Establishment of multiple Long Term Agreements for the provision of Design & Engineering Support Services in Ukraine

New clarification added: Dear Sir/Madam,I would like to request clarification regarding the number of key personnel and support staff required for each Lot, as there appears to be an inconsistency between Annex_A_Key_Experts_matrixes and the Word Package sheet within Annex_B_Template_Financial_Proposal.For instance, Annex_A_Key_Experts_matrixes indicates that one (1) Electrical Engineer is required for each Lot. However, the Word Package sheet in Annex_B_Template_Financial_Proposal specifies two (2) Electrical Engineers for Lot 2. Similarly, while Annex_A states that two (2) Civil/Structural Engineers are required for Lot 2, Annex_B presents varying Civil/Structural Engineer requirements for Lot 1, depending on the project’s m² range.Given these discrepancies, could you kindly confirm which document should be considered authoritative in this case? How many staff and key personnel should we propose for each Lot?********************There is no discrepancy between Annex A and Annex B. The Rev.1_Annex_A_Key_Experts_matrixes stipulate the number of specialists (that meet our requirements) needed to be qualified as LTA Partner (Tab A specifically). We assume that to render design service (Lot 2), a consultant shall employ at least two architects and two structural engineers (that meet our requirements). For other disciplines and/or services, we suppose that one specialist (that meets our requirements) is enough. Please note that we talk about specialists that meet our requirements.Also please note, that for specific COO we may require to confirm availability of more specialists for each discipline, depending on the scope of services. Qualifications for such extra specialists may vary, but the minimum number of 'qualified' specialists shall be as per Key Experts Matrix. Example: For design of a large building, we may deem necessary for future Designer to engage 4 architects, 4 structural engineers and 3 mechanical engineers, among which 2 architects, 2 structural and 1 mechanical engineers shall be 'qualified' as per Matrix. The Annex B Financial Proposal includes only one cell for Architect and one cell for Structural Engineer, as we suppose to consider a single rate for each discipline. The Agencies may opt to order the services in the form of work packages (Annex B/Tab B) or in the form of the financial proposal per Lot. The work packages option is not mandatory for the Agencies, it is just a flexibility in ordering the services, when/if the LTA partner meets the requirements for the work package.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement TeamSection B of the Financial Proposal includes typical packages of services for the projects of various GFA (m2). Number of specialists indicated represent our vision of the LoE required to deliver the services.

New clarification added:  Dear  Procurement TeamWe are involved in developing all stages of project documentation, including tender documentation, in compliance with the requirements of international  financial  organizations  for projects in Ukraine. Referring to your clarification on request 2025-04-18: «" For these services we are interested in local certification as the work assignments are taking place in Ukraine and the deliverables produced and issued will be used in Ukraine. So, we will consider Ukrainian certifications/qualifications, not the international professional association memberships.."» 1. Will there be updates made to Annex_A_Key_Experts_matrixes.xlsx concerning the roles of:- Project Manager - Health, Safety, and Environmental Engineerbased on Ukrainian legislation and regulations, as per the following links:https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3038-17#Text   https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/687-14https://register.nqa.gov.ua/profstandart/golovnij-inzener-proektuhttps://register.nqa.gov.ua/profstandart/inzener-proektuvalnik    2. To define our future strategy for participating in the procurement, could you specify which prevailing class of consequences (liability) corresponds to CC2 or CC3 projects and if this will be reflected in your documentation?  **********************************1. Our requirements are related to the education, number of years in the profession, and nature of the project a proposed candidate was involved in. These requirements are very practical, and supplement formal mandatory requirements. They neither contradict nor replace formal requirements set by the local legislation. To work in Ukraine, local legislation requirements are the must and shall be met. Respectively, there will be no amendments to the Key Experts Matrix.  2. We are unable to foresee the CC categories of the future projects at this moment in time.  Moreover, it is the designer's responsibility to determine the CC category at the beginning of the design process, in most cases.