ከስር የተቀመጠውን እያንዳንዱን መረጃ በጥንቃቄ ያንብቡ። Please read the detailed instructions below. 

READVERTISEMENT FOR THE DRILLING OF DEEP BOREHOLE.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, was founded in France in December 1971 by 13 doctors and journalists, initially forming a group of 300 volunteers, in the belief that all people have the right to medical care regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been present in Ethiopia throughout years since 1984 and reduced its presence for operational resizing to two sections.

In 2024, MSF-OCA and MSF-OCB have been present and running 8 regular and emergency programs in 7 of the 12 regions of the country. Area-lead responsible for emergency responses includes Afar (Nutrition with a standalone MSF 60 beds ITFC in Dubti General Hospital, Cholera intervention with CTC for case management and community prevention activities, implement a community intervention to increase the access to healthcare for the target malnourished U5 and PBWG etc…). With a planned exit in October 2027 and integration of the ITFC into DGH, MSF-OCB intend to exit leaving the DGH with sustainable and quality water supply as this is crucial for long-term sustainability running of Dubti General Hospital (DGH).

I. Procuring Entity & Invitation

1. Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium (MSF-B) invites all eligible and qualified (WWDC) water well drilling contractors, duly registered with the Ethiopian Ministry of Infrastructure as (WWC) Water Works Contractors of Grade 3 and above, holding valid and renewed trade license, VAT and TIN registration, current tax clearance, and proven experience in deep borehole drilling in the area of interest.

II. Eligibility & Scope of Works

2. Eligible bidders must also have valid registration and business licenses for the Ethiopian fiscal year 2017 and or 2018 E.C. (2024/25). The scope of works includes drilling through ~60 m of soft formation, installation of steel surface casing with sanitary cement grout seal, continuation into fractured volcanic aquifer to ~200 m depth, well completion (Option A: open-hole or Option B: cased and screened with gravel pack), well development, step-drawdown and constant- rate pumping tests, water quality testing, construction of wellhead and sanitary apron, shock chlorination and environmental discharge management, and submission of full as-built documentation.

3. Qualified firms are invited to submit sealed bids for the drilling and construction of one (1) deep production borehole at Dubti General Hospital, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia, located approximately 587 km from Addis Ababa.

III. Technical Specifications & Minimum Standards

4. Drilling & Construction:

a. Drilling methodology: Rotary mud drilling through unconsolidated sediments 0-6m with 24″, install steel casing 16″/6mm thickness and gravitational cementation, then 6-200m with 12″, install steel casing of 7.5″mm/5mm thickness transition with Rotary mud drilling, (>6 m), cement grout (p 1.80g/cm3; W/C 0.50-0.54) from 0-6m, cure ≥36-48 h, installed PVC casing of 5:”/4mm (200m) including slotted screen of 5.”/4mm base on the aquifer level observed during drilling process.

b. Surface casing: All welds to be by certified welders (≥3G/4G) with WPS/PQR; NDT (VT/PT) required; centralizers 3-arm every 3 m; flanged headworks pressure-rated ≥40 bar,

c. Production casing/screens (Option B): 5″/4mm PVC casing/ screens (24mm thickness), parallel to the steel screens across productive sedimentary formation, gravel pack (~11 m3 of 2-4 mm silica), thin bentonite cap Screens: ASTM A312/A312M, collapse rating to depth, slot size 1.5mm by sieve, open area ≥15%; gravel pack uniformity coefficient ≤2.5 and isolation of possible saline intrusion by clay and bentonite seal ≥3 m of PVC casing.

d. Quality Assurance/Quality Check requirements: Establish joint sign-off for logging, casing, cementation; data shared within 48 h to RWB and GWR; tripartite field checklist used.

e. Pumping tests: Step-drawdown: 4 steps x 30-60,72hr (10/15/20/25 L/s). Constant-rate: 72h at 225 L/s, with 8-12 h recovery. Test pump 25 L/s @ ≥100 m head (Grundfos or equivalent), hot- rated ASTM A312/A312M, generator ≥75 kVA. Logs: WL, T, EC, turbidity, sand every 30 min. tests. Proof of availability (model no., datasheet, ownership/rental) must be attached, step-drawdown test and constant-rate test of 72hr at ≥25 L/s, extendable to 48 h if drawdown <2 m.

f. Discharge management: provision of settling pit sized for =2,160 m3 discharge (25 L/s x 24 h).

g. Equipment: Rig depth ≥220 m; compressors ≥900 cfm @ 25 bar (redundancy required); crane ≥10 t with lifting certificate.

h. Certified welders + machines for a minimum of 16 casing welding.

i. High-pressure compressors ≥900 cfm @ 25 bar.

j. Test pumping equipment equivalent to Grundfos SQ series, ≥25 L/s @150m head equivalent.

iv. Completion Options

5. Two completion paths are recognized for this borehole:

a. Option A (Open Hole): Borehole left open in competent unknown fractured basalt below 200 m, with surface casing installed through the unconsolidated zone only. Open hole only if caliper variance <10%, no caving, stable WL, and no adverse chemistry detected in uphold profile; otherwise, Option B enforced.

b. Option B (Screened): Borehole completed with production steel/ PVC casing and screens, gravel packed and sealed. MSF reserves the right to select the final completion option during drilling, based on lithological logs, aquifer stability, and water quality. Bidders must price both options in the BOQ, but only one will be executed. (And if decided, the contracture should also mention, the time frame to supply and deliver 7.5-inch metallic casing onsite.)

