STANDARD PROCUREMENT
               DOCUMENT
              Trial Edition
        Request for Proposals
      Framework Agreement(s)
         Consulting Services
     (with financial proposals (rates) invited at the Primary
               Procurement stage)
                          September 2021 
       This document is subject to copyright.
       This document may be used and reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Any commercial
       use, including without limitation reselling, charging to access, redistribute, or for derivative 
       works such as unofficial translations based on this document is not allowed.
        
           i
                                  Foreword
          1.  This   Standard   Procurement   Document   (SPD),   Request   for   Proposals   (RFPs)-
              Framework Agreement (s) for selection of consultants to provide Consultancy Services,
              has been prepared by the World Bank1 (“Bank”) 
          2.  This SPD reflects the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, July,
              2016  as amended from time to time. This SPD is applicable to the selection of
              consultant(s), to provide Consultancy Services, funded, in whole or in part, by IBRD or
              IDA financed projects and whose Legal Agreement makes reference to the Procurement
              Regulations for IPF Borrowers.
          3.  The SPD includes provisions to ensure that a firm disqualified by the Bank for non-
              compliance with SEA/SH obligations is not awarded a contract.
          4.  The text shown in Italics is “Notes to the Procuring Agency”. It provides guidance to
              the entity in preparing a specific RFP. “Notes to the Procuring Agency” should be
              deleted from the final RFP issued to the shortlisted Consultants.
          5.  Framework Agreements may be used to retain one or more qualified consulting firms
              for multiple consulting assignments that: (i) are similar in nature and complexity to be
              described under a broad terms of reference, with details (such as precise location,
              duration and scope) specified in individual call-off contracts as applicable; (ii) require
              similar qualifications; and/or (iii) are individually relatively small (economy of scale or
              scope). 
          6.  After a competitive selection process, framework agreements with TORs that broadly
              define the nature and scope of services that may be required during the term of the
              framework agreement, may be concluded with one or more consultants.
          7.  As the consulting services carried out under a framework agreement/s are more
              specifically determined during the call-off process, in most cases, it may not be
              practical to request a complete financial proposal and include it in the Primary
              Procurement evaluation process. The Quality and Cost-based selection method may
              therefore not be appropriate for selecting firms to conclude a framework agreement. In
              such circumstances where it is not practical to define upfront more accurate TORs and
              inputs required from the firms, the Quality-based Selection (QBS) would be more
              appropriate at the Primary Procurement stage. This SPD is based on QBS at that stage. 
          8.  At the Primary Procurement stage, the TORs normally provide the objectives,
              background information and as much information as practically possible on the planned
              assignments (such as expected scope, locations if known, typical estimated person
              months requirements, qualifications of key experts, expected typical deliverables) to
              enable the consultants to propose appropriate experts  and demonstrate how they would
              approach the assignment/s, organize and resource their teams. 
          1 References in this SPD to the “World Bank” or “Bank” include both the International Bank for Reconstruction 
          and Development (IBRD) and International Development Association (IDA). 
                ii
               9.     While it is important to simplify the call-off process and achieve efficiency gains
                      through the Primary procurement, it is recognized that this is a framework approach
                      and the information provided and technical proposals requested at this stage should not
                      be to the extent of limiting the specific requirements of the individual Call-off
                      Contracts.  
               10.    The technical proposal will provide the experts and normally outline the approach and
                      methodology. The approach and methodology at the framework agreement level is to
                      demonstrate the consultants’ ability to carry out typical assignments to be called-off
                      under the Framework Agreement.         
               11.    The Financial proposals will provide the remuneration rates of experts (depending on
                      the expected locations and timings of the assignments, there may be more than one
                      expert for a position) and typical reimbursement unit rates which will be subject to
                      negotiation with the Consultant/s the Procuring Agency intends to enter into framework
                      agreement/s.
               12.    For relatively simpler consulting services,  the SPD- FA- Consulting Services (SPD
                      also available) where financial proposal is invited only at the Secondary Procurement
                      stage may be more appropriate.
               To obtain further information on procurement under World Bank-financed projects or for any
               questions regarding the use of this SPD, contact:
                                                Chief Procurement Officer
                                                     The World Bank
                                                   1818 H Street, N.W.
                                             Washington, D.C.  20433 U.S.A.
                                                http://www.worldbank.org