Introduction

In May 2013, Africa commemorated the Golden Jubilee of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. In the context of celebrating 50 years of the founding of the OAU, the AU Heads of State and Government through their 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration adopted in May 2013, while acknowledging past successes and challenges, rededicated themselves to the continent’s development; and thus pledged, to integrate the ideals of share value and common purpose and aspirations in regional and national development plans; as well as in the development of the Continental Agenda 2063, through a people-driven process for the realization of the vision of the AU for an integrated, people-centered, prosperous Africa, at peace with itself.  

Agenda 2063 builds on pre-existing strategic frameworks towards an “integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent”, including most notably the Abuja Treaty, the New Partnership for Africa's Development - NEPAD, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme - CAADP, the plan of action for Accelerated Industrial Development in Africa - AIDA, the Minimum Integration Programme, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa - PIDA, the AU/NEPAD Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action, and Africa’s Agro-industry and Agribusiness Development Initiative - 3ADI, Peace and Stability.  

Amongst the key enablers of Agenda 2063 transformative agenda, is regional and continental infrastructure development - in particular, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). Sequel and consistent with the objectives of PIDA - is the Continental Infrastructure High Speed Rail Initiative, of the African Union Commission - proposed as one of the priority continental flagship projects of Agenda 2063. The project is being proposed within existing diverse railway transport systems across the continent, which in their current state cannot take the continent forward in terms of economic transformation.  

 

1.2 Current State of Railways in Africa  
Africa lags behind other continents in terms of railway infrastructure endowment, condition/state, new infrastructure development and technological advancement. This has the effect of increasing production and distribution costs in the case of freight transportation, and increasing transportation costs for passengers. Passenger services in particular have lagged behind in all dimensions and have therefore failed to contribute towards poverty alleviation and general transformation of society. The tracks are old, at various gauges and different stages of disrepair. Locomotives and wagons are old mostly using obsolete technology that has been maintained over the years.  
The services are not integrated across countries partly due to the none-uniform gauge challenge, lack of physical connectivity and non-standardized operating equipment (wagons, coaches and locomotives). This state of affairs implies high transportation costs, reduced capacity, high maintenance costs, low speeds, poor and expensive services. The produce of most of the countries on the continent which is mostly commodities calls for bulky transportation ideally offered by rail more so given the vastness of the continent and long distances to markets. Moreover, the existing equipment does not address environmental and energy concerns that have evolved over time.  
Routing of existing railway tracks was done during the colonial era with the main objective of linking production and distribution centers and extracting resources (mostly minerals) to the global market. The railways were therefore developed with an external focus at the expense of continental development.   

1.3 Continental High Speed Rail Initiative  
The African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, put forward that Africa has a “Century Dream” - Capitals of all the African countries would be connected with high-speed railway. The 24th AU Summit approved the “Africa Agenda 2063”, which aims to build a new Africa with regional integration, peace and prosperity for the next 50 years. The development of African infrastructure, which is of great significance, plays an important role in stimulating the physical consolidation and social and economic development in African countries.  
The Continental High Speed Rail Initiative is an AU Commission-led initiative - designed to interconnect in addition to African capitals - economic and industrial hubs and major tourism locations - with appropriate high speed rail technology, and other complementary power, transboundary water and ICT broadband infrastructure, and services. 

 

2.0       DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT  

2.1  Objective  
Vision 2063 envisages an Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN) and Master Plan – comprising of 4-longitudinal and 6-latitudinal North-South and East-West continental railway network respectively – to be implemented over a period of three (3) planning horizons, of short term (2015-2025), medium term (2025-2045), and long term (2045-2065) development plan of 50 years (i.e., 2013-2063).  

2.2 Scope of Work (SOW)  
The Scope of Work of this assignment will be limited to Phase 1 (i.e., Detailed Scoping Study (DSS)), of the feasibility process - of the Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN) and Master Plan Project (August-December 2016).  

Phase 1 entails, investigating key viability issues of traffic demand forecasts, costs and revenue estimates, corridor/routes, rail technology options, innovative financing models, among other related issues. The DSS provides a basis for consultation with key stakeholders; and to inform the specific direction for the deepening of the feasibility process to the next phase:

Phase 2: Prefeasibility/Feasibility Study, and other related technical studies (January-December 2017).  

2.3 Development Strategies  

• Connectivity of Political Capitals and Economic hubs:  Given the pan-African nature of the  continental high speed rail project, a key objective is connectivity of Africa’s Capital cities and megacities, including but not limited to, commercial hubs/economic zones, and tourist destinations -  based on short, medium and long term  ‘business case’ implementation roll-out plan.  Integrated Approach: The viability and sustainability of the AIHSRN, will largely depend on the extent, to which - its development - is linked to the planning, development and operation of power1 and electricity and ICT infrastructure facilities, of the continent. Hence, the Scoping Study will investigate and align/link the high speed rail corridors – with the development of priority energy and electricity/power infrastructure projects – and Smart Corridors - as articulated under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), Africa Power Vision (APV), and Agenda 2063 energy infrastructure flagship projects.  
• Inter-operability: The existing conventional (“low speed”) freight and passenger rail network in Africa, essentially, form the backbone of the continent’s railway infrastructure assets -  contributing significantly, to the development and operations of Africa’s manufacturing, mining, and industrial outputs. In this regard, as part of its terms of reference, the Detailed Scoping Study (DSS), will investigate the technical and technological feasibility of seamless “interoperability” of the conventional and continental high speed rail networks.  
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• Selection of High Speed Rail Corridors/Routes: Cognizance of the magnitude of the investment required of the AIHSRN project – key selected corridors/routes, based on a proven business case, will be piloted, to ascertain the project implementation cycle experience and lessons learned, for replication, of other high speed rail corridors/routes.   

