Request For Expressions Of Interest (REOI) for Business Support Services Firm (BSSF), Selection of a Consulting firm to Support Somaliland ESPs in Setting up Technical and Business Management Systems and Operations Procedures

GOVERNMENT OF SOMALILAND

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERALS 

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

Country: Government of Somaliland

Name of Project: Somali Electricity Sector Recovery Project

Project ID: P173088, IDA-D9310

Assignment Title: Business Support Services Firm (BSSF), Selection of a Consulting firm to Support Somaliland ESPs in Setting up Technical and Business Management Systems and Operations Procedures.

Type of Appointment: Firm

Reference No.: SO-MOEM-313363-CS-QCBS

Place of Assignment: Hargeisa, Somaliland

The Government of Somaliland has received a grant from the World Bank to implement the Somali Electricity Sector Recovery Project (SESRP). The Project Development Objective of SESRP is to increase access to electricity services and to re-establish the electricity supply industry in the Project Areas.

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals (the Ministry) has established a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to carry out the day-to-day activities of project planning, coordination, and implementation of the Somali Electricity Sector Recovery Project.

The project comprises of the following four components: (i) Sub-transmission and distribution network reconstruction, reinforcement, and operations efficiency in the major load centers of Hargeisa; (ii) Hybridization and battery storage systems for mini-grids; (iii) Stand-alone solar off-grid access to public institutions (Health and Education); (iv) Institutional Development and Capacity Building.

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals intends to competitively hire a Consultancy Services firm (“Business Support Service Firm [BSSF]”) to Assist ESPs in setting up managerial, technical and financial processes to enable their compliance with license obligations, support the growth of their businesses and expand their service footprints in an organized manner to reach more segments of the population efficiently. BSSF to enhance the technical and institutional capacity of ESPs in key functions of the electricity utility business, including corporate planning, commercial and network management, and operations. BSSF to Guide the ESPs in the process and determining the feasible path to take on increasing renewable resources in their generation mix. BSSF to support and guide the day-to-day sector undertakings over a medium term to re-establish the Somaliland electricity sector, covering policy and regulations, oversight, operations, and management.

The BSSF Consultancy firm will be responsible for providing business support services to Beneficiary ESPs initially the Hargeisa ESPs (Sompower, TEC, Indho Power, Maansoor Power) and Berbera for BEC. The experts provided by the BSSF will work as advisors twinned/embedded with the ESPs counterparts for a period of 2 years’ time-based contract.

The BSSF Consultant will initially conduct a detailed assessment of the beneficiary ESPs current state of operations and associated systems and procedures and prepare a business support services delivery plan for the beneficiary ESPs as part of the Inception Stage. The plan shall also include twinning (attachment of various ESP personnel and staff to the Firm’s parent utility) as part of part of capacity building for local counterparts. The Consultant also required to provide training and capacity-building workshops to the other ESPs (apart from those in Sompower, Indho Power, TEC, Maansoor Power and BEC) on a need basis guided by on-ground assessments of capacity needs and bespoke requirements.

The consulting firm will be engaged for a period of 24 Months from commencement.

The Consultant will report to the project coordinator and undertake all the specific tasks detailed out in the Terms of Reference (TOR). The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following website: www.moem-sl.com and www.moem.govsomaliland.org it can be provided upon submission of application in person or by e-mail. The e-mail address is provided below.

The Government of Somaliland (GoSL) 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 (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).  The short-listing criteria are as follows:

1. Core business of the firm and years in business.
2. Experience in conducting similar assignments on the Electricity, generation, transmission, and distribution including retail sales of electricity with experience in emerging markets with similar services and its operations in the last five years. The Consultant shall provide the name and contact address of the Client (office and e-mail address and telephone number), date(s) of execution, name (s) of lead and associate firms, contract amount and financing sources.
3. Demonstrated experience of undertaking similar assignments in an FCV countries similar to that of Somaliland; and
4. The technical and managerial organization of the firm. (Provide only the structure of the organization). Do not provide CVs of staff. Key experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. 

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers: Procurement in Investment Financing - Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services dated July 2016 and revised in November 2017 August 2018, November 2020, and September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualification but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub consultancy. In case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations.

Interested Consultant may obtain further information at the address below during office hours from 8:30am to 16.00Hrs Hargeisa time (Excluding public holidays).     

Expressions of interest (EOI) should be delivered (in person or by e-mail) in a written form in three (3) hard copies (if not by e-mail) to the address below by extended deadline 11th April 2024 at 16:00 Hours (Hargeisa Time)

Attention: The Project Coordinator,

Ministry of Energy and Minerals

Somali Electricity Sector Recovery Project

Project Implementation Unit

Road #1, 26 June Avenue in Sha,ab Area,

Opposite the Presidential Palace,

Hargeisa, Somaliland

Republic of Somaliland

Email: [email protected] and copy [email protected], and  [email protected]

Tel: +252633605658/653605658