KARNATAKA FOREST DEPARTMENT

Invitation for Pre-qualification of Evaluation Consultants

Issued by

Chief Conservator of Forests (Evaluations)

Aranaya Bhavana,

18th Cross, Malleshwaram,

Bengaluru – 560003

Phone: 080-23467613

Email:

November, 2014

NOTIFICATION

Call for Prequalification of External Evaluation Consultants

1.The context

Karnataka Forest Department of the Government of Karnataka is responsible for conservation and development of the forests, wildlife and biodiversity in the state. In pursuit of these objectives, the department implements more than fifty five different schemes and programs annually. Government of Karnataka has launched a new evaluation policy in the year 2011 according to which all the schemes and programs implemented by all the government agencies are required to be evaluated by independent and competent external evaluators for eventual improvements to the policies, programs and the manner of implementation. Consistent with this policy, the Karnataka Forest Department intends to get itsactivities, policies and programs externally evaluated. Identification of eligible external consultants will be done through prequalification. Competitive tenders will be invited from shortlisted consultants only and evaluation studies will be entrusted to successful bidders. This notification is a call for prequalification.

2.Scope of the consulting services

Programs and schemes implemented by the department include a wide range of activities such as protection of natural forests employing a variety of tools, afforestation of degraded or open notified forests/government lands/community lands, soil and moisture conservation works, development of forest roads/buildings/other infrastructure, stakeholders’ participation in forest and natural resources management through Village Forest Committees/Eco-development Committees, sustainable management of natural resources, meeting market demands for timber and non-timber forest products, promotion of social forestry/agro and farm forestry, development of amenities for ecotourism, delivering beneficiary oriented schemes of social emancipation nature to the deprived communities in and around the forests, and so on. The Department spends approximately Rs. 300 crore annually on the conservation and developmental activities inthe state. Consultants are required to assess the effectiveness of the conservation and development programs being implemented against the objectives listed in the approved Terms of Reference (ToR) for the specific study, objectives of the respective program or scheme guidelines and also examine the contribution to the advancement ofNational Forest Policy (1988), Karnataka State Forest Policy (2012). Evaluations may be comprehensive (covering all scheme/programs implemented during the specified period and in specified areas to assess the outcomes) or thematic (confined to a specific topic to be studied in great depth for recommending policy and implementation reforms). Multi-skills and integrated approaches are required for the evaluations. Normal time allowed for completing an evaluation assignment and submitting the final report is about 6 months. Consultants will be closely monitored and there is no scope for sub-standard work.

3.Eligibility criteria for prequalification

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

  1. Any government or registered organization with professional research and/or evaluation experience in at least four out of the seven areas listed below are eligible to apply:
  1. Forest and wildlife management
  2. Eco-regeneration and biodiversity conservation
  3. Integrated watershed management
  4. Climate change and sustainable development
  5. Environmental economics
  6. Socioeconomics of rural development
  7. Public policy and public administration

In the case of large research or academic institutions including universities specific department or division may also apply independently. Individuals are not eligible.

  1. Prospective applicants must have at least five years of professional experiencein undertaking research/evaluation assignments.
  2. The organization must have successfully completed at least 3 major research/evaluation assignmentsof worth Rs. 25 lakh each.
  3. Must have an annual financial turnover of not less than Rs. 50 lakh.
  4. The applicant organization or any of its keyprofessional staff members must not have been blacklisted by any public agency.

4. Submission of applications

Interested organizations may apply for prequalification with the following documents:

  1. Covering letterin the format given in Annexure -1.
  2. Filled in application form as per the format prescribed in Annexure - II.
  3. Experience in research/evaluation studies in the last five years in the format prescribed at Annexure - III along with copies of the abstracts of three research or evaluation studies conducted in the last three years.
  4. Audited financial statements for the last three years (balance sheet and tax paid details). In case of government organizations, published annual reports should be submitted. These documents constitute Annexure – IV.
  5. Declaration in the format given in Annexure -V.
  6. A demand draft for Rs. 1000/- towards the application processing fee.

Necessary supporting documents must be attached. In addition, the applicants may attach testimonials from their previous clients if they so wish.

5. Last date for submission of applications

Applications complete in all respects must be submitted latest by 5.30 PM on 20-12-2014 before the close of office hours. Late applications may not be entertained.

6. Criteria for evaluation of the applications

Incomplete applications will be rejected summarily and no communication will be sent to the applicants. The remaining applications will be evaluated by a three member Prequalification Committee based on the following criteria:

Table 1: Prequalification Criteria

Item / Criteria / Max score / Scoring criteria
I / Age of the applicant organization. / 5 / 5 points if age is five years or more. Else disqualified from participation.
II / Professional expertise available on the pay rolls of the applicant organization. / 35 / 5 points for each area listed as required in para 3 above.
III / Size of the evaluation or research studies handled in the last three years / 15 / 5 points for each study costing Rs. 25 lakh or more. Zero for projects costing less then Rs. 25 lakh.
IV / Quality of evaluation of research studies done in the last 3 years. / 30 / 10 points to be awarded by each committee member based on the methodology adopted, validity of findings andpragmatic recommendations made.
V / Financial status of the applicant organization / 15 / 5 points for each year of Rs. 50 lakh turnover.
TOTAL / 100

The Committee may seek additional information from the applicants or cross verify the details with other sources if necessary for the purpose of assessment. Applicants whosescore a minimum of 75 points alone are eligible for prequalification. Rest will be rejected.

7. Notification of the results and further schedule

Assessment will be completed in about 3 weeks’ time and the results will be communicated to all the applicants. Following this, successful applicants will be invited to participate in the tenders for evaluations on competitive two cover (technical and financial) bid system. Prequalification is valid for one year. It may be extended at the discretion of the department.

