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User Guide for the Standard Bidding Document for Works (International Bidding)
User’s Guide
for
Standard Bidding Document
for the
Procurement of Works
(For International Competitive Bidding)
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
January 2006
Standard Bidding Document for the Procurement of Works issued by the PPA (Version 1, January 2006)
Document: User Guide Page 1 of 62 File Ref: 615690309.doc
User Guide for Standard Bidding Document for the Procurement of Works (International Bidding)
Table of Contents
Acronyms............................................................................................................................................
3
Guidance Notes on the use of Standard Bidding Documents and the User Guide.............................4
Purpose of the Standard Bidding Document.................................................................................................4
Purpose of the User Guide.............................................................................................................................4
When to Use the Standard Bidding Document for Works...........................................................................4
Structure of the Standard Bidding Document...............................................................................................5
Rules for drafting Bidding Documents.........................................................................................................6
Summary of the Bidding
Process........................................................................................................7
Selection of Bidders......................................................................................................................................7
Preparation and Issue of Bidding Documents...............................................................................................7
Bidding Period and Bid Receipt....................................................................................................................8
Bid Opening...................................................................................................................................................8
Bid Evaluation...............................................................................................................................................9
Bid Acceptance and Contract Award and Placement.................................................................................10
Guidance Notes for the preparation of Invitation to Bid Notices or Letters.....................................11
Invitation to Bid Notices.............................................................................................................................11
Invitation to Bid Letters..............................................................................................................................13
Guidance Notes on the Preface Section.............................................................................................15
Guidance Notes on Section 1. Instructions to Bidders......................................................................16
Guidance Notes on Section 2. Bid Data Sheet..................................................................................17
Guidance Notes on Adjudication................................................................................................................22
Guidance Notes on Section 3. Evaluation and Qualification Criteria...............................................24
1. Qualification Criteria..............................................................................................................................24
2. Evaluation of Domestic Preference........................................................................................................25
Guidance Notes on Section 4. Bidding Forms..................................................................................26
Guidance Notes on Section 5. Eligible Countries.............................................................................27
Guidance Notes on Section 6. Schedule of Requirements................................................................28
Scope of Works...........................................................................................................................................28
Technical Specifications.............................................................................................................................28
Drawings......................................................................................................................................................30
Bill of Quantities or Activity Schedule.......................................................................................................30
Guidance Notes on Section 7. General Conditions of Contract........................................................35
Guidance Notes on Section 8. Special Conditions of Contract.........................................................36
Additional Optional Clauses.......................................................................................................................42
Guidance Notes on Section 9. Contract Forms.................................................................................44
Agreement....................................................................................................................................................44
Contract Security and Advance Payment Security.....................................................................................44
Guidance Notes on the Letter of Acceptance....................................................................................48
Guidance Notes on Letters to Unsuccessful Bidders........................................................................49
Annex 1: Sample Bill of Quantities..................................................................................................50
Acronyms
BDS Bid Data Sheet

BD Bidding Document
BOQ Bill of Quantities
EQC Evaluation and Qualification Criteria
GCC General Conditions of Contract
FIDIC International Federation of Consulting Engineers
ITB Instructions to Bidders
PE Procuring Entity
SBD Standard Bidding Document
SCC Special Conditions of Contract
SOR Schedule of Requirements
Guidance Notes on the use of Standard Bidding

Documents and the User Guide
Purpose of the Standard Bidding Document
The purpose of the SBD is to provide Procuring Entities (PEs) with one standard draft
containing basic contractual provisions and safeguards which are required by the
Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in the execution of public
procurement and the use of public funds.
The Standard Bidding Document for the Procurement of Works has been designed to:
(i) Simplify the drafting of a specific bidding document for Procurement of Works by
procurement staff;
(ii) Minimise the time required by the Tender Committee to approve Bidding
Documents prior to release;
(iii) Reduce Bidders’ time and effort in the preparation of Bids; and
(iv) Facilitate and simplify the evaluation and comparison of bids and Contract award by
the Procuring Entity.
The key feature of the SBD is that it can be used with minimum changes, as it does not
contain explanations, footnotes or examples that should not form part of the Bidding
Document.
Purpose of the User Guide

This User Guide has been prepared to provide guidance to public officials in the correct use
of the Standard Bidding Documents (SBD) for Works as a model for preparing an individual
Bidding Document (BD).
Users should ensure that the correct User Guide is referred to. Different User Guides have
been produced for each SBD including those for the Procurement of Goods and Services.
Users should refer to the header and footer of each page of the User Guide to ascertain this.
The SBD contains guidance notes for Bidders (or Financial Institutions) only, which are
mainly in Sections 4 and 9. These notes should not be deleted from the Bidding document
when drafting.
All the explanations and notes necessary for PEs to use the SBD are contained in this User
Guide.
All guidance notes, in both the bidding document and the user guide, are found between
square brackets in bold e.g. [insert general description of works].
This User Guide is not part of the Bidding Document and is not intended for issue to Bidders.
When to Use the Standard Bidding Document for Works

Procurement Method
This SBD for the Procurement of Works is suitable for use under Open International
Tendering, either with or without pre-qualification. It is also suitable for use under Restricted
Tendering. An alternative SBD is available for Open and Restricted National Tendering.
For procurement using the Request for Quotations method, the Request for Quotations and
Construction Agreement Form documents should normally be used.
Type of Contract
This Document can be used when the Procuring Entity intends to place either an
Admeasurement contract (with a bill of quantities) or a Lump Sum contract (with an activity
schedule). It is essential that the type of contract is specified in the Bid Data Sheet and
Special Conditions of Contract in Sections 2 and 8 of the Bidding Document.
Admeasurement contracts should be used for roads, buildings and other forms of
construction, where the works may not be well defined and quantities cannot be accurately
determined and are subject to change in quantity or specifications resulting from site
conditions.
Lump sum contracts should be used for buildings and works which are well defined and can
be accurately quantified prior to construction.
Scope and Value of Contract
This SBD is suitable for a standard contract, where the works have been fully designed by or
for the Procuring Entity (Employer), prior to bidding, and the Contractor will be responsible
for construction only.
It is suitable for works valued at up to US$10 million.
This SBD for the Procurement of Works is not suitable for the following situations:
 Complex works under US$10 million, such as large water treatment plants;
 Works over US$10 million;
 Works designed by the Contractor, including turnkey contracts.
For any of these requirements, the Procuring Entity should find an alternative, more
appropriate document, such as an appropriate FIDIC standard form of contract.
Structure of the Standard Bidding Document

The SBD is divided into nine separate Sections and a Preface. Procuring Entities are required
to use all Sections of the Standard Bidding Document to produce an individual Bidding
Document for issue to Bidders. The Standard Bidding Document comprises:
Preface
Part 1 Bidding Procedures
Section 1. Instructions to Bidders (ITB)
Section 2. Bid Data Sheet (BDS)
Section 3. Evaluation and Qualification Criteria (EQC)
Section 4. Bidding Forms
Section 5. Eligible Countries
Part 2 Schedule of Requirements
Section 6. Schedule of Requirements
Part 3 Contract
Section 7. General Conditions of Contract (GCC)
Section 8. Special Conditions of Contract (SCC)
Section 9. Contract Forms
Each section is provided as a separate electronic document, removing the difficulties of
drafting long documents. Collation of the sections is accomplished by reading the preface (5
pages) and manually inserting the relevant sections into each part of the preface pages.
Rules for drafting Bidding Documents

It is important that Procuring Entities always use the original Standard Bidding Document to
commence drafting a new Bidding Document for each new procurement requirement.
Therefore, the original SBD should not be amended in any way.
The SBDs have been designed to require the minimum of input or changes to the document so
that a final Bidding Document can be produced with minimum time and effort.
Most importantly the provisions in
Section 1 Instructions to Bidders and
Section 7 General Conditions of Contract
must be used with their text unchanged.
Any data or information that Sections 1 or 7 require are to be included respectively in
Section 2 Bid Data Sheet and
Section 8 Special Conditions of Contract
Data and information contained in the remaining Sections should be modified as follows:
Section 3 Evaluation and Qualification Criteria This section must be completed
with details of any evaluation criteria, and the qualification criteria, to be
applied, where a pre-qualification has not been conducted. Examples are
provided in this User Guide.
Section 4 Bidding Forms The Forms in this section are to be completed by the
Bidder. No changes to the standard forms should be made by the PE.
Section 5 Eligible Countries A standard wording is included for Government
funded procurement. Changes may be made where the procurement is
subject to donor rules or where the Government has introduced any
different or additional rules on eligibility.
Section 6 Schedule of Requirement This section should be completed with
technical details of the works required, through a scope of works,
technical specifications, drawings and a bill of quantities or activity
schedule.
Section 9 Contract Forms Procuring Entities are required to include the Contract
Form in the Bidding Document. Details do not need to be completed until
the contract award stage.
This User Guide contains a section corresponding to each section of the SBD. It also includes
an initial section on how to prepare the Invitation to Bid Notice or letter and a section at the end
on preparing a Letter of Acceptance.
In drafting Bidding Documents using the SBDs, users should not:
Delete any Section or page breaks,
Make any changes to the headers of the SBD,
Make any changes to the footers of the SBD.
Summary of the Bidding Process

The Public Procurement Proclamation of 2004 and the Procurement and Contracts Directives
detail the full procurement processes, rules and procedures and the procurement methods to
be followed by Procuring Entities. The Proclamation and Directives must be complied with
at all times.
The relevant parts of the bidding process are summarised here as follows:
Selection of Bidders;
Preparation and Issue of Bidding Documents;
Bidding Period and Bid Receipt;
Bid Opening;
Bid Evaluation; and
Bid Acceptance, Contract Award and placement.
Selection of Bidders
The method for selection of Bidders will depend on the procurement method being used and
whether or not a pre-qualification has been conducted.
Where Open Tendering is used without pre-qualification, the PE must publish an
Invitation to Bid notice, so that bidding is open to all interested bidders. A standard format,
with guidance notes on its completion, is provided later in this User Guide.
The notice must be published in at least one national newspaper of general circulation.
Where tendering is international, the notice must also be published, in a newspaper using the
same language as the notice and of sufficient circulation to attract foreign competition.
Notices should also be published on the internet, wherever possible.
PEs should also ensure that bidding documents are finalised and approved before publishing
the Invitation to Bid notice, to avoid any delays in the process.
Where Open Tendering is used with pre-qualification, the bidders invited will be those
selected during the pre-qualification process. There is therefore no need to publish an
Invitation to Bid notice, but the bidding document should be accompanied by an Invitation to
Bid letter. A sample letter, and guidance notes on completing it, are included later in this
User Guide.
Where this document is used under Restricted Tendering, the bidders invited will be those
included on the shortlist, who should be selected from among contractors registered in the
contractors list. There is no need to publish an Invitation to Bid notice, but the bidding
document should be accompanied by an invitation to bid letter. However, the Procuring
Entity may advertise the opportunity, to invite companies to express interest in being invited
to bid. A sample letter and guidance notes on completing an invitation to bid letter are
included later in this User Guide.
Preparation and Issue of Bidding Documents

The Procuring Entity is responsible for the preparation and issue of the Bidding Document
and must use the appropriate SBD, as this is a mandatory requirement for contracts to be
funded by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
In deciding the deadline for Bid Submission, the PE should allow Bidders sufficient time for
obtaining and studying the Bidding Document, preparing complete and responsive bids and
submitting the bids. Procuring Entities are required to comply with the minimum bidding
periods given in the Directives.
Where a Bid Notice has been published, the PE must issue Bidding Documents promptly to
all Bidders who request them and pay any required fees. A record must be kept of the
Bidders to whom Bidding Documents have been issued. Receipts must be issued for all fees
paid.
Where the Bidding Document is issued to pre-qualified or short-listed bidders, the documents
must be issued to all bidders at the same time and must be issued early enough to ensure
compliance with the minimum bidding period given in the Directives. A record must be kept
of the issue of all bidding documents.
Bidding Period and Bid Receipt

