13 November 2015: The deadline for submission of expressions of interest is extended to 30 November 2015 at 23:59 London time.
In 2013 the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD or the “Bank”) established the Sustainable Resource Initiative (“SRI”). The SRI is an ‘umbrella’ initiative that develops the Bank’s range of transition support instruments in three areas:
- sustainable energy - under the existing Sustainable Energy Initiative (“SEI”);
- water efficiency; and
- materials efficiency.
This umbrella approach allows the Bank to develop each component flexibly, reflecting strategic policy and pragmatic business opportunities in each component.
To further support implementation of the SRI, the Bank has established an SRI Policy Dialogue Framework (the “SRI Framework” or the “Programme”). The main aim of the SRI Framework is to support the implementation of the SRI through the provision of well-targeted, high-quality advice and support relating to policy development and implementation in the EBRD countries of operation (full list of EBRD countries of operations (“COOs”) is available at www.ebrd.com). The SRI Framework is structured with three windows covering:
1. Sustainable Energy and Integrated Resource (including associated climate resilience issues);
2. Materials Efficiency; and
3. Water Efficiency (including associated climate resilience issues).
In this context, the EBRD is seeking to contract consultancy firms for the Sustainable Energy and Integrated Resources Window who will provide policy dialogue assistance that would further strengthen the Bank’s ability to deliver its transition mandate under the SRI Framework.
Framework Agreements for the Programme
The Bank intends to enter into Framework Agreements with up to five consultants (Framework Consultant or Consultant) to enable the Bank to call upon a shortlist of pre-qualified firms from which it can quickly and efficiently obtain reliable services. The Framework Contract will establish, in advance, fee rates for experts, contract terms and agreements, and procedures that will govern individual assignments (Assignments or Call-offs) to be required to implement the Programme. Under these Framework Agreements, the Bank will have the option, but not the obligation, to place individual Assignments with the selected Framework Consultants.
Framework Consultants will be selected for individual Assignments in accordance with EBRD’s Procurement Policies and Rules (PP and R). The Bank may send to the Framework Consultant(s) specific Terms of Reference for the Assignment (Specific ToR). The Specific ToR will include a description of the tasks to be performed, time-schedules and reporting instructions. The Framework Consultant(s) should respond by sending to the Bank a technical and financial proposal for the Assignment together with details of the Expert(s) proposed to carry out the work. The Bank will then assess the response(s) and – subject to successful negotiations - issue a call-off notice (Call-Off Notice) for the individual Assignment to the selected Framework Consultant.
Description of individual Assignments (Call-offs):
The main aim of the Sustainable Energy and Integrated Resources Window (the “Window”) is to support the implementation of the SRI through the provision of well-targeted, high-quality advice and support relating to energy and integrated resource policy formulation and implementation. The Window will comprise several assignments to be undertaken by the consultants who will be awarded Framework Agreements upon completion of this selection process. The selected consultants will be required to support the following three main areas:
a) Policy Prioritisation
These assignments would focus on assisting EBRD clients, where requested, to understand the priority areas for policy development. This prioritisation would be achieved through a range of activities that focus on energy, climate resilience and integrated resource and include:
- mapping of resource-intensive sectors and processes, identifying market potential for optimal resource use by sectors;
- identifying barriers to market penetration of resource-efficient and sustainable technologies, including affordability, local production, import and distribution, and awareness-raising;
- providing a critical review of international good practice in policy instruments to address barriers to resource efficiency and sustainable energy;
- establishing a repository of global best-practice information on resource efficiency and sustainable energy, including examples of ‘investment grade’ policy frameworks and project documentation;
- identifying priority policy gaps and recommending appropriate policy instruments to address these gaps;
- identifying priorities for promoting climate resilience in key sectors and industries relevant to EBRD operations, and for integrating practical climate resilience measures (both structural and non-structural) into investment planning and PD activities;
- ex-post monitoring of policy reform activities and its impact on investments to identify persistent market barriers and inform the design of remedial policies.
b) Policy and Sector Reform Advice
These assignments would support wider sector reform to address identified policy gaps and the establishment of legislative, regulatory and institutional structures governing energy, climate resilience and integrated resource management through long-term engagement with governments while also including the opinions of all other relevant stakeholders. In particular, the focus would be on addressing the major resource challenges by providing support for:
- establishing well-designed legal and regulatory frameworks for resource management and sustainable energy that promote the introduction of commercialised structures, good governance principles, demand-side measures and greater private sector participation (“PSP”);
- establishing efficient and effective resource pricing mechanisms (through the introduction of the principles of full cost recovery) that introduce incentives for better use of resources and increase financial sustainability of the sector’s operations;
- setting standards for resource governance and business conduct, including performance indicators and monitoring systems, to ensure compliance with the environmental and participatory requirements and demonstrate and set a good example for other companies to follow.
c) Capacity building and knowledge sharing
These assignments would support and facilitate policy-related capacity building and knowledge sharing to strengthen the implementation of policy instruments and the understanding of how the policies interact with or impact on the investment environment. It is anticipated that the Window Consultants would be requested to assist in tasks such as:
- institutional strengthening and capacity building at the national and local government levels to adequately tackle resource challenges, build up a critical mass of local capability to plan, prepare, structure, manage and deliver resources;
- identifying opportunities for integrating a participatory approach that aims to raise awareness and promote meaningful involvement of representatives of local communities and civil society in sustainable resources use and management.
