The proposed Sunkoshi-3 multipurpose storage project is planned to be built in the Kavre and Ramechhap districts of the northeastern province of Bagmati and is designed for electricity generation, flood mitigation and water supply for irrigation. The project was first identified in 1985 during master plan studies for water resources development of the Koshi basin by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). An update to the master plan was conducted by JICA in 2014 and the project was the subject of a feasibility study and environmental impact assessment completed in 2021 by a joint venture of ERMC and SIDRI. The project, with an estimated total cost of about US$ 1.458 billion, is designed to comprise an impervious core wall rock-fill dam in the main river bed, with a maximum dam height of 180 m and a dam crest axis length of 538 m, a spillway, two 9 m diameter headrace tunnels with respective axis lengths of 420 m and 534 m, a flood discharge and sediment sluicing tunnel, with a total length of about 1436 m, a ground surface powerhouse and a 300 m-long tailrace tunnel. The powerhouse is designed to be equipped with four 170.75 MW vertical shaft, mixed flow hydraulic turbine-generator units, with available unit flow of 122.50 m3/s.
The overall objective of the consulting services is to carry out detailed engineering design along with necessary field investigation works and to prepare tender documents, including tender drawings and construction plans, to meet the requirements of the NEA, the Government of Nepal and multilateral lending agencies for construction of the project. The services include: (1) Review of feasibility study and other available relevant reports/data, documents and identify the gaps in data; (2) Prepare topographic maps for dam site, powerhouse site and other project areas; (3) Conduct geological and geotechnical studies/investigations; (4) Update hydrological and sedimentological studies; (5) Conduct power evacuation study; (6) Prepare detailed engineering design of the project components; (7) Prepare quantity and cost estimate and construction plan; (8) Prepare complete tender documents and tender drawings; (9) Prepare updated economic/financial analysis based on detailed project cost, refined implementation schedule, and risk analysis; (10) Analyze financial structure, financing plan and recommend the most appropriate structure/plan, and (11) Analyze and recommend appropriate institutional arrangement for project implementation. All consultant services shall be performed in close co-operation with the NEA, the project executing agency.
The assignment has been scheduled for a period of 24 months to begin in January 2025.
The procurement notice and Terms of Reference (TOR) are available for viewing on the website of the NEA at:https://www.nea.org.np/tender_prequalification. Expression of Interest may be submitted by a sole firm or a joint venture of a maximum of three consulting firms. Only shortlisted firms will be invited to submit Technical and financial proposals through a Request for Proposal (RFP). Firms will be selected under a Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method.
EOIs shall be delivered online through the e-GP system at www.bolpatra.gov.np/egp on or before 12 midday local time on 14 February 2024. Interested eligible consultants may obtain further information and the EOI document free of cost from the Project Development Department, Engineering Service Directorate, Nepal Electricity Authority, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal; Email: info@nea.org.np or visit e-GP system www.bolpatra.gov.np/egp or visit NEA’s website www.nea.org.np.