In this regard, a key deliverable of DSS, is the preparation and costing of the first 10year Implementation Plan (2015-2025) of the AIHSRN project, with special focus on the recommended pilot corridors/routes.  

2.4 Financing Strategy  

The financing of the continental high speed railway project, will be modelled around an innovative and viable long term equity and debt structure - ‘business case’ proposition – anchored on a “Strategic Equity2 (SE)” investment model”.  
To complement the equity/debt scenario – the AIHSRN viability proposition – will be enhanced and sustained through the securitization of multiple and viable income/revenue streams, generated from the carriage and provision, of proposed high premium products and services – along the piloted corridors/routes.  

2.5 Outputs  
Broad outputs of the assignment shall be, the following:  Rail traffic demand forecast for  passenger and high premium freight services  Vision 2063 AIHSRN and Master Plan (including 4x6 Map): corridors/routes, and technology options  Economic analysis   Legal and Institutional analysis  Environmental analysis  Indicative Capital and Operational and Maintenance Costs per corridor/route, and technology option, of the recommended piloted routes (of the First 10-year Implementation Plan)  First 10-year Implementation (roll-out) plan, for recommended corridors/routes for piloting  

2.6 Deliverables  
The deliverables of Phase 1 (i.e., Detailed Scoping Study (DSS)), shall be the following: 

2.6.1 Inception Report  

2.6.2 Draft-Final Report  and Master Plan, translated in 12 copies each in English, French, Arabic and Portuguese)

2.6.3 Validated Final Report and Master Plan3, translated in 12 copies each in English, French, Arabic and Portuguese)

2.6.4 First 10-year Implementation Plan (roll-out plan) for recommended corridors/routes for piloting

2.6.5 Indicative cost of Pre-Feasibility Study/Feasibility Study (i.e., Phase 2)

2.6.6 A geodatabase of AIHSRN (4x6 longitudinal and latitudinal GIS Map/layers, associated  metadata and attributes. The base map and layers of AIHSRN geodatabase shall include, but not limited4 to the following:  

2.6.6.1 Existing transport infrastructure network (road, railway etc..) and associated attributes

2.6.6.2 National and subnational boundaries and associated attributes

2.6.6.3 Towns/cities and associated attributes

2.6.6.4 4x6 longitudinal and latitudinal continental high-speed railway network links/segments, nodes and topology, including all associated attributes 2.6.6.5 Existing and planned freight and high speed railway networks

2.6.6.6 Existing and planned transnational power/electricity interconnectors  

2.6.7 Graphic Video illustration of Vision 2063 Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network and Master Plan – including the proposed pilot corridors/routes – based on the three (3) planning horizons to 2063 (12 DVD copies each of both English & French for the  Graphic Video Illustration).

2.6.8 12 CD copies of validated Final Report of Vision 2063 AIHSRN and Master Plan, including     annexes in the four (4) AU languages (English, French, Arabic and Portuguese)

2.6.9 Annexes: Traffic demand forecast; High Speed Railway Network and Master Plan: corridors/routes, and technology options; Economic analysis; Legal and Institutional analysis; Environmental analysis; Indicative Capital, and Operation & Maintenance Costs (of the First 10year Implementation Plan); Innovative Financing  Model, and Recommended  Option; Vision 2063 Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network and Master Plan (including 4 x 6 longitudinal and latitudinal continental high speed railway network Map)  
 

 

Interested consultancy firms may obtain further information from Vincent Moola, Acting Head of Procurement, NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, Procurement and Travel Division, 230, 15th Road, P. O. Box 218 Midrand, 1685 Johannesburg, South Africa. The Telephone Number is +27-11-074 9621 and the Email address : VincentM@nepad.org from 09:00 hours to 16:30 hours local time.  

The Expression of Interests should be sent clearly marked “Consultancy Service on The Detailed Scoping Study (DSS) – of Vision 2063 Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network and Master Plan, Procurement Number :005/RIIT/PIDA/QCBS/2016”. 

 

And deposited in the Tender Box before 26TH September, 2016 at 14:30hours local time and clearly addressed to:  

The Chairperson Internal Procurement Committee NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency 230, 15th Road, P. O. Box 218 Midrand, 1685 Johannesburg, South Africa   

In Attention of: Vincent Moola, Acting Head of Procurement Division    

Interested consultancy firms may obtain further information from the African Union Website; http://au.int/en/bids and NEPAD website: http://www.nepad.org/tenders or from Vincent Moola, Acting Head of Procurement Division, NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, Email: VincentM@nepad.org