SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Honduras Port of Cort?s Modernization project Technical Assistance
- Notice Date
- 3/26/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- United States Trade and Development Agency, TDA, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, C/O US TDA 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA, 22209-3901
- ZIP Code
- 22209-3901
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-0350033B
- Response Due
- 4/30/2004
- Archive Date
- 5/15/2004
- Point of Contact
- Evangela Kunene, Procument Data Manager, Phone 703-875-4357, Fax 703-875-4009,
- E-Mail Address
-
ekunene@tda.gov
- Description
- POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1000 Wilson Blvd. Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009. Email: mwebster@tda.gov. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE CONTRACTS OFFICE. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PLACE: Fernando Enrique Alvarez L., Gerente General, Empresa Nacional Portuaria, Apartado Postal No. 18, Puerto Cort?s 1 Calle 1 Ave., Honduras, C.A., Phone: 011-504-665-0987, Fax: 011-504-665-1402, e-mail: falvarez@enp.hn. Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to provide Technical Assistance to the Honduran Empresa Nacional Portuaria (ENP), in the modernization of operations and infrastructure. The Port of Cort?s is located on Honduras? north coast with direct access to the Caribbean Sea. The port is the largest in Honduras with five berths (handling dry bulk, containers, liquid bulk, passenger, conventional and refrigerated cargo, etc.) and is the primary port for trade bound for eastern U.S. and European markets from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. As trade with Central America continues to grow (U.S. exports to Central America are greater than that with Russia, India and Indonesia combined), the Port of Cort?s will require improvements and modernization to keep pace with the demand for efficient, safe and secure maritime trade. At present, the port is run by the Empresa Nacional Portuaria (ENP), however, the future of the port operations are bound for private concession. The Presidential Commission for Modernization of the State (CPME) is preparing laws and regulations, with assistance from the World Bank, to reform the government?s involvement in the economy and to privatize many state run enterprises such as the port sector. In sum, the Port of Cort?s is one of the key focal points for national development and work is in place to modernize both operations and infrastructure. In light of the pending privatization of the port operations, the technical assistance has focused on areas which are crucial to the success of the port, regardless of the schedule (estimated at 1-5 years) and process of privatization (the ENP is responsible for the oversight of all national ports). The areas to be aided include: Information Technology, Maintenance and Repairs, Service Boats, Fire Protection and Cargo Handling Improvements. Improvements in each of these areas will elevate the potential for successful adoption of, and compliance with, new U.S. Department of Homeland Security and International Maritime Organization measures mandating greater safety, security and tracking operations at ports worldwide. Given the current pressures/obstacles facing the ENP, the timing of this technical assistance is crucial for success. Honduras, and those depending on the port as a key trade corridor, will be greatly impacted by the technical assistance. This project has the Government of Honduras?s highest priority, and it is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Honduras, as well as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. U.S. Government support rests in part on the idea that the establishment of a well-functioning and secure port will promote more secure and efficient trade between the U.S. and those Central American countries dependent upon the port for their shipping needs, but, more importantly, the successful implementation of a market-oriented energy sector in Honduras will go a long way toward regional integration and will be compatible with the Central American Free Trade Agreement now under discussion. The general objective of this Technical Assistance is to support the ENP in the development of a comprehensive plan for modernizing the infrastructure and operations associated with safety and security needs at the Port of Cort?s. This Trade Capacity Building project is considered a top priority for Honduras and the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement negotiation process; it will strengthen the foundations of the key Caribbean port and trade corridor for trade from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala bound for markets in the eastern United States and Europe. The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Technical Assistance include the following: Task 1: Review & Recommend Information Technology Systems Task 2: Evaluate Maintenance and Repair Procedures Task 3: Evaluate & Recommend New Service Boats & Rehabilitation Task 4: Evaluate & Recommend Fire Protection Systems Task 5: Evaluate & Recommend Cargo Handling Improvements Task 6: Prepare Interim and Final Reports and Presentations The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $525,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the TOR, and a background Definitional Mission report are available from USTDA, at 1000 Wilson Blvd. Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, USTDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm?s name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want USTDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to USTDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to USTDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, USTDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling USTDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this USTDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under USTDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the USTDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the USTDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the USTDA grant amount. Details of USTDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in Spanish and English directly to the Grantee by 12:00pm local Tegucigalpa, Honduras time, April 30, 2004 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.
- Record
- SN00555370-W 20040328/040326213013 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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