Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project Consulting Service

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICE for China Food Safety Improvement Project Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project Country: People's Republic of China Name of Project: China Food Safety Improvement Project Loan No.: IBRD-92130 Assignment Title: Consulting Service Reference No.: GD-FSS-GAMR-CS11 The Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the China Food Safety Improvement Project Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) include: 1. Scope of Services: Provide comprehensive professional consulting services throughout the implementation period of this project, to facilitate the smooth execution of each construction sub-project. 2. Estimated Amount: CNY 1.4147 million 3. Scope of Services: The services aim to provide comprehensive consulting and on-site management support covering the entire process for the World Bank Project Office of the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation. The scope of work encompasses core tasks including project management, procurement and contract management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), IT consulting, and translation. Specifically, the services include: Assisting the Project Office with the interpretation of World Bank policies, document preparation, daily liaison, and the drafting of various plans and reports; Guiding procurement and bidding processes, overseeing bid evaluations, and managing contract performance; Conducting regular surveys on project indicator data and preparing monitoring and evaluation reports; Providing technical proposal reviews and acceptance guidance for the development of IT platforms such as food traceability systems and "transparent kitchens"; Handling on-site affairs including daily coordination and communication with the World Bank and relevant competent authorities, report translation, document archiving, and meeting organization, to fully ensure the compliant and efficient advancement of the project. 4. Service Duration: The term of consulting services for this project shall commence on the date of contract signing and expire on the project closing date (March 31, 2029). 5. Deliverables: The consulting services shall be delivered in an orderly manner in accordance with the contract and World Bank requirements. The deliverables will cover the entire project cycle, including inception reports, annual plans, quarterly/semi-annual progress reports, procurement technical documents, mid-term adjustment reports, management tools, completion reports, and summary reports. Each deliverable corresponds to a specific milestone (e.g., inception report within 1 month after contract signing, quarterly reports within 1 month after the end of the quarter, and completion reports prior to the project closing date), forming a complete delivery chain from preliminary planning to final summary. During the review and acceptance phase, all deliverables must first be audited by the Project Office. If submission to the World Bank is required, the deliverables must obtain a "No Objection" from the World Bank before formal completion. Furthermore, all deliverables must strictly align with the scope of services outlined in the Terms of Reference (TOR), ensuring standardized formatting, comprehensive content, and authentic, accurate data. This is to guarantee that the outputs at each stage not only meet procedural compliance requirements but also possess substantial reference and practical value. 6. Qualifications The consulting firm shall primarily assign the following key personnel: Project Management Expert, Procurement, Contract Management and Monitoring & Evaluation Expert, IT Management Consulting Expert, and On-site Engineer. The qualifications and responsibilities for each key position are as follows: No. Expert Position Qty. Responsibilities Qualifications 1 Project Management Expert 1 To coordinate all consulting and translation services, manage team allocation, and oversee service progress and quality for the Project Office. Responsible for compiling and reviewing various deliverables, coordinating the resolution of project issues, and facilitating World Bank reviews. 1. Over 15 years of project management experience, including at least 5 years of experience in managing loan/grant projects; 2. Excellent report writing and overall project management capabilities; 3. Ability to compile reports in both Chinese and English. 2 Procurement, Contract Management, and M&E Expert 1 Responsible for procurement execution, contract management, and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) for projects financed by International Financial Organizations (IFOs). 1. Over 5 years of procurement experience in projects financed by IFIs/IFOs; 2. Familiarity with World Bank procurement policies and requirements; 3. Familiarity with World Bank contract management and M&E requirements. 3 IT Management Consulting Expert 1 Responsible for consulting on the development and design of IT platforms. At least 10 years of experience in IT platform development and design. 4 On-site Engineer 1 Stationed at the Project Office to handle daily liaison and coordination with the World Bank and competent authorities; assist in drafting work plans and various progress reports. Support the drafting of the Terms of Reference (TOR), bid reviews, IT acceptance, and M&E data collection. Undertake on-site support tasks including document archiving, daily translation, and meeting organization to ensure the compliant advancement of the entire project process. 1. Bachelor’s degree or above; 2. Background in IT-related majors with project management work experience. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest. The Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation now invites eligible consulting firms (“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 shortlisting criteria are: the overall competence and strength of the Consultant, quality control and project management capabilities, understanding of the assignment, relevant experience and past performance, proposed team composition, preliminary work plan, and a brief technical approach. Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. Contents of this Request for Expressions of Interest: • Expression of interest in undertaking the consulting services for this project; • Company profile and core competencies/advantages; • List of past project performance; • Key points of the preliminary technical approach and work plan; • Preliminary staffing plan; • Proposed core team (including resume summaries of the Team Leader and key experts). Required Submission Documents: 1. Letter of Expression of Interest (or Letter of Response) submitted by the consulting firm; 2. Company profile; 3. Summary of past project performance (specifying the project name, client, scope of services, and service duration); 4. Simplified technical approach (briefly outlining key points; a detailed proposal is not required at this stage); 5. Preliminary work plan; 6. Key team experts (personnel profiles must be provided); 7. Any other documents the consulting firm deems necessary to provide. Note: All the above-mentioned documents must be stamped with the official seal of the consulting firm. Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interests of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, Consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below: a. a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services for a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm), shall be disqualified from providing Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to, those Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract; a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Consulting Services for the preparation or implementation of a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consulting firm), shall be disqualified from subsequently providing Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to those Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract; b. neither a Consultant (including personnel and sub-consultants), nor an affiliate (that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consultant), shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, creates a conflict of interest with another assignment of the Consultant; c. Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants), that have a close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower, or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the Bank’s financing, or any other party representing or acting on behalf of the Borrower, that is directly or indirectly involved in any part of: i. the preparation of the ToR for the assignment; ii. the selection process for the contract; or iii. the supervision of the contract; may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the CQS method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00 on working days from September 9 to September 23, 2026 Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 09:00 on September 24, 2026. Tender Agency: China International Tendering Co., Ltd. Attn: Zhang Zhi, Guo Hujun Title: Project Manager Address: Huaxia Road No. 49-1, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China Postal Code: 51000 Tel.: +86 10-81168424; +86 10-81168460 E-mail: zhangzhi5@cgci.gt.cn; guohujun@gt.cn Employer: Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation Attn: Chen Lin Title: Special Cadre, World Bank Loan Project Office Address: No. 363 West Huangpu Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China Tel.: 020-38835493 Annex: detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) TERMS OF REFERENCE To ensure the smooth implementation of consulting services for the China Food Safety Improvement Project Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project , and to guarantee the achievement of the project's informatization goals, the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation intends to engage a third-party service provider to carry out the project implementation. I. Project Background and Description The World Bank-funded China Food Safety Improvement Project aims to enhance national and local food safety management and reduce food safety risks along selected value chains. At the national level, the project will be jointly implemented by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA). At the local level, it will be carried out by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangdong Province, the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation, and the Bureau of Ocean Development and Fisheries of Yantai City, Shandong Province. The loan agreement for the project entered into force on March 21, 2024. The project has an implementation period of five years, with a closing date of March 31, 2029. The Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation takes the comprehensive enhancement of modern food safety governance capacity as its core objective in this project. By systematically constructing and collaboratively advancing six sub-projects, it precisely supports and effectively drives the achievement of the project goals. The Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation plans to apply for a World Bank loan of USD 10 million for this project. The main construction contents of the project include: 1. Building a full-chain traceability platform ("Scan-to-Trace") for key food categories, achieving full-chain traceability and risk early warning through 15 functional modules and 359 functional points; 2. Building the "Yue-Shi-An Internet Plus Open Kitchens" system, providing intelligent video supervision for scenarios such as elderly care canteens and school cafeterias; 3. Upgrading the emergency real-time dispatch and command system to improve the emergency response mechanisms for food safety incidents; 4. Implementing a capacity building program for food-related personnel in the field of market regulation, including the development of a learning and assessment system, the production of video content for 75 courses, and skills competitions; 5. Establishing a high-quality food standards system and promotional campaigns, developing no fewer than 30 standards within two years and conducting quality monitoring; 6. Providing professional consulting services throughout the entire project implementation process. II. Project Objectives To meet the demand for professional consulting services throughout the entire implementation process of the World Bank-funded Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project, strengthen project process management, facilitate the smooth progress of various tasks, and promote the efficient implementation of the World Bank project, the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation plans to engage a professional project management consulting agency. The agency will provide consulting services in project management, procurement management, contract management, monitoring