CALL FOR CVs–Expert Advisory Task Force for the Ethiopian Energy Authority’s Geothermal Directorate with Responses to Q&As

RFP Closed

CALL FOR CVs–Expert Advisory Task Force for the Ethiopian Energy Authority’s Geothermal Directorate with Responses to Q&As

Funding Agency:

United States Agency for International Development

Implementing Agency:

United States Energy Association

RFP Closing Date:

May 22nd, 2020

Questions Due Date:

May 17th, 2020

The United States Energy Association (USEA) is inviting prospective individuals through this Call for CVs to submit proposals to participate in an expert advisory task force for the Ethiopian Energy Authority’s Geothermal Directorate. This is an activity implemented by USEA, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of Power Africa.

Proposals are due by 17:00 hours EST of the closing date. Please forward your proposal in soft copy (PDF form) to Ms. Ashley Ndir, Deputy Program Director, at [email protected]

As this is a USAID-funded program, the Call for CVs follows USAID Procurement Regulations and Laws. All bidder details will be kept confidential.

EEA Team of Experts Call for CVs & Q&As.pdf

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Background and Scope

Introduction:

The U.S. Energy Association (USEA), headquartered in Washington, DC, is an association of public and private energy related organizations, corporations and government agencies. USEA represents the broad interests of the U.S. energy sector by increasing the understanding of energy issues, both domestically and internationally.

Through a cooperative agreement with the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3), USEA implements the Energy Utility Partnership Program (EUPP), available to all USAID-assisted countries and USAID Missions. EUPP supports the efforts in USAID-assisted developing countries to increase environmentally sustainable energy production and to improve the operational efficiency and increased financial viability of their utilities and related institutions, with the goal of increasing the access of these countries to environmentally sound energy services.

USEA conducts a number of activities under the EUPP mechanism for Power Africa - a U.S. Government-led partnership to increase Sub-Saharan Africa’s access to energy. Power Africa uses a wide range of U.S. government tools to support investment in Africa’s energy sector. From policy and regulatory best practices, to pre-feasibility studies and capacity building, to long-term financing, insurance, guarantees, credit enhancements and technical assistance, Power Africa provides coordinated support to help African partners expand their generation capacity and access.

The U.S.-East Africa Geothermal Partnership (EAGP) is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Energy Association (USEA). It was established in September 2012 to promote the development of geothermal energy projects and increase private sector investments in geothermal in East Africa. It also encourages and facilitates the involvement of the U.S. geothermal industry in the region. With an estimated 15,000 MW of potential geothermal capacity in East Africa - a clean, reliable, baseload power solution – geothermal energy is critical to East Africa’s economic development especially as a base-load power source.

Background:

The Government of Ethiopia (GoE) is aggressively working to develop their nation’s 7,000 MW of geothermal resources. GoE has set a target generating capacity of 2,500 MW from geothermal resources by 2030. In order to support the GoE’s objectives, the United States Government (USG), through Power Africa, has been collaborating with the private sector and other development finance institutions (DFIs) to accelerate the development of Ethiopia’s geothermal resources.

In 2016 the Ethiopian Parliament passed the Geothermal Resources Development Proclamation (GRDP). The Proclamation has mandated EEA with the issuance and monitoring of geothermal licenses in Ethiopia. Thus, the creation of EEA’s Geothermal Resource Development License Administration (GRDLA). The GRDLA is assigned the task of conducting compliance and monitoring activity, facilitating approval of permits for drilling plans, drilling programs, well design plans, drilling permits and reviewing of the regulatory aspects of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Implementation Agreement (IA). With drilling activities commencing in Ethiopia, it is critical timing for EEA’s GRDLA to be able to call upon a team of experts to assist them in the review process.

This Call for CVs aims to identify up to 4 experts, to each provide remote assistance to EEA’s GRDLA management and staff under the direction of USEA.

The expert’s qualifications could include:
•   Geothermal technical expertise (exploration, drilling, geothermal reservoir and utilization)
•   Legal expertise
•   Regulatory expertise (experience in private sector or with a regulator)

Specific experience sought includes:
•   Establishing organizational policies and procedures for a regulatory body
•   Developing/reviewing drilling plans
•   Developing/reviewing drilling programs
•   Developing/reviewing well design plans
•   Developing drilling permitting procedures and directives
•   Assisting in monitoring of drilling operations
•   Reviewing regulatory aspects of PPAs and IAs

Scope of Work:

The objective of this Consultancy is to support EEA’s GRDLA in developing effective and efficient regulation of Ethiopia’s geothermal resources by providing assistance in developing internal policies and procedures and assisting with review of external licensing and compliance requests.