The Bidder is responsible for the preparation and submission of its Bid. During the bidding
period, the Procuring Entity shall:
 Hold any pre bid meeting or site visit and issue minutes promptly;
 Promptly respond to requests for clarifications from Bidders;
 Issue amendments to the Bidding Documents if necessary;
 Receive and record sealed bids from Bidders or make a Bid Box available up to the
deadline for bid submission;
 Close bidding at the precise date and time of the deadline and ensure that no late bids
are received; and
 Keep all bids received secure until the time for bid opening.
Bid Opening
The Tender Committee is responsible for the Bid Opening, which is a critical event in the
bidding process. Procuring Entity staff must be aware that inappropriate procedures at Bid
Opening are usually irreversible and may require cancellation of the Bidding Process with
the consequent delays and waste of time and resources.
Best Bid-Opening Practices to Observe
The Tender Committee shall:
 Conduct the Bid Opening strictly following the procedures specified in the ITB Sub-
Clause 23 for all bids received on or prior to the date and time of the bid submission
deadline. The term “Bid Opening” can be misleading because a bid for which a Bid
Withdrawal notice was received on time shall not be opened, but returned unopened
to the Bidder. The sequence in which bids are handled and opened is crucial.
 Ensure that all bids that were received on time are accounted for, before starting the
Bid Opening, as bids that are not opened and read out at Bid Opening shall not be
further considered.
 Not reject any bid at Bid Opening, except for late bids received after the date and time
of bid submission deadline. Technically, late bids should not reach the Bid Opening,
but in certain cases a Bidder may attempt to submit its bid at the Bid Opening place
after the deadline.
 Examine the bids at Bid Opening in accordance with the provisions of ITB Sub-Clause
19. The Procuring Entity shall, verify at the Bid Opening the existence of the
documentation, confirming the validity of a bid withdrawal or modification (as
specified in ITB Sub-Clause 22). A withdrawn bid shall not be opened and in
consequence not read out and, therefore, they shall not be further considered by the
Procuring Entity. Similarly, a bid modification shall be opened and read out to
amend a bid that was received on time.
Bid Evaluation
The Tender Committee, assisted by a Technical Committee if required, is responsible for the
evaluation of all bids received. The Tender Committee must remember that mistakes
committed at bid evaluation may later prompt complaints from Bidders, requiring re-
evaluation of the bids, with the consequent delays and waste of time and resources.
The Tender Committee shall:
 Maintain the bid evaluation process strictly confidential
 Reject any attempts or pressures to distort the outcome of the evaluation, including
fraud and corruption
 Strictly apply only and all of the evaluation and qualification criteria specified in the
Bidding Documents to determine the lowest evaluated bid and to make a
recommendation for award of contract to the Tender Committee.
In conducting the evaluation, the Tender Committee will be required to make appropriate
adjustments for acceptable variations, deviations or alternatives offers, as specified in ITB
Clause 29.2(c). In determining whether such variations, deviations or alternatives are
acceptable, the Tender Committee should take into account the definition of a material
deviation given in ITB Clause 26.2. Any variation, deviation or alternative which
substantially affects the scope, quality or performance of the Works, substantially alters the
Employer’s rights or the Bidder’s obligations or would give the Bidder an unfair competitive
advantage over other Bidders should not be considered as acceptable and the bid should be
rejected.
In making adjustments for acceptable variations, deviations or alternatives, the Tender
Committee must try to quantity the effect of the change. For example:
 where Bidders request improved payment terms, the benefit should be calculated in
terms of their cash flow. The interest rate used may be one specified in the contract
for late payments.
 where a Bidder suggests the use of alternative materials (e.g. steel instead of
concrete), the increased or decreased cost of maintenance should be calculated.
 where a Bidder proposes a longer completion period, a penalty could be calculated
using the rates given in the contract for liquidated damages.
 where a Bidder proposes the use of alternative materials or a different design, the
difference in operational costs could be taken into account.
Where required, the Tender Committee should seek professional technical or financial advice
to assist in quantifying adjustments.
Upon completion of the Bid Evaluation, the Tender Committee shall be requested to make a
Contract Award recommendation to the head of the Procuring Entity. It is important to note
that a Contract Award decision by the head of the Procuring Entity is not a contract, it is a
decision to award a contract to the bidder who submitted the lowest evaluated bid.
Bid Acceptance and Contract Award and Placement

Bid acceptance and award and placement of a contract can be confusing for both parties if
there is not a precise and specified procedure for award of contracts. The procedure specified
in the Proclamation and Directives provides a sequence of events based on the need to
recognise Bidders’ rights to appeal against the conduct of the evaluation and the need for a
contract to be placed as soon as is practical after a decision to award has been approved. The
following procedure is required under the Proclamation and Directives:
 The head of the Procuring Entity makes a contract award decision, based on the
recommendation of the Tender Committee.
 The Procuring Entity notifies all Bidders of the result of the evaluation.
 After a period of five working days, if no complaint has been received by the Procuring
Entity, the PE awards the contract by issuing a Letter of Acceptance to the
successful bidder.
 The contract will be confirmed by issue of a full conformed Contract Document.
PEs should note that the Letter of Acceptance and the Contract Document should not contain
any provisions or conditions which vary from those in the Bidding Document, or the
Bidder’s Bid, including any subsequent clarifications. Any such modifications should be
agreed by the Bidder in writing before a contract award decision is made.
The Contract Document comprises those papers contained at Section 9 of the Bidding
Document and it is at the stage of contract award that these can be completed with details of
the successful Bidder.
Guidance Notes for the preparation of Invitation to Bid

Notices or Letters
Invitation to Bid Notices
Invitation to Bid Notices must be published under the Open Tendering method, unless a pre-
qualification has been conducted. They are designed to provide information that enables
potential bidders to decide whether to participate in a bidding process. Apart from the
essential items listed in the draft below, the Invitation to Bid Notice should also indicate any
important bid evaluation criteria (for example, the application of a margin of preference in
bid evaluation) or qualification requirements (a minimum level of turnover or experience).
The Invitation to Bid Notice is for publication purposes only and is not a part of the Bidding
Documents.
Standard Format for Invitation to Bid Notices
[Brief Description of the Works]
[Procurement Reference number]
1. The [insert name of Employer] has funds within the Employer’s budget to be used for the
procurement of [insert description of works to be procured].
2. The [insert name of Employer] invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the provision of [insert
description of works to be procured]. 1,2
3. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the open international tendering procedures contained
in the Public Procurement Proclamation of the Federal Government of Ethiopia and is open to all
bidders from eligible source countries. 3
4. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from [insert name of Employer] and
inspect the bidding documents at the address given below at 7(a) from [insert office hours]. 4
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents in [insert name of language] may be purchased by interested
bidders at the address below at 7(b) and upon payment of a non-refundable fee 5 of [insert amount
in Ethiopian Birr] or [insert amount in specified convertible currency]. The method of payment
will be [insert method of payment] 6. The document will be sent by [insert delivery method]. No
liability will be accepted for loss or late delivery.
6. Bids must be delivered to the address below at 7(c) at or before [insert time and date]. [If
appropriate, include the following: All bids must be accompanied by a bid security of (insert
amount in Ethiopian Birr or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency)].7 Late
bids shall be rejected. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose
to attend at the address below at 7(d) at [insert time and date] 8.
7. (a) Address documents may be inspected at: [Insert address and contact details]
(b) Address documents will be issued from: [Insert address and contact details]
(c) Address Bids must be delivered to: [Insert address and contact details]
(d) Address of Bid Opening: [Insert address and contact details]
Notes
1. A brief description of the Works should be provided, including the location of the
project, and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether
to respond to the invitation. If Bidding Documents require bidders to have specific
experience or capabilities, such restrictions should also be included in this paragraph.
2. [Insert if applicable]. The completion period is [insert no. Of days/months/years or

dates].
3. Occasionally, contracts may be financed out of donor funds that would restrict
eligibility to particular countries. When this is the case, it should be mentioned in this
paragraph. Also indicate any margin of preference that may be granted as specified in
the Bidding Documents.
4. For example: 09:00 to 12:00 hours.
5. The fee, to defray printing and mailing/shipping costs, should be nominal. If no fee is
to be charged ensure that this is stated.
6. For example, cashier’s check, direct deposit to specified account no., etc.
7. The amount of bid security should be stated or if a bid security is not required, the
paragraph should so state.
8. The place for bid opening may not necessarily be the same as that for issuance of
documents or for bid submission. If they differ, each address must appear in paragraph
7 and be numbered. The text in the paragraph would then refer to address (1), (2), etc.
Only one place and its address may be specified for submission, and it should be near
the place where bids will be opened. Addresses should not be PO Boxes where physical
submission or collection of a document is required.
Any further information relating to the proposed bidding process, such as the intention to
hold a pre bid meeting should also be included as appropriate.
Invitation to Bid Letters

Invitation to Bid letters are issued to shortlisted bidders under Restricted Tendering or where
bidders have been pre-qualified. They are used to invite specific Bidders who are felt to have
the prerequisite skills, capacity or qualifications to fulfil a requirement.
The Invitation to Bid Letter is not a part of the Bidding Documents. The letter should be
signed and the seal of the Procuring Entity should be affixed.
Standard Format for Invitation to Bid Letters
Letterhead paper with PE name and address
[Name and address of selected Bidders – list all Bidders]
[Procurement Reference number]
[Date]
Dear Sirs,
Invitation to Bid for [Brief Description of the Works]
1. The [insert name of Employer] has funds within the Employer’s budget to be used for the
acquisition of the above referenced Works.
2. The [insert name of Employer] invites sealed bids from eligible/pre-qualified [delete as
applicable] bidders for the provision of these Works. 1,2
3. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the open/restricted [delete as applicable]
international tendering procedures contained in the Public Procurement Proclamation of the Federal
Government of Ethiopia. Bidding is open to the Bidders listed above from eligible source countries.3
4. A complete set of Bidding Documents in [insert name of language] may be purchased by interested
bidders at the address below at 6 (a) and upon payment of a non-refundable fee4 of [insert amount
in Ethiopian Birr] or in [insert amount in specified convertible currency]. The method of
payment will be [insert method of payment].5 The document will be sent by [insert delivery
method]. No liability will be accepted for loss or late delivery.
5. Bids must be delivered to the address below at 6(b) at or before [insert time and date]. [If
appropriate, include the following: All bids must be accompanied by a bid security of (insert
amount in Ethiopian Birr or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency)].6 Late
bids shall be rejected. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose
to attend at the address below at 6 (c) at [insert time and date].7
6 (a) Address documents will be issued from: [Insert street address]
(b) Address Bids must be delivered to: [Insert street address]
(c) Address of Bid Opening: [Insert street address]
Yours sincerely,
[Insert name of office and name of officer] [Insert postal/street address]
Notes
1. A brief description of the Works should be provided, including the location of the
project and other information necessary to enable potential bidders to decide whether to
respond to the invitation. If Bidding Documents require bidders to have specific
experience or capabilities, such restrictions should also be included in this paragraph.
2. [Insert if applicable]. The completion period is [insert no. of days/months/years or

dates].
3. Occasionally, contracts may be financed out of donor funds that would restrict
eligibility to particular countries. When this is the case, it should be mentioned in this
paragraph. Also indicate any margin of preference that may be granted as specified in
the Bidding Documents.
4. The fee, to defray printing and mailing/shipping costs, should be nominal.
5. For example, cashier’s check, direct deposit to specified account no., etc.
6. The amount of bid security should be stated or if a bid security is not required, the
paragraph should so state.
7. The place for bid opening may not necessarily be the same as that for bid submission. If
they differ, each address must appear in paragraph 6. Only one place and its address
may be specified for submission, and it should be near the place where bids will be
opened.
It should be noted that the Invitation to Bid Letter should be addressed to all Bidders that
have either pre-qualified or have been selected for restricted tendering so that each Letter
indicates the names of all Bidders that have been invited to bid.
Additional information, such as details of a pre-bid meeting should also be included in the
invitation to bid letter.
Guidance Notes on the Preface Section

