Governing Council

Minutes

Minutes No. 9
of the Meeting of Governing Council of Millennium Challenge Account - Armenia held on January 29, 2007

The session was chaired by Andranik Margaryan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the Chairman of the MCA-Armenia Governing Council.

In attendance:
Members of Governing Council:

Hovik Abrahamyan -	Minister of Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia
Andranik Manukyan -	Minister of Transport and Communication of the Republic of Armenia
Vardan Khachatryan -	Minister of Finance and Economy of the Republic of Armenia
David Lokyan -	Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia
Tonakan Ghazaryan -	"Shenik" WUA
Nazeli Vardanyan -	"Forests of Armenia" Environmental NGO
Karen Nazarian -	Armenian Inter-Church Round Table NGO

In absence of:
Members of Governing Council:

Vahram Nersissiants -	Chief Economic Advisor to President of Armenia
Vanik Soghomonyan -	"National Union of Farmers" NGO
Vardan Hambardzumyan -	Federation of Agricultural Associations Union of Legal Entities

Invitees:

Andranik Andreasyan -	President of the RA State Water Committee
David Avetisyan -	Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy

In attendance of

Ara Hovsepyan -	CEO, MCA-Armenia SNCO
Ruzanna Ghazaryan -	Secretary of the Governing Council, Legal Counsel of MCA-Armenia
Alex Russin -	MCC Resident Country Director, MCC Armenia
Edith Petrosyan -	MCC Office in Armenia, Project Assistant
Simon Ghonakhchyan -	Head of the Financial Administration of the Staff of RA Government
Petros Demirchyan -	Leading specialist of Public Relations Department of the Staff of RA Government

The following items were included in the meeting agenda:

1. Discussion and approval of MCA-Armenia SNCO quarterly report.

2. Discussion and approval of RFP and qualified participants list (shortlist) for "Consulting Services for Review and Improvement of Performance-based roads routine maintenance system".

3. Discussion and approval of combined technical-financial evaluation results of tender proposals for "Consulting Services For Environmental /Hydrological Baseline Study of Wetlands in Ararat valley.

4. Discussion and approval of Evaluation Committee structure, Requests for Proposals (tender documents), list of pre-qualified consultants (shortlist) for selection of company to implement "Consulting Services for Environmental and Social Assessment and Oversight".

5. Discussion and approval of final draft of Implementing Entity Agreement to be signed between MCA-Armenia SNCO and Water Sector Development and Institutional Improvements PIU SI.

6. Discussion and approval of final draft of Consulting Services Contract to be signed between MCA-Armenia SNCO and ACDI/VOCA (USA), ARCADIS Euroconsult (Holland) jointly with VISTAA (Armenia).

7. Other issues:

a. Information on including Human Resources specialist position in the staffing list of MCA-Armenia SNCO

b. Discussion of an issue of equal rights in respect of confidentiality principle for all members of Governing Council.

Resolutions:

As to the first item on the Agenda, to authorize MCA-Armenia based on the report presented review and incorporate the recommendations of Governing Council members and submit to GC's approval until March 1, 2007.

As to the second item on the Agenda, due to lack of information in the brief reference, presented to GC members, to authorize MCA-Armenia to update the attached documents and resubmit again to Governing Councils next meeting discussion.

As to the third item of the Agenda it was decided to authorize MCA-Armenia carry out additional study of legal status of companies, submitted their proposals for "Consulting Services For Environmental /Hydrological Baseline Study of Wetlands in Ararat valley, the legal status of AUA Environmental Protection Research Center, in particular and submit for Governing Council next meeting discussion.

Thus, based on GC members suggestion, it was decided to postpone the meeting and to discuss again all items of the Agenda in the revised format, with the exception of first item, during GC next meeting. The next meeting of Governing Council is scheduled for February 2, 2007.



MCA-Armenia Governing Council Chairman RA Prime Minister - A. Margaryan


Governing Council Secretary, Legal Counsel of MCA-Armenia - R. Ghazaryan