REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES)

Project Implementation Team Procurement Specialist

Republic of Armenia

Armenia: Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project (CAFSEP)

Grant No. 9241

Project No. 57088-001

Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): CAFSEP-S-24-2 

The Government of the Republic of Armenia (RA), represented by the Ministry of Economy (MoE) has received financing from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) and administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the “Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project” (hereinafter: CAFSEP or Project) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The proposed $3 million grant from JFPR will support Armenia to increase resilience of agricultural livelihoods and enhance food security in rural areas highly vulnerable to climate change impact. The Climate-Adaptive Food Security Enhancement Project (CAFSEP) will focus on two provinces in Shirak and Tavush, where smallholder farmers face high poverty, food insecurity, and climate risks. . The grant will provide the following: (i) climate-resilient energy solutions to 10 villages to reduce energy costs and generate savings for reinvestment into community-wide support for sustainable farming, (ii) livelihood support for 230 rural households through climate-resilient agriculture and income-generating projects of local communities, and (iii) institutional capacity strengthening for the Ministry of Economy (MOE) to support climate adaptation planning and develop climate-responsive investment projects in the agricultural sector and preparation of feasibility studies of two agro-logistic hubs.

The project is aligned with the following impact: sustainable agriculture productivity improved and rural poverty reduced. The project outcome will be climate-adaptive capacity of selected project municipalities and households increased. The project has three outputs: (i) climate-resilient energy solutions established and further enabled, (ii) climate-smart technologies for food security enhancement implemented, and (iii) capacity of the Ministry of Economy (MOE) for climate-smart agricultural planning enhanced.

The Project Implementation Team (PIT) under the RA Ministry of Economy (MOE) is the executing agency (EA) for the project, including ensuring its compliance with main activities envisaged under the Project design. The Project Implementation Procurement Specialist (hereinafter the PIT Procurement Specialist) will be working as a Consultant under Agriculture Programms Implementation Department (APID) of MOE and should primarily report to the PIT Director.

The objective of the assignment is to implement and coordinate all procurement procedures for procurement activities under the Project. The Procurement Specialist shall be responsible for the efficient and timely procurement of works, goods and services, as outlined in the Procurement Plan of the Project. The procurement activities under the Project shall be conducted in accordance with ADB’s Procurement Policy and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from time to time). The PIT Procurement Specialist’s work will be guided by the JFPR Grant Agreement (GA), Grant Assistance Report (GAR) and Project Administrative Manual (PAM) for CAFSEP

The PIT Procurement Specialist shall be responsible for the following tasks:

• Assist with managing and implementing the project and ensuring compliance with the project implementation plan, the grant agreement to ensure consistency with ADB’s Procurement Policy and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from time to time);
• Ensure that the ADB procurement directives and norms, described in the grant agreement, are fully respected in all stages of the procurement of goods, works, and services for the project;
• Assist in preparing bidding documents in accordance with ADB guidelines; coordinate and supervise all project procurement activities, in close coordination with the PIT Director;
• Assist in the evaluation of bids, and in the preparation of bid evaluation reports and obtaining the necessary approval, as well as in contract negotiations and contract preparation;  
• Establish a monitoring system for overseeing project procurement actions, coordinating necessary approvals or correcting shortcomings in procedures, and monitoring and managing progress and deliverables of approved contracts;
• Prepare contract variations with supporting documents for EA’s and ADB’s review;
• Provide support in contract management of all contracts, as requested; and
• Perform other related functions, duties, and tasks as may be requested by PIT Director.

The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia now invites individual consultants (“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.

The required essential qualifications are:

• University degree in Economics, Management, Agriculture or related fields;
• At least 5 years of working experience as a Procurement Specialist; experience in World Bank, Asian Development Bank financed projects or in international organizations or state organizations implementing international projects; working experience with ADB will be an advantage;
• Excellent knowledge of RA relevant legislation;
• Ability to work on several tasks and to work under pressure with tight schedules;
• Excellent command of written and spoken Armenian, good knowledge of English;
• Good interpersonal skills, team work, and problem-solving skills.

The assignment would be carried out throughout the whole duration of the Project, from 2024 to 2026 for a total duration of 20 months.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection of Individual Consultant method (IC) set out in the ADB’s Procurement Policy (2017, as amended from time to time: ADB Procurement Policy)  and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from time to time: Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers).

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 10:00 to 17:00 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (by e-mail, by mail, or in person with digital copies of the Expression of Interest) by 17:00 local time, September 06, 2024.

Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia

Attn: Ms. Lusine Ananyan, Head of International Programs Coordination Division of the Agricultural Programs Implementation Department of the Ministry of Economy of RA

5, Mher Mkrtchyan Str., Yerevan 0010, Armenia

Tel:  +(374)-11-54-25-03

E-mail: luananyan@mineconomy.am