Surface powerhouses are foreseen for all four plants, generally to be equipped with Francis turbines (except for Hail, for which Pelton turbines are planned) and synchronous generators including 50 Hz 6.6/33 kV transformers and transmission line to the 132 kV HPSEB substation in Nakrore, Chamba District. Additional environmental and social impact studies have been conducted, including an aquatic baseline and impact assessment for the diversion river stretches to better understand the fish species and their habitat needs to provide information for the fish pass design as well as the necessary environmental flow to accommodate the fish passage in the dewatered reach. A land acquisition and resettlement action plan (LARAP) has also been conducted to detect all affected persons and lands/ structures and assign compensation to them according to World Bank Standards.
The Project Implementation Consultancy (PIC) services, which are to be financed by KfW Entwicklungsbank, will be carried out in two separate stages. To this end, the following services are required from the consultant.
Stage I: Pre-construction services:
(1) Review of the DPR design.
(2) Development of an investigation programme for a detailed design level.
(3) Support to the HPSEBL PIU in the detailed design and engineering work, as well as in the preparation of the respective tender documents including specifications and specification drawings for both civil and electro-mechanical lots. Subsequent assistance during the tender phase and tender evaluation process with contract award is to be safeguarded by the PIC.
(4) Significant update of the environmental and social management plan (ESMP) as well as Development of a monitoring plan and mitigation measures for impacts on aquatic environment, and
(5) Development of an occupational health and safety plan (OHSP).
Stage II – Services during construction and commissioning
This covers the supervision of the construction design and assistance during construction, erection and commissioning of the projects up to TOC (Taking Over Certificate) and COD (Commercial Operation Date) and thereafter during Operation up to FAC (Final Acceptance Certificate). The PIC will assist HPSEBL in report preparation and monitoring of construction activities, as well as implementation and monitoring of the ESMP and the OHSP. The services will also include expert assistance to HPSEBL for fulfilling their reporting duties (for example, on project progress) to KfW. The consultancy services will be carried out in close consultation with HPSEBL and KfW in all aspects of the assignment.
The selection of the consultant will be guided by the latest version of the ‘Guidelines for the Procurement of Consulting Services, Works, Plant, Goods and Non-Consulting Services in Financial Cooperation with Partner Countries’. It is foreseen to assign the services to an international consulting firm/joint venture experienced in the hydropower sector and the region, with minimum annual revenue of €5 million. The consultant is encouraged to collaborate with domestic consulting firms and/or individual consultants as well as specialized experts, if deemed necessary, to reinforce the required local, institutional, educational and technical competence.
Detailed Invitations for Expression of Interest (Ref. N°: BMZ No. 2013 66 590, KfW Procurement No. 505 531) are available from:
The Chief Engineer (PCA),
Rajan Kapur,
Email: chiefengineerpca@gmail.com
A copy should be sent to the Tender Agent, Volker Spork,
Email: volker.spork@t-online.de
Consultants willing to participate in the prequalification process should announce their interest using the contact details above.
… and environmental/sustainability consultancy
HPSEBL also invites expressions of interest by 18 March from qualified consultants to support and strengthen the state power supplier in the strategic development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of sustainable hydropower, in the context of the implementation of the four hydro schemes described in the item above.
The assignment is to be divided into two parts which need to be coordinated by the consultant. The first part, ‘Support in Strengthening of Environmental and Social Performance and Supervision of Implementation of a land acquisition and resettlement action plan (LARAP)’, aims to strengthen the overall capacities of HPSEBL in terms of environmental and social aspects of hydropower development. These capacities are to be developed in the context of the construction of the four projects where environmental and social impacts could be significant. Impacts on aquatic biodiversity can be significant, since the longitudinal connectivity of the rivers is obstructed by the diversion structure/ water intake, as well as the reduced amount of water in the dewatered reach between water intake and powerhouse.
In addition, impacts caused by economic displacement of project-affected persons can be significant. Accordingly, the project has been categorized by KfW as category B+ according to the KfW Sustainability Guideline. For each of the four projects an ESIA, ESMP, and LARAP have been developed, as well as a stand-alone SEP. As a support to HPSEBL for implementing the management plans, a Project Implementation Consultant (PIC) will be hired.
For the second part, ‘Strengthening in the Strategic Development, Implementation, Operation and Maintenance of Sustainable Hydropower’, the required consulting services are capacity building measures to strengthen HPSEBL’s project preparation capacities, to improve environmental
and social compliance, and to implement a work safety and health protection process.
Training and lecturing will be complemented by the development and hand-over of a Learning Management System (LMS) and Knowledge Management System (KMS) for the hydropower sector within HPSEBL. As a result of the services, HPSEBL will be strengthened in its role as project planner and decision maker for hydropower projects in compliance with international standards. The services will also include expert assistance to HPSEBL for fulfilling its reporting duties on project progress to KfW.
The consultancy services are to be carried out in close consultation with HPSEBL and KfW.
It is foreseen to assign the services to an international consulting firm/joint venture experienced in the hydropower sector and the region, with minimum annual revenue of €1.5 million. The consultant is encouraged to collaborate with domestic consulting firms and/or individual consultants as well as specialized experts to reinforce local, institutional, educational and technical competences.
Detailed Invitations for Expression of Interest of Consultants are available through the Chief Engineer Rajan Kapur, and requests should be copied to the Tender Agent, Volker Spork. Contact details for both are given in the item above.