and evaluation, and informatization management, as well as daily English translation services and the issuance of corresponding outcome reports. This project takes the comprehensive enhancement of modern food safety governance capacity as its core objective. By systematically constructing and collaboratively advancing six sub-projects, it precisely supports and effectively drives the achievement of various core performance indicators: At the outcome indicator level, relying on the deep integration and linkage of the "Scan-to-Trace" full-chain traceability platform, the "Internet Plus Open Kitchens" intelligent supervision system, and the emergency real-time dispatch and command system, a full-chain management mechanism covering risk identification, early warning response, and disposal closure will be established. This will provide a solid data foundation and institutional guarantee for scientifically calculating the "proportion of warnings with mitigation measures initiated." At the output indicator level, through the capacity building program for food-related personnel, systematic training will be provided to food safety inspectors and regulatory personnel, and the proportion of female regulatory personnel participating will be quantified. Through the high-quality food standards system construction project, no fewer than 30 standards will be developed, 6 demonstration model enterprises will be built, and 700 batches of quality monitoring will be completed. These will directly support the realization of key output indicators such as the "number of enterprises receiving project support to improve food safety management." Through the project consulting services, the technical feasibility, economic rationality, and environmental and social sustainability of the project will be ensured, and the project design and implementation capabilities will be enhanced. Meanwhile, the consultants will assist in identifying potential risk factors of the project, propose corresponding mitigation measures, and strengthen project risk management capabilities. Furthermore, it will ensure that the collection, accounting, and reporting of all indicator data comply with World Bank specifications, thereby enhancing the international compliance and transparency of the project, facilitating the smooth progress of various tasks, and promoting the efficient implementation of the World Bank project. III. Service Overview The total investment amount for this project is RMB 1.4147 million. (I) Scope of Services During the implementation period of this project, the service provider shall provide comprehensive professional consulting services to the project implementation unit and assist in the smooth progress of various construction projects. (II) Service Content 1. Project Management Consulting Assist the Project Management Office (PMO) in collecting and organizing World Bank-related policies and materials: Collect and organize World Bank policy documents related to project management, provide policy interpretations, and ensure that the project implementation team has a clear understanding of the policies to offer policy consulting for project execution. Assist the PMO in establishing operational procedures and detailed management system rules for this project, ensuring compliance with World Bank and national requirements, and determining management workflows. Assist the PMO in organizing preliminary historical data related to this project to provide necessary references for subsequent implementation. Be responsible for daily liaison work, including communication with the World Bank team, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Provincial Department of Finance, and other relevant departments, as well as various project construction service agencies. Meanwhile, based on project management needs, be responsible for drafting annual work plans, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual project progress reports, annual comprehensive evaluation reports, daily liaison work, mid-term evaluation and adjustment reports, and training work plans. 2. Procurement Management Consulting Assist the Project Management Office (PMO) in preparing procurement plans, drafting Terms of Reference (TOR), reviewing bidding documents, supervising bid evaluations, and managing contract negotiations and performance. This is to ensure that procurement activities adhere to the principles of economy, efficiency, transparency, and fair competition, thereby reducing compliance risks and guaranteeing the compliant use of project funds and smooth project implementation. 3. Contract Management Consulting Assist the PMO in formulating an overall procurement plan aligned with the project construction content based on project activities, and make timely adjustments according to project progress and requirements from all parties. As requested by the PMO, assist in drafting the TOR for consulting service activities required for this project, revise and improve them according to the World Bank's feedback, and obtain the Bank's "no objection." Assist the procurement agency in handling various matters during the bidding process and reviewing project procurement bidding documents, and assist the PMO in responding to and implementing the World Bank's feedback on the review of bidding documents (technical aspects). After the project activities have completed the procurement procedures required by the World Bank, and during the implementation of sub-project contracts, assist the PMO in strengthening contract management and acceptance work. 4. Project Monitoring and Evaluation In accordance with the project results framework indicators specified in the project assessment documents, regularly conduct surveys on project monitoring indicator data, draft annual monitoring and evaluation reports, and assist the PMO in explaining issues related to the survey methodology and data reliability of the monitoring and evaluation data to the World Bank. 5. Informatization Management Consulting Provide consulting services and technical guidance for the construction of informatization platforms in this project, including the "Scan-to-Trace" full-chain traceability platform for food, the "Yue-Shi-An Internet Plus Open Kitchens" system, and the emergency real-time dispatch and command system. Services include assisting in the preparation and review of technical proposals, helping to resolve technical issues encountered during the procurement of information platforms, supervising the platform supervision work, assisting in the acceptance of informatization platforms, and providing professional technical guidance regarding the design, implementation, operation, and promotion of these platforms. 