Greater Mekong Subregion Transmission Project

There were implementation delays in the initial period, especially in achieving loan effectiveness, recruiting implementation consultants, and awarding civil works contracts. These delays occurred even though advance procurement action had been approved. The formation of a new government following loan approval was a major factor in this respect, as was the time taken for a new executing agency to climb the learning curve on use of ADB procurement procedures. To facilitate project start-up, it is recommended that ADB should extend the services of the procurement consultant financed under the project preparatory technical assistance project until loan consultants are fielded.