1. Historical Background

2. The Goals

3. The Objectives

4. Eligibility for Membership

5. Activities and Achievement of SCAEF in the Last 16 Years

6. International Membership

7. SCAEF's Representation in Various National Committees

8. Hosting of National and International Events

9. Training Avenue

1. Historical Background

The consulting industry in Nepal received new opportunities and challenges from early-seventies when government departments started using private professional to provide services in small scale engineering projects. Since then, though the industry is in a continuous path of growth, the parallel support from the concerned quarters of the formulation of appropriate polices, regulations and environment for healthy development could not take place.
Thus, in order to protect the interest of consulting industry of the country, the Society of Consulting Architectural & Engineering firms, Nepal (SCAEF) was registered with the then HMG/N on November 20, 1990 under the collective endeavor of the professional consulting firms. The Government has recognized SCAEF as the National Body on August 15, 1996 and has designed Ministry of Physical Planning and Works as "Line Ministry" to look after the interest of SCAEF and its member firms on February 22, 2005. The Public Works Directives (PWD), January 2002, published by the then HMG/N requires the consulting firms to be registered with the professional societies mandatory for getting short listed to participate in proposal submission.

2. The Goals

SCAEF is a non-government organization established with the broader goals to develop the consulting industry in Nepal.

• by contributing to nation building through the provision of skillful and professional services.

• By safeguarding the professional rights, interest, privileges and duties of the consulting profession.

3. The Objectives

The objectives of SCAEF are to:
(a) encourage the development and upliftment of the business and professional interest of Nepalese Consulting firms.
(b) Create a conducive atmosphere for healthy competition amongst consulting firms.
(c) Create a situation conducive to greater participation by Nepalese Consulting in development projects within Nepal and abroad and lessen Nepal's dependence on foreign consultants
(d) Enable small firms to render consulting services in large scale projects through joint ventures, and
(e) Setup affiliation with international societies and associations.

4. Eligibility for Membership

The constitution of SCAEF has laid the following eligibility criteria for membership:
(a) Membership is limited to Nepalese registered consulting firms only.
(b) Companies operated by employees of Government and Government owned corporations are not eligible for the membership.
(c) The member shall strictly adhere to the constitutional provisions are the directives given by the Executive Committee of SCAEF.
(d) For membership with voting rights, at least one of the proprietors or partners or directors of the firm shall be graduate from a recognized institution in the field recognized by Nepal Engineering Council for its membership. Such proprietors or partners or directors should have full time involvement in the firm.
(e) The Consulting Firm registered, but not matching the criteria as mentioned in (d) above can only be an affiliated member with no voting rights.

5. Activities and Achievement of SCAEF in the Last 16 Years

Of the several actions undertaken, the following are some of the major achievement made by SCAEF to wards the development of Consulting Services:

• A remarkable solidarity has been shown by the member firms towards the institutional and professional development of the society.

• A firm stand taken by the member firms in protest against the detrimental provisions in the Financial Administrative Regulation (FAR) used by the then HMG/N and other Nepalese institutions for the procurement of the consulting services, has led to the amendments in the then HMG/N's Financial Administration Regulations with the following results:
    >> The lowest bidding system has been abolished for selection of consultants and QCBS system with the weightage of 80% for technical and 20% in general, for financial proposal has been adopted by the government while evaluating the proposal.
     >> The abolishing of the bid bond and performance bond.
    >> Tax Deduction at Source of Payment has been reduced from 15% to 1.5% of the total payable amount.

