Quality Control for the Digitisation of Cadastral Maps, Albania.

New clarification added: 1.       Will scanned source maps be provided for visual QC comparison between geo-referenced and scanned raster image?Answer: The primary input for the QC Contractor consists of the deliverables produced by the Digitisation Contractor, which include scanned raster maps, geo-referenced images, and vectorised datasets. The available digital maps from the first registration will be also provided. Visual QC explicitly requires overlay comparison between raster and vector data for every map. Access to analogue source maps, when/where required, will be facilitated through the State Cadastre Agency (SCA) Local Directorates in accordance with the agreed Communication and Deliverable Acceptance Protocol. Under this link can be found some detailed information about the maps.(Sections 5; 6.3; 6.3.1; 6.3.3)2.       Are there any defined positional accuracy tolerances (e.g., RMSE, boundary tolerance)?Answer: Positional accuracy is governed by the geo-referencing standards defined in the ToR. The QC Contractor is required to verify achieved RMSE residuals resulting from “fit-for-purpose” geo-referencing transformations (e.g. affine or rubber-sheeting). No fixed numeric RMSE threshold is prescribed; however, accuracy must be consistent with map scale, national standards, and ASPRS positional accuracy standards, and must be sufficient to ensure correct overlay with adjacent maps and internal consistency.(Sections 4.2.1; 6.3.2; 6.4.1)3.       Is there an official cadastral digitization/QC manual or standard document to be followed?Answer: There is no single standalone QC manual. The applicable standards, procedures, and acceptance criteria are comprehensively defined in the ToR, including international standards (ISO 19157, ISO 9001, ASPRS, INSPIRE) and Albanian national cadastral requirements. During the inception phase, the QC Contractor is required to finalise and agree with SCA the detailed QC methodology, checklists, and reporting templates.(Sections 4; 6.2; 6.4).4.       What is the expected batch size (number of sheets per batch)?Answer: Batches are defined by Cadastral Zones (CZs) rather than a fixed number of map sheets. Each batch may include one or more CZs, depending on the Digitisation Contractor’s implementation plan and the capacity of the relevant SCA Local Directorates. The total number of CZs blocked at any given moment shall not exceed approximately 10%. The number of CZs processed simultaneously is constrained by the statutory 21-day freezing period and operational capacity.(Sections 6; 6.3; 10.2)5.       Are there any priority areas or high-risk zones requiring accelerated QC?Answer: No predefined priority or high-risk zones are identified at tender stage.Any prioritisation, risk-based sampling, or accelerated QC procedures will be agreed during the inception phase based on map condition, transaction intensity, and operational constraints identified jointly with SCA and UNOPS.(Sections 6.2; Annex 1).6.       Is there a standard template for QC reports and error logs?Answer: Templates are not provided at tender stage. The QC Contractor is required to develop QC report formats, error logs, and traceability registers during the inception phase, subject to review and approval by SCA and UNOPS. Mandatory content of QC reports is clearly specified in the ToR. (Sections 6.2; 6.4.3)7.       What level of detail is expected in QC reports (summary vs feature-level)?Answer: Both levels are required. QC reports must include:A summary of controls performed, and a detailed error log identifying issues at feature level, including error type, severity, and corrective actions, and other - subject to finalize during the inception phase.The report must conclude with an explicit acceptance or rejection decision for each Cadastral Zone.(Section 6.4.3).8.       How the QC results will be submitted, will it be in the form of standard GIS Layers along with annotated screenshots with marked errors?Answer: QC results shall be submitted through a combination of:Formal QC Reports, Structured error logs / traceability registers, and Supporting evidence, which may include GIS layers, attribute tables, and annotated visual materials (e.g. screenshots with property number identified), as appropriate.The exact formats and submission mechanisms will be finalised during the inception phase and reflected in the agreed Communication and Deliverable Acceptance Protocol  (for example the narrative form should be in word format, with screenshots included with property nr identified).All reports, including QC reports shall be submitted in both printed and electronic formats (ToRs Section 10.3). Full details about the submission of the QC results are provided in the Section 6.4 Process and Documentation.All communication shall take place through official channels defined in the Protocol  (e.g., dedicated email accounts, formal letters, shared repositories, and/or a digital QC Dashboard).A Request and Response Register will be developed and agreed during the Inception phase to document all communications and exchanges.(Sections 6.2; 6.4; 10.2; 10.3).9.       It is assumed that QC Contractor will only identify errors/revisions in the GIS dataset and Digitization Contractor will make necessary rectifications for final approval. Please confirm?Answer: The QC Contractor’s role is limited to independent verification, documentation, and reporting of errors and non-compliances.All corrective actions, re-scanning, re-geo-referencing, or re-vectorisation are the responsibility of the Digitisation Contractor. The QC Contractor verifies the corrected resubmissions. (Sections 6.1; 6.4.4; 10.1)10.     Will data be accessed via secure portals (VPNs), cloud platforms, or physical storage device?Answer: Data exchange mechanisms (secure portals, shared repositories, dashboards, or other controlled digital means) will be defined and agreed during the inception phase.All data handling must comply with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), national legislation, and UNOPS data protection policies. Any external storage, cloud hosting, or data transfer outside Albania requires prior written authorisation from UNOPS and SCA.(Sections 6.2; Data Protection and Confidentiality).Please also refer to the RFP Section V-Contract Forms, V-2_UNOPS Special Conditions of Contract. 

