Social studies and user surveys (preliminary)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

Country: Republic of Uzbekistan

Credit: IDA Credit No. 7787-UZ

Project: Geospatial Infrastructure for Sustainable Territorial Development

Assignment Title: Social Studies and User Surveys (Preliminary)

Reference No.: GISTD/C1/CQS/02

1. Background

The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has received financing from the International Development Association (IDA) under Financing Agreement No. 7787-UZ dated June 25, 2025, for the implementation of the Geospatial Infrastructure for Sustainable Territorial Development (GISTD) Project. The Project aims to improve the availability and accessibility of geospatial data in Uzbekistan through the establishment and operationalization of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (UZ-NSDI), enhancement of geospatial data management systems, development of geoportals and geospatial services, strengthening of institutional capacities, and implementation of pilot activities in Samarkand city. As part of Component C – Institutional Capacity Enhancement and Project Management, the Project envisages conducting social studies and user surveys to support citizen engagement, assess inclusiveness and accessibility of geospatial services, establish baseline values for selected Project indicators, and provide analytical inputs for monitoring Project results. The Cadastre Agency under the National Committee for Sustainable Development of Urbanization and Housing Market of the Republic of Uzbekistan intends to apply part of the proceeds of the financing to engage a consulting firm to conduct a baseline (preliminary) social study and user survey under the Project.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to conduct a baseline social study and user survey under the Geospatial Infrastructure for Sustainable Territorial Development Project in order to establish baseline values against which Project progress, results, and impacts will be measured during implementation.

The assignment shall provide baseline information on awareness, accessibility, use, satisfaction, inclusiveness, and citizen engagement related to geospatial and cadastral services, and shall generate baseline data for those indicators of the Project Results Framework that can be informed through survey-based data collection. The assignment shall be completed within a maximum period of eighty (80) working days from the date of contract signature.

3. Scope of Services

The consulting services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Part A – Survey Design and Preparation

- Development of the survey methodology and sampling strategy;

- Identification of target groups and reference (control) groups;

- Development, testing, and finalization of survey instruments;

- Preparation of fieldwork procedures, quality assurance arrangements, and implementation plans;

- Conduct of pilot testing and revision of survey instruments based on pilot results.

Part B – Data Collection and Analysis

- Conduct of quantitative and qualitative data collection in Tashkent and Samarkand;

- Supervision and quality control of fieldwork activities;

- Data cleaning, validation, and processing;

- Analysis of survey findings, including gender-disaggregated and stakeholder-specific analysis;

- Assessment of awareness, accessibility, use, satisfaction, inclusiveness, citizen engagement, and barriers affecting the use of geospatial services;

- Establishment of baseline values for relevant indicators of the Project Results Framework.

Part C – Reporting and Knowledge Transfer

- Preparation of draft and final analytical reports;

- Preparation of datasets, codebooks, analytical tables, and supporting materials;

- Presentation of findings to the Client and key stakeholders;

- Incorporation of comments received from the Client and the World Bank into final deliverables.

All deliverables shall be prepared in English and Uzbek and submitted in editable formats (Word, Excel/CSV) and PDF. Final acceptance of the assignment shall be subject to approval of the deliverables by the Client.

4. Consulting firms should provide comprehensive information demonstrating their qualifications and experience in performing such services (information on organization, key personnel, past experience, a list of past and present tasks of a similar nature, and any other information that may demonstrate the consultant’s ability to perform the task satisfactorily). Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Consultants may team up with other firms to improve their skills, but should clearly indicate whether the association is a joint venture and/or a sub-consultant. In the case of a joint venture, all joint venture partners will be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if any.

5. Consulting firms should include the following information to their EOI:

Consulting Firm Information

Associations (Joint Venture or Sub-consultancy)

Present the rationale for and benefits of working in association (JV or Sub-consultant) with others rather than undertaking the assignment independently (as appropriate). Describe the proposed management and coordination approach of the association and the role of each firm.

- Technical competence

Project References - highlight the technical qualifications of your entity/consortium in undertaking similar assignments. Provide details of past experiences working with similar project authorities

- Management Competence

• Describe standard policies, procedures, and practices that your entity has to assure quality interaction with clients and outputs. Please state if your company is ISO certified.
• How your firm/consortium handles complaints concerning the performance of experts or quality of the reports submitted for previous and future assignments? What internal controls are in place to address and resolve complaints?
• How you ensure the quality of your firm’s/consortium’s performance over the life of assignments.

- Projects references

Present relevant projects to demonstrate the firm’s technical qualifications and geographical experience.

- Summary for the Projects listed above

- Eligibility

We, the undersigned, certify to the best of our knowledge and belief:

• We have read the advertisement, including the terms of reference (TOR), for this assignment: (YES/NO);
• Neither the consulting firm nor its JV member or sub-consultant or any of its experts prepared the TOR for this activity: (YES/NO);
• We confirm that the project references submitted as part of this EOI accurately reflect the experience of the specified firm/consortium: (YES/NO);
• Ensuring assignment resulting from our work product under this assignment, our firm, JV member or sub-consultant, and the expert(s) will be disqualified from short-listing and participation in the assignment.
• The lead entity and JV member or sub-consultant are NOT currently sanctioned by or other MDBs. Neither the consulting firm nor the JV member or sub-consultant has ever been convicted of an integrity-related offense or crime related to theft, corruption, fraud, collusion or coercion.

6. Interested consultants should provide comprehensive information, including a brochure (company profile, contract duration, amount, total project cost, start and finish date) demonstrating that they have the necessary qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services, including:

The consulting firm shall have the following qualifications:

- experience of successfully completing at least 4 similar studies over the past 10 years within projects financed by International Financial Institutions (IFIs);

- experience in carrying out assignments of a similar nature in the field of geospatial infrastructure and/or cadastre;

- Experience in conducting surveys involving multiple stakeholder groups, including public institutions, private sector entities, and citizens over the past 5 years.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at this stage.

7. The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications-based Selection (CQS) method set out in the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers: Procurement in Investment Project Financing – Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services, September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”). The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

8. Expressions of interest shall be delivered in writing to the address below (in person or by e-mail) till 16:00 (Tashkent time, GMT+5) by 26 June 2026 along with information.

9. Interested consultants may contact us by e-mail at the address below during business hours from 9:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. (Tashkent time):

Project Implementation Unit “Geospatial Infrastructure for Sustainable Territorial Development Project” with the participation of the World Bank under the Cadastre Agency

6-V, Chupon ota Street

Chilanzar District

100097, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

E-mail: gistdp@kadastr.uz