REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (OPEN COMPETITIVE SELECTION OF INTERNATIONAL INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)

Date: September 22, 2025 Republic of Moldova Agriculture Governance, Growth and Resilience Investment Project Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IBRD Loan. No. 9535-MD

Assignment Title: INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT TO DRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT FOR ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS PROCESSING UNIT Reference No. MD-CAPMU-512005-CS-INDV

The Republic of Moldova has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Agriculture Governance, Growth and Resilience Investment Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds toward payments under the contract for an Individual International Consultant to develop the technical specifications for specialized transport for animal by-products processing units. The objective of the consultancy is to support the process of modernization and streamlining of the management and transport system of animal by-products by developing technical specifications and preparing the necessary documentation for the acquisition of specialized transport units.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The Consolidated Agricultural Projects’ Management Unit (CAPMU) on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry now invites eligible 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 Consultant to be selected shall have the following qualifications:

• Have a higher education in one of the following fields: engineering, food technology or related fields, preferably with a specialization in food safety or management of animal by-products;
• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, including in the design and/or operation of animal by-product processing units;
• Practical experience in developing technical specifications and assistance for public procurement according to international standards;
• Excellent communication and writing skills, as well as willingness to conduct working visits to the Republic of Moldova. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

The Individual Consultant will be selected in accordance with the „Open Competitive Selection of Individual Consultants” method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Expressions of interest must include updated CV reflecting consultant's qualification and experience, recommendation letters, if any, and must be submitted by email to the address below by latest October 13, 2025, cob. Consolidated Agricultural Projects’ Management Unit (CAPMU) Attn: Natalia Belicov, Procurement Consultant of. 215, 50 Capriana str., Chisinau, MD-2005, Republic of Moldova E-mail: procurement@capmu.md with a copy to: nbelicov@gmail.com   TERMS OF REFERENCE

INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT TO DRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT FOR ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS PROCESSING UNIT

PROJECT INVESTMENTS FOR GOVERNANCE, GROWTH AND RESILIENCE IN AGRICULTURE

1. PREMISES Project "Investments for Governance, Growth and Resilience in Agriculture" (AGGRI) The Republic of Moldova benefited from an Additional Financing (AF) worth USD 15.0 million from the International Development Association, intended for the Agricultural Competitiveness Project in Moldova (MAC-P). The purpose of this funding is to expand the project activities under Component 1 – "Improving food safety management", which aims to strengthen the human, institutional and technical capacities of national food quality and safety management systems and ensure compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (FSS) regulations and standards applicable in export markets, especially those of the European Union. Within the framework of the MAC-P project, it was envisaged the creation of a comprehensive system for the management of animal by-products (ABP) not intended for human consumption, including the construction of the Animal By-Products Processing Unit (ABP) in the central area of the country (Criuleni district, about 40 km from the capital). The Initial Feasibility Study (IFS) developed under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry provided details on the location of the unit, the processing flows, the necessary equipment. The resources allocated through the MAC-P were sufficient for the construction of the unit and the endowment with the necessary equipment, but did not fully cover the activities necessary for the efficient operation of the system, such as specialized transport for the collection and management of ABPs, implementation of an information management system and other related activities. To meet this need, the "Investments for Governance, Growth and Resilience in Agriculture" (AGGRI) Project, financed by Loan Agreement no. 9535-MD between the Republic of Moldova and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has been amended to include the activity on the procurement and management of specialized transport necessary for the operation of UPSOA. This amendment was made to fill in the funding gaps of the MAC-P and to ensure the full implementation of the ABP management system. An essential element of this system is the transport of animal by-products, which must be carried out in conditions of biosecurity and operational efficiency. Given the strategic role of transport, it is necessary to hire an International Consultant to develop the technical specifications for the transport units, to provide expertise on route optimization and fleet sizing, as well as to provide support in the procurement process according to the World Bank rules. The consultant's activity will be carried out in close collaboration with the relevant institutions of the Republic of Moldova: CAPMU, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), the Public Property Agency (PPA) and the National Agency for Food Safety (NFSA).

