| Overview : Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCBs) has been demonstrated to cause environmental and health effects including cancer, as well as a variety of other adverse effects on the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems. Due to PCBs' environmental toxicity and negative effects on human health, PCBs production was banned by the United States Congress in 1979 and by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) which was adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004. The convention requires its parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. In its efforts to manage POPs including PCBs, Rwanda ratified the Stockholm Convention in July 2002. The country also deposited a National Implementation Plan (NIP) with the Stockholm Convention in 2007 that outlined the National Action Plan for the management of POPs in the country. In order to support the implementation NIP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided funds with co-financing from Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (currently Rwanda Energy Group Limited) and Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) to support the Management and Disposal of PCBs project in Rwanda. This project is implemented by REMA in collaboration with relevant government institutions. The project fits within the country’s evolving priorities associated with sound management of chemicals and environmental management initiatives. The project is consistent with the following UNDAP (2013 -2018) outcome: Rwanda has an in place improved systems for: sustainable management of the environment, natural resources and renewable energy resources, energy access and security, for environmental and climate change resilience, in line with Rio+20 recommendations for sustainable development. The project has an overall objective of providing Rwanda with the tools to achieve effective compliance with respect to its convention obligations and to substantively minimize the environmental and health risks of PCBs, both locally and globally. The project has the following components: - Complete PCB inventory through enhanced cooperation with the Government bodies and equipment holders and selection of options for PCB disposal;
- Legislative support to aid the operation of PCB management system;
- Stakeholders and public sensitized, PCB equipment holders handle equipment in well informed and responsible manner;
- Safe disposal of PCB equipment, oils and waste material.
Implementation of this project has a major global environmental benefit in the mitigation or elimination of risks associated with the release of PCBs into the environment and their subsequent global distribution with resultant ecological and human health impacts from the exposure to this chemical. In Rwanda, the project will greatly improve the management and disposal of PCBs stockpiles and waste while at the same time strengthening technical, regulatory and institutional capacity to handle PCBs. Application procedure Proposals comprising technical proposals and financial proposals in sealed separate envelopes or separate emails must be submitted before Tuesday, February 21st, 2017 and via email or courier mail to the address below: United Nations Développent Programme P.O Box 445 Kigali, Rwanda, 12 Avenue de l’Armée, Rwanda Attn: Head of Procurement Unit Email: offers.rw@undp.org | 
