Request for Proposal for Consulting Services

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CONSULTING SERVICES

RFP No.: DOFSC/RFP/LCS/2077/78-08

Title of Consulting Services

Profile preparation of Watershed with religious, cultural and archeological significance

Project Name: Watershed Conservation and Wetland Management Office Name: Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DoFSC) Office Address: Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal Financing Agency: Government of Nepal

Issued on: 27 January 2021

Section-1: Letter of Invitation

Date: 27 January 2021 Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal Dear Eligible Consultants,

1. The DoFSC invites proposals to provide the consulting services for Profile preparation of watershed with religious, cultural and archeological significance. More details on the services are provided in the attached Terms of Reference. 2. The Request for Proposal (RFP) has been addressed to all eligible consulting firms. 3. The consultant shall be selected and engaged on the basis of required experience and qualifications specified in the TOR and the consultant’s Financial Proposal. 4. A consultant will be selected on the basis of Least Cost Selection (LCS) method, and procedures described in this RFP. 5. The Proposal should be submitted in 1 (One) copy of both financial and technical and the deadline for submission is: on or within office hour of 2nd February 2021. 6. This is small assignment below NRs. 500,000 including VAT. 7. Both Proposals (Technical and Financial) must be Sealed, Signed and Stamped on all pages by the authorized representative of the Proponent who received written Power of Attorney from consultancy firm. 8. The RFP includes the following documents: Section 1 - Letter of Invitation Section 2 - Information to Consultants Section 3 - Technical Proposal - Standard Forms Section 4 - Financial Proposal - Standard Forms Section 5 - Terms of Reference Section 6 - Standard Forms of Contract Section 7- Required Document List 9. The Eligible Consultants may obtain further information and can inspect the Request for Proposal from DoFSC, Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal. 10. Anticipated implementation duration of the task 10th of February 2021 to 31thMay 2021. 11. DoFSC reserves the right to accept or reject, wholly or partly any or all the proposals without assigning any reason, whatsoever.

Yours sincerely,

…………………… Badri Raj Dhungana Deputy Director General DoFSC

Section- 2: Information to the Consultant

SN Subject Details 1 The name of the Client Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DoFSC) 2 The method of selection Least Cost Selection Method Profile preparation of Watershed with religious, cultural and 3 Name of the Task archeological significance Input from Client - Budget as agreed in the contract 4 - Required and Available Information 5 Estimated Person Days 268 Person-Days The clauses on fraud 6 and corruption in the As per GoN rules and regulation Contract Clarifications may be 7 2 days before the proposal submission date from DoFSC requested Name: Shanta Kumar Shahi Contact Person for Position : Assistant Soil Conservation Officer 8 Clarification Contact No.: +977-1-4220303/4216379 Ext………….. Email Address: [email protected] 9 Language of Proposal English 10 Validity of the Proposal 30 days from the deadline of Proposal submission Copies of required 11 One (1) Original Proposal Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DOFSC), The proposal 12 Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal, Phone: +977-1- submission address 4220303/4216379, Information on the 13 Title of the Task and RFP number outer envelope 14 Joint Venture Consultants/entity may associate with other consultants: Yes

Section 3.1: Technical Proposal Submission Form

[Location, Date]

To: [Name and address of Client]

Ladies/Gentlemen:

We, the undersigned, offer to provide the consulting services for [Title of consulting services including RFP number] in accordance with your Request for Proposal dated [Date] and our Proposal. We are hereby submitting our Proposal, which includes this Technical Proposal, and a Financial Proposal sealed under a separate envelope.

If negotiations are held during the period of validity of the Proposal, i.e., before [Date] we undertake to negotiate on the basis of the proposed staff. Our Proposal is binding upon us and subject to the modifications resulting from Contract negotiations.

We declare that, we have not been blacklisted, no conflict of interest in the proposed procurement proceedings and we have not been punished for an offence relating to the concerned profession or business.

We understand you are not bound to accept any Proposal you receive.

We remain,

Yours sincerely,

Authorized Signature: Name and Title of Signatory: Name of Consultant: Address3.

Section – 3.2: Format of Curriculum Vitae

Key Qualifications:

[Give an outline of your /staff member’s experience and training most pertinent to tasks on assignment. Describe degree of responsibility held by you / staff member on relevant previous assignments and give dates and locations. Use about half a printed page.]

Education:

[Summarize college/university and other specialized education of your / staff member, giving names of schools, dates attended, and degrees obtained. Use about one quarter of a printed page]

Employment Record:

[Starting with present position, list in reverse order every employment held. List all positions held by staff member since graduation, giving dates, names and address of employing organizations, titles of positions held, and locations of assignments. For experience in last ten years, also give types of activities performed and client references, where appropriate. Use about two pages.]