This Section of the Standard Bidding Document comprises five pages of which the first two
pages are the cover sheets to the Bidding Document and the remaining three pages are
separators or dividers for the three Parts of the Document. Only the first page of the Preface
requires any inputs or text changes as illustrated below.
{Entity or Project Crest or Logo}
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
{Name of Employer and/or Project}
Bidding Document
for the
Procurement of Works
Subject of Procurement: [Insert general description of works to be procured].
Procurement Reference [Insert the Procurement Reference number for this

Number: procurement]
Procurement Method: [Insert Open/Restricted International Tendering as appropriate]
Date of Issue of Bidding: [Insert official issue date of the Bidding Document]
Document
Guidance Notes on Section 1. Instructions to Bidders

The Instructions to Bidders (ITB) inform Bidders of the procedures that regulate the bidding
process. The ITB contain standard provisions that have been designed to remain unchanged
and to be used without modifying their text. The ITB clearly identify the provisions that
may normally need to be specified for a particular bidding process and require that such
details be introduced through the BDS.
Conventionally the Instructions to Bidders contain information and data relating to the
procedure for bidding and evaluation up to the point of contract award. Matters that will
govern the performance of the Contractor, payment under any resulting contract or the rights
and obligations under any resulting contract are contained in Section 7, 8 and 9, the General
and Special Conditions of Contract and the Agreement. If duplication of a subject is
inevitable in the different Sections of the document, care must be exercised to avoid
contradiction between clauses dealing with the same matter(s).
The Instructions to Bidders are not a Contract document and, therefore, will not form a part
of the Contract.
Guidance Notes on Section 2. Bid Data Sheet
The Bid Data Sheet (BDS) supplements the ITB by specifying details relevant to an
individual bidding document such as its closing date or the value of bid security required.
The Employer must specify in the BDS only the information that the ITB request be
specified in the BDS. All information shall be provided; no clause shall be left blank.
To facilitate the preparation of the BDS, its clauses are numbered with the same numbers as
the corresponding ITB clause. This Guide provides information to the Employer on how to
enter all required information, and includes a BDS formatted table that summarises all
information to be provided.
The BDS should be prepared by the PE prior to the issue of the Bidding Document.
Conventionally the BDS contains information and data relating to the procedure for bidding
and evaluation up to the point of contract award. Matters that will govern the performance of
the Contractor, payment or the rights and obligations under any resulting contract are
contained in Section 7, 8 and 9, the General and Special Conditions of Contract and the
Agreement. If duplication of a subject is inevitable in the different Sections of the document,
care must be exercised to avoid contradiction between clauses dealing with the same
matter(s).
The Bid Data Sheet is not a Contract document and, therefore, will not form a part of the
Contract.
Input of Information to be completed by Employer

Section 2. Bid Data Sheet
Instructions to
Bidders (ITB) Data relevant to the ITB
reference
A. General
ITB 3.2 A Bidder shall submit with its bid the documentary evidence
specified in ITB Clause 3.2. [Amend if no documentary evidence is
required e.g. if this has been verified during a pre-qualification
exercise].
The documentary evidence required shall be amended as follows:
[amend if any alternative or additional documents are required].
ITB 3.2(a) The mandated public body for the registration of contractors is:
[insert public body responsible for contractor registration for the
works being purchased e.g. “Ministry of Infrastructure” or
“Ministry of Water Resources”].
ITB 7.2 The Employer [insert “will” or “will not”] hold a pre-bid meeting.
If a pre-bid meeting is being held, it shall take place at:
Location: [insert full address for pre-bid meeting].
Date: [insert day, date, month and year of pre-bid meeting e.g.
Monday 15th November 2004]
Time: [insert time and identify if a.m. or p.m. e.g. 11.00 a.m.]
The Employer [insert “will” or “will not”] hold a site visit.
If a site visit is being held, it shall take place at:
Location: [insert full address for site visit].
Date: [insert day, date, month and year of site visit e.g. Monday
15th November 2004]
Time: [insert time and identify if a.m. or p.m. e.g. 11.00 a.m.]
[For major contracts, it is good practice for the Employer to

organise a pre-bid meeting, which provides the opportunity of
providing information and a session for questions and answers. A
site visit should also be arranged where possible.]
B. Bidding Documents
Instructions to
reference
ITB 9.1 Clarification purposes only, the Employer’s address is:

Attention: [insert full name of contact person]
Address: [insert street address and number]
Floor/Room number: [insert floor and room number, if
applicable]
Town/City: [insert name of city or town]
PO Box No/Postal Code: [insert postal, or PO Box No if
applicable]
Country: [insert name of country]
Telephone: [insert telephone number, including
country & city codes]
Facsimile number: [insert fax number, including country &
city code]
Email address: [insert email address, if applicable]
C. Preparation of Bids
ITB 11.1 The language of the Bid is: [Insert language e.g. “English” or
another language generally used in international trade].
ITB 12.1(f) The Bidder shall submit with its bid the following additional
documents or information: [insert any additional documents
required e.g. details of the Bidder’s insurance cover.]
ITB 13.1 The contract is an Admeasurement/Lump Sum [delete as applicable,

ensuring that the contract type is the same as in clause 37.1 of the
Special Conditions]Contract.
ITB 13.3 The Bidder [insert “shall” or “shall not”] provide a breakdown of
rates and prices [for all items whose cost is greater than [insert
percentage or delete if not applicable] % of the Bid Price].
ITB 14.2 The authority for exchange rates shall be [insert source of exchange
rates e.g. National Bank of Ethiopia].
ITB 15.1 Bids shall remain valid for [insert number] days.
[The period must be sufficient for the Employer to evaluate bids,
obtain all approvals and award a contract. Usually this is
expressed as 60, 90 or 120 days. A minimum of 60 days is
normally used, with up to 120 days for high value and complex
works requiring detailed evaluation.]
ITB 15.3 The adjustment of Bid price shall be calculated on the basis of an
Instructions to
reference
annual increase for foreign costs of [insert percentage] percent and

an annual increase for local costs of [insert percentage] percent.
[The rates inserted should reflect the current rates of inflation

internationally and in Ethiopia but should be reasonably
equitable]
ITB 16.1 The amount of the bid security shall be ETB [insert amount in
Ethiopian Birr] or the equivalent in a freely-convertible currency.
[The amount should be in accordance with the Procurement
Directives i.e.
ETB 5,000 for contracts estimated at ETB 30,000 - 500,000

ETB 10,000 for contracts estimated at ETB 500,001 – 1,000,000
ETB 50,000 for contracts estimated at ETB 1,000,001 – 5,000,000
ETB 100,000 for contracts estimated to be above 5,000,000].
ITB 17.1 Alternative proposals to the requirements of the bidding documents

[insert “will” or “will not,” as appropriate] be permitted with
respect to [describe the alternatives to be permitted, or delete, as
appropriate].
[The admittance of alternatives must be considered on a case by

case basis. Alternatives could apply to certain parts of the works
e.g. the use of structural steel in place of reinforced concrete.
Often Contractors wish to propose alternatives because they own
specialised equipment or expertise for alternative construction
methods, which may offer cost savings. Where it is considered that
there are viable alternatives, alternative bids should be
permitted.]
[If alternatives shall be considered, insert either:
“A bidder may submit an alternative bid only with a bid for the
base case. The Purchaser shall only consider the alternative bids
offered by the Bidder whose bid for the base case was determined
to be the lowest-evaluated bid.”
or
“ A bidder may submit an alternative bid with or without a bid
for the base case. The Purchaser shall consider bids offered for
alternatives as specified in the Schedule of Requirements. All bids
received, for the base case, as well as alternative bids meeting the
specified requirements, shall be evaluated on their own merits in
accordance with the same procedures, as specified in the ITB 29.”]
[When alternative bids are permitted, it is important for the PE to

clearly state in the Bidding Document the performance
Instructions to
reference
requirements that the alternative is required to meet, which may

be in terms of technical performance parameters or other
conditions, such as operating costs or completion schedule.
Alternative bids can then be evaluated against these criteria, even
if they do not conform fully to the Bidding Document].
ITB 18.1 In addition to the original of the bid, the number of copies is: [insert
number, usually two, but more if essential] copies.
D. Submission of Bids
ITB 19.2(a) For bid submission purposes only, the Employer’s address is :
Attention: [insert full name of contact person]
Street Address: [insert street address and number]
applicable]
PO Box No/Postal Code: [insert postal code, if applicable]
ITB 20.1 The deadline for bid submission is:
Date: [insert day, date, month, and year, e.g.
Monday 15 November, 2004]
Time (local time): [insert time, and identify if a.m. or p.m., e.g.
10:30 a.m.]
ITB 23.1 The bid opening shall take place at:

Street Address: [insert street address and number]
applicable]
Date: [insert day, date, month, and year, e.g.
Monday 15 November, 2004]
Time (local time): [insert time, and identify if a.m. or p.m. e.g.
11:00 a.m.]
F. Award of Contract
ITB 35.1 The Adjudicator proposed by the Employer is [insert name and
address. General guidance notes on the role and conduct of
Instructions to
reference
adjudication are given below].
The hourly fee for this proposed Adjudicator shall be [insert currency
and amount].
The biographical data of the proposed Adjudicator is as attached to

this Bid Data Sheet. [Attach relevant information, such as
education, experience, age, nationality, and present position].
[The appointment of the Adjudicator requires care and attention.

