Procurement Notices

Context of the Requirement

UNCDF’s inclusive digital economy programme in Uganda

Over the next five years (2019-2024) UNCDF in Uganda will be implementing a programme on developing Uganda’s digital economy as part of its new global strategy of “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”. The Programme has a specific focus on empowering rural communities, smallholder farmers, agri-businesses and refugees - to lead productive and healthy lives, by expanding access and usage of digital services.

Digital solutions and technologies present incredible potential to address a range of societal problems, improve livelihoods and support the attainment of the Sustainable development goals. First, as an accelerator and enabler of access to (and delivery of) basic services in various sectors and for excluded / vulnerable segments. Secondly, in cutting the costs of uncertainty, asymmetries of information, and securitization of information on transactions amongst large numbers of small, widely dispersed players. Thirdly in breaking the barriers of access to information and communication: market information, learning about opportunities and exchange of knowledge. Fourth, as a source of new solutions and business models that improve livelihoods. Fifth, digital trails improve transparency and therefore accountability in management and governance.

Digital innovations are already demonstrating their transformative impact in Uganda’sfinancial sector (Mobile money and Agency banking), energy sector (PAYGO solar), transportation sector (ride hailing – Uber, Taxify and Safeboda),etc.

Uganda has made significant progress in terms of driving access to digital infrastructure (telecommunication network, broad band connectivity, mobile connections, etc). Usage has also grown but still a lot more could be achieved in terms of diffusing the use of ICT’s and digital innovation across all sectors of the economy.

Context for the assignment

Despite the significant renewable energy play, the sector remains constrained with challenges, duplicated efforts, and siloed actions from partners. And while, private sector players, development partners have led and contributed toward RE technology development and deployment, capacity building, and information and awareness creation, most of the initiatives in place (current and planned), have not kept pace with needed improvements in physical infrastructure and electrification targets for the country. Thus, the renewable energy sector in Uganda is fragmented. Limited in integrated planning, lacks quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, clear reporting, and knowledge dissemination culture. This fragmentation has escalated duplication of efforts, exposed the gaps in quality assurance and constrained experience in ensuring system sustainability. Moreover, with such modus of development, it is difficult to hold entities accountable, and any dialogue with end users/customers is reduced to ‘hear say’ which tends to taint the image of certain renewable energy technologies, and the energy sector as whole.

As such, there is critical need for strengthening and sustaining the effort for coordination of the renewable energy sector planning, implementation, monitoring as well as charting a way that the sector can be unified towards a common cause. It is against this backdrop that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) seeks to get involved, to support coordination amongst the sector stakeholders, players, and actors through a common platform. The formation of a National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP) that brings together all RE sector actors.

The NREP will consist of a physical coordination platform which brings together various players in renewable energy space working towards promoting collective action, subsidiarity and harmonization that can lead to economies of scale and a digital platform to support collection, analysis, aggregation and reporting of data and information relevant for the transformation and growth of the renewable energy sector. The platform will also seek to organize, coordinate, contribute to policy development, and boost quality assurance and accountability in the sector as a way of ensuring that the renewable energy ecosystem bears substantial benefits given the significant role it plays in development of Uganda.

The platform will ensure national representation and harmonization of the renewable energy sector through coordination of various stakeholders and players, while ensuring central governance, enabling the alignment for strategic actions that solve institutional, technical, and regulatory challenges experienced in the sector. Specifically, the national renewable energy platform will:

• Optimize coordination of players/stakeholders and increase access to wider partnership opportunities in the development and delivery of collective actions to address shared challenges in the renewable energy sector.
• Shape and develop a harmonized strategic direction for the renewable energy sector
• Act as a platform that consolidates all relevant national RE policies, regulations and institutional framework on an ongoing basis.
• Strengthen private sector and institutional capacities in the renewable energy sector
• Ensure quality assurance of technology implementation within the renewable energy sector
• Strengthen national and global partnership to improve access to low-cost finance for RE&EE
• Improve access to pristine management of information, including funding opportunities for the renewable energy sector in Uganda and regionally.
•  Conduct scientific and research studies, develop, and introduce new technologies

Implementing Partner of UNCDF

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and Agencies.

