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Azerdemiryolbank gears up for implementation of a new IT software system

13 March 2009 12:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Nijat Mustafayev â€“ APA-Economics. Azerbaijan-based Azerdemiryolbank (ADB) wishes to engage an experienced IT consulting firm (the "Consultant") to advise and assist ADB in order to facilitate and ensure the successful implementation of the new IT software system and the development of a related MIS system throughout the 3 phrases, the EBRD said on its website.

The consulting services required will be phased in 3 stages:

Phase I: developing the strategic platforms through the implementation of the following SAP management systems: Customer Relationship Management (CRM); Enterprise Recourse Management (ERP) - Human Resources and Bank activity accounting system; and Integration;

Phase II: building ADB’s management system to assess performance, to set up budgeting and business planning and risk and efficiency processes. The following SAP systems will be used: Strategic Enterprise Management (SAP SEM) - Budgeting and business planning system; Risk and profitability management (SEM for Banking); Integration (SAP NetWeaver XI, DMS);

Phase III: implementation of complex automation of business lines integration of SAP applications based on SAP NetWeaver integration platform.

The Consultant will be contracted for all three Phases; upon completion of each Phase, the Executing Agency at its full discretion and upon satisfactory performance shall have the right whether to instruct the Consultant to proceed to the next Phase or terminate the Contract without any further reason or justification.

The Consultant to be engaged under this assignment will be asked to:

o Perform an analysis of requirements or comment on analysis already provided to ADB matching SAP and its business solution to the requirements of ADB. The outcome of this analysis should be a plan for what should be done through standard SAP package and what should be done as bespoke SAP;

For all phases provide support with the following:
- system development (modifications to any standard package) and testing phases;
- monitoring the installation and support of the "go-live" activities and the migration to the new system;
- monitoring the installation of any system back-up;
- Recommendation and support of the implementation of new structures and functions for the IT Department;
- Designing a user training programme targeting the various needs of the ADB staff.

Assignment Start Date and Duration: It is envisaged that the assignment will start in June 2009. An estimated duration is 12 months for all phases with the possibility of an extension in time and money subject to project needs, satisfactory performance of the consultant and availability of funding.

Maximum Budget available for the Assignment: The current maximum budget available is EUR 3,500,000 Exclusive of VAT. This amount is divided in Phases as follows:
Phase I: EUR 767,000.00
Phase II: EUR 767,000.00
Phase III: EUR 1,966,000.00

Funding Source:
Phase I: EUR 767,000.00 will be financed 50/50, through the ETC Multi Donor Fund and the EBRD Shareholders Special Fund
Phase II: EUR 767,000.00 will be financed through FMO (the Netherlands Development Finance Company)
Phase III: EUR 1,966,000.00 will be financed by the Executing Agency
Eligibility: Corporate services are required. No nationality restrictions apply. Consultants and proposed experts may be of any nationality.

ADB has entered into an agreement with SAP CIS, the supplier. At the end of each Phase SAP CIS will carry out checks, to ensure that the correct implementation as per SAP requirements is ensured.

In order for these compliance checks to happen, the Consultant will need to be registered with SAP CIS and be their official system partner.
The Consultant is solely responsible for obtaining this registration and becoming an official SAP CIS system partner. The Consultant will need to be registered and become an official system partner BEFORE the contract for this assignment may be finalised and signed.
Consultant Profile: The Consultant will be a firm with experience of and a proven IT consulting track record in the implementation of such systems. The Consultant is required to have extensive banking experience (especially at senior management level) in an emerging market, preferably in Azerbaijan or in similar cross-cultural environments.

The Consultant should also have experience of advising on the implementation of related management information systems. Knowledge of Russian for the proposed experts is preferable, but not essential.
Submission Requirements: Interested firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
In order to determine the capability and experience of consulting firms, the information submitted should include the following (maximum 20 pages, excluding CV material):
- Company profile, organisation and staffing. In the case of associations between two firms or more, please include name, address and profile of the participating firm(s). The lead firm must be clearly identified. Company brochure material is not required;
- Details of experience of similar assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including their locations; focus on your role in similar assignments in the former Soviet Union/Central and Eastern Europe;
- CVs of staff that could be available to work on the assignment.
In 2005, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "EBRD") acquired an equity stake in Azerdemiryolbank ("ADB"), a privately held commercial bank in Azerbaijan. The equity investment and debt products provided to the bank (all supported by TC projects) have contributed to strengthening ADB as an institution and have helped it become one of the leading privately owned banks in Azerbaijan.
During 2006-2007 under an initial TC assignment a consultancy firm was engaged to support ADB with an Institutional Strengthening Programme. During the assignment the consultants identified the requirements for a new IT system and developed policies and procedures for the bank as a whole that would be compatible with a modern banking IT system. The documentation developed from this initial assignment will be made available to all shortlisted consultants
Following a full IT audit completed last year, ADB carried out an extensive search for an appropriate IT system to replace their existing out-of-date system. Following this search, a SAP system was selected and the bank purchased the software to be implemented from SAP CIS.