PROJECT TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

At the onset of this contract the Consultant(s) will review available documentation on Ethiopia’s Geothermal Resource Development Proclamation as well as the Geothermal Directives. The Consultant(s) will then carry out the following:

Task 1: Internal Operational Support
The internal operational support could include sub-tasks such as:
•   Provide feedback on geothermal directives and guidelines
•   Internal document management
•   Internal structuring of staff assignments
•   Structuring of review processes and procedures

Task 2: External Review:
The external review process could include sub-tasks such as:
•   Review drilling plans
•   Review drilling programs
•   Review well design plans
•   Reviewing data collection and management of drilling activities
•   Guiding monitoring of geothermal operation activities
•   Reviewing regulatory aspects of PPAs and IAs

Implementation and Deliverables

Deliverables:

Consultants will be assigned tasks on a demand driven basis following requests from EEA to EAGP. EAGP will then assign consultants to respond to a specific task order with a clear scope of work and deliverables assigned to the particular task order. Consultants will be expected to maintain time sheet records on an ongoing basis and provide these time sheet records to EAGP for budget tracking purposes.

Since the work will be driven by the volume and scope of task orders from EEA, the exact level of effort is unknown. However, the level of effort per consultant is expected to be between 10-15 days over the scope of this project.

Proposal Preparation:

The proposal must contain the following:

a)   A cover letter; explaining areas of expertise and work experience
b)   A CV, including:
•   Past roles in regulatory bodies;
•   Description of past work as it relates to geothermal regulation
c)   Company/organization Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and confirmation of current status in the System of Award Management (SAM); if the submitter is an individual consultant, SAM/DUNS information is not required.
d)   Completed USAID Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet forms for each employee proposed for this project (https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-1420-17). Please include consultant’s proposed hourly rates for this activity.

Timeframe and Submission

Evaluation Criteria:

Selection of an offer for contract award will be based on an evaluation of the technical qualifications, including prior relevant experience, as well as proposed hourly rate.

Bidders (organizations or companies) are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and maintain a current registration in the System of Award Management (SAM). Individual consultants are not required to have a DUNS number or SAM registration.

A subcontract agreement between USEA and the Consultant shall be subject to all USAID Special Terms and Conditions, including all mandatory FAR Flow-Down clauses, where applicable, and the provisions included in 2CFR200 and 2CFR700. All bidders are strongly encouraged to review these provisions prior to submitting a proposal.

•   Standard Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303maa.pdf
•   2CFR200: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2014-title2-v...
•   2CFR700: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2015-title2-v...

Subcontract agreement management, oversight and payment will be carried out by USEA.

Timeframe:

The team of selected technical experts will be available to EEA to provide their remote assistance through December 31, 2021.

For all questions and clarification requests please contact Ms. Ashley Ndir, Senior Program Coordinator, at [email protected]. Please submit questions prior to 5:00pm May 15th, 2020. All questions and answers shall be made public on the USEA website on May 18th, so that all interested parties are fully informed.

Questions and Responses

1. The RFP notes, “the level of effort per consultant is expected to be between 10-15 days over the scope of this project”. This implies a total of 40-60 days (assuming 4 experts) for the entire contract. Is this correct? Is this a ceiling?

Yes, this is correct. The maximum number of days is expected to be between 10-15 per consultant, however, this is not a contract ceiling. We are requesting the consultant submitting their CV to also state their hourly rate.

2. If fewer than 3 experts are proposed, will the proposal still be considered?

Yes, your CVs will be considered for the team of experts. However, not all experts proposed may be selected following this Call for CVs. Experts will be selected on an individual basis.

3. Can the expert team include local (Ethiopian) experts?

Yes, the team of experts we select can be comprised of local or international experts

4. Given the RFP envisions all remote assistance, does EAGP have the ability to support communications, the flow of information, and support for implementation to realize the experts’ recommendations?

EAGP has the ability to support communications, information flow, and potential support for implementation to realize the recommendations of the team of experts.

5. Will there be any input needed for the on-going projects in negotiation (pre-PPA signing/drilling)?

The specific tasks under the assistance to EEA will be determined in collaboration with the Director of the Geothermal Directorate and USAID. Once the specific tasks are identified USEA will give a direct task order to the consultant or consultants who best fits the required task.

6. Can the proposed budget include an administrative fee?

The Consultant(s) should submit their hourly rate including any overhead and fringe expenses.

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RFP Closed