Hiring of individual consultant for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Expert

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, HIGHWAYS & URBAN DEVELOPMENT REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

Project: Regional Empowerment through Vibrant, Inclusive and Viable Economies (REVIVE) Project

Credit No.: 7985-LK

Assignment Title: Hiring Individual Consultant (Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Expert) for Project Management Unit (PMU)

Procurement Activity No.: LK-UDA-PMU-555760-CS-INDV

1. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Regional Empowerment through Vibrant, Inclusive and Viable Economies (REVIVE) Project. It intends to apply part of the proceeds to consulting services. 2. The REVIVE Project supports regional economic development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces through enabling infrastructure, local economic development, value-chain strengthening, private sector participation, institutional capacity building and inclusive job creation. The first phase focuses on the Jaffna Fort, Gurunagar, Cod Bay, Passikudah and Arugam Bay clusters. 3. The objective of the assignment is to provide specialized and independent PPP/private sector participation advisory support to the REVIVE Project Management Unit (PMU). The Consultant will help the PMU assess whether selected opportunities are commercially realistic, proportionate to project needs, and suitable for further preparation, without replacing a full transaction advisory firm or specialist legal, financial, procurement, safeguards, valuation, or technical consultants. 4. The engagement will be assignment-based and intermittent. Services will be performed only against written Task Orders or assignment briefs approved by the PMU. Each Task Order will define the scope, outputs, timeline, approved level of effort and maximum person-days, reporting requirements, and acceptance criteria. Payment will be on a time-based/person-day basis at the contractual daily rate, for actual approved services performed within the relevant Task Order ceiling.

The scope of services will include:

Conducting market sounding for PPP/private sector participation options identified in approved conceptual designs or other PMU-approved project documents; Reviewing feasibility study reports from a PPP/private sector participation perspective, including commercial assumptions, economic and financial analysis, O&M arrangements, bankability, affordability, fiscal exposure, implementation readiness and suitability of proposed private participation models; Preparing PPP/private sector participation screening and appraisal packages for priority opportunities, including option appraisal, preliminary commercial, financial and fiscal analysis, risk allocation and transaction-readiness assessment; Supporting the review of investor solicitation and transaction documents, providing advisory inputs for investor proposal review, and supporting transaction process mapping, clearances, coordination and transaction-readiness for selected investments; and Providing other PMU-approved PPP/private sector participation advisory services only where specifically commissioned through a separate Task Order and not already covered above.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following website: https://www.transport.gov.lk/ 5. The Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development now invites eligible national and international Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are:

Qualifications A Master’s degree or higher in finance, economics, business administration, law, public policy, infrastructure/project finance, engineering, urban/regional planning, or a closely related discipline. Recognized professional training or certification in PPPs, infrastructure finance, project finance or transaction advisory will be an advantage.

Experience At least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience, including substantial experience in PPP/private sector participation advisory, project finance, infrastructure or service-delivery transactions, or related assignments. Demonstrated experience in private sector market sounding and investor/operator consultations. Demonstrated ability to review feasibility studies, economic and financial analyses, financial models, demand/revenue assumptions, option appraisals, affordability, value-for-money, fiscal-risk and risk-allocation assessments. Experience in preparing or reviewing PPP screening and appraisal packages, concept notes, outline business cases, transaction-readiness assessments or equivalent decision documents. Experience in at least one sector relevant to REVIVE, such as tourism/hospitality, heritage/adaptive reuse, fisheries/harbours, cold chain and processing, urban services, water/wastewater, solid waste, mobility, coastal development or local economic development. Experience in developing countries and in working with Government agencies, multilateral development banks, and multidisciplinary technical, financial, legal, safeguards and procurement teams. Experience in South Asia, including Sri Lanka, will be an advantage.

Key Competencies Strong knowledge of PPP and private sector participation modalities, including concessions, leases, service and management contracts, O&M contracts, BOT/BOOT/DBFOT, co-investment and related operating arrangements. Ability to distinguish commercial viability from economic viability and provide practical recommendations on public support, risk allocation and delivery choice. Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to prepare concise, decision-oriented reports and presentations.

6. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.15 and 3.16 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for