International Axle Load Control Specialist

Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project - Design of an Axle Load Control Program(ALCPD)

Recruitment of an International Short-Term Axle Load Control Specialist (IALCS)

Terms of Reference

Job Title: International Axle Load Control Specialist (International individual specialist)

Reporting to: ALCPD Activity Team Leader

A. Background

1. Aus4Transport is an Australian Government initiative to support the Government of Vietnam (GOV) in developing high-quality transport infrastructure to promote economic growth and poverty reduction. Aus4Transport is managed by a Program Managing Contractor (PMC), DT Global, Australia, on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government

2. The program’s goal is to increase investment in Vietnam’s road, rail, and inland waterway infrastructures by bringing higher quality projects to market faster. The end-of-program outcome is faster project development and improved quality of transport infrastructures making use of funding from all financial sources. Two intermediate Program outcomes are anticipated: (i) the Ministry of Transport (MOT) giving enhanced consideration of engineering, financial, economic, safety, gender, social and environmental matters in all pre-feasibility studies, feasibility studies and detailed engineering design leading to MOT bringing better prepared proposals and concepts more rapidly to implementation, drawing on innovative and comprehensive approaches; and (ii) MOT identifying bottlenecks to improved project development, identifying and assessing remedial measures, and recommending improved practices, leading to MOT adopting innovations in policies and procedures toward improved project development.

3. Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the wider transport sector, the Program will provide support through two streams of activities:

• Stream A: Facilitating project preparation for major projects that are listed, or soon to be listed, in the Government of Vietnam’s Mid-term Investment Plan; and

• Stream B: Supporting the sector through research, innovation, policy reform, and training that responds to the specific needs of various transport users (including women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities) as well as dealing with issues related to the development of the sector, including road safety and climate change.

B. Stream B – Axle Load Control Program Design (ALCPD) Activity

4. The GoV has received a Loan from the Asian Development Bank to undertake the Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project (NMPTCP), in which MOT acting as the Project line agency. Also, MOT acting as Program line agency of the Aus4Transport. Part of the Aus4Transport grant is used for financing the consulting services for the detailed design and documentation (DDD) of the NMPTCP as a Stream A Activity. Aus4Transport grant will also be used for financing a Stream B Activity “Design of an Axle Load Control Program for the NMPTCP” – ALCPD. MOT acting as the Activity line agency will have the overall responsible for the implementation of the ALCPD Activity. MOT has assigned (i) its Project Management Unit No.2 (PMU2) acting as the Activity Executing and Implementing agency, to oversee on behalf of MOT the Activity implementation progress and quality; overall coordination of the Activity with regards to MOT requirements, monitoring Activity progress and quality and using the Activity outputs.

5. Aus4Transport has assigned the PMC to act as the client of the required consulting services. The PMC will manage in collaboration with PMU2 the Activity implementation including recruitment and signing of contracts with the individual consultants.

6. The Activity scope is to design an Axle Load Control (ALC) program to be implemented along the NMPTC Project roads prior to and during the construction period.

7. The Activity deliverable is a comprehensive ALC program including detailed scope, implementation arrangements and estimated cost.The following outlines the task to be carried out by the Consultant team:

• Conducting a desk review of the history and trends of vehicle ALC measures and practices in Viet Nam, focusing on the reasons for insufficient effectiveness and identifying gaps and shortcomings in implementing the national regulations;

• Reviewing the country legal framework related to restrictions on vehicle overloading and penalties for violations;

• Arranging, in consultation with the provincial authorities concerned, and participating in an overloading survey along the Project roads including types of vehicle and freight, and vehicle destination, i.e., in-country or international traffic;

• Identifying the needs for and the location of fixed and/or mobile weighbridges, and selecting the most suitable type of weighbridge (fixed: single axle or multi-deck scales, or mobile: portable or weight-in-motion weighbridges) in consultation with MOT and Ministry of Public Security (MOPS);

• Reviewing the current operational manuals for weighbridge station personnel and inspectors: identifying shortcomings and making recommendations for improvements;

• Preparing in consultation with MOT, MOPS, Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (DRVN), Provincial People’s Committees (PPCs) and Provincial Departments of Transport (PDOTs) an ALC program specifically addressing the overloading issues likely to be encountered on the Project roads;

• Conducting workshops attended by representatives from national and provincial authorities concerned and local communities to present the ALC program and collect comments in particular on the current axle load legislation, location of weighbridges and operational manuals; and

• Preparing a final ALC Program incorporating comments from all stakeholders.

