Invitation for Pre-qualification

 

Country: Kyrgyz Republic

Project: Construction of Electricity Transmission Line and Substations in Tamga and Karakol, Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyz Republic

Title: Lot 1: Construction of 220/110/10 kV Karakol Substation and Extension of 220/110/24 kV Tamga Substation

Lot 2: Construction of 220 kV Tamga–Karakol Transmission Line and Associated 110 kV Lines

Project Code: KGZ-1007

ICB No.: KGZ1007/WORKS/ICB/PQ-01

1. This invitation for prequalification follows the General Procurement Notice (GPN) for this project that appeared on the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) website and on dgMarket on 11th of August, 2025.
2. The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has applied for financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) toward the cost of the Construction of Electricity Transmission Line and Substations in Tamga and Karakol, Issyk-Kul Region Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this financing to payments under the contracts for:

• Lot 1: Construction of 220/110/10 kV Karakol Substation and Extension of 220/110/24 kV Tamga Substation, and
• Lot 2: Construction of 220 kV Tamga–Karakol Transmission Line and Associated 110 kV Lines.

3. The overall implementation period for the full scope is forty-two (42) months. For information purposes, the indicative contractual Time for Completion is expected to be:

Lot 1 (Substations): 42 months

Lot 2 (OHTL): 36 months

The final contractual times for completion and detailed interface provisions will be specified in the Bidding Documents.

4. Interface clarification: Lot 1 covers substation works including the line bays/gantries and substation-side terminations, protection/control and SCADA/telecom integration at Tamga and Karakol substations. Lot 2 covers the overhead line works up to the substation interface points (including towers, conductors, OPGW and testing). Detailed interface responsibilities and handover points will be defined in the Bidding Documents, and both Contractors (if different) shall coordinate closely with NEGK and the PMC.
5. OJSC “National Electric Grid Company of Kyrgyzstan” (NEGK) (the Employer) intends to prequalify contractors and/or firms for the above lots. The works will generally include detailed design (to the extent specified in the Bidding Documents), engineering, procurement, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of high-voltage substations and overhead transmission lines at voltage levels of 110 kV and 220 kV, including associated civil works, protection and control, SCADA/telecommunication systems and environmental and social mitigation measures, as described in the Prequalification Document.
6. Eligible Applicants with the following key qualifications defined in the Prequalification Document may participate in this prequalification:

(a) Financial capacity

• Minimum average annual construction turnover (AACT), calculated as total certified payments received for contracts in progress and/or completed within the last five (5) years, divided by five (5) years, shall be:
  • Lot 1 (Substations): USD 17,000,000 (seventeen million United States dollars)
  • Lot 2 (Overhead Transmission Lines): USD 12,00,000 (twelve million United States dollars)
• Minimum available financial resources / cash-flow capacity, independent of any contractual advance payment, to meet the project’s construction cash-flow requirements, shall be:
  • Lot 1 (Substations): USD 2,000,000 (two million United States dollars)
  • Lot 2 (Overhead Transmission Lines): USD 1,500,000 (one million five hundred thousand United States dollars)
• Audited financial statements (or, where permitted, other acceptable financial statements) for the last three (3) years demonstrating the Applicant’s sound financial position and prospective long-term profitability.

