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Govt approves RFP for deepsea port
FE Report
10/13/2005

The government has approved Wednesday the request for proposals (RFP) and the terms of reference
(TOR) for conducting techno feasibility study on developing a deep-sea port in Bangladesh.
A high powered committee headed by Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain finalised the components of the
TfP and ToR during the meeting and decided to send the RfP to the already short-listed consulting firms to
place technical and financial proposals by next week.
"The firms will be given a two-month time for placing their technical and financial proposals to the
ministry," a senior shipping ministry official told the FE.
After submission of the proposals, the committee will sit again to examine the proposals of the consulting
firms to ensure that they are efficient to conduct the feasibility study.
A total of 100 marks have been earmarked to judge the efficiency level based on their experience in port-
related jobs, educational qualifications and technical expertise.
The firms, which would secure over 60 per cent marks would qualify in the efficiency test of the ministry,
the meeting sources said.
Financial offers of only the qualified consulting firms would be opened and considered for appointing the
consultant to perform techno feasibility study on developing the deep-sea port.
As per the final ToR, there has been provision of going to local arbitration by any party if the activities of
the other deems contrary to the agreement.
Seven international consulting firms have already been short-listed for conducting such studies after
scrutinising the expression of interests (EoI) submitted by them based on the terms of reference for
appointing the consultants.
The firms include HPC Hamburg Port Consulting of Germany, Royal Haskoning of Netherlands, Kolen
Gromit and Pvt. Ltd. of Australia, Pacific Consultants International of Japan, BCEOM of France, CPCS
Transcom Ltd. of Canada and Nathan Associates of USA.
The firm to be appointed from among the seven firms would have to prepare a feasibility report on
commercial basis recommending the location, facilities and details of the infrastructure and services to be
provided by the deep-sea port.
Assessing the potential markets both national and international and assessing business opportunities
including value added services and facilities would also be one of the prime jobs of the consulting firm.
It would identify the most advantageous site for establishing the deep-sea port.
The firm would also examine the social and environment impact of the ports
The firm would estimate the required investments in short, medium and long terms with special attention on
short term one for establishing the port.
The firms to be appointed for conducting the techno feasibility study would have to examine whether the
issue of raising 70 per cent capital of constructing the deep-sea port from the country's capital market would
be feasible.