Portfolio Category: Institutional Strengthening

Client: Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport
Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank
Period: July, 2012 to October 2017
Consulting Association: SMEC- Brisbane City Enterprises Pty-Transport Planning (International)-GEOCE Consultants (P) Ltd.
Approx. Value of Services: Total-US$ 2.60 M and NRs 89.59M. GEOCE’s part- NRs 69.8 M
Professional Staff Input: International (91) and National (267) person months

Salient Details:

The Project is to improve the quality of urban life in the capital of Nepal, through the delivery of a more efficient, safe, and sustainable Urban Transport System (UTS), favoring local economic growth and addressing climate change and air pollution mitigation. The UTS will be enhanced by focusing on (i) a plan to rationalize and upgrade the existing public transport network, and the test of this approach through the implementation of pilot routes provided with electric or other low emission vehicles; (ii) traffic management works and measures, which will enable heritage routes in the city cores to be pedestrianized, and will improve general walkability; and (iii) the improvement of air quality monitoring. Total project cost is US$ 30.42 million.

The services of Project Management and Capacity Building Consultants (PMCBC) were provided to Project Management and Coordination Office (PMCO) in planning, managing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating all Projects related activities; and Project Implementation Units (PIUs) established at five Implementing Agencies (IAs)-Ministry of Environment, Department of Roads, Department of Transport Management, Metropolitan Traffic Police Division and Kathmandu Metropolitan City for the project, through the PMCO, in various project implementation activities.

Main activities of Project Management and Capacity Building Consultants (PMCBC) were for:

1. Overall project planning management and monitoring support to PMCO
2. Baseline data and establishment of Project Performance Monitoring System
3. Environmental and Social Safeguards Compliance Monitoring
4. Regulatory and Technical Support, Component 1, Public Transport 
5. Regulatory and Technical Support, Component 2, Traffic Management
6. Regulatory and Technical Support, Component 3, Walkability improvements
7. PPP and Financial Advisory Support
8. Component 4, Air quality monitoring

The key outputs on Public Transport were capacity building and restructuring plan for Department of Transport Management, restructuring the Public Transport industry and network, assistance with commencement of the reform process, bus route franchising model, implementation of pilot routes, feasibility study of Mass Transit System, and awareness campaigns.

Client: Department of Irrigation
Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank
Period: August, 2006 to October 2013
Consulting Association: GITEC Consult GmbH, NIA Consult, PRECAR, EAST & GEOCE Consultants (P) Ltd
Approx. Value of Services: Total- €869,600, US$ 3102 & NRs 141.97M. GEOCE’s part- NRs 56.71 M
Professional Staff Input: International (55) and National (531) person months

Salient Details:

The Project has two components:(i) participatory irrigated agriculture development for farmer-managed irrigation systems (FMIS) comprising  improvement of agriculture productivity and sustainability of about 210 existing FMIS (covering 34,000 ha command area) suffering from low productivity and high poverty incidence, and thus enhance the livelihood of about 270,000 poor men and women including ethnic minorities and dalit living in the project area; and (ii) institutional strengthening and project management (ISPM) component to culminate in operation of mechanisms for improved service delivery to develop productive and sustainable FMIS through further improved irrigation policies, regulations, and plans; strengthened Department of Irrigation (DOI) (in terms of human resources and management capacity), Department of Agriculture (DOA), local governance institutions (LGIs), and WUAs; and enhanced institutional linkages to deliver services in coordination with NGOs and the private sector.

The project covered 35 districts of Central and Eastern Regions. The project cost is US$ 22 million.

The Institutional Strengthening and Project Management Consultant carried out following scope of services:

• To advise and assist DOI and DOA, the executing/co-executing agencies in project implementation;
• To assist Central Project Management Office (CPMO) and Regional Project Support Units (RPSU) in preparing training plans, manuals for WUA a and NGOs and provide training to the Project institutions to enhance their capacities in project implementation; 
• To assist Government in proceeding with the policy and institutional actions and facilitate the regular policy dialogues between the Government and ADB;
• To assist the CPMO to establish effective MIS;
• To assist CPMO to initiate implementation of small FMIS with progressive involvement of DDCs by devising modalities of DDC involvement in coordinating with the Ministry of Local Development;
• Assist CPMO and RPSU to prepare ToR for outsourcing various services to NGOs and private agents;
• To prepare trimester, annual, detailed mid-term review, and end of assignment and other reports, as required by ADB and other Project institutions;
• To help ensure implementing agencies that all project activities, including construction works are executed with the highest standard;
• To review and advise on the individual feasibility study reports and sub-project implementation plan (SIP) and recommend its approval.
• Preparation of sub project preparation report of the sample subprojects for the assessment of the rehabilitation measures with application of GPS,  satellite imageries and GIS application
• Prepare framework and guideline for IEE Report and Resettlement Plan;
• Prepare framework for sub project implementation plans namely: infrastructure development plan, agriculture development plan, livelihood plan, environmental management plan, resettlement plan
• Updating of Irrigation design manual (PDSP manual) of Department of Irrigation
• Introduction of GPS survey and satellite imageries in the survey and GIS application in the design of the irrigation systems
• Training IDD/IDSD Engineers in preparation of sub project preparation report application of GPS, satellite imageries and GIS application.
• To assist and carry out feasibility study of irrigation subprojects and preparation of sub project implementation plans namely: infrastructure development plan, agriculture development plan, livelihood plan, environmental management plan, resettlement plan;
• To carry out and assist in survey, detailed design, cost estimates, contract document  of irrigation sub projects
• To prepare bid document in accordance with ADB’s Sample bid document
• Preparation of framework for water management plan (WMP) and O&M plan for the irrigation system, prepare sample WMP and O&M plan
• Provide training to WUAs and IDD/IDSDs in the preparation of water management plan and O&M plan
• To assist WUAs and IDD/IDSDs in preparation of water management plan and O&M plan
• To prepare quality control manual for the construction supervision of civil works, impart training to WUAs in quality control of the civil works
• To supervise quality control of the construction works
• Monitoring of implementation of infrastructure development plan, agriculture development plan, livelihood plan, environmental management plan, resettlement plan
• To participate in the test run of the completed subprojects and certified completion of the subprojects