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: Questions regarding the registration of B. Key Experts Matrix.1. There is no Geodetical Engineer in the "Technical specialty" column. How can it be entered there?2. In the "Technical specialty" column, Health, Safety and Environmental Engineer is divided separately into Health and separately into Safety and Environmental. Is this not a mistake?3. It is not possible to specify lots in the "Lot proposed for" column. How to fill this column?***********************Please see our asnwers below:1. The profile has now been added, please see Rev. no 3 of the RFP and the update Annex A. 2. The issue has been fixed, please see Rev. no 3 of the RFP and the update Annex A.3. Please try to upload the excel sheet in Google sheets and check if you can select the lots. This document was originally created in Google sheets, as UNOPS is a Google powered organization. If the issue persists, kindly let us know again.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New amendment added #3: Revision No. 3 summary of revisions:1. Annex_A_Key_Experts_matrixes is revised to rectify errors with Tab B and more specifically to add the profile Geodetical Engineer and fix the typo error with the Health, Safety & Environmental Engineer.2. Document Rev. 2 RFP/2025/56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V is now replaced with document Rev. 3 RFP/2025/56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V, where the technical criterion 1.2 in Part 1: Offeror’s qualification, capacity, expertise and geographical presence, replaces "...experience on similar engagements done in the region/country..." with "...experience on similar engagements done in Ukraine..." for clarification purposes. 

New clarification added: Dear Sir/Madam,As a multi-disciplinary firm with a global presence in over 30 countries, including significant experience with international clients such as various UN agencies, we would like to address the requirement for a state registration certificate. Given the international nature of our operations, we find it neither practical nor economically feasible to obtain local registration in every country at the bidding stage.In accordance with practices followed in other jurisdictions, such as Hungary and Lithuania, our company typically completes local registration only upon the award of the contract. In light of this, we kindly request confirmation that, should we be awarded the contract, our commitment to finalize the necessary local registration promptly and provide the required state registration certificate—without impacting the project implementation—will be considered acceptable.*******************Bidders may consider a Joint Venture with another firm that meets the required criteria. Bidders, either individually or members of a Joint Venture, must meet the criteria laid out for such arrangements in the set of criteria.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: The UNOPS answers can be found below the questions, in italic fonts.***************************************In section II Evaluation Crireria , 1. FORMAL AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, para. 4,  it is required the following: Bidder is a legally registered entity under the laws of Ukraine (or has a representative/branch office legally registered in Ukraine) and shall provide UNOPS with the copy of state registration certificate or equivalent document. We please to clarify if, in case of Joint Venture, only one member of the JV must be registered in Ukraine.Please refer to the RFP rev. 1 posted on 16 April 2025 and rev. 2 posted on 18 April 2025.Regaring the required technical references, we please to clarify if the references of the subcontractor will be considered as valid references.Please refer and read carefully the qualification criteria and more specifically criterion no. 3 (experience).We please you to confirm that railways lines, roads and buildings as stations are considered as basic infrastructures as follows:●Restoration of basic infrastructure: Reconstructing utilities such as water supply, electricity, heating, and sanitation systems, to ensure essential services are operational.● Healthcare and medical facilities: Rebuilding and equipping hospitals, clinics, and mental health facilities, including providing essential medical equipment, supplies, and rehabilitation of services to ensure access to healthcare.● Educational facilities: Light to medium repairs of schools, kindergartens, and childcare centers, focusing on creating safe, inclusive learning environments with resources to support both in-person and digital learning.● Housing and community spaces: Rebuilding damaged homes, residential buildings, and community spaces, prioritizing safe, accessible, and resilient housing for displaced families and returning communities.