Brief Description of the Required Services

UNCDF is seeking to engage the services of a consulting firm to carry out a market and technical scoping to inform the development, commissioning and operational of a digital National Renewable Energy Platform. The assignment is in the initial stage of assessment of the relevance and feasibility of developing the digital National Renewable Energy Platform.  The draft architecture of the digital NREP  is envisioned to include modules for policy and regulation, information gathering and aggregation, digital transactions, credit scoring, online market place, investments and data analytics.The firm will support UNCDF and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development  to carry out the following tasks:

• Identify key constraints and opportunities for developing the digital national renewable energy platform.
• Mapping the key stakeholders and existing digital platforms promoting access to energy. Information for existing platform captured should include the type of platform, ownership, open source or not, type of information available and level of interoperability. Examples of existing platforms include the MEMD GIS platform, CWP productive use platform, UNCDF and Dalberg Telco and PAYGo platform, World bank – RISE, among others
• Identify synergies in Uganda’s climate change policies and the UN SDGs that support and promote the development of Renewable Energy that could be used to buttress the NREP.
• Identify prospects for women and youth inclusion especially existing organisations that are promoting the use and adoption of RE technologies and propose opportunities for their inclusion in the NREP.
• Assess the gaps in terms of data needs and digital infrastructure based on the architecture of Digital NREP platform and the existing platforms.
• Identify opportunities for MEMD and UNCDF to collaborate on the provision of technical assistance to industry stakeholders and policymakers
• Develop a concept note with a road map for the implementation of the digital NREP including goal, objectives, activities, milestones with timelines and key project risk and mitigation

List and Description of Expected Outputs to be Delivered

The firm is required to submit;

1. Inception report including the updated approach and  methodology, approach, survey tools, work plan demonstrating how the project will be executed through phases.
2. A draft report stating the case for the digital platform, opportunities, key challenges and Database with list of existing digital renewable energy platforms
3. Final version of the report to be submitted to UNCDF RECF including PPT presentation highlighting key findings and recommendations, atleast 3 case studies and recommendations.
4. Concept note for the digital NREP including a road map

Person to Supervise the Work/Performance of the Service Provider

Digital country Lead and Energy Access Coordinator

Frequency of Reporting

1.Once every two weeks or as requested by UNCDF. Communication via Skype or Email to update UNCDF on the progress of activities, or as needed, in order to resolve concerns/issues in a timely manner.

2. Upon completion of each milestone activity and output task.

Progress Reporting Requirements

The Consultant will be required to submit the following:

1. Deliverables as indicated in sections under ‘List and Description of

Expected Outputs to be Delivered’ and ‘Payment Terms’

2. Regular updates (email, calls, meetings) on progress of activities;

Location of work/ Platform to be used

☐ Exact Address

☒ At Contractor’s Location  and visit to the selected stakeholders in Uganda. Use of online platforms for communication and physical field visits.

Expected duration of work

Between April 2022 – May 2022

Target start date

 April 4th  , 2022

Latest completion date

May 31st , 2022

Travels Expected

Mainly Within Kampala and neighbouring districts.

Special Security Requirements

☐ Security Clearance from UN prior to travelling

☐ Completion of UN’s Basic and Advanced Security Training

☒ Comprehensive Travel Insurance -  to be included in the total fees of

the consultant☐ Others [pls. specify]

Facilities to be Provided by UNCDF (i.e., must be excluded from Price Proposal)

☐ Office Space and facilities

☐ Land Transportation

☒ Others *

• On going initiatives related to the assignment and other materials that will provide useful background information.

* UNCDF will provide contacts to some of the key stakeholders and facilitate introductory meetings where needed.

Implementation Schedule indicating breakdown and timing of activities/sub-activities

☒ Required

☐ Not Required

Names and curriculum vitae of individuals who will be involved in completing the services

☒ Required

☐ Not Required

Currency of Proposal

☒ United States Dollars

☐ Euro

☒ Local Currency -UGX

Value Added Tax on Price Proposal

☒ must be inclusive of VAT and/ or withholding tax and other applicable indirect taxes

☐ must be exclusive of VAT / or withholding tax and other applicable indirect taxes

Validity Period of Proposals (Counting for the last day of submission of quotes)

☐ 60 days

☐ 90 days

☒ 120 days

In exceptional circumstances, UNCDF may request the Proposer to extend the validity of the Proposal beyond what has been initially indicated in this RFP.   The Proposal shall then confirm the extension in writing, without any modification whatsoever on the Proposal. 

Partial Quotes

☒ Not permitted

☐ Permitted  [pls. provide conditions for partial quotes, and ensure that requirements are properly listed to allow partial quotes (e.g., in lots, etc.)]         

Payment Terms

Person(s) to review/inspect/ approve outputs/completed services and authorize the disbursement of payment

Digital Country Lead and Energy Access Coordinator

Type of Contract to be Signed

☐ Purchase Order

☐ Institutional Contract

☒ Contract for Professional Services

☐ Long-Term Agreement (if LTA will be signed, specify the document that will trigger the call-off.  E.g., PO, etc.)

☐ Other Type of Contract [pls. specify]

Criteria for Contract Award

☐ Lowest Price Quote among technically responsive offers

☒ Combined Scoring Method, using the 70%-30% distribution for technical and financial proposals, respectively, where the minimum passing score of technical proposal is 70%

☒ Full acceptance of the UNCDF Contract General Terms and Conditions (GTC).  This is a mandatory criteria and cannot be deleted regardless of the nature of services required.  Non acceptance of the GTC may be grounds for the rejection of the Proposal.