Relevant Experience Requirements

6. Bidders must demonstrate documented completion of at least three (3) deep boreholes (>200 m) in the last five years in Afar Region volcanic aquifers (Dubti, Logiya, Semera) as a mandatory requirement. Experience should include drilling through saline shallow aquifers, managing elevated EC/TDS and fluoride, and successful borehole development in fractured basalt. References with contact details must be provided.

VI. Bid Calendar (Addis Ababa Time)

7. Any interested and eligible bidder may request the bidding documents by sending an email toMSFOCB-Addis-EHCo@brussels.msf.org . A complete set of bid documents will be shared electronically upon request during the advertisement period, from 22-28 October 2025, in line with the 7-day requirement of the national re advertisement procurement law.

VII. Evaluation & Scoring Criteria

8. Bids will be evaluated according to the following weighted criteria:

• Technical methodology & QA/QC approach -30%
• Materials & casing compliance (dimensions, thickness, certificates) -20%
• Equipment adequacy (rig, compressors, crane, grout pumps, test gear) -20%
• HSE & environmental safety – 15%
• Relevant Afar experience – 15%

9. General Notes & Clarifications:

• Only one completion option (A or B) will be executed, as directed by the MSF Groundwater advisor/consultant.
• No substitution of casing/screens without MSF approval.
• QA/QC deliverables (grout logs, test charts, WL logs) are mandatory for payment. And all equipment’s, will be caked and if not verified the award will be given to the next bidder, Contingency items are payable only if authorized in writing by MSF Groundwater advisor/consultant.

10. Bidders should submit a hard copy of their offers in sealed envelopes together with the technical proposal to MSF-B’s office on or before the bid opening date.

11. Bidders should submit their offers in sealed envelopes to MSF- OCB’s office on or before the end of working hours on Tuesday October 28, 2025, or until 5:00 PM (Afternoon).

VIII. Submission Requirements

12. Offers must be accompanied by a complete company profile; certificates of experience in deep borehole drilling; detailed list of drilling equipment with type, model, and capacity; proof of the company’s financial capacity; list of personnel supported with CVs of key staff (drilling supervisor, hydrogeologist, HSE officer, certified welder); description of the proposed Quality Assurance/Quality Check approach; and general knowledge of the project context.

13. Bids must be presented in envelopes identified by the bidder’s name, address, legal stamp, and reference “Afar- Dubti General Hospital Deep Borehole Drilling” on the cover.

14. Bidders must submit the technical documents, clearly marked “Afar- Dubti General Hospital Deep Borehole Drilling” on the cover. Envelope shall be stamped and sealed. In the event of any discrepancy between them, the original will prevail.

15. Bids will be opened in the presence of bidders or representatives who prefer to attend at the new MSF-OCB office located at Arada Sub city, Woreda 7, about 600m north of Women’s Square, or 130m north of Aware Square, or 470m south of Green Valley Hotel (please use this link to navigate https://maps.app.goo.gl/MPvSv1U8EqEWsaRW6)  at office’s reception on Wednesday October 29, 2025. at 10:00 AM (Morning).

IX. Environmental & HSE Requirements

16. Bidders must include an environmental management plan covering safe handling and disposal of drilling mud and wastewater, controlled discharge and settling pit for pumping test water, dust suppression, noise management, and waste segregation. A dedicated HSE officer must be appointed. Bidders shall provide a valid HSE policy and site-specific risk assessment addressing heat stress, remoteness, and security risks in Afar.

17. Partial, late, or electronic-only bids will be disqualified.

18. Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium (MSF-B), Ethiopia reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, and to cancel the tender process in whole or in part without obligation to award a contract. Late, incomplete, or non-compliant bids will be rejected.

X. Submission Address

Note: Bids must be submitted in hard copy to the address below. Each submission shall include one (1) copy, sealed in an outer envelope clearly marked with the tender reference. The outer envelope must contain two separate sealed inner envelopes: (i) Technical Proposal and (ii) Financial Proposal.
MSF OCB-Ethiopia Mission, Addis Ababa -Ethiopia

New Country Office in Addis Ababa, located at Arada Sub city, Woreda 7, about 600 m north of Women’s Square, or 130m north of Aware Square, or 470m south of Green Valley Hotel (Please use this link to navigate https://maps.app.goo.gl/MPvSv1U8EqEWsaRW6 )