The Adjudicator should be of an appropriate discipline and have
knowledge and experience of resolving contract disputes, either in
the Engineer, Adjudicator or Arbitrator role. The Contractor has
the option of proposing an alternative Adjudicator at the bid
stage, which in turn the Employer has the prerogative of accepting
or declining at the acceptance stage. If the Employer does not
accept the Adjudicator proposed by the Contractor, the
Appointing Authority designated in the SCC selects the
Adjudicator.]
[For smaller contracts, the Employer may decide not to appoint

an Adjudicator, in which case, the text should be replaced with
“No Adjudicator is to be appointed under this contract”. Where
no Adjudicator is to be appointed, the Employer must also make
appropriate amendments to the relevant Special Conditions of
Contract].
Guidance Notes on Adjudication

The precise role and functions of the Adjudicator will depend on the procedural rules for
adjudication adopted by the two parties (the Employer and the Contractor), but the following
notes are provided as general guidance.
The purpose of adjudication is to resolve disputes between the two parties as quickly and
economically as possible, without recourse to the more expensive and time-consuming
solutions of arbitration or legal proceedings. Any dispute submitted for adjudication may
subsequently be submitted for arbitration or legal proceedings, but the decision of the
Adjudicator is binding, until this happens.
The Adjudicator must be impartial and independent of both Parties and must treat the details
of the contract and the adjudication as confidential. The Adjudicator will give his decision on
the resolution of the dispute, but will not give advice on the conduct of the works.
In order to issue his decision, the Adjudicator may undertake any of the following activities,
or others that he considers necessary:
 Receive written submissions from the parties.
 Request and examine documentation relating to the dispute.
 Use his own specialist knowledge or, where permitted by the adjudication rules,
obtain advice from specialist consultants.
 Hold a hearing to receive oral submissions from both parties and their employees.
 Make a site visit.
The scope of the adjudication is initially determined by the written request for adjudication.
However, it may also include other matters, which the parties decide to add or which the
Adjudicator determines to be necessary for the effective and meaningful resolution of the
dispute.
Where possible, the Adjudicator’s decision will reflect the legal rights of the two parties.
However, where it is not possible to decide the matter based solely on the parties’ legal
rights, the Adjudicator will reach a view based on his fair and reasonable view, based on the
facts of the case and the relevant legal provisions. The Adjudicator’s decision may include
the payment of interest by one party.
User Guide for the Standard Bidding Document for Works (International Bidding)
Guidance Notes on Section 3. Evaluation and

Qualification Criteria
The purpose of the Evaluation and Qualification Criteria (EQC) is to inform Bidders of the
criteria that the Employer will use to evaluate the bids and post-qualify the bidder submitting
the lowest evaluated bid. This is to ensure that the evaluation is fair and treats all Bidders in
the same manner. It also should assist Bidders to prepare responsive bids, which meet the
PE’s needs and are competitive. The Employer must prepare the EQC and include it as a part
of the Bidding Documents.
The EQC is not a Contract document and, therefore, it is not a part of the Contract.
Section 3 of the SBD requires criteria to be added in two main areas, relating to:
1. Qualification criteria; and
2. The application of a margin of preference for domestic contractors.
Guidance is provided below on the completion of each of these sections. Example criteria are
provided, but the criteria must be prepared for each individual requirement, depending on the
value of the potential bids, the complexity of the assignment, the details of any domestic
preference scheme etc.
1. Qualification Criteria
This part must be drafted in conjunction with the standard instructions in Section 1,
Instructions to Bidders. It is used to modify the standard instructions and to provide figures
and other details for the qualification criteria, which are appropriate to the particular works
contract.
Where a pre-qualification has been conducted, the standard wording in this part should be
deleted and replaced with “Not applicable. Pre-qualification information will be verified in
accordance with ITB Clause 4.2”.
Where no pre-qualification has been conducted, the standard wording should be completed as
shown below. The criteria can be amended or deleted, if appropriate, and further criteria can
be added as required.
The information required from bidders in ITB Sub-Clause 4.3 is modified as follows: [list
any additions or deletions to the list of information and documents in ITB Sub-Clause
4.3 or state “no modifications”].
The requirements for joint ventures in ITB Sub-Clause 4.4 are modified as follows: [list any
additions or deletions to the requirements in ITB Sub-Clause 4.4 or state “no
modification”].
To qualify for award of the Contract, in accordance with ITB Sub-Clause 4.5, bidders shall
meet the minimum qualifying criteria: [complete the details required for the criteria at (a)
to (e) below or delete or amend. Additional criteria may be added if required]
(a) Average annual volume of construction work over the past [insert number of years.
For major contracts, it is normally 5 years, for smaller contracts 3 years would be
sufficient] of at least [insert currency and amount. Ideally the minimum value of the
annual turnover of construction work should be set at not less than 2.5 times the
estimated annual cash flow for the Contract. For low risk works, this minimum could
be reduced to 2 times or less]
(b) Experience as prime contractor in the construction of at least [insert required

number of similar contracts, which should be in the range of one to three, depending on
the size of contract, risk of contractor default and market conditions]works of a nature
and complexity equivalent to the Works over the last _____ [insert number of years,
normally in the range of five to ten. For smaller contracts, low risk works or a newly
established local industry, the number of years could be reduced to 3] years (to comply
with this requirement, works cited should be at least 70 percent complete);
(c) Proposals for the timely acquisition (own, lease, hire, etc.) of the following essential
equipment: [insert list of equipment. For smaller contracts, the list should be limited to
specialised items that are critical to the execution of the contract and that may be
difficult for the successful Bidder to obtain quickly]
(d) Personnel with the following qualifications and experience: [insert qualifications
and experience required for key personnel e.g. “a Contract Manager with five years’
experience in works of an equivalent nature and volume, including no less than three
years as Manager”. Personnel requirements should be limited to key site management
and technical personnel, who will be responsible for major components e.g. site
superintendents, contract manager etc]
(e) Liquid assets and/or credit facilities, net of other contractual commitments and
exclusive of any advance payments which may be made under the Contract, of no less than
[insert amount. The successful Bidder must demonstrate that it has or has access to the
financial means sufficient to meet the construction cash flow requirements for the
contract. The minimum liquid assets and credit should normally be set as the estimated
payment flow over approximately 3 months at the average (“straight lined”)
construction rate.];
A consistent history of litigation or arbitration awards against the Applicant or any partner of
a Joint Venture may result in disqualification.
The figures for each of the partners of a joint venture shall be added together to determine
the Bidder’s compliance with the minimum qualifying criteria in (a) and (e) above; however,
for a joint venture to qualify, each of its partners must meet at least 25 percent of minimum
criteria (a), (b), and (e) above for an individual Bidder, and the partner in charge at least 40
percent of those minimum criteria. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in
rejection of the joint venture’s Bid.
Subcontractors’ experience and resources will not be taken into account in determining the
Bidder’s compliance with the qualifying criteria. [amend if required].
2. Evaluation of Domestic Preference

Detailed procedures for the application of the margin of preference must be inserted here, in
accordance with the Procurement Directives or other instructions issued by the Public
Procurement Agency. The margin of preference will be a maximum of 7.5%, in accordance
with section 19 of the Proclamation.
Guidance Notes on Section 4. Bidding Forms
The Procuring Entity must include all bidding forms that the Bidder must complete and
include in its bid in the Bidding Document. As specified in Section 4 of the Bidding
Document, these forms are the Bid Submission Form, the Priced Schedules (Bill of
Quantities or Activity Schedule, depending on the type of contract), the Bid Security Form
and the Qualification Information form.
As the Bidder (or a financial institution in the case of the Security) is required to complete
these Forms, guidance notes are included on the forms (in bold between square brackets) in
the SBD. These guidance notes should not be deleted by the Procuring Entity prior to the
issue of the Bidding Document. The Procuring Entity is not required to input or change
any information in Section 4.
This User Guide is not intended for Bidders as all information that the Bidder is required to
provide should be detailed by the Procuring Entity in the Bidding Document. The forms in
Section 4, complete with guidance notes, are not therefore included in this User Guide.
Guidance Notes on Section 5. Eligible Countries
Section 5 specifies the countries from which bidders (including subcontractors or suppliers)
are eligible. Section 5 is not a contract document.
Section 5 of the SBD includes the following wording, which will normally apply to any
Government funded contract:
All countries are eligible except countries subject to the following provisions.
A country shall not be eligible if:
(a) As a matter of law or official regulation, the Government of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia prohibits commercial relations with that country, provided that
the Government is satisfied that such exclusion does not preclude effective
competition for the provision of the works required; or
(b) By an act of compliance with a decision of the United Nations Security Council
taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Government of
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia prohibits any procurement of works
from that country or any payments to persons or entities in that country.
The list of eligible countries may differ, where the procurement is funded by a donor or
where other restrictions are imposed by Government policy. In such cases, the Procuring
Entity should amend the text accordingly, inserting either a list of eligible countries or a list
of ineligible countries. The list of countries should be checked directly with the Government
or donor.
Guidance Notes on Section 6. Schedule of Requirements

The Schedule of Requirements (SOR) informs Bidders of precisely what the Employer
wishes to procure. The Schedule of Requirements should provide sufficient information to
enable bidders to efficiently and accurately prepare bids that are realistic and competitive and
to ensure that bids meet the Employer’s needs. The SOR must be prepared by suitably
qualified and experienced staff. The specifications, drawings and the completed bill of
quantities or activity schedule will form part of the Contract.
The Employer must prepare the SOR and include it as a part of the Bidding Documents.
Depending on the size of the contract and the number of pages in each section, it is usual to
package Section 6, or each part of Section 6, in a separate volume or volumes. For example,
for a large contract, the Technical Specifications, Bills of Quantities and Drawings may all
need to be issued in separate volumes. Where separate volumes are issued:
 Each volume should be appropriately titled and include the procurement reference
number; and
 The relevant page of Section 6 should be included in the Bidding Document for
completeness, with a reference to the appropriate volume.
The Statement of Requirements consists of four parts:
1. Scope of Works
2. Technical Specifications
3. Drawings
4. Bill of Quantities or Activity Schedule
The following notes provide guidance on how to prepare each of these parts.
Scope of Works
The Employer should provide a description of the works, including approximate quantities of
major items, which adequately describe the contract scope of work. Additional information
that may be included is:
 Site location
 Climate and weather information
 Site investigation studies and reports
 Topographical data
 Access details
 Details of other ongoing or future works to be carried out by other contractors during the
Contract period
 Information regarding disposal, borrow and quarry areas including royalty payments as
applicable
 Any other pertinent information regarding the site and the works
A description of approximately 1-2 pages would be appropriate for most contracts.
Technical Specifications
General Notes on Specifications
A set of precise and clear specifications is a prerequisite for Bidders to respond realistically
and competitively to the requirements of the Employer without qualifying or conditioning
their bids. In the context of open tendering, the specifications must be drafted to permit the
widest possible competition and, at the same time, present a clear statement of the required
standards of workmanship, materials, and performance of the related goods and services to
be procured. Only if this is done will the objectives of economy, efficiency, and fairness in
procurement be realised, responsiveness of bids be ensured, and the subsequent task of bid
evaluation facilitated. The specifications should require that all goods and materials to be
incorporated in the Works be new, unused, of the most recent or current models, and
incorporate all recent improvements in design and materials unless provided otherwise in the
Contract.
Samples of specifications from previous similar projects are useful in this respect. The use of
metric units is mandatory. Most specifications are normally written specially by the
Employer or its consultants to suit the specific works in hand. There is no standard set of
Specifications for universal application in all sectors and in all countries, but there are
established principles and practices, which are reflected in these documents.
There are considerable advantages in standardising General Specifications for repetitive
Works in recognised public sectors, such as highways, bridges, railways, urban housing,
irrigation, and water supply, in the same country or region where similar conditions prevail.
The General Specifications should cover all classes of workmanship, materials, and
equipment commonly involved in construction, although not necessarily to be used in a
particular Works Contract. Deletions or addenda should then adapt the General
Specifications to the particular Works.
Equivalent Standards and Codes
Care must be taken in drafting specifications to ensure that they are not restrictive. In the
specification of standards for goods, materials, and workmanship, recognised international
standards should be used as much as possible. Where other particular standards are used,
whether Ethiopian or other standards, the specifications should state that goods, materials,
and workmanship that meet other authoritative standards, and which ensure substantially
equal or higher quality than the standards mentioned, will also be acceptable. The following
clause may be inserted in the Special Conditions or Specifications:
“Equivalency of Standards and Codes
Wherever reference is made in the Contract to specific standards and codes to be met by the
goods and materials to be furnished, and work performed or tested, the provisions of the
latest current edition or revision of the relevant standards and codes in effect shall apply,
unless otherwise expressly stated in the Contract. Where such standards and codes are
national, or relate to a particular country or region, other authoritative standards that ensure a
substantially equal or higher quality than the standards and codes specified will be accepted
subject to the Employer’s prior review and written consent. Differences between the
standards specified and the proposed alternative standards shall be fully described in writing
by the Contractor and submitted to the Engineer at least 28 days prior to the date when the
Contractor desires the Engineer’s consent. In the event the Engineer determines that such
proposed deviations do not ensure substantially equal or higher quality, the Contractor shall
comply with the standards specified in the documents.”
Terminology
Care must be taken to use the same terminology in the Specifications as used in the
remainder of the bidding document, e.g. “Engineer” and not “Engineer” for the party
administering and supervising the contract.
Drawings
Generally the Employer will insert a list of the contract drawings, including site plans, in this
section of the Bidding Document, but will bind and issue the drawings themselves in a
separate volume, which is often larger than other volumes of the bidding Document. The size
will be dictated by the scale of the drawings, which must not be reduced to the extent that
details are rendered illegible. If drawings are to be issued in A1 or A2 format, they should be
issued in a separate volume. If the drawings are comparatively few in number and can be
issued in A4 or A3 size, then the drawings can be included in the Bidding Document itself.
Any notes on the drawings should use the same terminology as used in the rest of the bidding
documents.
A simplified map showing the location of the Site in relation to the local geography,
including major roads, posts, airports and railroads, is helpful.
The construction drawings, even if not fully developed, must show sufficient details to
enable bidders to understand the type and complexity of the work involved and to price the
Bill of Quantities.
Bill of Quantities or Activity Schedule

