Sheladia Associates, Inc.

Since the formation of the Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan in 2002 and the substantial pledges of the international community of development assistance, the country has its greatest hope of cultural and economic renaissance in almost 25 years. Already, government institutions have started to rebuild with the instrumental assistance of the Afghan Assistance Coordination Authority (AACA) and Ministry of Public Works (MPW) who have guided development efforts to address the highest priorities of the country. Rapid sector-wide needs assessments have been performed or are underway in the transport, water and other sectors. A nascent private enterprise system has started to emerge with the local entrepreneurs re-establishing their small businesses and Afghan expatriates returning to play a role in Afghanistan’s historic redevelopment. Persons displaced and refugees from war and oppression have returned at rates that have surpassed planners’ estimates (with over 1,000,000 returnees in 2002 alone). These developments reflect the positive changes taking place in Afghanistan and signal a fragile optimism.

The challenge for the ITGA is to provide quick, early benefits to a population that is extremely poor, ill-equipped, ill-trained and inadequately served so as to reinforce stability in the country. Every infrastructure project in Afghanistan must target skills development, employment and poverty alleviation and facilitate the integration of returning refugees and DPs before they are perceived as a burden to the host population. Given the large numbers of repatriated and displaced Afghanis in the Kandahar-Spin Boldak area (including the Panjwai District)—many of whom are in camps—the Road Employment Project for Settlement and Integration of Returning Refugees and Displaced Persons was designed to do just that with grant assistance from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR). While the subject of this TA is road rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Kandahar-Spin Boldak Road, this work will complement and sometimes be coordinated with the other project components: training and community mobilization; education, adult literacy and education facilities; health, health services and health facilities; microcredit; and project management and monitoring.

The road rehabilitation and reconstruction component provides an opportunity not only to improve communication, transportation and access to services, but for skills development, employment and improved integration of returning refugees and displaced persons that may lead to sustainable livelihoods and economic development of the region. To the extent possible, given the standard civil works contract documents, SHELADIA/MINCONSULT will encourage the use of labor-intensive methods of construction. In addition, the Maintenance Manual will incorporate local labor-intensive maintenance contracting to an extent that is consistent with maintenance objectives.

The project road is about 105 km in length and traverses mostly plain, with only about 5 km being rolling terrain. It is located in southeastern Afghanistan, starting in Kandahar city and extending to Spin Boldak, close to the border of Balochistan Province of Pakistan. The road is linked by another road to the population center of Quetta in Pakistan and it provides a vital link for transport of goods and people coming into Afghanistan from the Port of Karachi. This road is thus key to the socio-economic development of the region and the country. Project includes one 320-m bridge and one 190-m bridge, both 7.5-m wide with 1.75-m footway on each side.

Brief Description of Services Provided

• Site inspection
• Review of Employer’s requirements
• Establishment of procedures
• Stakeholders participation workshops
• Review of design performed by contractor
• Contract administration, including review of traffic management plans, quality control and supervision of works, schedule control and monitoring, change order management, measurement and payment, claims management, and final inspection
• Training, including training needs assessment, initial training, on-the-job training, and seminars
• Preparation of periodic reports and maintenance manual.