Anfang September 2017 sind seitens der AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA Workshops zu Strategien und Auftragschancen bei multilateralen Entwicklungsbanken sowie zu Wirtschaft & Entwicklung mit Fokus auf Afrika geplant. Im Rahmen des „Workshops on project participation and building of consortia“ am 7. September wird auch Andreas Gobiet, Präsident des Verbandes der Ziviltechniker- und Ingenieurbetriebe vor Ort sein. Wir haben dazu mit Teresa Weiss, AußenwirtschaftsCenter Washington und Spiros Voyadzis,Partnerships for Finance and Development (PFD) Group gesprochen. Das Interview wurde auf Englisch geführt.
Die IFI-Workshops stehen für VZI Mitglieder offen und sollen eine Diskussion zur besseren Vernetzung österreichischer Unternehmen, insbesondere im Dienstleistungsbereich anstoßen.
Are there „general rules“, civil engineers could consider when applying for funds of multilateral development banks?
Spiros Voyadzis: Yes of course. There are the WB and other MDBs procurement Guidelines to be applied by all competitors , including civil engineers. There is a project cycle which needs to be followed to increase chances for a successful bid as well as a methodology that needs to be followed. All this will be discussed during the Innsbruck and Linz Workshops.
Teresa Weiss, AC Washington: The international development project business is highly competitive. Identifying, pursuing and bidding on contracts requires both an understanding of complex public procurement procedures, as well as the processes by which development projects are programmed, planned and executed. Advantage Austria organizes IFI procurement seminars in Austria as well as trade missions to the headquarters of the MDBs, such as World Bank and IDB , which help a company getting to know the institutions and their functioning.
As you are highly experienced working with them: Do you have any recommendations for austrian civil engineers? Where do they need to catch up?
Spiros Voyadzis: In getting ahead of time the needed information, in visiting the MDB concerned, in visiting the borrowing country, in ensuring international and local associations as needed to increase chances to win and producing complete and well rounded proposals. All this will also be discussed during the Innsbruck and Linz Workshops
Teresa Weiss, AC Washington: We advise all Austrian companies and consultants to determine areas of focus (countries/ markets/ sectors) and to be informed about the country, project, process and competition. Previous technical and country experience is usually critical. Local partners and others should be identified for joint ventures. When answering a request of proposal don’t make assumptions, be precise, cite relevant technical and regional experience similar to the assignment – being a well-known company is not enough in this highly competitive business.