Recruitment of a transaction consultant to develop a regional solar park auction system in Niger

 REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

REF: BJ-WAPP-172293-CS-QCBS

Country: Multinational-West African Power Pool (Niger)

SOLAR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA - PHASE 1

Project Identification Number: P 162580

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: RECRUITMENT OF A TRANSACTIONS ADVISOR TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL SOLAR PARK AUCTION SYSTEM IN NIGER

The General Secretariat of the West African Power Pool (“WAPP”), a specialized institution of the Economic Community of West African States (“ECOWAS”) has received a donation from the Association International de Développement ("AID") and intends to use part of this funding to make payments for Consultant Services to develop an auction system in NIGER for the selection of one or more IPP in charge of the financing, construction, and operation of the Regional Solar Park.

The Consulting Services (“Services”) include the following tasks:

Phase 1:

1. legal due diligence;
2. the evaluation of commercial contracts and the drafting of draft contracts;
3. financial due diligence;
4. the design of the auction process;
5. consultation with the private sector in coordination with the Government;
6. the development of pre-qualification documents and the tender dossier;
7. capacity building of actors.

Phase 2 (optional, will be contracted with the Nigerian Government and will only be awarded after the satisfactory performance of the Phase 1 services):

1. support for the IPP pre-selection process;
2. support for the tendering process
3. assistance in the evaluation of tenders;
4. assistance with contract negotiation and support until financial close

The level of effort of the key personnel to be provided for phase 1 is estimated at 18 man-months and the total execution period of the mission is estimated at 44 weeks. For the optional phase, the level of effort to be provided is estimated at 19 man-months for phase 2 for a period of 6 to 8 months. The planned start date of the mission is September 2022.

The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for the assignment can be viewed and/or downloaded from the following website: www.ecowapp.org/en/tenders

Please note that these ToR are indicative and could change before the publication of the “Request for Proposals”.

The WAPP General Secretariat invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate 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: (i) reference of similar services and comparable assignments; (ii) experience in the development of solar auctions for the selection of one or more IPPs, (iii) Knowledge of the electricity sub-sector of West Africa. Key experts will not be evaluated at the pre-selection stage.

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, Edition of July 2016 (revised in November 2017) (“ Procurement Regulations”), setting out the World Bank's policy on conflicts of interest.

Consultants can associate with other firms to form a consortium (joint venture) to increase their chances of qualification, but must clearly indicate whether the association is a consortium or a subcontractor. In the case of a consortium, all the partners of the association are jointly and severally responsible for the entire execution of the contract if they are selected.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (“QBCB”) method set out in the “Tender Regulations”

Further information can be obtained from email: andorere@ecowapp.org with copy to: msdiedhiou@ecowapp.org; nmbanzabigwi@ecowapp.org and bhessou@ecowapp.org

Expressions of interest must be presented in writing in French. Due to the Covid-19 crisis, events in PDF must be sent exclusively by email no later than March 01, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. local Cotonou time to the secure address below: procurement@ecowapp.org

No paper submissions will be accepted and any paper submissions sent to WAPP's head office will be rejected. Expressions of interest will be clearly marked: "EOI - Recruitment of a transaction consultant to develop a regional solar park auction system in NIGER - REF: BJ-WAPP- 172293 -CS-QCBS".

Candidates who wish to participate online in the opening of the events will send a request to the address below no later than February 25, 2022 and the link to connect will be sent to them in due course.
Mr Mouhamadou S. DIEDHIOU Email: msdiedhiou@ecowapp.org