REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP)
Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IDA-D6530
Assignment Title: Assessment of Energy Efficiency, Load Management and Renewable Energy Options
Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): GM-NAWEC-191765-CS-CQS-BIS
The Gambia is a fragile country that is in the process of a major political and economic transition following a 22-year long autocratic rule that left the country impoverished, highly indebted, and a in a very fragile state. The Government of The Gambia (GoTG) has taken important steps to lay the foundations for democracy and set the country on a new development path. Responding to the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation, GoTG has developed the Gambia National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA), which provides a policy framework to address the impact of climate change at national and local levels. This Plan prioritizes the energy and water sectors as country priorities.
The energy sector, particularly the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has implemented a number of measures to increase generation capacity, improve supply and efficiency, increase electricity access, and reduce transmission and distribution losses. Thereby contributing to debt reduction. However, NAWEC faces technical, organizational, and financial challenges and remains financially unviable, with high electricity costs, continuing financial losses, and high debt.
Management of the water sector is somewhat fragmented. The Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources (MFWR) is responsible for the overall management of water resources as well as for rural water supply and sanitation services, while NAWEC is the public utility responsible for provision of water supply and sanitation services. While the Gambia is endowed with ample water resources, the economic value of these resources is not fully exploited.
Urban water supply, which is under NAWEC’s responsibility, is in crisis. In urban areas, about 69 percent of the population has access to safely managed water, but the quality of services is poor due to frequent service outages, with some neighborhoods not receiving water for days, weeks or even months at a time. Preoccupied by emergency measures to contain the water cuts, NAWEC has not been able to extend services in urban areas at a time when urbanization has been growing at a rate of 4.5 percent a year, and many areas still lack access to water.
In 2018, The World Bank initiated the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project. The Project Development Objectives (PDOs) are to improve the operational performance of NAWEC and improve the capacity of NAWEC to dispatch variable renewable electricity. This project is intended to support the country’s first utility‐scale solar PV plant, upgrades to the T&D infrastructure needed to absorb variable energy and imports, and extension of the distribution backbone throughout the country. The World Bank is now preparing to provide additional financing (AF) to this project.
The proposed AF will allow the project to meet the PDOs and increase the Project’s developmental impact. The AF will address three issues: (i) a funding gap for Component 2 of the original Project; (ii) scale up investments in metering and energy efficiency; and (iii) address the funding gap for sector turnaround activities, which in the case of the water sector, represent a quick response to the current water crisis through targeted interventions. These actions would include reforms related to NAWEC’s financial and commercial performance, measures to improve NAWEC’s ability to reduce losses related to non-revenue water (NRW), actions to improve the efficiency of water pumping systems, storage and water treatment processes; and strategic studies for water, sanitation and energy and capacity building for NAWEC’s water staff.
A key element of the AF is a comprehensive energy audit of the water operations of NAWEC in the Banjul urban area to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, implement cost-effective renewable energy resources, and reduce operating costs, consistent with global best practice, and to increase NAWEC’s capacity for delivering water and sanitation services. The AF will also identify options for developing a sustainable financing mechanism for investments in energy efficiency and NRW reduction in the water operations of NAWEC throughout the country.
The overall objective of this assignment is to conduct a detailed energy and water audit of the NAWEC water supply, distribution and treatment system in the Banjul urban area to identify, assess and recommend opportunities for improving energy efficiency and load management and implementing renewable energy options.
Scope of Work
The Consultant shall apply its know-how and expertise in energy and water audits, using international best practice, to:
- document in detail the NAWEC water supply, distribution, and treatment system in the Banjul urban area;
- create a robust baseline of water and energy use based on a survey of actual operating conditions;
- establish detailed data on electricity and water-use patterns,
- Identify the major energy-intensive equipment and systems;
- identify and assess potential for optimization of electricity use patterns,
- create a list of specific energy efficiency and water savings measures,
- define the opportunities for cost savings and reduced power curtailment (blackouts or brownouts) through load management by shifting large pumping operations from peak to off-peak electricity use periods;
- Identify opportunities for utilization of renewable energy, such as solar PV.
- identify and assess potential for generating power in wastewater treatments plants, gravity lines, the raw water canals, solar collectors on the roofs of filtration plants and other buildings (or any other possibility), and
- identify the investment requirements and project paybacks for the opportunities for improved efficiency and cost savings.
The contract will be for a Firm, that will report to the PIU Coordinator.
The estimated period of performance is eight (8) months.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained from NAWEC’s Website: www.nawec.gm.
National Water and Electricity Company Limited (NAWEC) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services.
Required Firm Qualifications and Experience
The Consultant must demonstrate experience in:
- Conducting investment-grade energy audits for water supply, distribution and sanitation systems
- Flow measurements for bulk water supply and distribution networks and creation of water and energy balance
- Knowledge and understanding of water treatment facilities and related technology options
- Understanding of electricity distribution systems
- Experience in carrying out prefeasibility of engineering and costing with raw and/or treated water, assessment of renewable energy options.
- Experience in conducting similar works in the region is required
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 and revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the 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 Consultant’s Qualification-based Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 16:00:
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 19th January 2021.
The Managing Director
National Water and Electricity Company
Attn: Haddy Njie – Project Coordinator
53 Mamadi Maniyang Highway
Kanifing, K.M.C.
P.O. Box 609, Banjul
The Gambia
Tel: +220 4376607 / 4376608
Fax: +220 4375990
E-mail: hnjie@nawec.gm (and copy to mfsanyang@nawec.gm)