OREANDA-NEWS. August 10, 2011. STATE OIL COMPANY OF AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC (SOCAR)  HEREBY ANNOUNCES AN OPEN TENDER  to select an EPC Contractor for Lumpsum Turnkey construction of a nitrogen fertilizer-Urea Complex in Sumgayit in the Republic of Azerbaijan, reported the press-centre of SOCAR.

I. Turnkey construction of a natural gas-based nitrogen fertilizer-urea complex having a capacity of 2000 (two thousand) tons per day. This complex will be built at a site belonging to SOCAR’s “Azerikimya” Production Union in the city of Sumgayit, Republic of Azerbaijan. The urea complex will consist of the followings:  

1. Ammonia production facilities;
2. Urea production facilities;
3. Urea granulation section.
 
II. Under the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, bidding on government procurement contracts within the Republic of Azerbaijan is open to any resident or non-resident legal entity, physical person, or consortium of legal entities regardless of nationality. Bidders having the appropriate international work experience on urea and ammonia plants within the past 10 years -- i.e. Engineering, Procurement and Construction on a Lumpsum Turnkey basis (EPC LSTK), or Engineering, Procurement and Construction Supervision/Management (EPCS/EPCM) -- as well as the necessary financial means, technical capabilities and staffing, are eligible to participate in the tender.
 
III. Tender shall be held at government expense and in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on “Public Procurements”. The tender procedures, as well as the criteria for submitting and evaluating proposals are described in the “Main Terms and Conditions”.
 
IV. Those wishing to be considered as bidders for the tender must submit the following documentation (via e-mail or regular mail) in order to receive a copy of the “Main Terms and Conditions”:  
- A written request to participate in the tender process; 
- A notarized copy of the bidder’s official registration document bearing the relevant apostille; 
- A notarized copy of the bidder’s foundation document (statute) bearing the relevant apostille;  
- A certificate issued by the tax authorities demonstrating whether or not the bidder owes any outstanding taxes, levies or other compulsory payments (as of the date the documentation is submitted);  

- Information about international work experience during the last 10 years related to the construction of ammonia/urea plants. Specifically, information about experience in designing, equipping and performing turnkey construction of ammonia and urea plants,  or overseeing the design, equipping and construction of such plants (include information about customers, technology licensors, project scope, location where work was performed, schedules, subcontractors, etc.);

-  A statement that the bidder is authorized to enter into procurement contracts; 

- Bank contact information and an official letter from the bidder’s bank attesting to the bidder’s financial turnover for the last 5 years;

- Balance sheet certified by the tax authorities or other relevant fiscal agency reflecting the bidder’s financial standing over the last 5 years; 

- Information on whether or not any subcontractors will be used in performing the work; 

- Information about the professional backgrounds of the bidders or their managers and employees, to include statements that they have not been convicted of any criminal activity related to falsifying information about qualifications in order to conclude a procurements contract, or have been legally debarred from engaging in the relevant professions for 5 years prior to the call to tender;    

- A statement of whether or not the bidder is currently a party to any legal proceedings at present and whether or not it has any undischarged court rulings against it. 
 
V. Bidders may obtain copies of the “Main Terms and Conditions” within 10 working days of submitting all required documentation.  
 
VI. Along with their proposals, bidders must submit a Bid Bond issued by a reputable and reliable bank covering the proposal for not less than 3% of its estimated value (the Bid Bond must be valid for 60 days beyond the expiration date of the proposal).  
 
VII. As part of the tender process, SOCAR may require bidders to have documents reflecting their professional qualifications and standing certified and officially recorded in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Any bidder determined by SOCAR to have falsified information concerning its professional qualifications shall be disqualified from the tender.
 
VIII. Bidders shall bear any and all expenses for preparing and submitting their proposals, as well as any miscellaneous costs related thereto.
 
IX. To obtain a copy of the “Main Terms and Conditions” for the tender, bidders must remit a participation fee in the amount of €30.000 (thirty thousand) Euros to the SOCAR bank account indicated below by 15 September 2011: 

State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Address: 73 Neftchilar Avenue, Baku AZ1000), Tax ID: 9900003871, Correspondent Bank: Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main, S.W.I.F.T: COBADEFF, Account # 400 88 660 3001, Beneficiary Bank: Baku Branch Office of International Bank (Tax ID: 9900001881), Code: 805722, Correspondent Account: 0137010002944, S.W.I.F.T.-Bik IBAZAZ 2 X.

Participation fees are not refundable for any reason.    
 
X. Prospective bidders who have paid the participation fee and satisfied the requirements outlined in Paragraph II of this Announcement may contact the official shown below and submit proof of payment of the participation fee (e.g. payment transfer order) to receive an electronic or hardcopy version of the “Main Terms and Conditions” in Azerbaijani, English or Russian: 
Contact Person: Elmaddin Dadashov, Chief of Department, Downstream Projects Management of SOCAR, Address: 73 Neftchilar Avenue, AZ1000, Baku, Tel/Fax: +(994 12) 521 01 55; Cell: +(994 50) 305 70 00; +(994 50) 280 75 10, E-mail: edadashov@socar.az
 
XI. All tender documents must be submitted in either English and Azerbaijani, or English and Russian.
 
XII. The tender will be awarded to the bidder submitting the most advantageous proposal among those that have received content and quality scores high enough for consideration. The bid winner will be notified of the award and a contract will be signed with said winner. In compliance with Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on “Public Procurements”, SOCAR shall have the right to reject any or all proposals without reservation. SOCAR is under no obligation to accept the proposal with the lowest price, or to accept any proposal. 
 
XIII. Bidders must submit one original and two copies of their proposals in separate double envelopes no later than 6:00 p.m. (Baku time, GMT + 4) on December 15, 2011. Proposal packages received after this deadline will not be accepted.  
 
XIV. SOCAR shall have the right to make amendments and addenda to the “Main Terms and Conditions,” as well as extend the deadline for accepting proposals. 
 
XV. Proposals will be opened in the conference hall (2nd floor) at SOCAR’s main office (mentioned in paragraph IX) at 3:00 p.m. (Baku time, GMT + 4) on December 20, 2011. Bidders and/or their authorized representatives are entitled to be present when the proposals are opened.