Languages:

[For each language indicate proficiency: excellent, good, fair, or poor in speaking, reading, and writing.]

Certification:

I, the undersigned, certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, these data correctly describe me, my qualifications, and my experience.

Date: [Signature of staff member and authorized representative of the consultant] Day/Month/Year

Full name of staff member: ______

Full name of authorized representative: ______

Seal / Stamp of the Consultant/Firm:

Section – 4: Financial Proposal Submission Form

[Letterhead of Consultant in case of a Firm]

[Location, Date]

To: [Name and address of Client]

Ladies/Gentlemen:

We, the undersigned, offer to provide the consulting services for [Title of the services] in accordance with your Request for Proposal dated [Date] and our Proposal (Technical and Financial Proposals). Our attached Financial Proposal is for the sum of [Amount in words and figures]. This amount is inclusive of the local taxes except Value Added Tax (VAT), which we have estimated at [Amount(s) in words and figures].

We understand you are not bound to accept any proposal you receive.

We remain,

Yours sincerely,

Authorized Signature: Name and Title of Signatory: Name of the Consultant: Address:

FORMAT FOR FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Unit Rate Rate (In S.No Description of works Unit Quantity Amount (NRs.) (Nrs) words) 1.1 Human Resource Service Remuneration (Field work) Team Leader (Watershed Management Expert Md 15 Archeologist (Archeological data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 15 GIS expert (Geographical data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 15 Sociologist (Cultural, religious and socio-economic data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 15 Enumerators (Socio-economic data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 17 Subtotal 1.2 Requirements For Office Works Topographic Maps And Other Map Data No. 10.00 A4 size blank paper Ream 6.00 Tonner(Printer-Canon 2900) No. 1.00 Team Leader (Watershed Management Expert Md 16.00 Sociologist (Cultural, religious and socio-economic data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 14.00 GIS expert (Geographical data collection, Information assessment and analysis) Md 14.00 Subtotal 1.3 Workshop and Meetings A) Local level workshop (one day event) Tea/ snacks Md 40.00 Stationary for Participants Md 40.00 Stationary for workshop LS/event 1.00

Banner, Photo LS/event 1.00 workshop Facilitator Md 1.00 workshop Helper Md 1.00 Subtotal B) Central level workshop (one day event) Tea/ snacks Md 25.00 Stationary for Participants Md 25.00 Stationary for workshop LS/event 1.00 Banner, Photo LS/event 1.00 workshop Facilitator Md 2.00 workshop Helper Md 2.00 Subtotal Water quality test (physical, chemical and micro- 1.4 biological) samples 3.00 Subtotal 1.5 Reporting Review Of Report Md 5 Final Report Preparation No. 1 Report Print No. 5 Subtotal C Total of items Number 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 ,1.4, 1.5 D 13% VAT of C E Grand Total ( Sum of C and D) Grand Total in words including VAT

Authorized Signature: ……………………………………..

Name and Title of the Signatory: ………………………….

Name of Consultant (Firm)……………………………….

Address:………………………………….……………….. Contact No…………………………………………………

Section – 5: Terms of Reference For Profile preparation of Watershed with religious, cultural and archeological significance

Introduction Water is an essential element for the subsistence of life on the planet earth. All the human as well as biotic civilization revolves around water. Water is regarded as a purifier in most of the religions. Since ancient times, there is a culture of praying certain water bodies (as Kundas) or parts of them as "Jal Devata". The followers of Hinduism have faith that the door to heaven will be opened for them once they take a bath in certain holy waters like Ganga. Due to these beliefs, various watersheds are important from the archaeological, religious and cultural point of view and hence it is necessary to conserve and manage such sites.

There are many water bodies in Nepal that holds archaeological, religious and cultural significance such as Bagmati river, Sali nadi, Gosaikunda, Devghat, Kagbeni, Tribeni, Modibeni, Sita pokhari, Satyawati Lake, Kamala River, etc. These sites are significant for cultural tourism as well. Due to various human pressures as well as change in the climatic attributes conservation and management of such watersheds has become challenging. Increase in human population, agricultural intensification, infrastructural development, industrialization and urbanization all have significant impacts on any water bodies and it is more grave in the water bodies which is swamped with visitors due to their specific significance. Higher number of visitors in such watersheds result in the disposal of non-biodegradable wastes which has led to in extinction of biota from the water bodies, e.g.: in Bagmati river, while there is possibility of extinction of aquatic life from many other watersheds that holds religious and cultural importance. Similarly, decline in the water flow and discharge is yet another major issue in such watersheds.

