This report alerts U.S. firms to US$ 500 Thousand in new, potential procurement of consulting services under the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) technical assistance (TA) grant programs which are expected to lead to a loan. Opportunities are reported for Tajikistan. For 2005, U.S. firms, including many small consulting firms, succeeded in winning US$46.26 million ADB-funded national technical assistance contracts out of a total ADB-financed consulting budget of US$410.03 million.

The ADB selects a consultant for a TA project based on its prior Expression of Interest (EOI). An EOI can be transmitted on-line through the ADB's website (www.adb.org); afterward it will be acknowledged automatically. Firms may opt to send a hardcopy follow-up EOI addressed to Mr. Robert J. Robertson, Director, Consulting Services Division, with a copy to the ADB Project Officer. The EOI should relate a firm's experience and expertise to the ADB project. It is important for a U.S. firm to emphasize its similar project experience in the country, or in a similar geographic area, rather than present a general profile of its consulting activities. A separate EOI should be submitted for each project. The project name indicated in the EOI should exactly match that listed in the ADB Business Opportunities publication to avoid confusion.

To be considered for employment, consulting firms must register on the ADB’s DACON (Data on Consulting Firms) system, or for individual consultants, on the DICON (Data on Individual Consultants) system. Otherwise, their EOIs will not be accepted. DACON and DICON registration can be done on-line at www.adb.org/consulting.

ADB's DACON (http://www.adb.org/Consulting/dacon.asp) is a database of firms and other organizations from the ADB's member countries that are qualified to provide consulting services for ADB projects. The DACON contains information on the experience and capacity of the firms and organizations. ADB requires firms or organizations to register on the DACON so that the ADB can consider them for short-listing for a technical assistance project. The term "firm or organization" covers all sources of consultants, such as consulting firms, government agencies, public sector organizations, national and international institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs).

The DICON (http://www.adb.org/Consulting/dicon.asp) system contains the names of persons who are citizens of ADB's member countries; are at the forefront of their respective fields; and may be practicing consultants or employees, whose organizations are prepared to release them for short periods to serve ADB; or retired persons with special experience who are still active.

Firms may also send a notification copy of their EOIs to the U.S. mailing address for the U.S. Commercial Service Liaison Office to the ADB, Attention: Frank Foster, Senior Commercial Officer, PSC 500 Box 33, FPO AP 96515-1000, or to the same office at its international mailing address: 25th Floor Ayala Life-FGU Center, 6811 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1226; Phone: (63-2) 887-1345; Fax: (63-2) 887-1164; E-mail: manila.adb.office.box @mail.doc.gov. Information about these projects are likewise available on our website at http://www.buyusa.gov/adb. This office works closely with the Office of the U.S. Executive Director to the ADB to increase American awareness of, and participation in, the ADB's activities.

The projects listed in this report are now being actively processed by the ADB. For more information on these projects, the name of the ADB project officer is indicated in the project brief. The U.S Commercial Service Liaison Office to the ADB is ready to provide assistance to U.S. firms upon request.

The following technical assistance projects are reprinted with permission from the Asian Development Bank, from the ADB website at http://www.adb.org and appeared for the first time in April 2006. For more information on development in Asia and the Pacific, see <http://www.adb.org>.

Project Name : Pianj River Flood Protection Works

Project No. : TAJ 40046-01

Executing Agency : Ministry of Water Resources and Land Reclamation

TA Amount : US$ 500,000.00

Sector/Sub-sector : Agriculture & Natural Resources /

Water Resources Management

Objectives and Scope:

To assist the Government in preparing a comprehensive investment and institutional development proposal for improved flood protection and prevention of Khatlon province, which are fundamental to sustainable economic growth and alleviation of the persistent rural poverty in Khatlon province. The main purpose of the project is the preparation of a detailed project proposal for structural and non-structural measures in the project area to address the recurring and worsening Pianj River floods. The proposed PPTA will: (i) assess the extent of the recurring floods and trends due to the global warming; (ii) review the existing Government disaster prevention/readiness plans; (iii) assess the needs and priorities for investment in protection works; (iv) propose modern flood management plan and measures to reduce flood risk (e.g. flood hazards, exposure to floods, land use zoning), and vulnerability to floods.

Consulting Services: Consulting services yet to be determined.

Environmental Assessment: To be determined.

Project Processing Stage: Fact-finding Mission completed: 1 April 2006.

Recruitment of Consultants: Requirements for consulting services to be completed during Fact-finding Mission.

Project Officer : Tumurdavaa Bayarsaihan

Agriculture, Environment, & Natural Resources Division

East and Central Asia Department

Tel.: (63-2) 632-6758

Email: tbayarsaihan@adb.org

In-country U.S. Embassy

Commercial Officer : c/o U.S. Embassy - Dushanbe

Elizabeth Horst, Political/Economic Officer

Email: HorstEK@state.gov

Tel.: (992-372) 210348; 210352; 241560

Fax: (992-372) 210362; 510028

Jamshed A. Rahmonberdiev

BISNIS Representative in Tajikistan

Email: RahmonberdievJA@state.gov