The Employer will insert:
 A bill of quantities where the contract is to be Admeasurement; or
 An activity schedule where the contract is to be Lump Sum.
The guidance notes below relate primarily to the preparation of a Bill of Quantities.
Alternative notes on preparing an Activity Schedule are provided in italics.
Objectives
The objectives of the Bill of Quantities are:
(a) To provide sufficient information on the quantities of Works to be performed to
enable bids to be prepared efficiently and accurately; and
(b) When a Contract has been entered into, to provide a priced Bill of Quantities for use
in the periodic valuation of Works executed.
In order to attain these objectives, Works should be itemised in the Bill of Quantities in
sufficient detail to distinguish between the different classes of Works, or between Works of
the same nature carried out in different locations or in other circumstances which may give
rise to different considerations of cost. Consistent with these requirements, the layout and
content of the Bill of Quantities should be as simple and brief as possible.
The objective of the Activity Schedule is to provide a breakdown of the activities and their
associated cost that form the Works to be paid on a lump sum basis. The breakdown is
intended to be used to as the basis for certifying interim payment to the Contractor and to
assist in valuing any ordered variations.
The works should be broken down by consideration of the nature of each activity and if
applicable by the location. The PE will have to determine the degree to which the Works
need to be broken down by consideration of the complexity of the Works and the stated time
for completion. Schedules can be provided for each different discrete element of the works. If
the works require plant and equipment to be provided, separate schedules for the supply only
of the plant and equipment may be provided.
Consistent with these requirements the Activity Schedule should be as simple and brief as possible.
General
Care must be taken to use the same terminology in the Bill of Quantities (or Activity
Schedule) as used in the remainder of the bidding document, e.g. “Engineer” and not
“Engineer”.
Content
The Bill of Quantities should generally have a Preamble and be divided into the following
sections:
 General Items
 Bills for each type of work or work in each location for example:
o Earthworks
o Road Pavements
o Drainage Structures
o Retaining Structures
o Culverts and Bridges
 Day work Schedules
 Summary Bill of Quantities
The Activity Schedule should generally have a Preamble. While a single Schedule may suffice
for some contracts, more than one Schedule may be required for complex works, especially if
performed in different locations. For example for a hospital complex these may cover the following :
o Site Works
o Utilities
o Hospital Building Structure
o Medical Equipment
o Nurses' Accommodation
o Doctors' Accommodation
 Day work Schedules (to be used for any minor variations)
 Summary Activity Schedule
Preamble
The Preamble should indicate the inclusiveness of the unit prices and should state the method
of measurement which has been adopted in the Preparation of the Bills of Quantities and
which is to be used for the measurement of the works.
The Preamble should state the objective and use of the Activity Schedule and shall contain
any pertinent instructions to Bidders regarding the inclusiveness of the prices, completing of
the schedules, currency of the prices, correction of errors, treatment of items not priced etc.
Work Items
The items in the Bills of Quantities should be grouped in sections to distinguish between
parts of the Works which by nature, location, access, timing or any other characteristic may
give rise to different methods of construction, phasing of the work or consideration of cost.
General items common to all parts of the works may be grouped as a separate section in the
Bills of Quantities.
The items in the Activity Schedule should be grouped in sections to distinguish between parts
of the Works which by nature, location, access, timing or any other characteristic may give
rise to different methods of construction, phasing of the work or consideration of cost.
General items common to all parts of the works may be grouped as a separate section in the
Activity Schedule.
Using the example of the hospital complex, the site works and utilities for the whole complex
may be grouped into separate Schedules, however the activities required for each of the
building should be detailed in a Schedule for that building. For example Sub Activities for
each building could include the following:
o Excavation
o Foundations
o Concrete or Steel Frame
o Roofing
o External Cladding and Windows
o Internal Floors and Walls
o Internal Finishes
o Water Supply System
o Drainage/Sewer System
o Power System
o Lighting System
o Communication/Call/Paging System, etc.
Quantities and Measurement (for Bill of Quantities)
Quantities should be stated in the metric system and computed net from the Drawings and no
allowances made for bulking, shrinkage or waste. The methods of measurement, if a standard
method is used, should be stated e.g. the UK Institution of Civil Engineer’s “Standard
Method of Measurement”. Alternatively, a description of the method of measurement for
each work item may be included in the Technical Specification. Clear definition is required
to avoid disputes during execution of the contract.
Quantities should be rounded up or down as appropriate to a logical degree of accuracy and
spurious accuracy should be avoided.
The following units of measurement and abbreviations are recommended for use.
Unit Abbreviation Unit Abbreviation
cubic meter m3 or cu m millimeter mm
hectare ha month mon
hour h number nr
kilogram kg square meter m2 or sq m
lump sum sum square millimeter mm2 or sq mm
meter m week wk
metric ton (1,000 kg) t
Ground and Excavation Levels (for Bill of Quantities)

The commencing surface should be identified in the description of work involving
excavation, boring or piling, for which the commencing level is not the original ground level
or the excavated level is not the final finished level. The depths of work should be measured
from the commencing level to the excavated surface level as defined by the drawings.
Day works Schedule

A Day work Schedule should generally be included in order to provide a payment
mechanism for unforeseen work, outside the items included in the Bill of Quantities (or
ordered as a variation by the Engineer in the case of an Activity Schedule). The Day work
Schedule should normally comprise a list of the various classes of labour, materials, and
constructional plant for which basic day work rates or prices are to be inserted by the Bidder,
together with a statement of the conditions under which the Contractor will be paid for work
executed on a day work basis.
Nominal estimated quantities for each item of Day work should be inserted in the Bill (or
Schedule), which is to be priced by each Bidder. This will enable the priced Day works to be
included in the total bid price and evaluated along with the price for the specified works. The
rate to be entered by the Bidder against each basic Day work item should include the
Contractor’s profit, overheads, supervision, and all other charges.
Provisional Sums
A general provision for physical contingencies (e.g. quantity overruns) may be made by
including a provisional sum in the Summary Bill of Quantities (or Summary Activity
Schedule). Similarly, a contingency allowance for possible price increases should be
provided as a provisional sum in the Summary Bill of Quantities (or Summary Activity
Schedule). The inclusion of such provisional sums often facilitates budgetary approval by
avoiding the need to request periodic supplementary approvals as the future need arises.
Where such provisional sums or contingency allowances are used, the Special Conditions of
Contract should state the manner in which they will be used, and under whose authority.
The estimated cost of specialised work to be carried out, or of special goods to be supplied,
by other contractors (refer to Clause 8 of the Conditions of Contract) should be indicated in
the relevant part of the Bill of Quantities (or Activity Schedule) as a particular provisional
sum with an appropriate brief description. To provide payment to the Contractor for
providing administration, facilities, amenities, attendance, etc., each related provisional sum
should be accompanied by an item in the Bill of Quantities (or Activity Schedule) for the
Bidders to quote a sum or a percentage fee for services to be provided.
Summary
The Summary should contain a tabulation of each separate Bill (or Schedule), including the
Day work Schedule, and provisional set amounts for contingencies (e.g. for quantities and/or
price increases) and a summation for the Total Bid Price.
Sample Bill of Quantities

A Sample Bill of Quantities is provided in Annex 1 to this User Guide to provide an example
and format for Procuring Entities. This should be amended as required for each specific
Bidding Document.
Guidance Notes on Section 7. General Conditions of

Contract
The General Conditions of Contract (GCC) contain standard provisions that have been
designed to remain unchanged and to be used without modifying their text. The GCC
clearly identify the provisions that may normally need to be specified for a particular bidding
process and require that such provisions be introduced through the SCC.
The GCC will form part of any resulting Contract.
Guidance Notes on Section 8. Special Conditions of

Contract
The Special Conditions of Contract (SCC) supplement the GCC by modifying conditions
applicable to an individual contract, such as payment terms or the name of the Engineer. The
SCC prevail over the GCC. The Procuring Entity should include all information that the
GCC indicate shall be provided in the SCC prior to issuing the Bidding Documents. No SCC
Clause should be left blank.
To facilitate the preparation of the SCC, its clauses are numbered with same numbers as the
corresponding GCC clauses. This Guide helps the Procuring Entity with inputting all
information required and includes a SCC format that summarises all information to be
provided.
The SCC will form part of any resulting Contract.
Input of Information to be completed by Procuring Entity

Special Conditions of Contract
The following Special Conditions of Contract (SCC) shall supplement the General
Conditions of Contract (GCC). Whenever there is a conflict, the provisions herein shall
prevail over those in the GCC.
GCC Clause Special Conditions

Reference
GCC 1.1 The Employer is [insert name and address of Employer, and name of
authorized representative].
The Engineer is [insert name and address of the Engineer (assuming
the Engineer is an entity) and the name of its authorized
representative].
[For smaller contracts, there may be no full-time person acting as
Engineer. However, the Employer may nominate an authorised
spokesman from among its own staff to act as its representative.
Where a Employer has appointed a consultant or independent body as
the Engineer, the Employer should be careful not to exercise any of the
Engineer’s or representative’s powers itself, in order to avoid the risk
of conflicting instruction or decisions. The authority of the Engineer
can be limited in SCC 4.1 if required].
The name and procurement reference number of the Contract is [insert
name and number].
The Works consist of [insert brief summary, including relationship to
other contracts under the project].
The Site is located at [insert location] and is defined in Drawings Nos.:
[insert numbers].
The Start Date shall be [insert date. The intended Start Date and
Intended Completion Date may be best specified in terms of days or
weeks after the Letter of Acceptance is issued (provided that the site is
available to the Contractor at this juncture) rather than stating
specific calendar dates. For small contracts, 14 days may be sufficient.
For larger contracts, longer will be required. The Start Date is not
necessarily the same as any Site Possession Dates].
The Intended Completion Date for the whole of the Works shall be [insert
date or period after Letter of Acceptance. If different dates are
specified for completion of the Works by section (“sectional
completion”), these dates should be listed here.].
GCC 2.3 The following documents also form part of the Contract: [list any other
documents e.g. schedule of information provided by the Contractor].
GCC 3.1 The language of the Contract is English and the law governing the Contract
is that of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. [Amend if an
alternative language or law is to be used].