Criteria for the Assessment of Proposal

Technical Proposal 100 points (70%)

☒ Expertise of the Firm 40 points

☒ Methodology, Its Appropriateness to the Condition and Timeliness of the Implementation Plan 30 points

☒ Management Structure and Qualification of 3 Key Personnel 30 points

Financial Proposal (30%)

In the second stage, the financial proposal of all bidders, who have

attained the minimum 70% score in the technical evaluation, will be

evaluated. The following formula will be used to evaluate financial

proposal:

Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

The contract will be awarded based on the Cumulative analysis weightedscoring

method. The award of the contract will be made to the tenderer

whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) Responsive/ compliant/ acceptable with reference to this RFP,

and;

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of

weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation, with

the ratio set at 70:30 respectively in technical and financial offer (this is

to reflect the high-level skills mix required).

UNCDF will award the contract to:

☒ One and only one Service Provider

☐ One or more Service Providers, depending on the following factors :

Annexes to this RFP

☒ Form for Submission of Proposal (Annex 2)

☒ General Terms and Conditions / Special Conditions provided in link below: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/procurement/business/how-we-buy.html

☐ Detailed TOR [optional if this form has been accomplished comprehensively]

☐ Others   [pls. specify]

Contact Person for Inquiries

(Written inquiries only)[6]

Email: Uncdf.procurement@uncdf.org , cc; benjaporn.yenseranee@uncdf.org

Written inquiries must be submitted mentioning RFP 88737– Market and technical scoping for a digital National Renewable Energy platform on or before 5:00PM (New York, USA), March 17th  , 2022. UNCDF shall respond to the inquirie through email with the bidders. Inquiries received after the above date and time shall not be entertained.

Any delay in UNCDF’s response shall be not used as a reason for extending the deadline for submission, unless UNCDF determines that such an extension is necessary and communicates a new deadline to the Proposers.

Other Information [pls. specify]

Criteria for Evaluation

• Expertise of the firm (40 points)
• Experience in carrying out similar scoping studies for digital platforms and transformation projects  and application of information technologies as they relate to environmental, social or energy aspects ( 20 points).
• A firm and/ or its key partner(s) having at least 5 years  experience in undertaking research in  renewable energy, climate change, policy development as well knowledge of application of UN SDGs especially related to SDG 7, 9, 13 and 17 in Uganda  (10 points).
• Experience of working with government ministries, departments, and agencies. Experience of working with any of the following: Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Water and Environment and the National Environment Management Authority will be an added advantage ( 10 points).

2. Methodology: Proposal to include methodology (30 points)

• A clear approach/methodology for performing intended tasks (20 points)
• An activity plan for achieving objectives, with clear timelines and budget (10 points)

3. Management structure and qualifications (30 points)

• Possession of Masters in any of the following fields: Information and Communication Technology, Natural resources and Environmental Management, and Renewable Energy Development. Another qualification in any of the following fields: Climate Change and Renewable Energy Policies ( 10 points)
• Detailed CVs and / or short bios of at least 3 of the key staff  to be involved in the assignment, including the authorized representative submitting the proposal.  Key information for inclusion in the CV may include: the current roles of the individual, the number of years worked, tertiary and professional qualifications, experience and degree of responsibility held in relevant assignments.
• Where some of the staff are going to be outsourced please provide a short bio for each of them indicating their name, current designation, qualification, working experience (number of years), and research experience (number of years). Also indicate if they have had experience in conducting similar studies.
• Qualifications will be scored as follows:
  1. Possession of relevant experience (>5 years) in:
     1. Market and technical scoping studies for digital platforms and transformation projects (10 points)
     2. Renewable Energy policy formation, deployment and investments.(5 points).
     3. Working with public sector especially Government Ministries and Agencies (5 points)

The Financial evaluation will be carried out only for the technically qualified submission that pass the minimum technical score of 70% (70 points) of the obtainable score of 100 points in the evaluation of the technical proposals. 

The Technical Proposal and the Financial Proposal MUST BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE and each of them must be submitted individually and clearly marked as either “TECHNICAL PROPOSAL” or “FINANCIAL PROPOSAL” or as appropriate. Each document shall include the Proposer’s name and address. The file with the “FINANCIAL PROPOSAL” must be encrypted with a password so that it cannot be opened nor viewed until the proposal has been found to pass the technical evaluation stage. UNCDF shall request via email the proposer to submit the password to open the Financial Proposal. The proposers shall assume the responsibility for not encrypting financial proposal.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The amount of the Financial proposal MUST NOT be mentioned anywhere in the submitted documents or in the email, other than the Financial Proposal. Failure in compliance with the mentioned condition shall result in rejection of the offer