Monthly Progress Report: A-E Services to Support Infrastructure Related Programming in Solomon Islands

The initiative focuses on developing local economies in Malaita at a community level to support further growth at the provincial and national levels. SCALE's purpose is to drive expansion of market access and supporting infrastructure. The SCALE-A&E contract is designed to acquire qualified architectural and engineering services in support of SCALE. The contract focuses on objective b, strengthening and expanding the agribusiness sector. SCALE-A&E will complete analyses, feasibility studies, design, and construction oversight of small-scale infrastructure at approximately 10-20 sites. Task 1 involves providing sectoral analyses, planning, and draft design standards. Deliverables, including five reports and appendices, were submitted to USAID on June 27th, 2021, and cleared by the Acting Contracting Officer Representative on September 12th, 2021. Task 2 entails completing concept and pre-feasibility studies for the National Transport Commission (NTC) and related infrastructure. The SCALE A&E team identified two projects, Bina Bonale Pineapple Manufacturing Mill and Ontong Java Wharf, in consultation with the Malaita Provincial Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Funding sources are being identified, and pre-feasibility studies are underway. Task 3 involves providing pre-feasibility/concept study reviews for small-scale agribusiness and transaction advisory services for host country infrastructure development, including NTC and related infrastructure. The SCALE A&E team is conducting pre-feasibility studies for seven selected small-scale projects, with additional projects to be discussed in consultation with the Advisory Committee during October. The Malaita Provincial Infrastructure Advisory Committee finalized the list of recommended small-scale infrastructure projects to be designed and constructed by SCALE A&E. The list includes a multi-warehousing facility, taro processing facility, livestock mini-feed mill, fishery storage, kava processing facility, cocoa solar processing, and coconut mill. Field trips were conducted to Gwaigeo and Malu'u in Malaita Province on September 22nd and 24th. The SCALE A&E technical/social staff collected information regarding land ownership, drainage patterns, road and boat accessibilities, topography, availability of electricity and water supplies, and took photographs. The GPTech GIS Specialist recorded geographical coordinates of potential project locations. Gwaigeo has been identified as the recommended location for the multi-purpose warehouse, taro processing facility, livestock mini-feed mill, and kava processing facility. Malu'u has been identified as the recommended location for the fishery storage, coconut mill, and cocoa solar processing.