1 - Business Consultancy - Asphalt Plant

TERMS OF REFERENCE
For the Recruitment of a Consultant to Prepare a Plan to Establish a Feasible Business Model to Facilitate the Establishment of the
Thompson Region Asphalt Project (TRAP).
Background
The City of Thompson and other regional groups have long identified a significant need for a regional asphalt plant. This not only owing to  the fact that the region has been faced with the dilemma of limited availability of contractors, materials, equipment and costs associated with increasing asphalt prices, which directly affect the maintenance and long term expansion plans of regional communities and organizations. Additionally, it has been identified through a local assessment that the cost of asphalt supplied to the Thompson region is two to three times more costly when compared to its southern counterparts. This is largely owing to our geographic location. Therefore having a regional mobile plant would reduce the cost associated with mobilisation. The establishment of such a plant has been however, prohibited by various factors, chief of which is the capital cost outlay associated with such a venture.  
It is anticipated that as a result this project a business model will be developed to further facilitate a business development/engagement process, to ensure that Thompson and its surrounding communities have an adequate supply of hot mix asphalt (HMA) at a competitive price point sometime in the near future.  
Consultancy Objective
The project will be approached in two (2) separate phases. The objective of this consultancy will be to facilities the completion of TRAP PHASE 1.
The first phase of the TRAP Project will see to the development of a detailed feasibility analysis and business plan. The plan will examine some of the barriers and risks associated with the startup of a mobile asphalt mix plant in the region and develop a means of averting those risks in order to have a financially sustainable business model that can be established in the north for the north, it will include implementation plan to execute the phase 2.