6. Translation Services Based on project management needs, the service provider shall handle the translation of emails exchanged with the World Bank, World Bank memos, and various reports submitted to the World Bank. The original formats, such as PDF, Word, and Excel, must be preserved. Terminology must comply with industry or World Bank standards. The translation shall meet localization and proofreading requirements, adapt to the World Bank's official terminology database, and undergo multiple rounds of review to ensure compliance with World Bank document specifications. 7. On-site Services The service provider shall participate in the daily management of the World Bank project throughout the entire process. The main responsibilities include daily liaison and coordination with the World Bank and relevant competent authorities; assisting in drafting work plans, procurement plans, and various progress reports; cooperating in completing the drafting of Terms of Reference (TOR), bid reviews, informatization platform acceptance, and monitoring and evaluation data collection; and undertaking tasks such as file archiving, daily translation, and meeting organization. The on-site support will be provided to ensure the compliant advancement of the entire project process. (III) Service Period The consulting service period for this project shall commence from the date of contract signing and continue until the project closing date (March 31, 2029). IV. Deliverables, Deliverable Review, and Acceptance (I) Deliverables No. Report Submission Date 1 Consulting Service Inception Report Within 1 month after contract signing 2 Annual Project Work Plan, Procurement Plan, Fund Utilization Plan, and Capacity Building Plan By December 31 each year, as required by the World Bank 3 Project Quarterly Progress Report Within 1 month after the end of each quarter 4 Project Semi-annual Progress Report By March 1 and September 1 each year, as required by the World Bank 5 Terms of Reference (TOR) and Technical Requirement Documents for Procurement Activities As specified by the Project Management Office (PMO) 6 Mid-term Adjustment Report As required by the World Bank 7 Official Version of Project Management Tools Within 3 months after mobilization 8 Project Completion Report Before the project closing date 9 Consulting Service Summary Report Within 2 months prior to contract completion (II) Deliverable Review and Acceptance Upon receiving the deliverable reports submitted by the consulting service provider, the Project Management Office (PMO) shall review them. For deliverable documents that are required to be submitted to the World Bank for review according to regulations, the consulting service provider shall assist the PMO in completing the submission. The phased deliverables shall be officially considered closed only after obtaining the World Bank's "no objection." All deliverable reports must fully align with the service content specified in this Terms of Reference (TOR). They must be standardized in format, comprehensive in content, and authentic and accurate in data. V. Qualification Requirements for the Agency and Personnel (I) Agency Qualification Requirements The service provider must have independently undertaken project management consulting services for no fewer than two projects funded by loans or grants from international financial organizations within the past five years. The relevant performance records must fall within the scope of similar project management consulting, and sufficiently demonstrate the agency's comprehensive service capability in full-process compliance control and coordination for international financial organization projects. Priority will be given to candidates with experience in implementing similar projects within Guangdong Province. (II) Personnel Qualification Requirements The consulting service provider shall primarily deploy key personnel, including a Project Management Expert, Procurement, Contract Management, and Monitoring & Evaluation Experts, an Informatization Management Expert, and On-site Engineers. The qualification requirements and functional responsibilities for each key position are as follows: No. Expert Position Qty. Responsibilities Qualifications 1 Project Management Expert 1 To coordinate all consulting and translation services, manage team allocation, and oversee service progress and quality for the Project Office. Responsible for compiling and reviewing various deliverables, coordinating the resolution of project issues, and facilitating World Bank reviews. 1. Over 15 years of project management experience, including at least 5 years of experience in managing loan/grant projects; 2. Excellent report writing and overall project management capabilities; 3. Ability to compile reports in both Chinese and English. 2 Procurement, Contract Management, and M&E Expert 1 Responsible for procurement execution, contract management, and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) for projects financed by International Financial Organizations (IFOs). 1. Over 5 years of procurement experience in projects financed by IFIs/IFOs; 2. Familiarity with World Bank procurement policies and requirements; 3. Familiarity with World Bank contract management and M&E requirements. 3 IT Management Consulting Expert 1 Responsible for consulting on the development and design of IT platforms. At least 10 years of experience in IT platform development and design. 4 On-site Engineer 1 Stationed at the Project Office to handle daily liaison and coordination with the World Bank and competent authorities; assist in drafting work plans and various progress reports. Support the drafting of the Terms of Reference (TOR), bid reviews, IT acceptance, and M&E data collection. Undertake on-site support tasks including document archiving, daily translation, and meeting organization to ensure the compliant advancement of the entire project process. 1. Bachelor’s degree or above; 2. Background in IT-related majors with project management work experience. VI. Facilities and Personnel Provided by the Client To facilitate the smooth implementation of these services, the Client will provide the following necessary assistance and services: (I) Relevant project documents, reports, annual work plans, and other related materials. (II) Designate or assign staff to liaise with the service provider to carry out related work.