Kenya Railways: individual rail civil engineering expert consultancy (re-tender), KR/SCM/WB/005/2026-2027

What is being bought

Kenya Railways is seeking one individual rail civil engineering expert under a time-based contract under World Bank procurement rules, to advise its Project Implementation Team on railway civil engineering for the Kenya Urban Mobility Improvement Project. The total effort is 12 person-months over 24 months, mainly based at Kenya Railways offices in Nairobi with periodic visits to the Nairobi-Thika rail corridor.

Key facts

Closing

Tue 27 Oct 2026, 2:00 pm
Portal closing date and time is 27 October 2026 at 14:00. The reviewed terms of reference do not repeat this date, and no addenda were provided to confirm it. P

Bid / tender security

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Tender fee

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Site visit

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated D1 p.7

Pre-bid meeting

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Reserved for

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Contract value

Time-based contract with a ceiling of 12 person-months (264 person-days). Payments are monthly on actual person-days, in Kenya Shillings with a USD option for expatriate consultants. No KES or USD contract amount is stated. D1 p.10

Tender opening

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Tender validity

Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated

Who can apply

• The applicant must be an individual expert: a suitably qualified and experienced professional railway engineer with the qualifications and skills listed in section 6 of the terms of reference. D1 p.8

Application checklist

Tick items off as you prepare. Your ticks stay on this device only.

Required from every bidder

• The expert must provide a signed declaration confirming the absence of any actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest related to the assignment. D1 p.9

Required only in some situations

• If engaged, the consultant must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Kenya Railways before starting services. This applies only after award, not to the bid itself. D1 p.14

Experience, licences and financial capacity

Technical

• Minimum qualification: a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Railway Engineering, or an equivalent discipline with railway specialization. D1 p.8
• Demonstrated personal responsibility for technical review or design of railway civil infrastructure works (track rehabilitation, station design, civil structures) on at least two assignments on urban or suburban railway corridors. D1 p.8
• Experience with World Bank-funded projects, or projects funded by similar development partners, specifically using FIDIC Red, Yellow or Silver Book contracts. D1 p.8
• Registered Professional Engineer with an internationally or nationally recognized engineering body. Registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya, or willingness to obtain temporary registration, is desirable (not mandatory). D1 p.8
• Desired (not mandatory) competence: proven track record in railway geometry, designing track layouts including alignment, geometry and elevation, and computing cant deficiency. D1 p.8

How and where to submit

• Submission method listed on the portal: written, physical or hard copy. The reviewed pages do not give the address, number of copies, packaging or how the proposal must be divided. P

What the addenda changed

• No addenda were provided for review. Not stated

Not covered in the documents we reviewed

• Evaluation criteria and scoring, including how technical and financial proposals are weighed
• Proposal submission details: address, deadline confirmation in the documents, number of copies, packaging and sealing
• Bid or proposal validity period
• Bid security or proposal security requirements
• Tender document fee or application fee
• Opening date, time and place
• Any pre-bid meeting or compulsory site visit
• Any addenda or clarifications
• Currency amount of the contract value (only a person-day ceiling is stated)
• Disqualification conditions, including any rule on conflict of interest or the design-build bidder restriction
• Forms to be completed, such as a technical proposal form or financial proposal form
• Pages 2-6 and 11 of the document were not reviewed

Terms explained

Terms of Reference (ToR)

The document defining the work, qualifications, deliverables and payment terms for the consultant.

Request for Proposals (RFP)

The procurement method, where bidders submit technical and financial proposals for consultancy work.

Individual consultant

A single person hired directly, not a firm.

Time-Based Contract

Payment is based on actual person-days worked at agreed rates, up to a ceiling.

Person-month / person-day

Units of effort. The 12 person-months here equal the 264 person-day ceiling stated in the document.

FEED

Front-End Engineering Design, the design stage that the consultant reviews.

PIT

Kenya Railways Project Implementation Team, the consultant's direct client.

FIDIC Red/Yellow/Silver Book

Standard international construction contract forms that the expert must have experience with.

NDA

Non-Disclosure Agreement, a confidentiality contract signed before work starts.

AGPO

Affirmative Action Procurement Opportunities for youth, women and persons with disabilities. Not stated in this tender.