USAID ERA contractor undertakes comprehensive technical and economic review for the construction of new water pipelines

17 April 2024

In the framework of supporting the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (Agency for Restoration) to upgrade Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) sub-contractor, CDM Engineering Ukraine LLC conducted a comprehensive technical and economic review of the project and budget documentation developed for the construction of new main water pipelines connecting the Ingulets-Pivdenne Reservoir to a water pumping station (DVS-2) in the village of Tomakivka. 

“The construction of the water supply system in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is one of the largest and most important projects of the Agency for Restoration. The work was carried out in an incredibly short timeframe. I think this project will become the Agency’s trademark in terms of speed, quality of work, transparency and efficiency of budget funds. We are pleased to have partners who are consulting for us and supporting us in the realization of this important project for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” said Mustafa Nayyem, Head of the Agency for Restoration.  

CDM Engineering Ukraine specialists reviewed the technical aspects and cost estimates of the project documentation, developed recommendations to improve the quality of design and cost estimate documentation, and formulated the key issues that can have a significant impact on the sustainability and reliability of the water supply pipelines. Seventy-nine percent of the total number of 925 recommendations have been accepted by the Agency for Restoration for implementation. ERA sub-contractor Miyamoto also reviewed CDM Engineering’s reports and recommendations and suggested some additional improvements that will help the Agency for Restoration improve the efficiency of this project overall.

 

Based on the results of the analysis of the design documentation, the CDM Engineering Ukraine specialists are undertaking a pre-feasibility study, specifically an assessment of any potential negative consequences arising from implementing the project. They are also developing a long-term program to reduce this impact and formulating preliminary recommendations for improving the reliability and quality of water supply.  

The pipeline has already been laid on the Khortytsia water supply system (DVS-2) to Tomakivka to Marhanets section, which is 77.9 kilometers long. Six pumping stations have been built, with four pumps installed at each station – two main and two backup pumps, with the water supply system connected to a filtering station.  

The construction of the main water supply system is a key project of the Agency for Restoration. The total length of the water pipeline is 145 kilometers. The Khortytsia section (DVS-2) to Tomakivka to Marhanets section will supply water to the second link of the Nikopol to Pokrov water supply system. The construction of the section involves 318 workers, using 176 pieces of equipment.

 

The new pipeline will restore stable and centralized water supply for approximately one million people and industrial enterprises in the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Zelenodolsk, Apostolove, Nikopol, Marganets, and Pokrov, who lost their main sources of water supply due to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023.  

Information Communications Technologies (ICT) Officer

17 April 2024

Kyiv 

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS

ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling  Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The ICT Officer establishes and monitors the project IT infrastructure and supports implementation of new hardware and software for program operations or basic upgrades in coordination with ICT Coordinator. He manages the ICT network and computer equipment for the project and is responsible for the proper maintenance and functioning of the server and other equipment. The ICT Officer ensures that IT-related support to ERA beneficiaries/grantees is timely, compliant with USAID regulations, and implemented using best practices in ICT. The ICT Officer works in a team environment and coordinates efforts with Operations and Technical teams. The position is based in the ERA Kyiv office and reports to the ICT Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • In coordination with the ICT Manager support the DAI staff usage of ICT and office equipment.
  • Provide advice to local employees in ICT support on a daily basis upon request; inform them about with the timely updates of all software installed on ICT equipment.
  • Allow for smooth and stable work of ICT equipment (laptops, desktops, printers, network equipment, etc.). Solve hardware and software problems in the shortest terms possible;
  • Ensure stable and smooth functioning of networks, both LAN (wired and WiFi) and Internet connections, in office and other locations;
  • Maintain accurate ICT registries: registry of ICT assets, license registry, etc. Keep all the information up to date (license keys, license expiration, etc.).
  • Inform in advance the line manager about the expiration of licenses, and ensure the timely procurement request for the new licenses;
  • Maintain proper and efficient usage/storage of ICT and office equipment in line with Security regulations and DAI HO IT policy.
  • Implement and follow the ICT access rules, including the storage access level, passwords for personal PCs, regular password changes, encryption of most important data, etc.;
  • Ensure the correct maintenance of ICT and office equipment, both guarantee and post-guarantee.
  • Liaise and coordinate in a timely manner the maintenance and repair issues with the relevant suppliers/manufacturers/service providers.
  • In coordination with ICT Manager implement and support the backup system for the DAI data.
  • Ensure regular backups for all required data, proper backup accounting, and storage, in line with DAI HO IT policies;
  • Work with the Administration/Logistics team to maintain a list of the project’s IT-related inventory;
  • Coordinate checking systems in order to optimize performance and initiate recovery action after system failures;
  • Perform other duties, as assigned by the Senior Finance and Compliance Manager and ICT Manager.