New clarification added: Please kindly clarify if CVs for QC Experts are required, or short introductions could be sufficient instead?Answer: Please refer to the amendment number 4 of the RFP, related to this clarification.Thank you

New amendment added #4: This amendment relates to an update of Section II: Qualification Criteria, as follow:- the requirement for key staff Project Manager/Team leader: Minimum seven (7) years working experience in Quality Control and/or Management of projects dealing with cadaster, digitising, mapping and/or property registration;- Bidders shall provide CVs for their proposed key/core personnel, as per Returnable Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel, under Section IV - Returnable Bidding Forms ("Documents" section)The amended parts are highlighted in yellow in the document: V2 - RFP Section II - Qualification criteria  - Quality Control for Digitization of Cadastral Maps in Albania​.UNOPS advises to remian up to date with the published amendment.

New clarification added: Is it po ssible to participate in this tender if we have participated in the tender of Digitalisations os the maps in Albania that is closed 15 of December. What are the possibilityes?Answer: Please refer to the Offerer's eligibility under Particulars section.

New clarification added: Please kindly attach the mentioned "video of the actual conditions of the maps and ToRs for the tender of Digitisation of Cadastral Maps, Albania", or clarify where they are available.Please also share the presentation shown on the pre-bid meeting held on 16 December. Answer: The video and the pre-bid meeting minutes are uploaded via the amendment #1.

New amendment added #3: This amendments has to do with the additional clarification on the offerer eligibility, under particulars tab.

New amendment added #2: This amendment concerns the following:The issuance of the pre-bid meeting minutes held on 16 December 2025 at 13:00 hours (Albanian time);The addition of a video illustrating the current condition of the maps;The addition of the previous tender's Terms of Reference, ref: RFP/2025/59824 – Digitisation of the Cadastre Maps, Albania;Updates to Section II: Evaluation Criteria. 

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and the Sampling Unit Definition, regarding the 30% manual verification sample, is this percentage applied to the total number of map sheets in a batch, or the total number of individual parcels?Answer: The 30% quality control (QC) sample is applicable to each individual digitised map to be verified. The sample must be randomly distributed across the map, ensuring coverage of the most representative features and cases.

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and specifically with reference to the 21-Day Legal Limit Liability, the ToR mentions the 21-day limit for freezing Cadastral Zones. Can UNOPS confirm that the QC Contractor will not be penalized if this limit is exceeded due to delays outside their control (e.g., slow corrections by the DC or administrative delays by the SCA)?Answer: The 21-day legal limit for freezing cadastral zones, as referenced in Section III: Schedule of Requirements, relates to the overall digitisation and quality control workflow. The roles, responsibilities, and timelines of the digitisation contractor are clearly defined in the Digitisation Terms of Reference (herewith attached the video of the actual conditions of the maps and ToRs  for the tender of Digitisation of Cadastral Maps, Albania, as a REFERENCE to the work that will be done by other Contractor_Digitising Contractor), including the procedures applicable in cases where the 21-day timeframe cannot be met. The QC Contractor is required to perform its tasks within the timeframes specified in its own Terms of Reference, based on the timely receipt of complete deliverables.UNOPS expects all contracted parties to coordinate closely to ensure timely implementation in line with contractual obligations, while recognizing that accountability for delays will be assessed in accordance with the respective contractual responsibilities.Please refer to the tender particulars: If the delay is owing to any other reasons related to the contractor and these have resulted in a loss to UNOPS, then liquidated damages must be applied.

