PRIMEX was awarded the consultancy contract for project management and implementation services for the European Investment Bank (EIB) loan-funded Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project (IAIP) of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC).
Contract negotiations between MOWRAM and PRIMEX were held at the Rumdoul Meeting Hall of MOWRAM on 19 June 2023. The RGC negotiating team was led by His Excellency Chann Sinath, MOWRAM Secretary of State and IAIP Project Director, and comprised of the Project’s Procurement Review Committee (PRC) and a representative of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). The Joint Venture of PRIMEX and Oriental Consultants Global (OC Global) was represented by Ms. Elvira Ablaza, PRIMEX Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Authorized Representative. She was accompanied by Ms. Ana Celina Baluyut, Senior Manager for Business Development, and Mr. Nestor Escara, Senior Manager for Project Operations. Also present at the meeting was Mr. Chharom Chin, Managing Director of CamConsult Co. Ltd., the Cambodian sub-consultant of the PRIMEX-OC Global JV.
The contract was signed by H.E. Chann Sinath and noted by the MOWRAM Minister, H.E. Lim Kean Hor, on 5 July 2023. The Consultant Team is expected to be mobilized on 20 July 2023.
Photo of the participants at the contract negotiations (from L -R): Nestor Escara, Chharom Rithchesda, Ana Baluyut, Willem Jan Van Diest, Chharom Chin, Elvira Ablaza, HE Chann Sinath, Kim Sovanndy (MEF), Sophea Chimm, Roeun Sophanna, Toch Bonvongsar, Ung Kotaro, Chev Dalis
In his Opening Remarks, HE Chann Sinath explained the reasons for the selection of PRIMEX as the winning bidder for the provision of the project management services for the EIB IAIP. He noted the excellent performance of PRIMEX and their valuable contribution towards the success of the ADB loan-funded Uplands Irrigation and Water Resources Management Sector Project of MOWRAM, which was completed in September 2021. He expressed confidence that, with PRIMEX as Lead Firm in the EIB-funded IAIP, the project will be able to achieve its outputs and meet (or even exceed) the targets contained in the design and monitoring framework (DMF), as was the case in the Uplands Irrigation Project.
In her response, Ms. Ablaza thanked MOWRAM for its trust and confidence in the PRIMEX Consortium and committed to ensuring the high quality and timeliness of its deliverables under the project. She said, “This is PRIMEX’s first-ever project financed by EIB, and it is our honor and privilege to have been selected by MOWRAM for this assignment. We are aware that His Excellency Chann Sinath expects much of our team in this project, and as the Consultant Project Director, I will exert every effort to ensure that we meet his high expectations.”
PRIMEX Chairman and President, Ryohei Ishii, expressed his elation at the success of PRIMEX’s bid for this project. He said, “This is a very important milestone for PRIMEX as not many consulting firms outside of the European Union (EU) have had the opportunity to win contracts funded by EIB. This is also a wonderful early anniversary gift for PRIMEX, as we are celebrating 34 years of operation on 7 August 2023.”
IAIP was originally prepared and designed for implementation by MOWRAM with loan and grant financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the amount of about $120 million. The ADB loan was approved in December 2019. In September 2020, the EIB approved Parallel Financing of EUR80 million through a Framework Loan to complement the funding provided by ADB for the project. The EIB project will aim to increase the economic and climate resilience of about 25,000 farming households, enhance food security and generate employment opportunities. This will be achieved by protecting against floods, improving water supply availability during the dry season, promoting diversification into higher value and less water-intensive crops, and improving water governance and management.
The PMIC-2 Consultant Team is composed of 27 key experts (11 international, 16 national), and 22 national non-key/support staff, led by Mr. Willem Jan Van Diest, international Water Resources Management Specialist/Team Leader. The team will render 1,157 person-months of consulting services over a five-year period, July 2023–June 2028. Ms. Ablaza will serve as Project Director with oversight responsibility for project implementation, including report preparation and quality assurance. She will be assisted by Mr. Nestor Escara as Project Manager and Ms. Kathrina Cada-Garcia, PRIMEX Manager for Finance and Administration, as Finance Officer.