Procurement 1. Procurement for the proposed project will be carried out in accordance with: World Bank’s "Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works and Non-Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers" of January 2011, revised July 2014 (Procurement Guidelines); "Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers" of January 2011, revised July 2014 (Consultant Guidelines); and the provisions stipulated in the Financing Agreement. “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants” dates October 15, 2006 and updated January 2011, shall also apply to the Project. Unless otherwise agreed with the Bank, the Bank’s Standard Bidding Documents, Requests for Proposals, and Forms of Consultant Contract will be used. 2. In case of conflict between the Bank’s procurement procedures and any national rules and regulations, the Bank’s procurement procedures will take precedence. The general descriptions of various items under different expenditure categories are described below. For each contract to be financed by the Credit, the different procurement methods or consultant selection methods, the need for prequalification, estimated costs, prior review requirements, and time frames are agreed between the Borrower and the Bank project team and included in the initial Procurement Plan. 3. Retroactive Financing. If requested by the Borrower, the IDA may provide retroactive financing under the IDA Credit. Retroactive financing may only be provided when: (a) the activities financed by retroactive financing are related to the Development Objectives and are included in the project description; (b) the payments are for items procured in accordance with the applicable Bank procurement procedures; (c) the total amount of retroactive financing is SDR 815,000 (US$1.125 million equivalent) or less; and (d) the payments are made by the Borrower prior to the date of the Financing Agreement but on or after January 1, 2016 for eligible expenditures. 4. Procurement of Works. Works procured under this project shall be procured following International Competitive Bidding and National Competitive Bidding and may involve shopping in some cases. Bank standard documents will be used for International Competitive Bidding contracts. Standard Bidding Documents of the Borrower as agreed with the Bank will be used for National Competitive Bidding contracts. Procurement of such works shall be guided by the provisions applicable to those as laid down in the corresponding paragraphs of Procurement Guidelines as well as the processes detailed out in the POM of the project. 5. Procurement of Goods. Goods procured under this project shall be done using Bank’s SBDs for all International Competitive Bidding and National Standard Bidding Documents agreed with (or satisfactory to) the Bank for all National Competitive Bidding and Shopping. Small value procurements (up to US$500 or equivalent) may be carried out following Direct Contracting. 6. The following methods will be applicable for procurement of Goods and Works and Non- Consulting Services, consistent with the relevant sections of the Bank’s Procurement Guidelines:  International Competitive Bidding;  National Competitive Bidding;  Shopping (Quotations);  Direct Contracting;  Force Account; and  Community Participation. 7. Requirements under National Competitive Bidding. In order to ensure economy, efficiency, transparency and broad consistency with the provisions of the Procurement Guidelines, goods, works, and non-consultant services procured under the National Competitive Bidding method shall be subject to the following requirements: (i) Only the model bidding documents for National Competitive Bidding agreed with the Bank shall be used for bidding; (ii) Invitations for bids will be advertised in at least one widely circulated national daily newspaper, and bidding documents will be made available at least twenty one (21) days before, and issued up to, the deadline for submission of bids; (iii) Qualification criteria will be stated in the bidding documents, and if a registration process is required, a foreign firm declared as the lowest evaluated responsive bidder shall be given a reasonable time for registering, without let or hindrance; (iv) Bids will be opened in public in one location, immediately after the deadline for the submission of bids, as stipulated in the bidding document (the bidding document will indicate the date, time and place of bid opening); (v) Except in cases of force majeure or exceptional situations beyond the control of the implementing agency, the extension of bid validity will not be allowed; (vi) Bids will not be rejected merely on the basis of a comparison with an official estimate; (vii) Except with the prior concurrence of the Bank, there will be no negotiation of price with bidders, even with the lowest evaluated bidder; (viii) A bidder's bid security will apply only to the specific bid, and a contractor’s performance security will apply only to the specific contract under which they are furnished; and (ix) Bids will not be invited on the basis of percentage premium or discount over the estimated cost, unless agreed with the Bank. 8. Selection of Consultants. Major consultancy services to be procured shall follow the World Bank guidelines for selection of consultants and standard documents of the Bank shall be used. Short lists of consultants for services estimated to cost less than US$300,000 or equivalent per contract may be composed entirely of national consultants in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2.7 of the Consultant Guidelines. The Bank’s Standard Request for Proposal (April 2015) will be used as a base for all procurement of consultancy services under the project. The following methods will be applicable for selection of consultants, consistent with the relevant sections of the Bank’s Consultant Guidelines:  Quality- and Cost- Based Selection;  Quality-Based Selection;  Least Cost Selection;  Fixed Budget Selection;  Selection based on Consultants’ Qualifications: for services estimated to cost less than US$300,000 equivalent per contract, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3.7 of the Consultant Guidelines;  Single-Source Selection;  Selection of Individual Consultants as set forth in paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the “Consultant Guidelines” ; and  Sole Source Procedures for the Selection of Individual Consultants. 9. Thresholds for Procurement Methods and Prior Review. Review thresholds and requirements for different methods of procurement of works, goods, non-consulting services and selection of Consultants based on the current procurement risk rating are listed in the table below. 10. These thresholds and review requirements may be modified on the basis of reassessed risk ratings during project implementation in agreement with the Bank. Table 3.3 Thresholds for procurement methods and prior review Expenditure Contract Value Procurement Contracts/Processes Subject Category (Threshold) Method to Prior Review Works ≥US$7,500,000 International All contracts Competitive Bidding