● Emergency response infrastructure: Strengthening emergency services and facilities, such as fire stations and rescue services, and improving response systems to help communities withstand future crises and rebuild more resiliently.● Mine action: Clearing explosive hazards from infrastructure sites in Ukraine, removing and managing debris to create secure, clear spaces for reconstruction and community use.Railways lines, roads and buildings as stations are considered as basic infrastructure.Referring to section II Evaluation Crireria, 3. TECHNICAL CRITERIA, "Part 1: Part 1: Offeror’s qualification, capacity, expertise and geographical presence", paragraph 1.2 , Please explaing what do you mean with "Region " and "coutry" in the following context:The offeror has relevant specialized knowledge and experience on similar services done in the region or country. Relevance of specialised knowledge in the local context (i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation, humanitarian assistance and development context) and experience on similar engagements done in the region/country working with the UN and/or International Organizations, NGOs and/or Government entities.Please refer to RFP rev. 1 posted on 16 April 2025 and rev. 2 posted on 18 April 2025, by country or region, it is meant Ukraine.Please confirm that the Bidder can participate to one or more Lots and if so, if the bidder can be awarded more than 1 lot.Confirmed in alignment with the RFP Particulars/Partial proposals.Considering the complexity of the project we are kindly asking a postponement of at least 2 weeks. An extension of the deadline beyond the one given until 12 May is not envisaged at the moment.Could you please indicate the maximum number of shortlisted companies for this framework?As per the RFP particulars/ Evaluation method details    Proposals shall be evaluated as specified in the documents titled Section I: Instructions to Offerors and Section II: Evaluation Method and Criteria.A max. of 8 bidders will be selected per Lot.Regarding the Balance Sheet, please confirem that you need the last 3 audited balance sheets (in our country at the moment the last audited Balance is for 2023)This excpetion may be considered, if the bidders provides sufficient evidence and justification on the reasons an audited/certified financial statement was not issued for 2024.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,In case an international company is interested in bidding only for the Design Review lot, could you please condirm that it would not be necessary that it be registered in Ukraine?Thank you and kind regards,***************UNOPS wishes to inform that the RFP requirements apply equally to all LOTS.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,Financial statements in Ukraine are accepted in electronic form. The confirmation of receipt of financial statements is a receipt from the State Tax Service of Ukraine. Is a translation of such a receipt sufficient as certification of the statements?********************We confirm that a translation of the electronic form receipt and the original are sufficient.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added:  Dear Sir/MadamAccording to Section I 2. QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: it is sufficient to provide a description for each completed project, a link to the public procurement website (Prozorro), and references to confirm experience or is it necessary to add a translation of the contracts into English?*******************It is sufficient, however UNOPS may reach out to past clients for verification purposes. A suplementary translation in English would be appreciated.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New amendment added #2: Revision No. 2:The Formal & Eligibility Criterion in document Rev. 1 RFP/2025/56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V:The offeror is incorporated and maintains all required licenses and certifications to operate as required by law in the country of registration (Bidder must submit relevant registration, certifications and licenses).In case of a Joint Venture each member must meet this criterion and for at least one of the members the country of registration and incorporation must be Ukraine.is now being revised for clarification purposes, with the publication of Rev. 2 RFP/2025/56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V as follows:The offeror is incorporated and maintains all required licenses and certifications to operate as required by law in Ukraine. (Bidder must submit relevant registration, certifications and licenses).In case of a Joint Venture, for at least one of the members the country of registration and incorporation must be Ukraine, while the other member(s) must be incorporated and maintain all required licenses and certifications to operate as required by law in the country of establishment/incorporation. 

