Procurement & Bid Management Consultant (Public Transportation Sector)

CRISIL is seeking a highly experienced and professional Procurement & Bid Management Consultant to be deployed at a major public transportation authority. This role is central to managing the procurement lifecycle for a portfolio of critical, large-scale projects aimed at modernizing and enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of public transport infrastructure.

The consultant will be responsible for the end-to-end management of procurement and strategic initiatives, including but not limited to:

• The procurement of bus fleets, particularly under innovative models like Gross Cost Contract (GCC).
• The retro-fitment of the existing vehicle fleet to alternative fuels (e.g., CNG, LNG).
• The implementation of electric vehicles and the development of associated charging and maintenance infrastructure.
• Advisory on the procurement process for other key projects such as Vehicle Tracking Systems (VTS), Passenger Information Systems (PIS), and logistics/parcel services.

The ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert in public sector procurement, playing a crucial role in the entire project lifecycle—from strategy, feasibility, and bid-document preparation to bid process management, contract negotiation, and implementation oversight. Knowledge of spoken/written English and Marathi is desirable.

The consultant will be primarily responsible for the following activities:

A. Procurement Strategy and Project Planning

• Develop procurement strategies aligned with the organization's long-term goals and public procurement policies.
• Conduct comprehensive needs assessments and feasibility studies to define project scope and technical requirements.
• Perform in-depth cost-benefit and risk analysis for proposed procurements, developing detailed mitigation plans.

B. Bid Process Management and Contract Award

• Prepare and draft comprehensive, clear, and compliant bidding documents, including Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), and tender documents.
• Manage the entire bid process, from tender publication to bid opening, including conducting pre-bid meetings and managing all bidder communications and clarifications.
• Lead the technical and financial evaluation of bids, providing expert analysis and recommendations to the evaluation committee to ensure selection of the most suitable partners.
• Facilitate and support contract negotiations to secure the best possible commercial and technical terms.

C. Project Implementation and Vendor Management

• Develop detailed project execution plans, including timelines, resource allocation, and governance structures.
• Oversee the implementation of awarded contracts, ensuring vendor adherence to quality standards, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Establish robust monitoring mechanisms to track project progress and provide regular, detailed status reports to senior management.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between vendors, contractors, and internal departments to ensure smooth execution and delivery.

D. Specialized Procurement Advisory

• Provide expert guidance on the unique procurement challenges associated with electric vehicle deployment, alternative fuel conversions, and other technologically advanced transport solutions.
• Advise on innovative funding strategies, public-private partnership (PPP) models, and the commercial structuring of contracts to maximize value and minimize risk.

A. Educational Qualifications

• Essential: A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (B.E./B.Tech.) in Mechanical, Production, Electrical, or Automobile disciplines.
• Essential: A Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA/PGDM) or an equivalent postgraduate qualification.

B. Professional Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of proven experience in managing procurement, bidding, and implementation for projects within the transport domain.
• Demonstrable experience working as a consultant for transport sector projects (e.g., Road Transport, Railways, Ports, Logistics) with government bodies (Central/State), Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), or other public transport authorities.
• Hands-on, expert-level experience in the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and the drafting of complex Request for Proposals (RFPs) for large-scale public procurement.
• Proven domain experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable:
  • Procurement of electric buses on a GCC model.
  • Retro-fitment of diesel vehicles to alternative fuels (CNG/LNG).
  • Implementation of National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) systems.
  • Logistics and Parcel service projects within a transport utility.
• A strong track record of successfully managing the end-to-end bid process for large-scale government or public sector contracts.

  CRISIL is seeking a highly experienced and professional Procurement & Bid Management Consultant to be deployed at a major public transportation authority. This role is central to managing the procurement lifecycle for a portfolio of critical, large-scale projects aimed at modernizing and enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of public transport infrastructure.

  The consultant will be responsible for the end-to-end management of procurement and strategic initiatives, including but not limited to:

• The procurement of bus fleets, particularly under innovative models like Gross Cost Contract (GCC).
• The retro-fitment of the existing vehicle fleet to alternative fuels (e.g., CNG, LNG).
• The implementation of electric vehicles and the development of associated charging and maintenance infrastructure.
• Advisory on the procurement process for other key projects such as Vehicle Tracking Systems (VTS), Passenger Information Systems (PIS), and logistics/parcel services.

• The ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert in public sector procurement, playing a crucial role in the entire project lifecycle—from strategy, feasibility, and bid-document preparation to bid process management, contract negotiation, and implementation oversight.

  2. Key Responsibilities

  The consultant will be primarily responsible for the following activities:

  A. Procurement Strategy and Project Planning

• Develop procurement strategies aligned with the organization's long-term goals and public procurement policies.
• Conduct comprehensive needs assessments and feasibility studies to define project scope and technical requirements.
• Perform in-depth cost-benefit and risk analysis for proposed procurements, developing detailed mitigation plans.

• B. Bid Process Management and Contract Award

• Prepare and draft comprehensive, clear, and compliant bidding documents, including Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), and tender documents.
• Manage the entire bid process, from tender publication to bid opening, including conducting pre-bid meetings and managing all bidder communications and clarifications.
• Lead the technical and financial evaluation of bids, providing expert analysis and recommendations to the evaluation committee to ensure selection of the most suitable partners.
• Facilitate and support contract negotiations to secure the best possible commercial and technical terms.

• C. Project Implementation and Vendor Management

• Develop detailed project execution plans, including timelines, resource allocation, and governance structures.
• Oversee the implementation of awarded contracts, ensuring vendor adherence to quality standards, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Establish robust monitoring mechanisms to track project progress and provide regular, detailed status reports to senior management.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between vendors, contractors, and internal departments to ensure smooth execution and delivery.

• D. Specialized Procurement Advisory

• Provide expert guidance on the unique procurement challenges associated with electric vehicle deployment, alternative fuel conversions, and other technologically advanced transport solutions.
• Advise on innovative funding strategies, public-private partnership (PPP) models, and the commercial structuring of contracts to maximize value and minimize risk.
• 3. Required Qualifications and Experience

  A. Educational Qualifications

• Essential: A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (B.E./B.Tech.) in Mechanical, Production, Electrical, or Automobile disciplines.
• Essential: A Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA/PGDM) or an equivalent postgraduate qualification.

• B. Professional Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of proven experience in managing procurement, bidding, and implementation for projects within the transport domain.
• Demonstrable experience working as a consultant for transport sector projects (e.g., Road Transport, Railways, Ports, Logistics) with government bodies (Central/State), Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), or other public transport authorities.
• Hands-on, expert-level experience in the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and the drafting of complex Request for Proposals (RFPs) for large-scale public procurement.
• Proven domain experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable:
  • Procurement of electric buses on a GCC model.
  • Retro-fitment of diesel vehicles to alternative fuels (CNG/LNG).
  • Implementation of National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) systems.
  • Logistics and Parcel service projects within a transport utility.
• A strong track record of successfully managing the end-to-end bid process for large-scale government or public sector contracts.