2. OBJECTIVES The general objective is to support the process of modernization and streamlining of the management and transport system of animal by-products by developing technical specifications and preparing the necessary documentation for the acquisition of specialized transport units.
   Ensuring the technical and procedural framework for the procurement and operationalization of transport units intended for the collection and transport of animal by-products, in accordance with international best practices and World Bank requirements. Specific objectives:  Identification of the need for transport units, including specialised containers for each category of animal by-products, based on existing data and the feasibility study (routes, volumes and expected traffic).  Developing detailed technical specifications for transport units, including specialised containers, ensuring compliance with biosecurity and operational efficiency requirements.  Recommending solutions for route optimization and logistical sizing of the transport system.  Providing technical and procedural support to CAPMU in the procurement process, in accordance with World Bank rules.  Supervision of the production, delivery and reception stages of transport units, in order to guarantee compliance with the established requirements.

3. TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES In order to achieve the objectives set out above, the Consultant will have the following concrete tasks:

 Analysis of transport needs, including specialised containers – collection and validation of existing information on the types and volumes of animal by-products, based on the feasibility study, and estimation of the number and types of transport units and specialised containers required.

 Elaboration of technical specifications – drafting detailed specifications for transport units, including requirements on design, equipment, hygiene and biosecurity standards, capacity, energy efficiency and durability.

 Recommendations for logistics and optimization – providing recommendations on transport routes, fleet sizing and possible optimization solutions to reduce operational costs.

 Support in the procurement process – assisting the CAPMU procurator in preparing the specifications, evaluating the bids and selecting suppliers, in strict accordance with the World Bank's procurement rules.

 Production and reception monitoring – participating in the verification of the conformity of the units during production and assisting in the final acceptance process, to ensure compliance with technical requirements.

The consultant will perform the specific tasks described above in accordance with the work plans, objectives, quality standards and key indicators, as agreed by the MAFI and/or CAPMU, in writing, throughout the duration of the contract. The monitoring of the results and activities of the Consultant will be carried out by MAFI and CAPMU.

4. DELIVERABLES The consultant will submit for approval to the project coordinator and the CAPMU Executive Director the following deliverables in electronic format:

Deliverable I – Analysis and technical specifications for transport units  Report on the analysis of product categories/flows requiring separate transport;  Determination of the number, type and capacity of transport units and specialised containers required, taking into account the forecasted routes and traffic (information from the existing feasibility study);  Elaboration of technical specifications for transport units, including specialized containers;  Recommendations on routes and transport optimisation;  Elaboration of the specifications for the acquisition of transport units and specialized containers.

Deliverable II – Assistance in the procurement process  Support provided to CAPMU in the procurement process according to the rules of the World Bank, including support to the procurer in the evaluation of bids;  Assistance during the production/delivery process of transport units, specialized containers including supervision of key stages and compliance with specifications.

Deliverable III – Reception of transport units  Participation in the reception process of transport units and specialized containers;  Final report on the compliance of deliveries with the specifications and objectives of the project.

5. TIME FRAME The consultant will start working in October 2025. The consultancy services will be provided until December 31, 2027, with the possibility of extending this period. The consultant's contractual obligations will be evaluated based on the reports and will be considered acceptable after approval by the project coordinator and the CAPMU Executive Director. It is expected that the actual effort per man/day will not exceed 45 working days.

6. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: The consultant must:

• Have a higher education in one of the following fields: engineering, food technology or related fields, preferably with a specialization in food safety or management of animal by-products;
• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, including in the design and/or operation of animal by-product processing units;
• Practical experience in developing technical specifications and assistance for public procurement according to international standards;
• Excellent communication and writing skills, as well as willingness to conduct working visits to the Republic of Moldova.