Reference
GCC 4.1 The Employer’s specific approval is required for: [insert any decisions for
which the Employer’s approval is required].
[e.g. If it is considered that the standard GCC clause gives too much
authority to the Engineer, or there is no full-time engineer as
Engineer, the following clause may be inserted to limit the authority of
the Engineer and require him to get the Employer’s approval where
there are potential additional costs or extensions of time involved:
“The Engineer shall obtain specific approval from the Employer
before carrying out any of his duties under the Contract which in the
Engineer’s opinion will cause the amount finally due under the
Contract to exceed the Contract Price or will give entitlement to
extension of time. This requirement shall be waived in an emergency
affecting safety of personnel or the Works or adjacent property.”]
[See also the additional optional clauses below.]
GCC 8.1 The Schedule of Other Contractors [insert “is” or “is not”] part of the
Contract. [Ensure the Schedule is attached if required. It is vital to
provide all relevant information on other contractors working on the
site. Failure to do so with the result that the Contractor’s work is
affected by the work of others, is likely to lead to claims for additional
payment].
GCC 9.1 The Schedule of Key Personnel [insert “is” or “is not”] part of the
Contract. [Ensure the Schedule is attached if required].
GCC 11.1 The Employer’s risks are as specified in the GCC. [Amend if the risks in
the GCC are to be modified].
GCC 13.1 The minimum insurance covers and deductibles shall be:
(a) The minimum cover for insurance of the Works, Plant and
Materials is [insert amount].
(b) The maximum deductible for insurance of the Works, Plant and
Materials is [insert amount].
(c) The minimum cover for insurance of Equipment is [insert
amount].
(d) The maximum deductible for insurance of Equipment is [insert
amount].
(e) The minimum cover for insurance of property is [insert
amount]
(f) The maximum deductible for insurance of property is [insert
amount]
(g) The minimum cover for personal injury or death insurance is
[insert amount] with no deductible.
[The levels of cover and maximum deductible amounts will vary
greatly, depending on the nature and value of the works. It is safer to
select a higher level of minimum cover and lower deductibles. If in

Reference
doubt, Procuring Entities should obtain professional advice on
acceptable minimum cover limits. The following values are given in
US Dollars as a guide only, but may be varied and may be specified in
Ethiopian Birr or another appropriate currency:
(a-b) minimum cover for loss of or damage to the Works, Plant, and
Materials: 110% of the Contract Value with US$50,000
maximum deductible
(c-d) minimum cover for loss of or damage to Equipment: 100% of
the value of equipment required for the performance of the
contract with US$25,000 maximum deductible
(e-f) minimum cover for loss of or damage to property (except the
Works, Plant, Materials, and Equipment) in connection with the
Contract: US$250,000 with US$25,000 maximum deductible
(g) minimum cover for personal injury or death. US$500,000 with
no deductible.]
GCC 14.1 Site Investigation Report(s) [insert “are” or “are not” and provide
details and references of the specific documents if part of the contract.
Reports should not be included if the PE is not confident of their
accuracy, as the Contractor has the right in the contract to rely on
them and to claim a compensation event if ground conditions turn out
to be substantially more adverse] part of the contract.
GCC 25.2 Fees and types of reimbursable expenses to be paid to the Adjudicator are:
[insert details of fees and expenses]. [Where no Adjudicator is to be
appointed, replace the text with “No Adjudicator is to be appointed
under this contract”].
GCC 25.3 The institution whose arbitration procedures shall be used is: [insert name
of institution e.g. UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules]
Arbitration shall take place at: [state place e.g. Addis Ababa or any other
convenient location or delete if arbitration is not applicable]
[Where arbitration is not being used, replace the text with
“Arbitration shall not be used under this contract and disputes shall
be resolved in accordance with GCC 25.1”].
GCC 26.1 The Appointing Authority for the Adjudicator is: [insert name of
Authority. The Appointing Authority should preferably be an
independent professional institution or an official (e.g. president) of
such an institution. An individual should not normally be nominated].
[For smaller contracts, where the Employer has decided not to appoint
an Adjudicator, the text should be replaced with “No Adjudicator is to
be appointed under this contract”].
GCC 27.1 The Contractor shall submit the Program for the Works within [insert
number] days of delivery of the Letter of Acceptance. [For small
contracts, 14 days may be sufficient. For larger contracts, longer may be
required. Where no Letter of Acceptance is issued, amend to “contract

Reference
document”].
GCC 27.3 The period between Program updates is [insert number] days. [For a
short contract, this could be monthly and for longer contracts, every
two months. For very small contracts, no updates may be required, in
which case the text should be amended accordingly].
The amount to be withheld for late submission of an updated Program is
[insert currency and amount, which should be sufficient to encourage
prompt submittal].
GCC 35.1 The Defects Liability Period is [insert number] days. [The period is
normally 365 days (i.e. one year), but may be shortened for smaller contracts
or where the risk of defects is considered to be low].
GCC 37.1 This Contract is a [insert “Admeasurement” or “Lump Sum”, ensuring
that it is consistent with clause 13.1 of the Bid Data Sheet. PEs should
note that it is possible to include lump sum elements within an
admeasurement contract, but that the SCC must clearly state which
type of contract applies] Contract.
GCC 44.1(l) The following events shall also be Compensation Events: [insert list of
events or state “none”]
GCC 45.1 The Engineer shall not adjuste the Contract Price if taxes, duties and other
levies are changed that subsequently affect the Contract Price. [Amend if
the Procuring Entity will amend the contract to reflect any changes in
taxes e.g. a change in the rate of VAT]
GCC 47.1 The Contract [insert “is” or “is not”] subject to price adjustment in
accordance with Clause 47 of the Conditions of Contract.
[Price adjustment is recommended for contracts, which provide for
time of completion exceeding 18 months. Bidders are required to
propose the weightings for each cost element (labour, materials,
equipment etc) and the sources of indices. These are subject to
approval by the Engineer and should be carefully analysed by the PE,
prior to acceptance of the Bid].
GCC 48.1 The proportion of payments retained is [insert percent] percent.[This is
normally 5 percent, but should not exceed 10 percent].
GCC 49.1 The liquidated damages for the whole of the Works are [insert percent] of
the final Contract Price per day.
[If Sectional Completion and Damages per Section have been agreed,
the latter should be specified here.]
The maximum amount of liquidated damages for the whole of the Works is
[insert percent] percent of the final Contract Price.
[Usually liquidated damages are set between 0.05 percent and 0.10
percent per day, and the total amount is not to exceed between 5
percent and 10 percent of the Contract Price.
It may be seen that if the lower or upper limits of the rate and total

Reference
amount are applied, the maximum liquidated damages are imposed
after 100 days delay. If the rate of 0.05% and the total amount of 10%
are assumed, then the maximum liquidated damages are imposed after
200 days delay. The number of days for which the maximum amount of
liquidated damages can be paid, as calculated under this clause, affects
termination for delaying the works as provided for in Clause 59,
Termination in Sub-clause 59.2, Paragraph (g).]
GCC 50.1 The Bonus for the whole of the Works is [insert percent of final Contract
Price amount. Insert zero if not applicable. If Sectional Completion and
Bonus per Section have been agreed, the latter should be specified
here.] of final Contract Price per day. The maximum amount of Bonus for
the whole of the Works is [percent] percent of the final Contract Price.
GCC 51.1 The Advance Payment will be equivalent to [insert percentage or state if
no advance payment is to be made] percent of the Contract Price and will
be paid in the same currencies and proportions as the Contract Price. [Note
that the advance payment will actually be made in the proportions of
currencies in which the Contract Price is to be paid.] It will be paid to
the Contractor no later than [insert period within which payment will be
made. This may be best entered as a number of days after the issue of
the Letter of Acceptance. In setting the number of days, consideration
should be given to the time needed to effect disbursement of funds].
GCC 51.3 The Advance Payment will be repaid by deducting proportionate amounts
from each payment certificate during the period starting [insert number]
months after the Start Date and ending [insert number] months after the
Start Date. [This Sub-Clause allows the repayment of the advance
payment to be made over the whole of the contract period, or
alternatively, more stringent repayment terms may be inserted].
GCC 52.1 The Contract Security shall be for [insert percentage, normally between
5 and 10%] of the Contract Price.
GCC 58.1 The date by which operating and maintenance manuals are required is
[insert date or period before or after Date of Completion].
The date by which “as built” drawings are required is [enter date or period
before or after Date of Completion].
GCC 58.2 The amount to be withheld for failing to produce “as built” drawings and/or
operating and maintenance manuals by the date required is [insert amount,
which should be high enough to encourage timely submission of all
documents] Ethiopian Birr.
GCC 60.1 The percentage to apply to the value of the work not completed,
representing the Employer’s additional cost for completing the Works, is:
[insert percent. This percentage is intended to compensate the
Employer for the additional costs that will be incurred in completing
the works following termination. A value between 10 and 20% is
considered equitable].
Additional Optional Clauses

The following draft clauses are provided for consideration and use by Procuring Entities.
They are not intended to be inserted in all Bidding Documents but to be used on an “as
needed” basis. Where the clauses are required, they should be inserted into the Special
Conditions of Contracts. No changes should be made to the GCC.
Condition of Special Conditions of Contract
Contract Clause
4. Engineer’s If it is desired that the limitations on the Engineer’s authority be more
Decisions clearly defined, then the following may be used instead of the text in
the SBD:
“The Engineer shall obtain the specific approval of the Employer in
writing before taking any of the following actions specified in the
General Conditions of Contract:
(a) Certifying additional costs under Clause 44;
(b) Determining an extension of the Intended Completion Date under
Clause 28;
(c) Issuing a variation order under Clause 40 except in an emergency
situation as reasonably determined by the Engineer or if the
variation does not increase the Contract Price;
(d) Fixing rates under Clause 40;
(e) Ordering suspension or termination under Clause 59;
(f) [Add other limitations and quote clauses]”
7. Subcontracting The following conditions shall apply to subcontracting: [insert any
additional conditions relating to subcontracting e.g. The
Contractor shall not impose inequitable or onerous conditions on
his appointed subcontractors and shall pay all subcontractors
promptly each month, irrespective of the Contractor himself
having received payment for work performed by the
subcontractor.]
9. Personnel Semi and Semi-Skilled Labour
Only Ethiopian Nationals shall be employed as unskilled labour. Only
Ethiopian Nationals shall be employed as semi-skilled labour unless
the Contractor can demonstrate that no suitably trained Ethiopian
Nationals are available.
Rates of Wages and Conditions of Labour
The Contractor shall pay rates of wages and observe employment
conditions not less favourable than those established for the trade and
industry where the work is being carried out. In the absence of any
established rates or conditions in the locality, the Contractor shall
follow those by other employers for similar trades and industries.
Burial of the Dead

The Contractor shall be responsible for the transport to his /her home
of any expatriate employee or members of their families who may die
in Ethiopia. The Contractor shall be responsible for arrangements for
the burial of local employees who may die while engaged upon the
Works.
Visas and Permits
The Contractor shall be responsible for all arrangements and costs of
obtaining visas, work permits and other documents for his employees
and shall comply with all immigration and residence regulations of
Ethiopia.
Repatriation of Employees
The Contractor shall be responsible for repatriation of all non-
Ethiopian national employees to their country of residence or to their
point of recruitment and for their maintenance until the time of the
return.
19. Safety Safety Officer
The Contractor shall employ a full-time qualified Safety Office on site
until the Works have been completed. The Safety Officer shall be
responsible for compliance with the Contractor’s Site Safety Plan by
all employees and shall hold regular safety meetings with all
employees. He shall be given authority to halt any unsafe working
methods or practices on site.
55. Completion In order that the Engineer may certify Completion of the Works, the
Works shall be capable of being used for the purpose intended. This
shall not necessarily include reinstatement of ground or surfaces unless
the reinstatement is required to ensure the safety and convenience of
the public or others.
Additional Conditions of Contract
Care of the The Contractor shall execute the Works in an environmentally friendly
Environment manner and shall avoid all unnecessary damage to property and flora.
All waste material shall be disposed of in a proper manner to the
satisfaction of the Engineer.
Confidentiality The Contractor shall treat the Contract and everything in connection
with it as private and confidential. In particular the Contractor shall not
publish or issue any information or photograph concerning the Works
and shall not use the site for any commercial purpose except with the
consent of the Engineer and subject to any conditions he may impose.
Guidance Notes on Section 9. Contract Forms