• Estimating the cost of the ALC Program (detailed cost estimate) and recommend arrangements for its implementation along with the Terms of Reference for the recommended service providers and, if required, the bidding documents for procurement of ALC civil works and equipment

8. The Activity will require the input of (i) a national Team Leader cum ALC Specialist (4 person-months), (ii) a national Civil Engineering Specialist (2 person-months), (iii) a national Procurement Specialist (2 person-months) and (iv) an international ALC Specialist (3 person-months).

C. International Axle Load Control Specialist (IALCS)– Scope of Services

9. The implementation of the Activity will require the services of an International ALC Specialist (IALCS) who will, with the assistance of the Activity team and data and information of the Activity survey: (i) review in detail, the PPTA recommended pilot priority measures whose objectives are to avoid overloaded vehicles on the roads prior to and during construction of the Project; (ii) identify the need for, and the location of, fixed and/or mobile weighbridges, and selecting the most suitable type of weighbridge (fixed: single axle or multi-deck scales, or mobile: portable or weight-in-motion weighbridges); (iii) prepare an ALC program specifically addressing the overloading issues likely to be encountered on the project roads.

10. The tasks of the IALCS will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide assistance to the Activity team, conduct a desktop review of the history and trends of vehicle ALC measures and practices in Viet Nam, legal framework related to restrictions on vehicle overloading and penalties for violations, focusing on the reasons for insufficient effectiveness and identifying gaps and shortcomings in implementing the national regulations;

• By the assistance of the Activity team and additional data and information from the survey to review and detail as required the PPTA recommended pilot priority measures whose objectives are step by step to avoid overloaded vehicles on the roads prior and during construction of the Project.

• Consolidate additional data/information provided by the Activity team through survey and with the assistant of the Activity team (in consultation with MOT and MOPS) to identify the needs for and the location of fixed and/or mobile weighbridges, and selecting the most suitable type of weighbridge (fixed: single axle or multi-deck scales, or mobile: portable or weight-in-motion weighbridges);

• Prepare an ALC program specifically addressing the overloading issues likely to be encountered on the project roads with the assistant of the Activity team (in consultation with MOT, MOPS, DRVN, PPCs and PDOTs);

• Assist the Activity Team in conducting workshops attended by representatives from national and provincial authorities concerned and local communities to present the ALC program and collect comments in particular on the current axle load legislation, location of weighbridges and operational manuals;

• Assist the Activity Team in finalization of the ALC Program incorporating comments from all stakeholders with the assistance of the international Axle load control specialist; and.

• Assist the Activity team to prepare detail cost estimation for the ALC program and recommend arrangements for its implementation along with the Terms of Reference for the recommended service providers and, if required, the bidding documents for procurement of ALC civil works and equipment

D. Key Expertise Requirements

11. The IALCS will have a bachelor’s degree in transport engineering or equivalent and more than 15 years of professional experience with at least 5 years of relevant experience in axle load control or three Axle load control program design. The IALCS should have substantive knowledge of project management and fluency in English.

12. The IALCS should have a proven experience in axle load control related projects, preferably with MOT in Vietnam and experience in dealing with government and local agencies.

E. Implementation Arrangements

13. The Team Leader will be engaged by the PMC on a fulltime basis for a total duration of 3 months over the anticipated 4-month duration of the Activity and will be based at both, the Aus4Transport Office in Hanoi or working home-based in case travel restrictions in forced by COVID-19.

14. The IALCS will be administratively accountable to the national Activity Team Leader and the Aus4Transport Team Leader; also, he/she will work closely and collaboratively with the Activity team members. The IALCS’s principal counterpart is PMU2. The IALCS is expected to maintain regular contact with PMU2 and the Activity team to discuss progress, issues, any assignment needs, and any guidance needed.

15. The Aus4Transport Program will cover the cost of the IALCS’s remuneration in AUD, any domestic travel costs that may be required in support of his/her outputs. The IALCS is expected to provide his/her own computer and peripherals needed for the assignment.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, detailing applicable experience and skills, and a CV referencing “Application to the position of International Axle Load Control Specialist” in the subject title to [email protected]

Application Deadline: 26 May 2021.

No phone calls. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.

Aus4Transport Office
Suite 10-03, 10th floor, HCO Building
44B Ly Thuong Kiet Str., Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 24 37347559
E-mail: [email protected]