REOI - Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for a 150 MWp Regional Solar Park in The Gambia

 REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – SELECTION OF FIRMS)

Country: Multinational-West African Power Pool (The Gambia)

Project: Solar development project in sub-Saharan Africa (phase 1)

Grant Nº: D3320

Project Identification No: P162580

Reference No: BJ-WAPP-102165-CS-QCBS

Assignment Title: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for a 150 MWp Regional Solar Park in The Gambia

The WEST AFRICAN POWER POOL (WAPP), a specialized institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), headquartered in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Solar development in Sub-Saharan Africa project (Phase I) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The Consulting services (“the Services”) include the preparation of a detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report comprising an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), and a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) for the identified site (s) of the Solar Park with Storage and the transmission lines between the Park and the utility substation.

The overall objective is to identify and assess the environmental and social impacts and risks inherent in the implementation of the project and prepare an ESMP by screening, scoping, defining baseline scenarios, predicting impacts, and developing robust and applicable management and monitoring plans to avoid, mitigate or remedy them according to the World Bank safeguards policies.

Specifically, the Services, among others, has to help: (i) validate from an environmental and social point of view the identified site (s), the transmission lines between the Park and the utility substation; (ii) develop an ESIA, ESMP, and a RAP after site (s) validation in order to obtain the “Environmental Permits” and “Funding Approvals” for the construction of the 150 MWp regional solar power plant; (iii) identify all impacts on the biological, physical, economic, social and human environments and analyze the risks / variants / alternatives for the project; (iv) develop a Public Consultation Plan (PCP) and the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) for the construction phase; (v) prevent an environmental degradation (safety and hygiene management) of the site (s) and the deterioration of the living environment of the populations after completion of the project.

The Consultant shall work closely with the consulting team responsible for the feasibility study and the Transaction Advisory Services to ensure the timely completion of the studies under this consultancy.

The total execution period of the assignment is estimated at 34 weeks i.e. eight and a half (8.5) months after the start of the services. The scheduled start date for the mission is December 2020.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be downloaded HERE

Please note that these TOR are indicative and could change before the publication of the Request for Proposals

The WEST AFRICAN POWER POOL now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

Shortlisting Criteria

The Shortlisting Criteria are:

1. Successfully completion of at least five (5) similar assignments (solar, thermal and hydroelectric power plants of at least 10 MW and on more than 100 ha), and two similar line studies project (HV power line of at least 90 kV on at least 10 km);
2. Strong experience in ESIA for similar solar park projects and the preparation of associated RAP and ESMP successfully completed over the last 10 years;
3. Good knowledge of The Gambia's laws and regulations on land management and public utility expropriation and demonstrated capacity in environmental and social studies, gender-based violence and land management issues including the World Bank's environmental and social safeguards policies on land acquisition / use / restrictions and involuntary resettlement;
4. Availability of in-house staff with strong technical and ESIA expertise with proven capabilities in developing solar ESIA projects in accordance with sustainable development principles. The firm must count with at least 3 keys out 8 specialists whose expertise may be called upon for the Services as part of its permanent staff.
5. Provide information about references provided.
6. Good knowledge of the West African region.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.