New clarification added: Dear Sir/Madam,We would like to kindly request an extension of the submission deadline for at least 3 weeks (till 26th of May) due to the upcoming Easter vacations season and the amount of documentation that needs to be searched and prepared.*************************The RFP deadlines are extended as follows:RFP Deadline2025-05-12 08:00 UTC Deadline for RFP clarifications2025-05-05 15:00 UTC Unfortunately, due to imminent needs for the services we do not envisage a further extension.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: *UNOPS answers in italic fonts under each question*Dear UNOPS Procurement Team, We have the following 2 questions regarding UNOPS tender RFP/2025/56863: Question 1:Clause 2.1. Financial Capacity.A copy of the audited financial statements for the last three (3) financial years. In a JV of an international and a Ukrainian company the Ukrainian company does not have an external audit of financial statements according to international standards, as this is not a mandatory requirement under Ukrainian law. Is it possible that the international company (with no legally registered entity in Ukraine) can supply the required financial statements? Or do you accept the financial statements that are not audited by an external auditor?In the RFP Rev. 1 of 17 April 2025, for the Qualification Criterion/1. Financial capability, the description of the required documents has changed to "Copy of audited or certified financial statements for the last three (3) fiscal years" from "Copy of audited financial statements for the last three (3) fiscal years". Therefore, financial statements need to be either audited or a certified by a Third Party such as an independed audit firm or the country's Tax Authorities. Question 2:Is it mandatory that in a JV both parties, the Ukrainian and the international partner need to have a legally registered entity in Ukraine?Please note that Section I, Instructions to Offerors, Article 4, does not answer this question. In the RFP Rev. 1 of 17 April 2025, the eligibility criteria on JVs have been clarified both in the eSourcing platform and the updated document titled Rev. 1 RFP/2025/56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V.More specifically, please note the Eligibility & Formal Criterion:  The offeror is incorporated and maintains all required licenses and certifications to operate as required by law in the country of registration (Bidder must submit relevant registration, certifications and licenses).In case of a Joint Venture each member must meet this criterion and for at least one of the members the country of registration and incorporation must be Ukraine.andfurthermore, the qualification Criteria on experience that provide more clarity on JVs. 

New clarification added: *UNOPS answers in italic fonts under each question*Dears - we are actively delivering projects in the Ukraine on behalf of international development agencies. We have a first hand understanding of the regulatory requirements and the need for ceritfied specialists in order to advance projects in Ukraine.To assist us in understanding your needs (and thus refining our approach to suit) can you please clarify the following;1. In reference to infrastructure design standards for this assignment, could UNOPS please clarify whether the expectation is to align designs strictly with international (e.g. IEC, Eurocodes, IBC, etc.) standards, or if there is a requirement to comply with legacy national (Ukrainian or Soviet-era) building codes and norms? Furthermore, if modernization of infrastructure is a program objective, can you confirm whether engineering consultants are expected to prioritize modern, internationally recognized design standards in their approach? This clarification will help us ensure that all design assumptions, engineering calculations, and documentation are fully aligned with your quality and regulatory expectationsCompliance with local regulations is a must for Ukraine. If any other requirements will be applicable, a consultant shall consider both UA and other requirements and make design/analysis/services/products compliant with more demanding requirements.2. With reference to the evaluation criteria, and in particular the requirement for certified specialists in accordance with local legislation, could UNOPS please clarify whether internationally qualified engineers with globally recognized professional certifications (e.g., Chartered Engineer, PE, etc.) and proven experience in applying international design codes (e.g., Eurocodes, IEC, IBC) are considered acceptable and competitive within the evaluation framework provided — especially where modernization of infrastructure and alignment with international standards may be a project objective? For these services we are interested in local certification as the work assignments are taking place in Ukraine and the deliverables produced and issued will be used in Ukraine. So, we will consider Ukrainian certifications/qualifications, not the international professional association memberships.*Bidder* has successfully delivered projects for other international development agencies using an integrated model, whereby our international engineering design team worked closely with a local Ukrainian partner (a certified engineering consultant) responsible for managing formal interactions with Ukrainian authorities on engineering design and technical compliance. Given the dual-language requirement and the complex stakeholder environment often encountered in Ukraine, we found this division of roles — pairing international expertise with locally accredited technical authority — to be particularly effective in ensuring regulatory compliance, stakeholder confidence, and design excellence. Is this approach deemed acceptable/desirable by UNOPS?UNOPS will consider and evaluate any response that meets the ToR requirements & evaluation criteria. 

