ESIA and Feasibility Study for an Underwater Sculpture Park — Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION) Consultancy Services for the Feasibility Study and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Proposed Underwater Museum Reference No.: SVGUBEC-C-QCBS-13 Date of Issue: 7 October 2026 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) comprise the preparation of a Feasibility Study and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Underwater Museum, together with an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), a site-specific Stakeholder Consultation Plan and the related consultations, subproject grievance mechanism arrangements, and the associated environmental and social management instruments. The Services will determine whether the Client’s 2025 preliminary concept, “The Submerged Museum: A Museum of Slavery & Resistance”, including its proposed repurposed-vessel configuration, is technically, environmentally, socially, economically, financially, legally and institutionally feasible, and will compare it with lower-impact or non-vessel alternatives. The assignment is expected to be completed within approximately twenty-six (26) weeks from contract signing. The expected start date is February 2026. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment may be downloaded at the following website: https://procurement.gov.vc/eprocure/index.php/current-bids. The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development, through the UBEC Project Implementation Unit, now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services The shortlisting criteria are: 1. At least ten (10) years of corporate experience in feasibility studies and/or environmental and social impact assessments for marine, coastal, tourism, blue economy or biodiversity-sensitive projects. 2. Completion, within the last ten (10) years, of at least three (3) comparable assignments involving coastal or marine infrastructure, marine tourism, underwater attractions, artificial reefs or vessel-related marine installations, or biodiversity-sensitive coastal and marine sites, of which at least one (1) shall have been an ESIA (or equivalent environmental and social assessment) for a marine or coastal investment. 3. Demonstrated experience in coastal and marine assignments in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) or comparable developing coastal nations; experience in the Caribbean will be an advantage. 4. Demonstrated experience in applying the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (in particular ESS1, ESS6, ESS8 and ESS10), or comparable environmental and social requirements of another multilateral development bank, including marine habitat assessment and stakeholder engagement with coastal communities, fisherfolk and marine users. 5. Technical and managerial capability of the firm to deliver an integrated multidisciplinary assignment, covering marine ecology and biodiversity, coastal engineering and vessel suitability, tourism and financial analysis, social development and livelihoods, cultural heritage, occupational health and diving safety, and GIS/mapping, including capacity to plan and supervise marine field surveys and to apply quality control across deliverables. Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. To facilitate the assessment, Expressions of Interest should include, at a minimum: (a) a covering letter signed by an authorized representative of the firm; (b) evidence of the firm’s legal registration or incorporation; (c) a firm profile describing its core business, years in business, organization and permanent technical staff; (d) a list of comparable assignments, indicating for each the client and contact details, country and location, contract value, start and completion dates, the firm’s role (lead firm, joint venture partner or sub-consultant) and a brief description of the services provided; and (e) where applicable, details of any proposed association, identifying the lead firm and the role of each member, and stating whether the association is a joint venture or a sub-consultancy. Consultants should submit their Expressions of Interest in English and are requested to limit their submission to a maximum of twenty-five (25) pages excluding covering letter and certificates. Submissions will be assessed only against the criteria listed above; additional material will not be evaluated. Shortlisted Consultants will be invited to submit technical and financial proposals. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 [ revised November 2017, August 2018 and November 2020, September 2023, February 2025 ] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. Given that the Feasibility Study and ESIA must provide impartial advice on site selection and on the vessel-based concept, Consultants should disclose in their Expression of Interest any prior or current involvement in the preparation of the Underwater Museum concept, and any commercial interest in dive, tourism, salvage or marine operations at or near the candidate sites, so that any potential conflict of interest can be assessed. Firms or individuals that have been declared ineligible or sanctioned by the World Bank Group in accordance with its Anti-Corruption Guidelines and Sanctions Framework are not eligible to participate. The Bank’s Anti-Corruption Guidelines, including its right to sanction and its inspection and audit rights, apply to this selection and to the resulting contract. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. For the purposes of shortlisting, the experience and qualifications of the lead firm and of the joint venture partners will be considered; the experience of sub-consultants will not be taken into account. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations, using the World Bank’s Standard Procurement Document, Request for Proposals: Selection of Consultants. Further information may be obtained at the address below during office hours, 09:00 to 16:00 hours (local time). Expressions of Interest must be delivered in written form to the address below (in person, by mail, or by e-mail) no later than 16;00 hours (local time) on Monday, 23 October 2026 . E-mail submissions should be sent as a single PDF file with the subject line “EOI – SVGUBEC-C-QCBS-13 – Feasibility Study and ESIA for the Proposed Underwater Museum”. Submissions received after this time will not be considered. Only shortlisted Consultants will be invited to submit proposals. Dr. Donna Joyette-Bascombe Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development 2nd Floor, NIS Building Upper Bay Street, Kingstown Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Telephone: 1-784-494-8232 E-mail: ubecsvg@gmail.com, sobwocha.ubecsvg@gmail.com , e_dacon@hotmail.com , michelemapp71@gmail.com