About you

  • BA diploma in Computer Sciences, IT technologies, or equivalent.
  • Understanding of TCP/IP protocol stack;
  • Experience with mail systems (MS Exchange) and web servers (IIS, Apache) is a plus;
  • Experience with scripting languages (Windows/DOS batch) is a plus;
  • Working experience with MS SharePoint is a plus;
  • Knowledge of server maintenance is a plus;
  • Good written and spoken English;
  • Experience working in ICT Support in a humanitarian/recovery context is a plus;
  • Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.
  • Skills in finding and solving problems;
  • Responsibility, independence, attentiveness, ability to handle stress, diligence.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life Insurance for ERA staff
  • Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
  • Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: May 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Closing date for applications: April 30, 2024.

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website era-ukraine.org.ua.

An additional phytolaboratory for grain analysis opened on the Danube

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
16 April 2024

On April 10, the Odesa Oblast Phytosanitary Laboratory opened a second remote branch on the Danube with three employees. USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) equipped the new laboratory with necessary equipment including, microscopes, laboratory scales, a bactericidal irradiator, a water treatment system, a set of weights, a laboratory hood, refrigerator, and consumables for conducting daily phytosanitary examinations such as Petri dishes, scissors, test tubes, gowns, and tips. 

This new laboratory will expedite the phytosanitary examination process of grain, ensure uninterrupted work of agricultural enterprises, and improve logistics for exporting Ukrainian grain on the Danube. 

“After Russia’s withdrawal from the “grain agreement”, security issues constrained grain shipment from the ports of Odesa. Companies pivoted and grain was shipped from the Southern ports (Izmail and Reni) instead, so opening an additional remote workplace was necessary. Every day, our main laboratory receives 20-150 samples for phytosanitary examination. The facility is only meant to handle 20 daily examinations, mainly samples of grain for export (corn, wheat, sunflower, rapeseed, soybean). Opening an additional remote location will help us speed up the analysis, because sample deliveries from the Danube to Odesa take a long time, delaying the ships in the port”, says the Acting Director of Odesa Oblast Phytosanitary Laboratory Kateryna Abuselidze. 

USAID ERA is one of the key partners of USAID, which implements the Agricultural Sustainability Initiative of Ukraine (“AGRI-Ukraine”), budgeted at $350 million. This initiative was launched in 2022 with the aim of strengthening Ukrainian agricultural exports and mitigating the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. As part of the “AGRI-Ukraine” initiative, USAID ERA cooperates with state and private enterprises to supplement and attract investments in transportation and transshipment of grain, which Ukraine desperately needs. 

More about the initiative at the link.

Request for Proposal | Electromechanical telescopic container spreaders

Procurement
15 April 2024

DAI, implementer of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity in Ukraine, invites qualified local vendors to submit quotations for the Procurement of electromechanical telescopic container spreaders REQ-KYV-24-0147.

Spreaders Attachment А.1 REQ-KYV-24-0147_ YB_OK_ver_5_new (1)

КК-50, КС50

Please take note of these important dates and email addresses:
RFP Release Date April 15, 2024
Deadline for Receipt of Questions April 22, 06:00 pm, Kyiv, Ukraine Time to the email
address ProcurementERA@dai.com.All questions will be collected and replies to them will
be sent via email to tender participants.
Deadline for Submission of Proposals May 6, 2024, 6:00 pm, Kyiv, Ukraine Time.