(b) Experience

• General construction experience under contracts as a prime contractor, joint-venture member, subcontractor or management contractor, during the last ten (10) years preceding the Application submission deadline.
• At least two (2) similar contracts, each with a minimum contract value of USD 17,000,000 (fifteen million United States dollars) for LOT 1 and 12,000,000 (million United States dollars) for LOT 2, satisfactorily and substantially completed between the last ten (10) years preceding the Application submission deadline. Average annual construction turnover is annualized and comparable to annual cashflow/time-for-completion, not total contract value.
• Proven construction experience, during the last ten (10) years preceding the Application submission deadline, in the following key activities related to high-voltage transmission infrastructure:
• design and construction of high-voltage substations of 110 kV or higher, including power transformers, high-voltage switchgear (AIS and/or GIS), protection and control systems, auxiliary AC/DC systems and integration with SCADA/telecommunication systems;
• design and construction of overhead transmission lines of 110 kV or higher, including route survey, tower and foundation design in mountainous/complex terrain, tower erection, conductor and OPGW stringing, line earthing and commissioning;
• associated civil works, such as control buildings, equipment foundations, oil containment, cable trenches, internal roads and drainage;
• implementation of environmental and social mitigation measures and occupational health and safety (OHS) management during construction of high-voltage substations and transmission lines.
• For Lot 1, a “similar contract” means a contract predominantly involving the design/engineering, supply, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of high-voltage substations (≥110 kV), including associated civil works and protection/control/SCADA integration. For Lot 2, a “similar contract” means a contract predominantly involving the construction/installation, testing and commissioning of overhead transmission lines (≥220 kV), including towers/foundations, stringing, OPGW/telecom, and associated civil/temporary access works. A single contract that includes both substation and OHTL scopes may be used to demonstrate experience for both lots, provided it meets the respective minimum requirements for each lot.

(c) Historical performance

• No non-performance of a contract due to the Applicant’s default since 1 January 2020, as defined in the Prequalification Document.
• No consistent history of court or arbitral awards against the Applicant that would have a material adverse impact on the Applicant’s financial position, as defined in the Prequalification Document.
• Submission of an Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) performance declaration for the past five (5) years, including disclosure of any contracts suspended or terminated and/or performance securities called for ESHS-related reasons.

(d) Eligibility and compliance

• Compliance with IsDB eligibility requirements and the list of eligible source countries, including absence of debarment or suspension by IsDB and absence of prohibitions under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, the laws and regulations of the Beneficiary or applicable boycott regulations.
• Absence of conflicts of interest in accordance with the requirements set out in the Prequalification Document.
• Compliance with IsDB’s Anti–Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Know Your Customer (AML/CFT/KYC) requirements, including completion of the relevant questionnaires and forms when requested.

More detailed qualification requirements are provided in the Prequalification Document. It is expected that invitations to bid will be issued to prequalified Applicants in February-March 2026.

7. Prequalification will be conducted through prequalification procedures specified in the Islamic Development Bank’s Guidelines for the Procurement of Goods, Works, and Related Services under IsDB Project Financing, April 2019, revised in February 2023 (“Guidelines”) and is open to all Applicants from eligible source countries as defined in the Guidelines. Bidding will be conducted through open International Competitive Bidding (ICB Open) procedures as specified in the Guidelines.
8. Interested eligible Applicants may obtain further information from and inspect the Prequalification Document at the office of the Employer at the address below from 09:00 to 17:00 (Bishkek time), Monday to Friday.
9. Interested Applicants may obtain a complete set of the Prequalification Document in English upon submission of a written application to the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of KGS 8700 Kyrgyz Som or USD 100 (United States dollars). Applicants shall send proof of payment (bank payment order and/or SWIFT MT103/transfer confirmation) to nesk@elcat.kg with a copy to kgztamgakarakol@gmail.com, indicating the Applicant name and ‘KGZ1007/WORKS/ICB/PQ-01’ in the subject line. The PQD will be released after confirmation of receipt of funds. The method of payment will be a bank transfer to the following account:

Bank details:      
«Optima Bank» OJSC    
Bishkek Central Branch

Account No.: 1091820100040606         
BIC: 109018

The document will be sent by e-mail (PDF and editable format) to the e-mail address indicated in the written application, or may be collected in person at the address below.

10. Applications for prequalification shall be submitted in sealed envelopes, delivered to the address below no later than 30 January 2026, 10:00 (Bishkek time), and be clearly marked:

“Application to Prequalify for:
KGZ1007 – Construction of Electricity Transmission Line and Substations in Tamga and Karakol, Issyk-Kul Region. ICB No.: KGZ1007/WORKS/ICB/PQ-01.

Employer:
OJSC “National Electric Grid Company of Kyrgyzstan” (NEGK)
Attn: Mr. Emil Artikbaev
Head of International Relations Department     
Jibek-Jolu Street 326, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic         
Tel: +996 772 510336

Email: nesk@elcat.kg and kgztamgakarakol@gmail.com