In this context, Kathmandu valley is a historical and cultural city of Nepal where mythology and geology intertwine (Dixit, 2010). It was the oldest town of the country as well, according to archaeological explorations. Based on ample of geological evidences, the valley was once a lake. There are many water bodies, both natural and manmade of archaeological and religious importance in the valley like Bagmati river, Taudaha, Sundarijal, Nagpokhari, Ranipokhari, Sali nadi, Guheshwori, etc. Among these, only Sali nadi was selected for the detail bio-physical and socio- economic study to identify and recommend necessary management interventions for the conservation and utilization of the whole watershed.

The Sali nadi is a major tributary of the Manohara River and is located in the Sakhu, an ancient Newari town of the valley. The catchment area of the study area is 85 sq. km. It is also a hiking route to Nagarkot's viewpoint. Every year, millions of Nepalese Hindu women recite Swasthani Brata Katha and practice one month long fasting and perform a ritual bath in the river, during the citation of the Katha for the prosperous life of their husband while unmarried women do the fasting to get an ideal husband. Beside women, other Hindu devotees also take a ritual bath in the river on the culmination day of the Katha with the belief that the river water will cleanse their sins and their wishes will be fulfilled.

Rationale There is limited documentation of any water bodies that have archaeological, religious and cultural values in Nepal and hence there is lack of a proper policy and institutional mechanism for the conservation and management of such sites. Due to financial and technical constraints as well as time limitation, the study and documentation of all such watersheds is not possible. Hence, a brief description of the watersheds in the Kathmandu valley will be conducted and a detail study of Sali Nadi will be conducted. The Sali Nadi is affected with high population density, urbanization, deforestation, land use and land cover change, solid waste disposal, mixing of agricultural chemicals, etc. This river system origins from the mid hill and converge into the Manohara river that confluence with the Bagmati river. Due to this reason, any human or natural pressure on the Sali Nadi can have adverse effect up to the Tarai region of Nepal. Hence, Sali Nadi was selected for the detailed study for its archaeological, religious and cultural significance.

Objectives (a)Overall objectives: Documentation of archeologically, religiously and culturally important watersheds of the Kathmandu valley, Nepal.

(b)Specific objectives:  To enlist the water bodies that have archeological, religious and cultural together with ecological significance in the Kathmandu valley.  To identify the human and other pressures that are deteriorating the selected watershed.  To assess the water quality of the selected watersheds.  To identify the current efforts for management and issues of the selected watershed.  To recommend the management activities/interventions which will help to enhance the condition of watershed.

Methodology (a) Field visit  Field visit, observation and primary data collection from watershed area  Water sample collection for quality analysis.

(b) Key Informant Interview

 Key Informant Interview with the local leaders, old citizens, local priests, officials of the Sankharapur municipality and other relevant personnels.

 Focused group discussion with the locals, especially senior citizens will help to know the significance of the selected watershed and changes in the watershed condition over time.

(d) Literature review  Review of relevant document related to watershed that has archeological, religious and cultural importance of concerned district.

(e) Application of remote sensing and geographic information system and Google images  Use of remote sensing, geographic information system and Google images to obtain the relevant information on spatial and temporal variations.

(f) Report Writing and Presentation . Output of study will be presented at DoFSC, which is mandatory. . Final report will incorporate feedback and comments suggested by the officials of DoFSC. . Final report to the DoFSC in both paper and electronic version.

Mode of Study Multidisciplinary team comprising soil conservation and watershed management expert, archeologist, sociologist and GIS expert is required for identifying different watersheds that have archeological, religious and cultural significance. All these experts are not available in DoFSC and also cannot address the archeological, socio-cultural and spatial investigation. Hence combination of both DoFSC staffs and experts from outside became necessary. In addition, time constraint may compel to finish the work timely. In this context, based on Public Procurement Act, 2063 selection of service provider is applicable.

Specific Tasks: The consultant will carry out the following specific tasks in close coordination with the officials from the DoFSC  Identification and listing of archeologically, religiously and culturally important watersheds in the Kathmandu valley.  Digitization of the selected watershed that has archeological, religious and cultural significance.  Archeological, biophysical & socio-economic analysis of the watershed area.  Preparation of socio-economic and community based information profiles.  Temporal change assessment of land use/land cover within the watershed.  General information of the water quality of the selected river.  Analysis of the issues and challenges in the watershed  Assessment of the existing efforts/activities for the management.  Recommendation of the management interventions

1. Inputs to be provided by DoFSC DoFSC will provide the following logistics, data/report(s) and support to the consultant.  Officials from the DoFSC will facilitate/guide for the task up to their availability of time and resource.

