Mr. Jesse Bunch; Office of the High Rep.(North); Emerika Bluma, br. 1; 71000 Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Tel:381-76-205-666; Fax:381-76-205-560

B -- DEADLINE EXTENSION FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: BRCKO PORT FACILITIES FEASIBILITY STUDY POC Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 This is a notice of deadline extension for the Bosnia and Herzegovina: Brcko Port Facilities Feasibility Study. Per request of the grantee, the closing date for the Feasibility Study RFP has been extended from July 26, 1999 to August 31, 1999. The Port of Brcko invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to develop a feasibility study for the development of Port of Brcko along the Sava River. Prior to the war, the Port of Brcko was an important port along the Sava River, which flows to the Danube River and Belgrade. However, due to the war in the former Yugoslavia, port facilities were heavily damaged. This damage, together with lack of maintenance over this period, has resulted in significant deterioration of facilities. Silting of the river is also an issue and requires further study. Also, much debris now blocks or limits river traffic at various sections of the Sava River. This port is considered a development priority for Bosnia. The total cost of developing the port could reach $30 million, with potential exports comprising up to $20 million. Boosting the economy of the area is a vital prerequisite for returning to normality and canceling the effects of the war in the former Yugoslavia. As part of the restoration of ports on the Sava, it is essential that an evaluation be made of a development program for inland waterway facilities in the region. The Port of Brcko has been traditionally one of the most important economic resources of Brcko and it is likely to be even more so once the reconstruction and development activities begin in the Sava basin. The port is usable 310 days per year and has had a throughput capacity of one million metric tons per year. The study needs to demonstrate the economic viability of the project and to prepare a detailed financing/investment program should the technical and economic analyses indicate potential for acceptable returns on investment. The study will take at least six months. Terms of Reference for this project include: (1) review past and current port and cargo activities data and studies; (2) prepare detailed inventories of facilities at Brcko port, as well as connecting road and rail networks; (3) prepare cargo traffic forecasts; (4) identify facility and equipment requirements; (5) prepare facility and operations plans; (6) prepare site location and land use plans; (7) provide financial and economic analyses, forecasts and plans; (8) investigate sources of financing; (9) prepare an environmental assessment; (10) identify potential suppliers, and; (11) prepare final report. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $292,500 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the Terms of Reference, and a background desk study report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's Nationality Requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 4:00 p.m., August 31, 1999 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Although cost will not be a factor in the evaluation, cost proposals must be submitted for the purpose of evaluating proposed allotments of resources. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals. Posted 07/20/99 (I-SN356615). (0201)

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