For proposals submissions the email address to use is ProcurementERAInbox@dai.com

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR RECEIPT OF QUESTIONS AND THE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS ARE DIFFERENT.

Request for Proposal | Repairs to the facilities at the border checkpoint MOHYLIV-PODLSKYI –  OTACH (Vinnytsia Oblast)

Procurement
15 April 2024

DAI, implementer of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity in Ukraine, invites qualified local vendors to submit quotations for the Repairs to the facilities at the border checkpoint MOHYLIV-PODLSKYI –  OTACH (Vinnytsia Oblast), REQ-KYV-24-0101.

Please take note of these important dates and email addresses:
RFP Release Date April 15, 2024
Pre-proposal Online Bidders’ Conference: A voluntary pre-proposal online bidders’ conference will be held on April 23, 2024, at 4:00 PM, Kyiv, Ukraine Time, to be held online in Teams.

Please send to ProcurementERA@dai.com e-mails and the company name of online conference participants by April 19, 2024, 4:00 PM, Kyiv, Ukraine Time.

Information of interest to all prospective Bidders will be presented. During the meeting, prospective Bidders can query technical questions related to the project.

Site Visit by Bidders: A voluntary Site Visit by Bidders is scheduled for April 23-25, 2024, at the international checkpoint for automobile traffic “MOHYLIV-PODLSKYI – OTACH” at the address: Vinnytsia region, Mohyliv-Podilskyi, 7 Soborna Sq.

There is a two-person limit per organization.

To visit the site, the Bidder shall provide a list of its representatives with the position and name of the company and a copy of their passports no later than April 18, 2024.

Deadline for Receipt of Questions April 30, 06:00 pm, Kyiv, Ukraine Time to the email
address ProcurementERA@dai.com.All questions will be collected and replies to them will
be sent via email to tender participants.
Deadline for Submission of Proposals May 9, 2024, 6:00 pm, Kyiv, Ukraine Time.

For proposals submissions the email address to use is ProcurementERAInbox@dai.com

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR RECEIPT OF QUESTIONS AND THE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS ARE DIFFERENT.

USAID ERA HELPS RELOCATED IT COMPANIES KICK START THEIR BUSINESSES  

12 April 2024

With support from the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), Mariupol IT Cluster (MRPL IT Cluster) is helping relocated IT companies restore their businesses, improve staff skills, and engage local businesses in the IT community. In 2023, ERA supported the cluster to train more than 100 people in project management and IT sales, providing them with professional skills to broaden their career opportunities.  

Seven displaced IT companies participated in MRPL IT Cluster’s mentoring support program, which offered consultations and courses to 77 employees of different IT companies, helping to enhance their opportunities for employment and professional growth.  

“The processes we have set up work very effectively and are easily scalable,” explained Andriy Hadashevych, Head of MRPL IT Cluster. “This allows us to work on even more ambitious projects and have a significant impact on the Ukrainian economy through the implementation of similar initiatives. We have also gained a better understanding of the market and the needs of IT companies, identifying the importance of sales, marketing, and budgeting directions for growth.”  

Based on the mentoring program, participants have implemented new business ideas, which led to improved sales, new clients, and scale up.  

“After re-starting our business, our team grew by more than 20%. We acquired new clients and increased sales. We continue to implement scaling strategies and will keep working on optimizing processes for seamless growth. The insights gained from these consultations will enable us to achieve more impressive results than we could have achieved independently,” said Heorhiy Petrushyn, Director General of MixDigital Company. 

Currently, the MRPL IT Cluster is implementing a consulting program in which U.S. experts from Silicon Valley coach Ukrainian IT businesses and provide them with strategies to enter the US market. Four out of 21 applicants were selected for the first group of participants, who are already in consultation with the program experts. Selected companies will also have access to consultations with experts in human resources, negotiation management, and strategy development.