New amendment added #1: Summary of the revisions:The RFP deadline is extended to 12 May 2025, 11:00 am (Ukraine time)The ToR has been revised to reflect a clearer CoOs award methodology language (p.21 of the ToR).The 1st prebid meeting minutes of 14 April are uploaded.In the document SECTION II: EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA  the evaluation criteria (only) have been either revised and/or clarified to provide clearer instructions on Joint Ventures. Bidders are expected to take note of the changes and read carefully the provisions on Joint Ventures requirements, particularly the Qualification Criterion in relation to Experience, which now reads: "Experience: Offeror (and/or its partner as a Joint Venture partner or similar and/or its subcontractor(s) offered for this case) has proven experience in successfully delivering at least similar five (5) engineering services/works contracts indicated against a specific lot under Section V - Requirements, Schedule 3: [Requirements of the Employer] in any one of the last three (3) years in Ukraine. In case of a Joint Venture at least one of the members must meet the criterion for Ukraine specific experience but each member must meet the experience criterion, i.e. proven experience in successfully delivering at least similar five (5) engineering services/works contracts indicated against a specific lot under Section V - Requirements, Schedule 3: [Requirements of the Employer] in any one of the last three (3) years.In the case of 2 or more JV members that both have proven experience in Ukraine and are established/incorporated in Ukraine, at least one JV member must fulfill the five (5) engineering services/works contracts in any one of the last three (3) years in Ukraine, while the other(s) JV member(s) must have proven experience in successfully delivering at least similar two (2) engineering services/works contracts indicated against a specific lot under Section V - Requirements, Schedule 3: [Requirements of the Employer] in any one of the last three (3) years.The evaluation criteria in Tab Criteria have been revised, as described and in accordance with point 4 above.For the Qualification Criterion/1. Financial capability, the description of the required documents has changed to "Copy of audited or certified financial statements for the last three (3) fiscal years" from ""Copy of audited financial statements for the last three (3) fiscal years"Section 3.9 of Rev. 1 RFP_2025_56863 - 04 Section II, III, IV, V has been updated to introduce relevant Insurance Requirements. 

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,In order us to fill the form 0.13 Proposal/No Proposal Confirmation, please provide us the following;Name and office of contact person in UNOPS for "Section-To"UNOPS contact person’s email for "Section-Email"Thank you in advance,*************1. UNOPS UAMCO Procurement Unit2. procurement.ua@unops.orgThank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,Please clarify whether we need to provide 20+ past experience in order to get the 10 points as per the Section II: Evaluation Method and Criteria Part1 No:1.2 as copied below or not:"The offeror has relevant specialized knowledge and experience on similar services done in the region or country. Relevance of specialised knowledge in the local context (i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation, humanitarian assistance and development context) and experience on similar engagements done in the region/country working with the UN and/or International Organizations, NGOs and/or Government entities. Offerors are expected to have carried out a minimum of 5 work assignments in the past 3 years (2022-RFP deadline). The work assignments must meet the above description requirements in terms of context and scope of work and shall be measured either as a call-off order, service contract, etc., or a combination of scope of work, location and disciplines of consultants involved.Criterion evaluation methodology: The technical evaluation committee will first review the work assignments carried out by the bidders as stated in their past experience and will allocate points based on the number of successfully completed works. For a higher number of the 5 minimum required work assignments, bidders will obtain points as per below: ● 5-10 work assignments = 4 points ● 11-20 work assignments = 8 points ● 20+ work assignments = 10 points "Thank you in advance,********************Correct, however the past experience required for obtaining the technical merit points must be in the context of relevant specialized knowledge and experience on similar services done in the region or country, as described in this criterion.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Please could you clarify/confirm if the tender is seeking to appoint only firms registered and with a presence in Ukraine? Please include clarification if the requirements with respect to registration and local presence apply only to the lead firm in the case of a consortium (i.e. could international firms offer support and/or some key personnel if working with a locally registered firm)?