Philippines : Strengthening Infrastructure Capacity and Innovation for Inclusive Growth

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Rural flood protection

Transport / Transport policies and institutional development

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban policy, institutional and capacity development

To realize the goal of accelerated infrastructure development, the Government requested urgent assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to supplement capacity and improve systems and procedures for project development and project monitoring. This assistance will be provided in two forms. An Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility Project will support the two key agencies responsible for national public infrastructure, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transport (DOTr). The Project will assist Government in making objective investment decisions, provide a robust project pipeline ready for implementation, and assist with the preparation activities to fill the infrastructure gap of the country.

Prior to the start-up of the proposed Project, a technical assistance (TA) grant, which will provide support in the development and establishment of the infrastructure project monitoring and management system in the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Finance (DOF), DOTr, and DPWH. The Project is aligned with the following impact: infrastructure development accelerated. The outcome of the Project will be delivery and quality of public infrastructure projects improved.

The proposed project is included in the Country Operations and Business Plan 2017- 2019. The impact will be infrastructure development accelerated. It has the following outcome: delivery and quality of public infrastructure projects improved. The Project comprises four outputs: (i) road and bridge projects prepared; (ii) water projects prepared; (iii) rail, public transport, port, and airport project prepared; and (iv) proposed Project monitoring system prepared.

The TA will require 140 person months of international specialists and 332 person months of national specialists for a total of 472 person months of specialist inputs. The consultants may provide support and advice in technical areas of project management, road and bridge engineering, flood protection works, tunneling, ports, airports, and railways. It will also provide support with the implementation of the project management and monitoring system. National specialists will be recruited to complement the international expertise and ensure adequate knowledge of local conditions and regulations.

In the first phase, for Outputs 1,2 and 3, the experts include: (i) project management and monitoring specialist (5 person-months, individual, international), (ii) senior international experts (15 person-months, individual, international), and (iii) national experts (32 person-months, individuals, national). The second phase, Output 4, will be prepared under Output 3 and the detailed TOR and recruitment of the firm to support the implementation of the project management and implantation system. Output-based or lump-sum contracts may be considered in engaging consulting services to reduce administrative burden and improve economy, efficiency, and value for money. The team of consultants will work closely with DOF and NEDA staff to support and advise on an interim basis throughout the proposed project.

The consultants will be engaged by ADB in accordance with the Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time). The TA disbursement will be done following ADB's Technical Assistance Disbursement Handbook (2010, as amended from time to time).