Annual environmental and social performance audit of the Northcore Project

The Governments of Nigeria, Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso have obtained financing from the World Bank to cover part of the cost of the 330 kV Electricity Interconnection Project called the “Northcore Project” and intend to use part of this financing to make payments for Consulting Services for carrying out the audit to verify the environmental and social performance of the Northcore Project.
This project consists of the construction of a 330 kV electric power transmission line over approximately 880 km linking Kalgo in Nigeria to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso via Niamey and Zabori in Niger with a segment connecting the Zabori substation to the Malanville in Benin as well as associated positions.

2. Scope of services
The services expected from the Candidate relate to the environmental and social performance verification audit aimed at assessing the level of compliance of the project with the applicable environmental and social requirements.

The audit will specifically focus on assessing the degree of compliance with the provisions of the financing agreements, including national laws, regulations and procedures as well as the environmental and social requirements of the TFPs, identify non-compliances, good practices and deficiencies, and recommend corrective actions.

3. Mission duration
The total duration of the mission is estimated at 60 calendar days per audit, for three audits (from 2019 to 2023, from January to June 2024 and from January to December 2024), with the key experts working part-time. The planned start date of the mission is May 2024.

4. Terms of Reference
Detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the mission can be obtained upon request by sending an email to the following address: procurement@wappnorthcore.org with a copy to info@wappnorthcore.org.

5. Qualifications of Consultants and pre-selection criteria
The WAPP Northcore Project invites eligible Consultants to express their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The pre-selection criteria are based on the general and specific experiences of the candidates defined as follows:

- Be a design office or a group of design offices with at least ten (10) years of practical experience in environmental and social assessment and specifically in:

1. carrying out annual environmental and social performance audits;
2. carrying out environmental and social impact studies (ESIAs), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs);
3. implementation and/or monitoring and environmental surveillance (SSEnv)

- The consultant must also attest to experience in the development of environmental and social studies, and environmental and social compliance audits as well as in the implementation of ESMPs for projects financed by the AFD (French Development Agency). ) and/or the ADB (African Development Bank) and/or the WB (World Bank).

- He must not have participated in an environmental and/or social assessment mission as part of the WAPP-Northcore Project.

The minimum score required to be eligible is 70 points/100.

Consultants having obtained a score greater than or equal to 70/100 will be ranked to establish the shortlist on the basis of which the selected consultants will be invited to submit their proposal.

6. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” of the World Bank, July 2016 Edition revised in November 2017 and in August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting out the World Bank’s policy on conflicts of interest.
7. Consultants may associate with other Consultants to form an association (joint venture) to increase their chances of qualifications, but must clearly indicate whether the association is a joint venture (Grouping) and/or a sub -processing.
In the case of a joint venture, all partners of the association are jointly and severally responsible for the entire execution of the contract if they are retained.
8. The Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (“QBSS”) method set out in the “Procurement Regulations”.
9. Further information can be obtained at the email address: procurement@wappnorthcore.org with a copy to info@wappnorthcore.org.
10. Expressions of interest must be presented in writing in French, in electronic form (PDF Format) to the email address mentioned above, no later than February 6, 2024 at 11:00 a.m., GMT + 1. L The subject of the email must clearly state: “Safeguards Audit – Northcore Project”