- strengthen capacities to develop and integrate climate risk management and adaptation into policy planning;
- build capacities and share knowledge in developing corporate resource reporting and disclosure methodologies;
- providing capacity building and assistance in adopting international best practice in managing resources (incl. management systems), energy efficiency standards for equipment and processes (ISO certification, labelling scheme, etc.); and
- promoting knowledge sharing by drawing lessons learned and disseminate the results of various policy reform activities.
Status of Selection Process: Interested firms or groups of firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Programme Start Date and Duration: The Programme is expected to start in February 2016. The selected Framework Consultants will be engaged via Framework Agreements with a validity period of up to 60 months.
Cost Estimate for the Programme and Assignments: EUR 3,000,000.00; exclusive of VAT (cumulative, for up to 5 framework agreements); Subject to availability of funding, the performance of the selected Framework Consultant(s) and the specific needs of the Bank the Framework Agreements may be extended beyond the current scope. The cost estimate for individual Assignments will vary depending on their specific scope, but individual budgets are expected to be between EUR 75,000 – EUR 300,000.00 (exclusive of VAT).
The Consultant must determine whether any VAT would be chargeable on the services and the basis for that determination, without taking into consideration the special status of the Bank as an IFI and state this to the Bank in their response to the Invitation for Expressions of Interest. To the extent that a Consultant incurs input VAT on goods and services purchased in connection with the provision of services (e.g. VAT on airline ticket) which is not otherwise recoverable by the consultant from the local tax authority, the gross cost to the consultant of such expenses shall be treated as a reimbursable expense.
Funding Source: The Programme is expected to be funded by the EBRD's donor funded Technical Cooperation Funds Programme. Please note that selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions.
Framework Consultant Profile: Corporate services are required. The Consultant will be a firm or a group of firms preferably with previous project experience related to
- policy-related project experience in sustainable energy and integrated resource issues in the energy and climate resilience sectors preferably in EBRD COOs;
- provision of technical policy advice to major energy or resource efficiency projects, for example as owners' or lenders' engineer, including expertise in grid absorption and system planning studies, preferably in EBRD COOs;
- participation in structuring and negotiating significant contractual frameworks for sustainable energy and/or resource efficiency projects, including provision of legal advice, preferably in EBRD COOs.
The Consultant’s expert team for project implementation is expected to include the following key experts listed below, for the purposes of evaluation of expressions of interest please provide CVs of experts as follows:
- 2 CVs for Project Managers/Team Leaders with a university degree or equivalent qualification with preferably 10 years professional experience in sustainable energy and/or integrated resource issues, with comprehensive experience of similar assignments in EBRD region. The expert should demonstrate management and administration experience, including experience with procedures of international financing agencies (preferably EBRD procedures);
- 2 CVs for Regulatory and institutional experts with extensive previous professional experience in policy work in sustainable energy and/or integrated resource issues;
- 3 CVs for Training experts with relevant sustainable energy and/or integrated resource sectors experience;
- 3 CVs for Technical specialists and engineers with extensive previous professional experience in both sustainable energy and resource efficiency, including familiarity with grid integration and system absorption issues;
- 3 CVs for Financial analysts with extensive previous professional financial modelling experience;
- 3 CVs for Lawyers qualified to practice in at least one jurisdiction of EBRD countries of operation and with demonstrated experience in both civil and common law jurisdictions, including experience with structuring tenders and drafting and negotiating contractual frameworks in the energy sector;
- 3 CVs for Environmental and Social specialists with experience in Environmental and social impact assessments and Environmental and Social due diligence, stakeholder engagement, public consultation and disclosure in the local context, gender and inclusion expertise, and/or resettlement expertise, in the sub-sectors covered; familiarity and expertise with addressing and promoting gender equality issues preferred.
Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultants seeking to be selected for the Programme, the information submitted should include the following:
- Company/group of firms’ profile, organisation and staffing (max. 2-4 pages);
- Details of previous project experience or similar assignments particularly undertaken in the previous ten years, including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) , main activities, objectives;
- CVs of key experts who could be available to work on the Assignment detailing qualifications, experience in similar assignments, particularly preferably undertaken in the previous ten years, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), experts months provided, assignment budget, main activities, objectives;
- Completed Consultant Declaration Form and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:
http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc.
The above information should not exceed 20 pages excluding CVs and contact sheet.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted in English electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The complete expression of interest (including cover letter, CV, declaration and contact sheet etc.) shall be one file (pdf) to be uploaded to eSelection. The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of experts submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size (4 MB) is exceeded, the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files
Bank Contact Persons:
Maria Haugh
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: + 44 20 7338 7185
e-mail: haughm@ebrd.com
(submissions should be sent through eSelection and NOT to this email address)
Notes:
1. Subject to satisfactory response to this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified consultants will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.
2. The shortlist criteria are as follows:
1. Firm’s policy-related project experience in sustainable energy and integrated resource issues in the energy and climate resilience sectors, preferably in EBRD COOs - 20%
2. Firm’s previous provision of technical policy advice to major energy or resource efficiency projects, for example as owners' or lenders' engineer, including expertise in grid absorption and system planning studies, preferably in EBRD COOs - 30%
3. Firm’s participation in structuring and negotiating significant contractual frameworks for sustainable energy and/or resource efficiency projects, including provision of legal advice preferably in EBRD COOs - 20%
4. Qualifications of Experts - 30%