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and specifically with reference to QC Reporting with 2 working days timeline. The ToR mandates a 2 working days turnaround for QC reports. Please clarify the exact trigger point: does the 48-hour clock start immediately upon data upload, or only after a preliminary automated check confirms data completeness?Answer: Chapter 10.2 of the ToR (Communication and Deliverable Acceptance Protocol), subsection Deliverable Acceptance Sequence, stipulates that the QC Contractor performs independent verification against the approved quality criteria and issues a QC Report (Accepted / Rejected) within two (2) working days of receipt.While no thresholds in hours are specified, the ToR clearly defines a timeframe of two working days from receipt, within which all QC activities are to be completed.It should also be noted that this QC assignment concerns the verification of AS-IS digitisation outputs of cadastral map data and does not require cross-checks or synergies with other registers (e.g. Kartelas) and other multi-verifications.

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and specifically with reference to QC Reporting with 2 working days timeline. The ToR mandates a 2 working days turnaround for QC reports. Please clarify the exact trigger point: does the 48-hour clock start immediately upon data upload, or only after a preliminary automated check confirms data completeness?Answer: Chapter 10.2 of the ToR (Communication and Deliverable Acceptance Protocol), under the sub-section Deliverable Acceptance Sequence, stipulates that the QC Contractor performs independent verification against the approved quality criteria and issues a QC Report (Accepted / Rejected) within two (2) working days of receipt.While no thresholds in hours are specified, the ToR clearly defines a timeframe of two working days from receipt, within which all QC activities are to be completed.It should also be noted that this QC assignment concerns the verification of AS-IS digitisation outputs of cadastral map data and does not require cross-checks or synergies with other registers (e.g. Kartelas) and other multi-verifications.

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and specifically with reference to QC Reporting with 2 working days timeline. The ToR mandates a 2 working days turnaround for QC reports. Please clarify the exact trigger point: does the 48-hour clock start immediately upon data upload, or only after a preliminary automated check confirms data completeness?Answer: Chapter 10.2 of the ToR (Communication and Deliverable Acceptance Protocol), under the sub-section Deliverable Acceptance Sequence, stipulates that the QC Contractor performs independent verification against the approved quality criteria and issues a QC Report (Accepted / Rejected) within two (2) working days of receipt.While no thresholds in hours are specified, the ToR clearly defines a timeframe of two working days from receipt, within which all QC activities are to be completed.It should also be noted that this QC assignment concerns the verification of AS-IS digitisation outputs of cadastral map data and does not require cross-checks or synergies with other registers (e.g. Kartelas) and other multi-verifications.

New clarification added: With regard to Section III: Schedule of Requirements and specifically dependence on the Digitisation Contractor (DC), the ToR states that the Quality Control (QC) schedule shall be aligned with the DC's plan. Can you please clarify how delays caused solely by the DC will be managed? Will the QC Contractor be granted an extension or compensation for idle resources if the DC fails to submit batches on time?Answer: The digitisation contract will be implemented in parallel with the quality control (QC) contract. The digitisation contractor is required to complete the work for each cadastral zone, after which the QC contractor will perform the corresponding quality control activities. The digitisation contractor will be subject to contractual requirements to ensure that the work is delivered both on time and in compliance with quality standards, assuring that all activities (digitisation, quality verification by the QC contractor, and control by the State Cadastre Agency) will be completed within a maximum timeframe of 21 days per cadastral zone.

New clarification added: We received the RFP on 11 December 2025, and we appreciate the opportunity to submit a proposal.We respectfully wish to bring to your attention that the current submission deadline of 6 January 2026 falls directly within the international holiday period, during which many organizations, including ours, operate with limited staff availability due to Christmas and New Year holidays. As a result, a significant number of key personnel are out of the office over the coming weeks, which presents challenges in preparing a high-quality and fully compliant proposal within the allotted time.In light of the above, we kindly request a reasonable extension of the submission deadline.An extension would help ensure fair competition and allow all invited participants to prepare their proposals with the diligence and quality that UN procurement processes merit.We would greatly appreciate your consideration of this request and would be grateful for any indication of a revised timeline at your earliest convenience.Thank you very much for your understanding.We look forward to your positive response.Answer: Dear interested bidder, the submission deadline for the RFP was extended. UNOPS advises to remain up to date with the published amendment. 

New amendment added #1: This amendment concerns the extension of the submission deadline, following requests from bidders due to the holiday season.