West African Power Pool (WAPP) Recruitment for Consultants - Feasibility Study

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) is a Specialized Agency of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), based in Cotonou in the Republic of Benin, established by the Authority of Head of States and Governments of ECOWAS Member States to ensure the integration of the national power system operations into a unified regional electricity market in order to provide the citizens of ECOWAS Member States with a regular, stable and reliable electricity supply at affordable costs, over the medium to long term. This aims to encourage industrialisation, improve Health and Education, Reduce Poverty, Create Employment Opportunities, etc

We invite applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Feasibility Study and Development of Bidding Documents

Project Identification Number: P162933
Location: Cotonou, Republic of Benin
Project: WAPP Nigeria-Benin-Togo-Ghana-Côte D'ivoire Media Project 330 KV Medieval Interconnection Project
Country: Multinational-West African Power Exchange System (WAPP)

Description

• The General Secretariat of the West African Power Exchange System ("WAPP") has requested a grant from the World Bank and intends to use part of this funding to make payments for Consulting Services for conducting a Feasibility Study and the preparation of Call for Tenders for the 330 kV Double Tern Nigeria - Benin - Togo - Ghana - Côte d'Ivoire WAPP Median Interconnection Project.

Scope of Services
Consulting Services ("the Services") include:

Feasibility Study:

• Determination of the technical feasibility of the project;
• Economic and financial analysis of the project, including risk and sensitivity analyzes;
• Preliminary engineering design at the feasibility stage and development of functional specifications;
• Proposal of an appropriate institutional framework and an organization to be put in place allowing, among other things, to minimize the risks of implementing the project under the best cost and delay conditions and to facilitate the coordinated operation of the interconnection once commissioned;
• Preliminary engineering design, cost estimation of medium and low voltage structures for electrification of communities / localities around substations and along the interconnection line using appropriate e technology;

Preparation of the Bidding Documents:

• Preparation of bidding documents;
• Proposal for a suitable allotment for procurement of design and construction contracts

Sales Executive:

• Proposal for an average cost of transporting electrical energy on the interconnection line
• Update and / or preparation of commercial contracts;
• Assistance during the negotiations;

Training:

• Transfer of technological know-how through the training of counterpart staff in project preparation.
• The level of effort of key personnel to provide is estimated at 40-50 man-months. The total duration of the study is estimated at 62 weeks. The expected date of commencement of the mission is April-May 2019.

Consultant Qualifications and Screening Criteria
The WAPP General Secretariat invites eligible consulting firms ("Consultants") to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The screening criteria are:

• Experience and relevant skills in the preparation of electricity projects,
• Relevant experience and skills in a high-voltage line feasibility study (at least 220 kV) of cross-border interconnection covering minus two countries,
• Strong expertise and experience in establishing business framework to operate interconnection lines,
• Strong expertise and experience in defining institutional framework for implementing multi-country projects,
• Knowledge of the electricity sector in West Africa.
• Key personnel will not be evaluated at this screening stage.

Additional Information

• The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the "World Bank Procurement Rules for IPF Borrowers", July 2016 edition revised in November 2017 and August 2018 ("Procurement Regulations"), setting out the World Bank's Conflict of Interest Policy.
• Consultants can partner with other firms to form an association (joint venture) to increase their chances of qualifying but must clearly indicate whether the association is a joint venture and / or subcontracting. In the case of a joint venture, all partners of the association are jointly and severally liable for the full execution of the contract if they are retained.
• A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection ("QCBS") method set out in the "Procurement Regulations".

Application Closing Date
9th September, 2019 (10:00 local time in Benin).

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates (Consultants) should submit their Expressions of Interest in writing in French and English, providing 1 original + 4 copies + 1 electronic copy on USB key in French and 2 copies + 1 electronic copy of the expression of interest translated into English.  The expressions of interest must be filed in a sealed envelope bearing, "Expression of interest for the realization of a study of Feasibility and development of Bidding Documents of WAPP 330 kV Median Interconnection Project", and sent to:
Attn: M. Siengui Apollinaire KI, Secretary General,
West African Power Pool (WAPP),
Zone des Ambassades, PK6, Akpakpa,
06 BP 2907 Cotonou,
Republic of Bénin.

Click here to Download the detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) (PDF)

Click here for more information

Note

• Please note that these ToRs are indicative and may change prior to the publication of the Request for Proposals.
• Interested Consultants are informed that a separate Notice of Expressions of Interest for the completion of a Line Drawing Study and an Environmental and Social Impact Study has also been launched. It is brought to their attention that they can be awarded only one of the two contracts at a time.
• Close collaboration with the Consultant in charge of the Line Drawing Study and the Environmental and Social Impact is necessary.
• Further information can be obtained from email: procurement@ecowapp.org and copied to: bhessou@ecowapp.org ; andorere@ecowapp.org ; and nisoumana@ecowapp.org
• Tel.: +229 21374195 / 71 44,  Fax. +229 21374197.