______

Annexures

Annexure – I

Template of the Covering Letter to the Prequalification Application

(To be printed on the letter head of the applicant organization)

To,

Chief Conservator of Forests (Evaluation),

Aranya Bhavan,

18th Cross, Malleshwaram,

Bangalore - 560003.

Dear Madam/Sir,

Sub: / Application for prequalification – reg.
Ref: / Your notification: ______dated ______
  1. With reference toyournotification cited above, we declare that we fulfill the criteria prescribedtherein for prequalification. We are enclosing our filled application herewith. We have read and understood the relevant terms and conditions and confirm that these are acceptable to us.
  1. We understand that KFD is not bound to short-list/accept any application received if it is not complete in all respects or did not score the prescribed minimum score.We also understand that all the prequalified applicants may not be invited to bid for every evaluation study or be awarded a project/ assignment applied for without due process.
  1. Our prequalification application shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of department’s notification of acceptance. We are agreeable for further extension of time on the same terms. We shall fully cooperate with KFD and will provide all the necessary information at anytime.

Sincerely,

[Applicant’s signature]

Name: ______

Designation: ______

Date: ______Office seal

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Annexure - II

Prequalification Application Form

Sl no / Item / Particulars / Supporting documents required / Documents enclosed? * Yes/No
  1. General Information

I / Head Office details
Name, registered address and contact details of Administrative Head quarters of the organization / None / ------
Name and postal address of the Head of the organisation / None / ------
Type of organisation / Society/trust/company/
Firm/university/ Govt organisation(strike off whichever is not applicable) / None
Year of establishment / None / ------
Registration details / Certificate/self declaration
Whether public or private sector? / None / ------
Nature of activities undertaken / Self declaration / ------
II / Applicant organization details / ------/ None / ------
Name of the applicant organization, postal address and contact details / None / ------
Name, designation and contact details of the person heading the organization / None / ------
Year of establishment / None / ------
Registration details if any / Certificate/self declaration
What is the primary objective of your organization? / Self declaration / ------
What are your major activities? / Self declaration / ------
What is your annual budget size? / Self declaration / ------
How many employees are on the pay rolls of your organization? / Management representatives......
Professional staff......
Supporting staff...... / Self declaration / ------
What is the geographical area of your consultancy operations? / Self declaration / ------
What are your outstanding achievements in the last 5 years? / Self declaration / ------
  1. Information for assessing the organization

1. / Did you have a permanent office in Karnataka state in the last 5 years? / Yes/No / Copy of any relevant document or self declaration
2. / How many evaluation or research staffs are working with you on full time basis since last one year? / (Names to be listed here) / Signed profiles of professional staff employed for research/ evaluation
3. / Did you take up any evaluation studies for UN organizations/Govt of India/Govt of Karnataka or their agencies in the last 5 years? / Yes/No
If yes, list the number year-wise against each / Self declaration
  1. Of the above studies, how many belong to natural resources management sectors: (e.g.: Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, water resources, etc).
/ Names of thestudies year-wise along with the cost) / Copy of cover pages of the reports
  1. Social sectors: (SC/ST welfare, backward classes and minority’s welfare, women and children, labor, youth etc).
/ Names of the studies year-wise along with the cost) / Copy of cover pages of the reports
4. / Please list your key professional staff who will be deployed for the evaluation studies. / (Names to be listed) / One page profile of each staff member to be attached)
5. / Please list three best evaluation studies from the list above for assessing your professionalism? / (List) / Copy of cover pages and executive summaries
6. / Are you empanelled by any UN/Govt of India or State Govt Departments or Agencies? / Yes/No
If yes, details / Copy of empanelment certificate/letter
7. / Details of application processing fee paid / DD for Rs. 1000/- / (Applicants who allready paid as per notification No:A3/CCF/EVA/CR-01/2014-15dated 08-07-2014 need not pay again).

* If documents are attached please give a serial number and quote the number in this column.

I/We certified that the information furnished above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Please empanel our organization as an External Consultant for taking up evaluation studies and inform us early.

Signature: ______Name: ______

Designation: ______

Office stamp: ______Date:______

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Annexure – III

Details of earlier Evaluation/Research Assignments handled by ______(name of the organization)

(Insert a separate sheet as annexure III a, III b and III c for each project)

1.Name of the research/evaluation study
2.Name of the client/sponsoring organization
3.Year in which the study was undertaken
4.Year in which the study was completed
5.Total cost of the study
6.Whether testimonial of the client attached? / Yes/No
Executive summary of the study
(To be copied from the original study report)

Annexure - IV

Financial statements of the applicant

(Please attach audited income-expenditure statement and tax paid receipts for the last three years as annexure IV a, IV b and IV c. Government organizations may attach their last three years’ annual reports instead)

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Annexure – V

Declaration by the applicant

  1. We hereby declare that we are a research/academic/consultant organization (strike off whichever is not applicable) engaged in advancing matters of public interest and not for profit.
  1. We hereby declare that neither our organization nor any of our key staff members are blacklisted or covered by a declaration of ineligibility for corrupt or fraudulent practices by any government agency. Our organization or any of the key staff are not facing any criminal cases in any court of law.
  1. We hereby declare that we will extend necessary cooperation and support to the Karnataka Forest Department in their endeavor to improve their programs and policies to the best of our abilities.
  1. We hereby declare that our application is made in good faith and the information contained is true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief. We are aware that any misrepresentation will lead to our disqualification at any time in addition to the other legal cosequences.

[Applicant’s signature]

Name: ______

Designation: ______

Date: ______Office seal

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