**************As per the Eligibility and formal criteria/1.4 Bidder is a legally registered entity under the laws of Ukraine (or has a representative/branch office legally registered in Ukraine) and shall provide UNOPS with the copy of state registration certificate or equivalent document.andDocument SECTION I: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS/Article 4 OFFEROR ELIGIBILITY "...In the case of a Joint Venture, consortium or association:... (iv) Each Joint Venture, consortium, or association member shall meet the offeror eligibility conditions. The eligibility conditions for the offerors under this article also apply to any sub-consultant..."Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team 

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,In Section II: Evaluation Method and Criteria Part1 No:1.2: we have understood that in order to have the full points from this section which is 10 points, we need to provide details of 20+work assignments in the past 3 years Relevance of specialised knowledge in the local context (i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation, humanitarian assistance and development context) and experience on similar engagements done in the region/country working with the UN and/or International Organizations, NGOs and/or Government entities.We do not think this 20+ work assignment requirement is applicable due to the situtations in Ukraine.Please advise? ********************************Reconstruction and rehabilitation, infrastructure activities have been underway in Ukraine despite the challenging situation and security risks. Engineering consultancy firms have been supporting private and public funded infrastrcture activities since the start of the full scale war. Hence, UNOPS, UNICEF and UNDP are looking to engage local partners with experience and knowledge in this context. More details can be found in the Terms fof Reference. As such, technical criterion 4.2 is applicable. Please also note the qualification criterion 3.3 that succesful bidders must meet as well.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,We kindly request you to extend the due date by 2 weeks due to the extensive document preparation and upcoming holiday period.Thank you in advance*************************Due to the exigency situation in Ukraine and imminenet business needs for the services, an extension of the RFP deadline is not foreseen at this stage.Thank you for your understanting.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Dear Sir or Madame,Could you please let us know with which organization / company the contract will be concluded in case of order? In the documents there are mentioned 3 UN organizations. Or will the contract be concluded with the UN HQ in New York?We would need the address of the contractual partner to clarify tax aspects.Thank you very much in advance. *****************Dear Sir/Madam,Each Agency will sign individual contracts that will result from the established Long Term Agreements.For information regarding taxes and duties, please refer to the document SECTION I: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS/Article 19 DUTIES AND TAXES.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Unit

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,In the case of a Joint Venture, does both parties have to register in UNGM portal or only one of them is enough? if both of them must be registered, from which partner's account the proposal should be sent?Thank you in advance. *************************************** Dear Bidder, Thank you for your question. All Joint Venture/Consortium/Association partners must be registered on UNGM. When a Joint Venture/Consortium/Association submits an offer, the bid submission documents must be submitted in the name of (and from the UNGM account of) the leading partner. As per SECTION I: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS/ Article 4 OFFEROR ELIGIBILITY: "....If an offeror does not have all the expertise required for the provision of the Services described in the RFP, the offeror may submit a proposal in association with other entities, particularly with an entity in the country where the Services are to be provided. In the case of a Joint Venture, consortium or association:..." and "...iv) Each Joint Venture, consortium, or association member shall meet the offeror eligibility conditions....". Best regards, UNOPS UAMCO Procurement Team

New clarification added: Dear Sir / Madam,In the case of a Joint Venture between an international firm and a local Ukrainian firm, could you please confirm that it is not necessary for the international firm to be registered in Ukraine and that it would be sufficient to have only the local firm registered with the relevant authorities in Ukraine?***************************************Please read carefully document SECTION I: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS/ Article 4 Oferror Eligibility. If you have more questions, kindly let us know again in writing.Thank you.Best regards,UNOPS UAMCO Procurement Team