PROCUREMENT PLAN (Textual Part) Project information: Maldives, MV: Youth Employability and Resilience Project-P163818 Project Implementation agency: Ministry of Higher Education Date of the Procurement Plan: August 22, 2019 Period covered by this Procurement Plan: August 22, 2019– August 22, 2020 Preamble In accordance with paragraph 5.9 of the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” (July 2016) (“Procurement Regulations”) the Bank’s Systematic Tracking and Exchanges in Procurement (STEP) system will be used to prepare, clear and update Procurement Plans and conduct all procurement transactions for the Project. This textual part along with the Procurement Plan tables in STEP constitute the Procurement Plan for the Project. The following conditions apply to all procurement activities in the Procurement Plan. The other elements of the Procurement Plan as required under paragraph 4.4 of the Procurement Regulations are set forth in STEP. The Bank’s Standard Procurement Documents: shall be used for all contracts subject to international competitive procurement and those contracts as specified in the Procurement Plan tables in STEP. National Procurement Arrangements: In accordance with paragraph 5.3 of the Procurement Regulations, when approaching the national market (as specified in the Procurement Plan tables in STEP), the country’s own procurement procedures may be used. When the Borrower uses its own national open competitive procurement arrangements as set forth in Chapter on Public Procurement for Maldives’ Public Finance Regulations 2017, Chapter 10 – State Procurement System, such arrangements shall be subject to paragraph 5.4 of the Procurement Regulations and the following conditions. 1) Only bidding documents acceptable to the Bank shall be used for all national open competitive procurement. 2) The eligibility of bidders shall be as defined under Section III of the Procurement Regulations. Accordingly, no bidder or potential bidder shall be declared ineligible for contracts financed by the Bank for reasons other than those provided in Section III of the Procurement Regulations. 3) The request for bids/request for proposals document shall require that Bidders/Proposers submitting Bids/Proposals present a signed acceptance (in the form attached) at the time of bidding, to be incorporated in any resulting contracts, confirming application of, and compliance with, the Bank’s Anti-Corruption Guidelines, including without limitation the Bank’s right to sanction and the Bank’s inspection and audit rights. 4) Procurement Documents include provisions, as agreed with the Bank, intended to adequately mitigate against environmental, social (including sexual exploitation and abuse and gender-based violence), health and safety (“ESHS”) risks and impacts 5) In case of Open Tendering, the receipt of less than three bids shall not be considered grounds for cancellation and re-invitation of bids. 6) Bid shall not be rejected merely on the basis of a comparison with an official estimate. When other national procurement arrangements other than national open competitive procurement arrangements are applied by the Borrower, such arrangements shall be subject to paragraph 5.5 of the Procurement Regulations. Leased Assets as specified under paragraph 5.10 of the Procurement Regulations: Leasing may be used for those contracts identified in the Procurement Plan tables. Not Applicable Procurement of Second Hand Goods as specified under paragraph 5.11 of the Procurement Regulations – is allowed for those contracts identified in the Procurement Plan tables Not Applicable Domestic preference as specified under paragraph 5.51 of the Procurement Regulations (Goods and Works). Specify for each Goods: [is not applicable/is applicable for those contracts identified in the Procurement Plan tables]; Not Applicable Works: [is not applicable/is applicable for those contracts identified in the Procurement Plan tables] Not Applicable Table 5.1. Procurement Methods to Be Used in the Project Applicable for ‘Substantial’ risk Expenditure Contract Value Procurement Method Contracts/ Category (threshold) Processes Subject to Prior Review ≥US$100,000 Open International All contracts over US$500,000 All contracts subject to post