Third Party Monitoring (TPM) Consulting Firm for Energy Sector Projects of Asian Development Bank throughout Afghanistan

The TPM consultancy firm should employ the necessary number of qualified staff as identified, to monitor ADB financed energy projects being implemented (or completed) at various sites throughout Afghanistan. The TPM firm has responsibility for the security of their staff assigned under the assignment. The firm should demonstrate in its security plan (part of the inception report) that they can ensure the security of their staff and assets that will be deployed under this assignment. The TPM firm will need to share each project monitoring report with ADB, and the findings and recommendations will be discussed with the line executive and implementing agencies (MoF, DABS, MUDL, and PMO). At the end of the assignment, the firm will compile the findings from the individual reports into a final report, which will address implementation issues, as well as a road map for implementing recommendations for improving performance.

Prior to undertaking the site visits, the consulting firm will have to study all relevant project documents including security plans, progress reports, monitoring and evaluation framework, relevant land acquisition and resettlement plans, safeguards monitoring reports and due diligence reports that have been previously developed. The firm also needs to consult with ADB sector team and PMO of DABS. The consultation is to get understanding of each project’s key impact, outcome, and output indicators. If necessary, the already developed framework is further refined. The refinement should also cover gender, fragility, risks, capacity development, efficiency, effectivity and safeguards (land acquisition and resettlement).

1. 500 kV transmission line (TL) from Turkmenistan border to Sheberghan and 220 kV TL from Sheberghan to Mazar-e-Sharif
2. 500 kV TL from Dasht-e-Alwan to Kabul (Arghandy)
3. 500 kV power substation (SS) at Arghandy
4. 500 kV TL from Sheberghan to Dasht-e-Alwan
5. 220 kV TL from Sheberghan to Andkhoy(i) 220 kV TL from Doshi to Bamyan
6. 220 kV SS in Bamyan
7. Power distribution network in Bamyan
8. 220 kV TL Kabul to Jalalabad
9. 220kV SS in Sheikh Misri
10. 220 kV TL Jalalabad to Kunar
11. 220 kV SS Kunar Misri
12. 220 kV TL Ghazni to Sharana
13. 220 kV SS in Sharana
14. 1000 MW TL Hairatan-Dashte Alwan (Pulikhumri)
15. 220 kV TL from Pul-e-Hashimi to Shindand
16. 220 kV TL from Herat to Farah
17. 220/20 kV Shindand SS

Details Task on The Monitoring Of Projects:

The TPM consulting firm is expected to carry the assignment directly and independently, ADB will provide guidance as required. The following tasks are expected to be delivered but not limited to:

• Develop an operational plan with proposed parameters as per timeframe and locations agreed with ADB;
• Work closely with ADB’s sector team and the M&E focal points of MoF and DABS during the planning, design of the methodology; and agree on the M&E tools that will be used;
• Conduct regular site visits to monitor project design, construction and maintenance quality, and validate the findings against the technical specifications;
• Verify the up to date progress of the projects against the anticipated targets/plans;
• Assess compliance to all relevant ADB’s policies and guidelines – in particular to gender and social safeguard compliance;
• Propose corrective measures and prepare ENV/Social Corrective Action Plan to ensure compliance with relevant safeguards covenants;
• Monitor the performance of engineers, civil works contractor, supervision consultant, and other staff involved at various levels of project supervision;
• Identify implementation challenges/gaps and bottlenecks, and suggest recommendations;
• Verify the Implementing Agency’s data collection and management accuracy;
• Assess if project resources are efficiently and effectively used;
• Assess each project security plan (which should be based on a comprehensive Security Risk Assessment) and implementation (accounting for not only personnel, but also weapons, ammunition, security vehicles, guards’ posts, etc);
• Carry an independent satisfaction survey of the targeted populations to find their satisfaction with the progress and results of projects;
• Prepare a deviation tracker, which would include the defects noticed at various sites, the strategy to repair these and monitoring of corrective actions during subsequent visits; and

• Conduct any relevant task related to this assignment at the request of ADB.