Section 9 of the Bidding Document contains forms for the Agreement, the Contract Security,
and the Advance Payment Security. The purpose of including these forms in the Bidding
Document is to notify the Bidders of the type and detail of the Contract they would received
in the event of an award. No input is required by the Employer when drafting the
Bidding Document and there is no requirement for Bidders to submit these forms with their
bids.
Procuring Entities should consult the section below (Guidance Notes on the Letter of
Acceptance) before issuing a Letter of Acceptance.
Agreement
The completed Agreement will form part of any resulting Contract. However, the details
to be completed on the Agreement are specific to the successful Bidder and therefore should
be left blank for inclusion in the Bidding Document.
After notification of award, the Employer shall prepare the Agreement using the Agreement
Form and send it to the successful Bidder. It is rare that a major works contract is awarded on
the basis of only the bid, as negotiations are normally held with the best evaluated Bidder to
settle any minor matters arising from the bid or clarifications. It is good practice to conform
the contract document in accordance with any agreements reached during negotiations and
any modifications during evaluation. The Agreement prepared should therefore incorporate
any corrections or modifications to the Bid resulting from corrections of errors, selection of
an alternative offer, acceptable deviations, or any other mutually-agreeable changes allowed
for in the Conditions of Contract, such as changes in key personnel, subcontractors,
scheduling etc. The contracting parties will then sign the conformed document.
This Guide includes an Agreement format that summarises all the information to be provided
when preparing the Agreement at contract award stage.
The successful Bidder should sign the Agreement and return it to the Employer.
Contract Security and Advance Payment Security

The Contract Security form should be completed by the financial institution and returned to
the Employer, by the Contractor with the signed Agreement. Similarly, if any advance
payment is specified in the contract, the Advance Payment Security should be completed by
the financial institution and submitted by the Contractor to the Employer with an invoice.
Therefore, the Employer is not required to input any information to the security forms.
The bank guarantee forms are drafts for unconditional (or “on-demand”) bank guarantees,
which have the merit of simplicity and of being universally known and accepted by
commercial banks. The contracting community, however, strongly objects to this type of
Security because the Guarantee can be called (or threatened to be called) by employers
without justification. Procuring Entities and Engineers should recognise the contractual
conditions governing nonperformance by the Contractor and should normally act only on the
advice of the Engineer in calling a bank guarantee. Any unjustified calling of a Bank
Guarantee, or unreasonable pressure exercised by an Employer/employer, would be regarded
as contrary to the spirit and basic principles of international procurement. Ethiopian
contractors are permitted to submit a performance bond, in place of a bank guarantee, for the
contract security. Only bank guarantees are permitted for the advance payment guarantee.
As the Bidder would be required to complete these Forms in the event of a contract award,
the guidance notes in bold between square brackets provide assistance to the Bidder or
financial institution and should therefore not be deleted by the Employer prior to the issue of
the Bidding Document.
This User Guide is not intended for Bidders as all information that the Bidder is required to
provide should be detailed by the Employer in the Bidding Document. Therefore the
Performance Security and Advance Payment Security forms are not included in this User
Guide.
No Input of Information required for inclusion in Bidding Document. Input

of Information to be completed by the Employer at contract award stage.
Agreement
Procurement Reference No: [insert Procurement Reference number]
THIS AGREEMENT made the [insert day] day of [insert month], [insert year], between
[insert name of Employer] of [insert address of Employer] (hereinafter “the Employer”),
of the one part, and [insert name of Contractor] of [insert address of Contractor]
(hereinafter “the Contractor”), of the other part:
Whereas the Employer is desirous that the Contractor execute [insert brief description of
Works] (hereinafter called “the Works”) and the Employer has accepted the Bid by the
Contractor for the execution and completion of such Works and the remedying of any defects
therein for the Contract Price of the equivalent of Ethiopian Birr [insert contract price in
Ethiopian Birr in words and figures, ensuring it is the same as on any Letter of
Acceptance].
NOW THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH AS FOLLOWS:
1. In this Agreement, words and expressions shall have the same meanings as are
respectively assigned to them in the Contract referred to.
2. In consideration of the payments to be made by the Employer to the Contractor as
hereinafter mentioned, the Contractor hereby covenants with the Employer to execute
and complete the Works and remedy any defects therein in conformity in all respects
with the provisions of the Contract.
3. The Employer hereby covenants to pay the Contractor in consideration of the
execution and completion of the Works and the remedying of defects therein the
Contract Price or such other sum as may become payable under the provisions of the
Contract, at the times and in the manner prescribed by the Contract.
4 The Contract Price or such other sum as may be payable shall be paid [insert
percentage of Contract Price to be paid in Ethiopian Birr] in Ethiopian Birr,
[insert percentage of Contract Price to be paid in first foreign currency] in
[insert name of first foreign currency] and [insert percentage of Contract Price
to be paid in second foreign currency or delete if only two currencies] in [insert
name of second foreign currency or delete].
IN WITNESS whereof the parties thereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in
accordance with the law specified in the Special Conditions of Contract on the day, month
and year indicated above.
Signed by [authorized signatory for the Employer to sign] (for the Employer)
Name: [insert name of authorized signatory]
Position: [insert position of authorized signatory]
Signed by _____________________________ (for the Contractor)
Name: ________________________________
Position: ______________________________
Guidance Notes on the Letter of Acceptance

The Letter of Acceptance does not form part of the Bidding Document. However, it is the
document normally used to accept a bid, and therefore to form a contract, so it is essential
that it is used correctly by Procuring Entities.
A Letter of Acceptance must not be issued prior to obtaining all required approvals,
including from the Tender Committee and head of the Procuring Entity and ensuring that
sufficient funds have been committed for the contract.
A sample wording for a Letter of Acceptance is included below. The letter should be signed
and the seal of the Procuring Entity should be affixed.

To: [Name and address of the Contractor]
[Date]
Dear Sirs,
Letter of Acceptance for [Brief Description of the Works]
This is to notify you that your Bid dated [insert date] for execution of the [name of the
Contract and procurement reference number] for the Contract Price of the equivalent of
[insert currency and amount in numbers and words], as corrected and modified [delete if
no corrections and/or modifications were made] in accordance with the Instructions to
Bidders is hereby accepted by our Agency.
We instruct you to submit to us by [insert date 15 days after receipt] the Contract Security
stipulated in the Contract.
You are hereby instructed to proceed with the execution of the said Works in accordance with
the Contract documents.
[Where appropriate, a statement on the proposed adjudicator should be included.
Recommended wording is given below:
(1) Where the Contractor disagreed in its Bid with the Adjudicator proposed by the
Employer and has accordingly offered another candidate who is acceptable to the Employer,
the following should be added:
“We accept that [name proposed by bidder] be appointed as the Adjudicator”.
(2) Where the Contractor disagreed in its Bid with the Adjudicator proposed by the
Employer and has accordingly offered another candidate who is not acceptable to the
Employer, the following should be added:
“We do not accept that [name proposed by bidder] be appointed as adjudicator, and by
sending a copy of this letter of acceptance to [insert the name of the Appointing
Authority], we are hereby requesting [insert the name of the Appointing Authority], the
Appointing Authority, to appoint the Adjudicator in accordance with Clause 35.1 of the
Instructions to Bidders”.
Yours sincerely,
Guidance Notes on Letters to Unsuccessful Bidders
Procuring Entities are required to inform unsuccessful Bidders that their bids have been
unsuccessful and to inform them of the successful Bidder and provide brief reasons why their
bid has failed. Unsuccessful Bidders must be informed of the successful Bidder at least five
working days prior to contract award.
A sample wording for a letter to an unsuccessful Bidder is included below. The letter should
be signed and the seal of the Procuring Entity should be affixed.
To: [Name and address of the Bidder]
[Date]
Dear Sirs,
[Procurement Reference No and Brief Description of the Works]
This is to notify you that your Bid dated [insert date] for [description of works and
procurement reference number] has been unsuccessful.
The successful Bidder was [name of successful Bidder] with a Contract Price of [insert
currency and amount]. A contract will be concluded with this Bidder, following the
procedures included in the Public Procurement Proclamation and Directives.
Your bid was unsuccessful because [insert brief reasons e.g. “it was not technically compliant
with the specifications in the Bidding Document” or “your price was not the lowest evaluated
price”,
Yours sincerely,
Annex 1: Sample Bill of Quantities

A. Preamble
1. The Bill of Quantities shall be read in conjunction with the Instructions to Bidders,
General and Special Conditions of Contract, Technical Specifications, and Drawings.
2. The quantities given in the Bill of Quantities are estimated and provisional, and are
given to provide a common basis for bidding. The basis of payment will be the actual
quantities of work ordered and carried out, as measured by the Contractor and verified
by the Engineer and valued at the rates and prices bid in the priced Bill of Quantities,
where applicable, and otherwise at such rates and prices as the Engineer may fix within
the terms of the Contract.
3. The rates and prices bid in the priced Bill of Quantities shall, except insofar as it is
otherwise provided under the Contract, include all Constructional Plant, Labour,
supervision, materials, erection, maintenance, insurance, profit, taxes, and duties,
together with all general risks, liabilities, and obligations set out or implied in the
Contract.
4. A rate or price shall be entered against each item in the priced Bill of Quantities,
whether quantities are stated or not. The cost of Items against which the Contractor has
failed to enter a rate or price shall be deemed to be covered by other rates and prices
entered in the Bill of Quantities.
5. The whole cost of complying with the provisions of the Contract shall be included in the
Items provided in the priced Bill of Quantities, and where no Items are provided, the
cost shall be deemed to be distributed among the rates and prices entered for the related
Items of Work.
6. General directions and descriptions of work and materials are not necessarily repeated
nor summarised in the Bill of Quantities. References to the relevant sections of the
contract documentation shall be made before entering prices against each item in the
priced Bill of Quantities.
7. Provisional Sums included and so designated in the Bill of Quantities shall be expended
in whole or in part at the direction and discretion of the Engineer.
8. The method of measurement of completed work for payment shall be in accordance with
[insert the name of a standard reference guide, or full details of the methods to be used.
The method of measurement should be spelled out precisely in the Preamble to the Bill of
Quantities, describing, for example, the allowances (if any) for timbering in excavation,
etc. Many national standard reference guides have been prepared on the subject, and one
such guide is the Standard Method of Measurement of the U.K. Institution of Civil
Engineers.]
9. Errors will be corrected by the Employer for any arithmetic errors in computation or
summation in accordance with ITB sub-Clause 27.
10. Rock is defined as all materials which, in the opinion of the Engineer, require blasting,
or the use of metal wedges and sledgehammers, or the use of compressed air drilling for
their removal, and which cannot be extracted by ripping with a tractor of at least 150
brake hp with a single, rear-mounted, heavy-duty ripper.

B. Work Items
1. The Bill of Quantities usually contains the following part Bills, which have been
grouped according to the nature, location or timing of the work:
Bill No. 1: General Items;
Bill No. 2: Earthworks;
Bill No. 3: Culverts and Bridges;
Bill No. 4 Road Paving Works
Bill No. 4: etc., as required;
Day work Schedule; and
Summary Bill of Quantities.
2. Bidders shall price the Bill of Quantities in local currency only, and shall indicate in the
bid the percentage expected for payment in foreign currency or currencies.