• A firm commitment by the member firms to render professional and qualitative services during the discharge of their duties

• With the constant effort of SCAEF, the Government owned consultancy firm NEPECON has been dissolved as the competition was not in equal footing

• Designation of Ministry of Physical Planning and Works as "Line Ministry" to look after the interest of SCAEF and its member firms (February 22, 2005)
  Obtaining of membership and continuation of participation in the international forum of FIDIC and TCDPAP

• Recognition of SCAEF by various national and international institutions as a National Body of Consulting Industry in Nepal

• Established link with International Trade Center UNCTAD/GARE (ITC) for Technical Consultancy Development Programme for Asia and the Pacific (TCDPAP)

• Persuasion in the practice and implementation of "Code of Conduct" prepared by SCAEF in order to promote ethical behavior among the consulting firms

• Organizing programmes like discussions, workshops, seminars, talk programmes etc. are regularly held to enlighten the importance of consulting services

• Professional support programmes organized in order to enhance the capability and institutionalization of consulting industry

• Following its broader goals, SCAEF is assisting the government and other agencies in various activities of national importance, such as:
    >> Provision of expert advice on formulation of Terms of Reference (ToR), general condition of contracts and procedures for the selection of consultants
    >> Contribution to the government's efforts in preparing pertinent national laws, by-laws, regulations, code of practices, standards etc.
    >> Contribution to the subject matters of national interest namely formulation of development plans, sectoral strategy, human resources development etc.

• Earthquake awareness programmes are being held through the Earthquake Awareness cell of SCAEF in association with NSET, which eventually led to the formation of National Forum for Earthquake Safety (NFES)

• Preparation of Proposal for the Development of Appropriate and Supportive Policies and Regulation for the Development of the Consulting Industry, as a result, the Construction Industry Development Act is already prepared in draft.

• Preparation of National Policy Paper on "Prospect and Constrains of Public-Private-Partnership in Urban Waste Management" for Government of Nepal, 2006.
   

6. International Membership

SCAEF has acquired the following international memberships

• FIDIC >>International Federation of Consulting Engineers

• TCDPAP >> Technical Consultancy Development Programme for Asia and the Pacific

7. SCAEF's Representation in Various National Committees

The recognition of the importance of SCAEF has led to its representation in the following national committees:

• Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) headed by Hon. Ministry of Physical Planning and works

• CIDIC, Construction Industry Development Implementation Committee under Ministry of Physical Planning and Works

• Drafting of Public Works Directives for the Government

• Building Construction Management Committee under Ministry of Physical Planning and works (MPPW)

• Nepal national Committee, International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage (NENICID)

• Nepal Standard Standardization Committee formed under Nepal Bureau of Standards
  Construction Industry Training Center (CITC)

• NEFS, National Forum for Earthquake Safety

• Standard Document & Building Code Sub Committee for the Construction Enterprise Development Council under MPPW

• Road Maintenance Fund under the then Ministry of Works and Transport

8. Hosting of National and International Events

SCAEF has been entrusted to host the following National and International Events

• International Workshops for TCDPAP on "Consultancy in the Next Millennium", June 26-28, 1998 organized by SCAEF in collaboration with APCTT, ESCAP and ITC

• SAARC Seminar on "Managing BoT Infrastructure Development", July 28-30, 1999, jointly organized by SCAEF, NICMAR (India) and Nepal Engineering College.

• Seminar on "Development of Domestic Consulting Services", on various dates jointly organized by SCAEF, the Asian Development Bank, Manila and Construction Industry Training Centre (every year)

• Seminar and Workshop on "Role of Service Industry to be included in the Tenth Five Year Development Plan of Nepal", for National Planning Commission of Nepal

• National seminar on "Environmental and Quality Management Systems" in the ESCAP region jointly organized with RECAST, Nepal, the focal point of APCIT

• Seminar on "Role of A/E Consultants and Designers in promoting Earthquake Safety Initiatives", July 2003

• Training Programme on "Quality Management in Consulting Services", jointly organized with TCDPAP on Aug 22, 2003

• Two Workshop on "Strengthening Relationship with Professional Societies/Organization" January 11 and December 12, 2004

9. Training Avenue

SCAEF jointly with Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal and Nepal Engineering College has formed Construction Industry Training Center (CITC) for training construction related manpower.