Announcement of Nepal will Expand Manpower Training with IDA Assistance on December 24, 1981

,, . . .· . _FOR IMMEDI_ATE l,{ELEASE . • World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephrme: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 82/26 Contact: Sandaram Sankaran December 24, 1981 (202) 477-3962 NEPAL WILL EXPAND MANPOWER TRAINING WITH IDA ASSISTANCE Nepal will establish a new training center for skilled craftsmen with the assistance of a SOR 12.5 million ($14.3 million) credit from the International Development Association (IDA). The credit will help reduce the shortage of skilled manpower. At completion, the new training center at Pokhara will provide facilities for providing training to 160 craftsmen in basic engineering skills, and 90 tech- nicians in civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering every year. Pokhara was selected to provide better access to this kind of training for candidates from the relatively less well served areas of the Western and Far Western Regions. Since available accommodations are scarce in Pokhara, boarding for 400 students (90% of full enrollment) and for all 45 teaching staff wili be provided on campus. • This project will be the second educational credit made to Nepal by IDA, the World Bank's concessional lending affiliate. The first IDA-assisted project is strengthening the existing certificate level training program for electrica1 and civil engineers at Pulchowk campus of the Institute of Engineering, near Kathmandu. Its programs are also being upgraded to diploma level civil engineering. A similar program at the Dharan campus is being assisted by the Asian Development Bank. Forestry education is also being assisted by the lDA with cofinancing by the United States Agency for International Development, and the United Nations Development Programme. The second educational project will also assist the establishment of national skills standards that will be applied to all training institutions. Related staff training and specialist services will be partially financed by a grant from the United Nations Development Programme. The IDA credit to Nepal is for 50 years including 10 years of grace; it is interest-free but carries a service charge of 3/4 of 1% a year to cover IDA adminis- trative costs. NOTE: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SOR amount of the IDA credit • reflects the exchange rates existing at the time of negotiation of the credit.  FORM N0.1121 (5-76) T E CHN I CAL DA T A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Second Education (Technical and Vocational Training) Nepal $17.5 million • IDA FINANCING: SOR 12.5 million, ($14.3 million), on standard IDA terms. OTHER FINANCING: UNDP, $2.5 million Government of Nepal, $.7 million IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Institute of Engineering, PIU - Second Project Tribhuvan University Pulchowk, Nepal PROJECT DESCRIPTIO~: Jt will help establish a new training center at Pokhara in the Western Development Region, which would: (a) expand certificate level training programs initiated under the First Project; and (b) initiate a one-year craft level training program. Related .s~aff training and specialist services will be partially financed by a grant from the United Nations Development Programme. Three studies will be 0arried out through the Ministry of Education to develop proposals for investments in primary, secondary, and non-formal education. PROCUREMENT: Because contracts for civil works below $800,000 and for furniture below $250,.000 have not attracted foreign bidders in the past, such contract~ (about $3.05 million) will be awarded after local competitive bidding (LCB) satisfactory to IDA. Civil works and furniture contracts exceeding these values (about $4.22 mi Ii l'•n) wi 11 be awarded after international competitive bidding (ICB). I Only prequalified contractors will be allowed to bid for civil works contracts. There will be a 7-1/2% margin of preference for local civil works contractors in bid evaluation under IC6. eontracts for equipment p~6kages of $50,000 or ~nder (about $0.40 million) will be procured under LCB. Contract's for equipment in excess of $50,000 (about $2.81 million) will be awarded after ICB. Local equipment and furniture manufacturers will re- ceive a margin of preference in bid evaluat~on under ICB of 15% of the c.i.f. price of competing imports or the actual customs duty, whichever is lower. Consumable training materials (about $0.3 million) will be procured locally under LCB or with at least three competitive price quotations. Off-the-shelf items not exceeding $20,000 for each contract (about $590,000) and direct purchase of books and printed matter (about $0.25 million) will be based on at least three conpetitive bids. CONSULTANTS: Project studies and preparation of a primary education project wi11 be carried out by local consultants, with the assistance of outside specialists. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: n.a. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1987, which includes 2 years of operations after the start-u~ of instruction. PT T r r l IT ·; Ti' 5 l'.dHlttt