The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center awarded to the association led by Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV) the contract to provide consulting service for the UP Los Baños (UPLB) Agro-Industrial Information and Technology Parks Project (Agri-Futura) through the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) on November 23, 2020.
“We are excited about this project with the UPLB, especially amid this pandemic when we cannot underscore enough the crucial role of science and technology in the lives of Filipinos. Projects like this provide a venue to draw the best and the brightest minds from the academe and research community to partner with industry players in creating and building new technologies and services that are more responsive to the growing needs of the citizenry,” the PPP Center said.
The project will build Agro-Industrial and Information Technology Parks that feature world-class academic, research, and community support facilities that would enable the conduct of collaboration, scholarly exchanges, and scientific innovation. It hopes to transform UPLB into a preferred destination of locators by establishing a robust academe-industry partnership with target partners, delivering innovative new products/services to the market through its research facilities (i.e., Institute of Plant Breeding, BIOTECH – Philippine National Collection of Microorganism, National Crop Protection Center) as well as the involvement of its pool of experts that include engineers, agriculturists, chemists, etc.
The University envisions Agri-Futura to be a community for scientists and research professionals where collaboration and creativity thrive; it shall be a melting pot of innovation and research catering to industries challenged by rapidly changing technologies. As learning and innovation go hand-in-hand, UPLB has a distinct advantage to provide an environment for collaborative learning and give technical support for research and development through its academic and research units.
As a founding member of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, UPLB seeks to foster collaborative works with partner institutions to enhance graduate education in agriculture, environment, and natural resources in the region.
The consulting service to be provided by SGV to UPLB will include the development of the project’s feasibility study and PPP structuring, preparation of bid documents, assistance during the bidding process, and provision of technical advice until financial close.
The delivery of this end to end technical advisory service is part of the PPP Center’s mandate to facilitate the implementation of the country’s PPP program and projects. The PDMF is a revolving fund which may be tapped to engage consultants for the development of bankable PPP projects, as well as for effective monitoring of their implementation. The Facility is available for all national government agencies and local government entities, including local government units and state universities and colleges throughout the country.
