The potential of new technologies and contracting modalities to achieve their intended results is best enhanced by the provision of adequate technical and capacity-building support. The procurement and design capacity-building support provided by ADB under this program, through the engagement of a facility management firm to assist the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) in turnkey contracts and individual consultants to give hands-on procurement training has begun to pay off: the interval between loan effectiveness and the first major contract award was halved from 36 months in this program's last tranche to 18 months in the first tranche of the follow-on MFF and further to 9 months in the second tranche of the second MFF. The program also gave opportunity for new international manufacturers and contractors to enter Pakistan’s market. However, during implementation a new challenge emerged: the need to undergo a new type test on each major equipment, a policy adopted by the NDTC to improve contract execution efficiency without compromising quality. The policy has been included in the bid documents under the second MFF’s two tranches.
Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program