Search      Advanced Search

Amended - Technical, Environmental and Social Consultant(s) for the Tina River Hydro Power Project, Solomon Islands

Request For Expressions of Interest

Versions
Edition 4:   Nov 25, 2009 (shown)
Edition 3:   Nov 25, 2009
Edition 2:   Nov 25, 2009
Edition 1:   Nov 18, 2009

General Information
Country:   Solomon Islands
Notice/Contract Number:   REOI 10-0548
Publication Date:   Nov 25, 2009
Deadline:   Dec 7, 2009
Funding Agency:   World Bank
Buyer:   World Bank Trust Funds
Original Language:   English

Contact Information
Address:   Conrado Flores
IFC
2121 Pennsylvia Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20433
United States
Telephone:   202 458 8764
Email:   Click here

Assignments

 

Original Text

      view in:

Amended Request for Expressions of Interest
Technical, Environmental and Social Consultant(s) for the Tina River Hydro Power Project, Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands (SI), a post-conflict country, is the third-largest Pacific Island Countries (PIC) with Honiara as its capital. It consists of nearly 1,000 islands- 350 inhabited- spread over 1.35 million km2 with a land area of 29,785 km2. The current population is around 500,000, with around 86% rural and the urban population living in one city - Honiara. The population is expected to reach 700,000 (with 100,000 in Honiara) by 2019.

The Government of Solomon Islands (SIG) is seeking private sector investment to develop a 6-20MW hydro-power facility on the Tina River (“Project”). A feasibility study funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) (completion expected in April 2010) will determine the size and location of the proposed project.

The Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA) currently uses as much as 90% of its monthly operational budget for fuel purchases. Wholly or partially replacing the diesel-powered generators with hydropower will significantly decrease both the SIEA’s dependence on imported fuel, use of foreign exchange and overall power generation costs.

The World Bank is undertaking the Tina River Hydropower Development Project (TRHDP) for project preparation and implementation. The World Bank is also leading the Solomon Islands Sustainable Energy Project (SISEP) to commercialize and improve the creditworthiness of SIEA. SIG has established a Task Force under the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MEMRE) with representation from a broad range of other ministries. The Task Force will represent SIG in all aspects related to the implementation of the Project. A Project Office, which will act as the secretariat of the Task Force, will be established before the end of 2009, and its staff will work on a full time basis on all day-to-day aspects related to project implementation.

In line with the objective of diversifying the generation fuel mix, saving foreign currency, and meeting electricity demand, SIG wishes to invite and select a private sector hydro-power developer via a competitive tender process for the Tina River Hydro IPP and has appointed IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, as transaction advisor for the preparation and implementation of the tender process.

IFC requires consultants who will provide advice and support to IFC in relation to the technical, social and environmental aspects of the Project and help structure the Project as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The Technical, Environmental & Social Consultant(s) (“Technical Consultant”) will work under the coordination and supervision of IFC.

The Technical Consultant is expected to include the following experts and carry out the responsibilities outlined below.

Hydro-power expert
The key tasks to be performed include:-
1) Identify and advise on key technical issues related to the Project, including engineering, commercial and financial issues;
2) Review electricity demand and supply data in relation to the Solomon Islands;
3) Develop technical specifications (including engineering, procurement and construction guidelines) and performance standards for the Project and estimate and advise on the Project costs including construction and operation and maintenance;
4) Review and advise on tariff structure and tariff-setting policies;
5) Identify key technical issues of the Project and assist in presenting the same;
6) Assist in promoting the Project, including providing technical inputs for the Information Memorandum, and participating in investor meetings;
7) Support pre-qualification and evaluation of bids (including commenting on and providing technical inputs to the pre-qualification and bidding criteria and documents), where relevant; and
8) Support post-bid discussions or negotiations, where relevant, up to financial closure

Environmental and Social expert(s)
The key tasks to be performed include:-
1) Identify and advice on the relevant environmental and social aspects of the Project;
2) Analyze the environment and social risks;
3) Assist in preparing draft Project agreements, where required;
4) Assist in preparing the RFP, including the design of the bid criteria and the process for bid evaluation and review of the final RFP, as necessary; and
5) Advise on and prepare the final Project documents.

The assignment will start in February 2010 and take between eighteen (18) and twenty four (24) months to finish.

IFC now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing their services by submitting a response to this Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI). Please note that consulting firms may associate with other interested firms or individuals to enhance their qualifications. Individuals and/or firms that have been determined to be qualified through the evaluated results of this first stage may be invited to submit proposals in response to the Request for Proposals (RFP) that will be issued at a later date.

Interested consultants must provide the following information to indicate that they are qualified to perform the services:
• Your expertise and experience with any prior similar assignments (including experience in similar conditions; and availability of appropriate skills among staff)
• Declaration or statement of capacity to meet the World Bank Group’s Vendor Eligibility Criteria as found on www.worldbank.org/corporateprocurement .

Responses must be in writing and sent to the undersigned only by e-mail no later than 6:00 PM Washington DC time, 7th December 2009. Please limit your responses to five (5) pages. For responses exceeding 5 pages, IFC reserves the right to consider only the first 5. Elaborate artworks are neither required nor encouraged. Should you decide to provide marketing brochures, please include them only as attachments. They will not be considered as a substitute for written responses.

By responding to this REOI, you are confirming compliance with the World Bank Group Procurement Policy.

The responses will be reviewed and those consultants deemed best qualified in IFC’s judgment will be short-listed according to the following criteria:

The following qualifications are mandatory:
• Experience in analyzing hydrological studies and, based on findings, designing and constructing hydro-power projects of similar size in Asia, Oceania or the Pacific;
• Experience in preparing detailed Project Reports; and
• Experience in carrying out Social & Environmental Impact Assessment Studies in Asia, Oceania or the Pacific.

The following qualifications are desirable:
• International experience in the hydro-power sector in similar geographic conditions and size; and
• Private sector participation (PSP) and PPP experience in similar projects.

IFC reserves the right to limit the number of qualified firms that will be shortlisted for efficiency. IFC reserves the right to verify any information provided, or request additional information after EOI packages are received. IFC reserves the right to proceed, or to not proceed, with issuing an RFP; or modify the scope of work provided in the RFP to meet Project requirements, as necessary.

All data and information received from IFC for the purpose of this assignment are to be treated confidentially and are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference. The contents of written materials obtained and used in this assignment may not be disclosed to any third parties without the express advance written notice of IFC.

All correspondence related to this REOI should be addressed in writing only by sending an e-mail to cflores@worldbank.org.

IFC will not be responsible for any verbal explanation or interpretation of these documents.

Sincerely,

Conrado Flores
GSDPR
Please note that this notice is for your information only.
We try our best to have the most accurate and up-to-date information available on our web site, but we cannot guarantee that all of the information provided is error-free.
If you have any suggestions for updates/corrections for this notice, please let us know.