Prepare virtual data room10 containing key documents and information, including the draft PPP contracts and RFPs to assist pre-qualified parties in preparing bids; and,
(viii) Respond to request for clarification from pre-qualified bidders on the IM, concession agreement, RFP and other documents.

• Contract tendering, selection of winning bidder and financial closing
(i) Finalize the technical specifications and performance standards (KPIs) which the PPP contractor should meet, including an equitable performance monitoring and evaluation system;
(ii) Based on mechanisms developed, assist in the evaluation of bids to ensure bidder selection that provides most value for money on the Project;
(iii) Based on mechanisms developed, assist in determining the preferred bidder and reserve bidder(s);
(iv) Assist MOEc and the MOE in negotiations with the selected preferred bidder to commercial closing;
(v) Based on the preferred bidder’s proposal, develop an optimal risk sharing/allocation acceptable to the Government, private sector investors and project finance lenders, to maximize the probability of reaching commercial and financial close11;
(vi) Coordinate with MOE and preferred bidder, and assist in soliciting and assessing financing term sheets from prospective project finance lenders (including from commercial banks, MDBs, bi-lateral development banks, institutional investors, etc.). Benchmark the financing proposals with similar/comparable project financing that has been closed in the last 5 years;
(vii) As necessary, assist MOEc and the MOE in engaging with prospective project finance lenders and coordinate with the winning bidder’s plan to reach financial closing within three months after commercial closing; and,
(viii) As necessary, assist MOEc and the MOE in negotiations with the short-listed project finance lenders to financial closing.

• Strengthening of the PPP institutional framework:
(i) Analysis of critical constraints to promotion of PPPs and development of proposals to address such constraints;12
(ii) Review of the planned infrastructure projects during 2018–2020 to identify and prioritize those which can be implemented through PPP modality; and (
(iii) Development of proposals for strategic cooperation with international organizations (e.g. Asian Development Bank) to support Azerbaijan’s PPP program’s roll-out.

*Each assignment requires to spend approximately 2 months in Azerbaijan (Intermittent).

• The consultant must have at least 10 years of relevant experience
• The consultant must have worked in some AsDB projects before
• The consultant must have carried out at least 5 PPP projects or other private participation in infrastructure projects
• The consultant should have an University degree
• An excellent command in English, both writing and speaking