Detailed Engineering Design & Preparation of Bidding Documents of Lower Seti (Tanahun) Hydropower Project (Grant No 0361-NEP: Project Preparatory Facility for Energy)

Client: Tanahun Hydropower Limited, Nepal Electricity Authority
Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank
Period:May 2019 to December 2021
Consulting Association:Joint Venture of WAPCOS Limited, India and Nippon Koei Co. Ltd, Japan in association with TMS and GEOCE Consultants (P) Ltd.
Approx. Value of Services: Total USD 2.041 million including NRs NRs 133,098,000 (national consultant’s part)
Professional Staff Input: International – 55 person months (pm), National-TMS 70 pm & GEOCE-48 pm

Salient Details

The consulting service is to carry out the detail engineering design and prepare bidding documents inclusive of tender drawings and construction plan of 104 MW project. The project is in lower reaches of Seti River and will utilize regulated flow from the tailrace of Tanahun Hydropower Project (140 MW, reservoir type) in addition to the flows of Madi River.

The scope of services comprises of the followings:

⦁ Review and validate existing surveys, studies and investigation;
⦁ Perform hydrological, sedimentology and hydraulic studies;
⦁ Conduct project optimization study;
⦁ Prepare detail design of project components,
⦁ Conduct power evacuation study,
⦁ Prepare cost estimates and construction plan,
⦁ Prepare bidding documents and tender drawings,
⦁ Prepare updated economic/financial analysis;
⦁ Analyze financial structure, financial plan and recommend the most appropriate structure/plan; and
⦁ Recommend appropriate institutional arrangement for project implementation.

The major components of the design include headworks (45 m high gated dam with 2 intakes), underground desilting basin, hearace tunnel (8 m dia, length 5.5 km), surge shaft (18 m dia, 56 m high), vertical drop shaft (7.2 m dia, 80 m high), steel penstock, surface powerhouse (60m x 24m x 43 m) and tailrace canal (length 250 m); electro-mechanical equipment (2 Francis turbines of 53.3 MW each, and 2 transformers of 62 MVA each).

ADB TA 9457-NEP, Institutional Strengthening of Nepal Rural Road Sector for Sustainable Development, Consulting Services (48218-003)

Client: Asian Development Bank
Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank
Period: January 2019 to May 2020
Consulting Association:Sheladia Associates Inc, USA-GEOCE Consultants (P) Ltd-SILT Consultants (P) Ltd
Approx. Value of Services: Total US$ 918,500; GEOCE’s part- US$ 91,340
Professional Staff Input:Sheladia – 16 person months, GEOCE-17 person months and SILT-10 person months

Salient Details

The main objective of the consulting services was to support the Government of Nepal through Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and DoLIDAR in improving [rural road] sector management performance by implementing institutional development initiatives. The focus of the TA was to (i) redefine and restructure the Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR) (now Department of Local Infrastructure) to a state-of-the-art sub-national road agency; and (ii) implement new business procedures and provide training to DoLIDAR, provincial and district officials to enable DoLIDAR to restructure and adopt a new institutional and management structure. New business procedures covered (i) procurement and contracting processes; (ii) planning processes; (iii) quality assurance systems; and (iv) engineering (pavement design, road maintenance, and road safety).

The key outputs of the TA consultant’s services were:

1. Institutional Framework and Management Structure

  • Role of Department of Local Infrastructure (DoLI)
  • Draft Business Plan and Organization Structure of DoLI
  • Support and Backstopping of Local Government Organizations
  • Support and Backstopping of Provincial Road Authorities
  • Delivery of Provincial & Local Infrastructure Works
  • Performance-Based Budgeting and Auditing

2. Re-engineering of DoLI’s Business Processes

  • Re-Engineering of Project & Contract Management and Procurement Processes
    Project and Contract Management
    Review of e-Procurement Processes
    Review of Standard Bidding Documents
    Standard Bid Documents for Output/ Performance Based Maintenance
  • Re-Engineering of Planning Processes
    Planning Processes of Provincial and Local Roads
  • Re-Engineering of Quality Assurance Processes
    Quality Control & Quality Assurance
    Quality Assurance Manual
  • Re-Engineering of Road Engineering Processes
    Road Maintenance
    • Road Maintenance Manual
    • Guidance Notes on Do’s and Don’ts for Maintenance of Pavement, Shoulders & Drainage
    Road Safety
    • Road Safety Audit Guidelines for Sub-National Roads
    • Technical Notes on Road Safety, Safety Barrier, and Safety Fence for Sub-National Roads
    • Technical Note on Community Road Safety for Local Infrastructure Roads
  • Legal Advice – legal Assessment regarding DOLI support to Provincial Government and Local Government (in changed context)
  • Capacity Development Training to 164 engineers from Central, Provincial and Local Level on pavement design, road maintenance, quality assurance and quality control, project and contract management