 DoFSC may provide space for discussions and meeting upon request from the consultant  DoFSC may provide reports available in the departments' library upon request from the consultant

2. Deliverable The service provider should deliver the following documents and reports:  Three hard and one soft copies of report

3. Qualification and Composition of team The team shall be comprised of following members: (a) Watershed Management expert - 1 No (as team leader): At least Master degree in Forestry/ Soil Conservation and Watershed Management/ Natural Resource Management/ Environment and more than five years of related work experiences is required. (b) Archaeologist: - 1 No.: Master degree in archeology or history with relevant work experience. (c) GIS Expert: 1 No. At least Master degree in Forestry/ Soil Conservation and Watershed Management/ Natural Resource Management/ Environment/Geology/Engineering with working experience on GIS/RS (d) Sociologist/Cultural expert: 1 No. At least Master degree in Sociology with relevant work experience

4. Terms of Reference for the Experts A) Watershed Management expert (Team leader)  Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others (Group members and other stakeholders)  Develop and maintain a reporting system designed to capture information collected in the field on a regular and frequent basis for quality control and preliminary analysis.  Conduct surveys, studies, or investigations of various land uses to inform corrective action plans.  Review plans and policies for soil conservation and watershed management.  Analyzing Data or Information

B) GIS expert  Compile temporal and spatial data about the watershed resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software  Produce data layers, maps, tables, or reports, using spatial analysis procedures or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.  Create, analyze, report, convert, or transfer data to identify trends or relationships among variables using specialized applications program software.  Evaluate or recommend geographic information systems (GIS) applications to address issues such as land slide, soil erosion and flooding etc.  Analyze Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to identify spatial relationships or display results of analyses, using maps, graphs, or tabular data.  Collect, compile, or integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, such as remote sensing or cartographic data for inclusion in map manuscripts.

C) Archaeologist  Investigate the history of the link between human and selected watershed through the collection, examination, measurement, or classification of the collected data.  Developing and maintaining a cultural resource information base for the field  Survey sites using a variety of methods, including field walking, geophysical surveys, etc.  Record sites using drawings, detailed notes and photography  Maintaining archaeological inventories  Check planning applications and identify any possible archaeological impact  Collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by identifying, grouping and classifying them  Writing reports, papers and other articles  Other duties appropriate to the post as may be required

D) Sociologist/Cultural expert  Collect data regarding the archeological, religious and cultural significance of the watershed through intensive field observation and focused group discussion.  Identify issues like variation in the spatial and temporal distribution of the watershed.  Study the actual and possible impacts of human interventions on the selected watershed.  Study local culture, traditional practices, social values and norms  Collect and review documents relating to the issues related to GESI, indigenous people, development potentials and needs, demographic and urban trends, etc.

5. Supervision and Monitoring The service provider will undertake the assignment under the coordination and supervision of DoFSC.

6. Duration and Time Frame The work should be completed within 120 days of contract signed. Detailed timeframe and deliverables should consider the following table:

SN Deliverables Timeframe 1 Preparation of inception report 2nd week after contract signed 2 Field visits & consultation with stakeholders 3rd to 5th week 3 Draft Report Preparation (Analysis of Data at Office) 6th to 10th week 3 Draft report submission 12th week 4 Presentation at DoFSC 14th week 5 Final report submission 16th week

7. SCHEDULE AND MODE OF PAYMENT Report type Payment Time frame Inception Report 40% of contract budget Within 30 days of contract awarded to faculty Final Report 60% of contract budget After submission of the final report

Section – 6: Standard Form of Contract

 Lump-sum Assignment Including VAT  Progress based payment will be made after receiving and approval of the reports by the DoFSC authority  Other general conditions of contract are as per Standard Form of Contract prescribed by the PPMO Section – 7: Required Documents list

Note: Consultants are suggested to provide the corresponding information in the format given in the RFP document.

Eligibility Criteria (Required Documents): S. No. Documents A Copy of Company/Consultancy Firm Registration Certificate with updated renewed, 1 Non Profitable Institution, NGO (Non Government Organization) and INGO are not eligible for submission of Proposal

2 A Copy of VAT Registration Certificate

3 A Copy of Tax Clearance Certificate of F.Y. 2076/77 B.S.

JV Agreement (in case of JV Submission) (JV with Non Profitable Institution, 4 NGO/INGO are not Eligible) 5 Power of Attorney (Authority to prepare and Signature on the proposal) Self Declaration (Regarding not blacklisted, not ineligible to participate in the contract 6 and has no punished in the business offence)

7 Sealed brief hard copies of the Technical and Financial Proposals as per given Format 8 Signed CV of the key Human Resources proposed for the task

Annex 1: Guidelines for proposal preparation The consultant firm should submit the following details in the proposal:

a. Brief Methodology to carry out the task b. List of the proposed human resources with signed CVs of the professionals c. Technical and financial proposals in sealed envelope d. Schedule of the activities with timeline (to be included in the technical proposal) e. Statements and documents, if any, acknowledging the individual and /or company’s capability for carrying out similar job successfully f. Any other relevant document 15