B -- PUEBLO VIEJO INTEGRATED MINE PROJECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Notice Date

January 8, 2001

Contracting Office

USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131

ZIP Code

22209-2131

Response Due

February 16, 2001

Point of Contact

POC -- Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

Description

The 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 the required Technical Assistance to the UCM for finalizing the tender process for the Pueblo Viejo Integrated Mine Project. The Unidad Corporativa Minera (UCM) is a new, public sector entity created by recently inaugurated (August, 2000) President Hip lito Mej a to facilitate private investment in mining projects in the Dominican Republic. The UCM's prinicipal task in 2001 is the tendering of the former Rosario Dominicana property now making up part of the Pueblo Viejo Integrated Mine Project. The Pueblo Viejo Integrated Mine project is an extensive project that encompasses the Government's Rosario Dominicana property and expansion to incorporate additional reserves of gold, silver and zinc and other non-precious metals (limestone); the Las Lagunas Tailings Dam Project, the associated Hatillo Limestone Project, and a 220 MW coal or gas-fired power plant. The Rosario Dominicana mine started operations originally as a subsidiary of Rosario Resources (AMAX Group -- USA) in April 1975. In October 1979 the Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR), through the country's Central Bank, purchased the property. The mine subsequently went through a number of ups and downs, largely due to the world market (production was always fully exported) -- a shutdown in 1992, two unsuccessful international bids to privatize the property (1992 and 1997/1998), and final shutdown of the property of 1999. The current tendering of the mine property incorporates additional aspects and reserves and, most importantly, the GODR is assuming the current environmental liability of the mine property and the surrounding environs. The Pueblo Viejo Integrated Mine Project tender process was formally begun in November 2000. The proposed Technical Assistance will assist the UCM with completing the Tender process recently begun by fine-tuning the existing studies and finalizing the scope for the final contract for the project; essentially a due diligence of the selected bidder's feasibility study and project plan. The Technical Assistance will assist the UCM with the adjudication and final tendering of the Pueblo Viejo Integrated Mine Project. A summary of the specific tasks follows: Task 1: Project Initiation; Task 2: Exploration Reviewing; Task 3: Mining Plan Review; Task 4: Metallurgical Testwork, Process Technology and Process Route Review; Task 5: Environmental Review; Task 6: Infrastructure Review; Task 7: Special Review: Hatillo Limestone Project; Task 8: Special Review: Las Lagunas Tailings Dam Gold and Silver Recovery; Task 9: Special Review: Energy Supply/New Thermoelectric Power Review; Task 10: Overall EPC Schedule Review; Task 11: Final Capital and Operating Costs Review; Task 12: Final Cash Flow and Project Financial Analysis Review; Task 13: Final Report Subject to execution of the Grant Agreement and availability of funds, the U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $345,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). NOTE: We anticipate the TDA grant agreement with the UCM for this Technical Assistance will be signed on January 16, 2001. Due to the urgency of the Technical Assistance, the RFP is being published prior to the formal grant signing and will include a final copy of the unsigned grant agreement. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background definitional mission report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA 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 TDA 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 TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA 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, TDA 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 TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-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 TDA grant amount. Details of TDA'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 5:00p.m., February 16, 2001 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

Loren Data Corp. 20010110/BSOL005.HTM (W-008 SN50A3F0)