Bill No. 1: General Items
Item Description Unit Quantity Rate Amount

No. in in ETB
ETB
101 Performance Bond/Guarantee sum item —
102 Insurance of the Works sum item —
103 Insurance of Constructional Plant sum item —
104 Third Party Insurance sum item —
105 Allow for maintenance of Works for month 12

12 months after completion
106 —etc.—
112 Provide and equip Engineer’s offices nr 2
113 Maintain Engineer’s offices for 24 month 24

months, including services
114 —etc.—
121 Provide diversion road sum item —
122 Provide for traffic control and month 24 —

maintenance of diversion road
123 —etc.—
132 Provide for cleaning up the Site on sum item —

completion
—etc.—
Total for Bill No. 1

(Carried forward to Summary)

Bill No. 2: Earthworks

No. in in ETB
ETB
201 Excavate topsoil to maximum depth 25 m3 9,000
cm and stockpile for reuse, maximum
haul distance 1 km
202 Excavate topsoil to maximum depth m3 1,000
25-50 cm, and dispose
203 —etc.—
206 Excavate fill material from cuttings or m3 25,000
approved borrow pits, haul up to 1 km,
deposit, shape, and compact to fill
207 Excavate rock in cuttings and dispose, m3 250
any depth
208 —etc.—

Bill No. 3: Culverts and Bridges
Item no. Description Unit Quantity Rate Amount

in in ETB
ETB
301 Excavate in all materials other than m3 10,000
rock from ground level to underside of
foundations, maximum depth 5 m, and
dispose
302 Excavate in all materials other than m3 2,500
rock, depth 5 m to 7.5 m
303 Provisional Item m3 500
As Item 302, depth 7.5 m to 10 m
304 —etc.—
311 Concrete class B in abutments m3 2,000
312 —etc.—
318 Mild steel reinforcement in abutments t 37
and piers up to 20 mm diameter
319 —etc.—

C. Day work Schedule
General
1. Reference should be made to Clause 53 of the Conditions of Contract. Work shall not be
executed on a Day work basis except by written order of the Engineer. Bidders shall
enter basic rates for Day work items in the Schedules, which rates shall apply to any
quantity of Day work ordered by the Engineer. Nominal quantities have been indicated
against each item of Day work, and the extended total for Day work shall be carried
forward as a Provisional Sum to the Summary Total Bid Amount. Unless otherwise
adjusted, payments for Day work shall be subject to price adjustment, if applicable, in
accordance with the provisions in the Conditions of Contract.
Day work Labour
2. In calculating payments due to the Contractor for the execution of day works, the hours
for Labour will be reckoned from the time of arrival of the Labour at the job site to
execute the particular item of Day work to the time of return to the original place of
departure, but excluding meal breaks and rest periods. Only the time of classes of
Labour directly doing work ordered by the Engineer and for which they are competent
to perform will be measured. The time of gangers (charge hands) actually doing work
with the gangs will also be measured but not the time of foremen or other supervisory
personnel.
3. The Contractor shall be entitled to payment in respect of the total time that Labor is
employed on Day work, calculated at the basic rates entered by him in the Schedule of
Day work Rates: 1. Labor. The rates shall be all-inclusive and shall cover all direct
costs (including the wages paid to such Labor, transportation time, overtime, subsistence
allowances, and any sums paid to or on behalf of such Labor for social benefits in
accordance with Ethiopian law), overheads (including superintendence, liabilities, and
insurances and allowances to Labor, timekeeping, and clerical and office work, the use
of consumable stores, water, lighting, and power; the use and repair of staging,
scaffolding, workshops, and stores, portable power tools, manual plant, and tools;
supervision by the Contractor’s staff, foremen, and other supervisory personnel; and
charges incidental to the foregoing.) and profit. Payment shall be made in the same
currencies and proportion stated in the Contract
Day work Materials
4. The Contractor shall be entitled to payment in respect of materials used for day work at
the basic rates entered by him in the Schedule of Day work Rates: 2. Materials,
together with an additional percentage payment on the basic rates to cover overhead
charges and profit, as follows:
(a) The basic rates for materials shall be calculated on the basis of the invoiced price,
freight, insurance, handling expenses, damage, losses, etc., and shall provide for
delivery to store for stockpiling at the Site. The basic rates shall be stated in local
currency, but payment shall be made in the same currencies and proportion stated
in the Contract;
(b) The additional percentage payment shall be quoted by the Bidder and applied to
the equivalent local currency payments made under (a) above;
(c) The cost of hauling materials for use on work ordered to be carried out as day
work from the store or stockpile on the Site to the place where it is to be used will
be paid in accordance with the terms for Labour and Construction in this
schedule.
Day work Constructional Plant
5. The Contractor shall be entitled to payments in respect of Constructional Plant already
on Site and employed on day work at the basic rental rates entered by him in the
Schedule of Day work Rates: 3. Construction Equipment. Said rates shall be deemed
to include due and complete allowance for depreciation, interest, indemnity, and
insurance, repairs, maintenance, supplies, fuel, lubricants, and other consumables, and
all overhead, profit, and administrative costs related to the use of such equipment. The
cost of drivers, operators, and assistants shall be included in the rate and no separate
payment under the section on Day work Labour shall be made.
6. In calculating the payment due to the Contractor for Constructional Plant employed on
day work, only the actual number of working hours will be eligible for payment, except
that where applicable and agreed with the Engineer, the travelling time from the part of
the Site where the Constructional Plant was located when ordered by the Engineer to be
employed on day work and the time for return journey thereto shall be included for
payment.
7. The basic rates for Constructional Plant employed on day work shall be stated in local
currency, but payments to the Contractor will be made in the same currency and
proportions stated in the Contract.

Schedule of Day work Rates: 1. Labour

No. in in ETB
ETB
D100 Ganger hour 50
D101 Labourer hour 500
D102 Bricklayer hour 50
D103 Mason hour 50
D104 Carpenter hour 50
D105 Steelworker Erector hour 50
D106 —etc.— hour
D113 Driver for vehicle up to 5 tons hour 100
D114 Driver for vehicle over 5 tons hour 50
D115 Operator of Heavy Equipment (grader, hour 50
dozer etc)
D116 Operator for Light Equipment hour 50
(compactor, small roller etc.
D117 —etc.— hour
Subtotal
Total for Day work: Labour

(Carried forward to Day work Summary, p. )

Schedule of Day work Rates: 2. Materials
Item no. Description Unit Quantity Rate Amount

in in ETB
ETB
D201 Cement, ordinary Portland, in bags t 20
D202 Mild steel reinforcing bar up to 16 mm t 10
diameter to BS 4449 or equivalent
D203 Fine aggregate for concrete as m3 100
specified in Clause
D204 —etc.—
D222 Crushed road base material m3 50
Subtotal
D299 Allow percent1 of Subtotal for Contractor’s overhead,
profit, etc., in accordance with Paragraph 3(b) above.
Total for Day work: Materials

1
To be entered by the Bidder.

Schedule of Day work Rates: 3. Constructional Plant
Item no. Description Nominal Basic Amount

Quantity hourly rate in ETB
(hours) in ETB
D301 Tracked Excavator:

.1 Up to and including 1 m3 50
.2 Over 1 m3 to 2 m3 40
.3 Over 2 m3 10
D302 Tractor, including bulldozer:
.1 Up to and including 100 kW 50
.2 Over 100 kW to 150 kW 40
.3 Over 150 kW to 200 kW 20
D303 Dump Truck:
.1 7 to 10 m3 capacity 40
.2 10 to 15 m3 capacity 20
D304 —etc.—
Total for Day work: Constructional Plant

Day work Summary
Amount
in ETB
1. Total for Day work: Labour
2. Total for Day work: Materials
3. Total for Day work: Constructional Plant
Total for Day work (provisional sum)
(Carried forward to Bid Summary)

Summary of Specified Provisional Sums
Bill No. Item Description Amount in

No. ETB
1
2 2.8 Provide payment and compensation for crops and 250,000

damages resulting from construction activities.
4 4.32 Supply and install equipment in pumping station. 2,500,000
etc.
Total for Specified Provisional Sums 2,750,000

(Carried forward to Grand Summary (B))

Grand Summary
Contract Name:
Contract No.:
General Summary Amount

in ETB
Bill No. 1: Preliminary Items
Bill No. 2: Earthworks
Bill No. 3: Drainage Structures
—etc.—
Day works
Subtotal of Bills No 1 to [number] and Day works (A)
Specified Provisional Sums included in subtotal of bills (B) 2,750,000
Total of Bills less Specified Provisional Sums (A – B) (C)
Add Provisional Sum1 for Contingency Allowance (D) [sum]2
Bid Price (A + D) (E)
Carried forward to Bid Submission Sheet
1
All provisional sums are to be expended in whole or in part at the direction and discretion of the Engineer
in accordance with Clause 53 of the Conditions of Contract.
2
To be entered by the Employer.

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User Guide for the Standard Bidding Document for Works (International Bidding)

Standard Bidding Document

(For International Competitive Bidding)

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

BDS Bid Data Sheet

Guidance Notes on the use of Standard Bidding

Purpose of the User Guide

When to Use the Standard Bidding Document for Works

Structure of the Standard Bidding Document

Rules for drafting Bidding Documents

Summary of the Bidding Process

Preparation and Issue of Bidding Documents

Bidding Period and Bid Receipt

Bid Acceptance and Contract Award and Placement

Guidance Notes for the preparation of Invitation to Bid

2. [Insert if applicable]. The completion period is [insert no. Of days/months/years or

Invitation to Bid Letters

2. [Insert if applicable]. The completion period is [insert no. of days/months/years or

Guidance Notes on the Preface Section

{Entity or Project Crest or Logo}

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

{Name of Employer and/or Project}

Subject of Procurement: [Insert general description of works to be procured].

Procurement Reference [Insert the Procurement Reference number for this

Procurement Method: [Insert Open/Restricted International Tendering as appropriate]

Guidance Notes on Section 1. Instructions to Bidders

Guidance Notes on Section 2. Bid Data Sheet

Input of Information to be completed by Employer

If a pre-bid meeting is being held, it shall take place at:

Location: [insert full address for pre-bid meeting].

The Employer [insert “will” or “will not”] hold a site visit.

If a site visit is being held, it shall take place at:

Location: [insert full address for site visit].

[For major contracts, it is good practice for the Employer to

ITB 9.1 Clarification purposes only, the Employer’s address is:

ITB 13.1 The contract is an Admeasurement/Lump Sum [delete as applicable,

annual increase for foreign costs of [insert percentage] percent and

[The rates inserted should reflect the current rates of inflation

ETB 5,000 for contracts estimated at ETB 30,000 - 500,000

ITB 17.1 Alternative proposals to the requirements of the bidding documents

[The admittance of alternatives must be considered on a case by

[If alternatives shall be considered, insert either:

[When alternative bids are permitted, it is important for the PE to

requirements that the alternative is required to meet, which may

ITB 23.1 The bid opening shall take place at:

adjudication are given below].

The biographical data of the proposed Adjudicator is as attached to

[The appointment of the Adjudicator requires care and attention.

[For smaller contracts, the Employer may decide not to appoint

Guidance Notes on Adjudication

Guidance Notes on Section 3. Evaluation and

(b) Experience as prime contractor in the construction of at least [insert required

2. Evaluation of Domestic Preference

Guidance Notes on Section 4. Bidding Forms

Guidance Notes on Section 5. Eligible Countries

Guidance Notes on Section 6. Schedule of Requirements

Bill of Quantities or Activity Schedule

Ground and Excavation Levels (for Bill of Quantities)

Day works Schedule