Avis d’appel d’offre pour les modalités d’agriculture de l’énergie renouvelable distribuée

Distributed Renewable Energy Agriculture Modalities

“DREAM” Program

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

(Pre-Qualification of eligible Partners)

In Partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, the African Development Bank through the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), and the Agricultural Transformation Energy (ATA), The Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) of Ethiopia has launched a new agricultural productive use focused project named Distributed Renewable Energy-Agriculture Modalities (DREAM). The DREAM project is expected to transform household farmer-based Agricultural Commercial Clusters (ACCs) by providing reliable and affordable solar mini-grid power to enable large-scale cluster irrigation farming throughout the year.

Compared to current diesel generator-based irrigation solutions, on average the DREAM project is expected to substantially increase on average :

1. Farmer Productivity by 91% ;
2. Farm Production by 86% ;
3. Farmer Income by 80%.

In addition to providing renewable energy for ACC irrigation, the project will contribute significantly towards the government’s National Electrification Program (NEP 2.0) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 7 (electricity access) and SDG 6 (clean water supply) to household farmers and surrounding communities.

Moreover, since the DREAM project enables an irrigation anchor load, significant opportunities to include the Productive Use of Energy (PUE) in agro-processing and e-transport increases potential commercial viability and support more practical incentive frameworks from the government perspective. Projects are envisaged to be implemented in partnership with private sector mini-grid operators and PUE partners.

Project Sponsors

Ministry of Water and Energy

Agricultural Transformation Agency

Funders

The Rockefeller Foundation and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), are providing financing to support the DREAM project.

The Rockefeller Foundation works to improve the well-being of people everywhere. The Foundation is dedicated to the principle that all men and women have the right to health, food, power and economic mobility.

SEFA is a multi-donor special fund, hosted and managed by the African Development Bank. It provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Key Program Partners

The following partners are supporting the design, development, and implementation of the DREAM program :

Veritas Consulting

Keller-Bliesner

Engineering, LLC

SNV

Odyssey Energy

Solutions

Program Summary :

The DREAM project will facilitate the implementation and private sector operation of nine renewable energy mini-grids and irrigation systems across Ethiopia, resulting in over 4,300 total electricity connections, including over 2,500 households , along with water pumping and distribution systems to provide reliable year-round irrigation to all farmers in the communities. In addition, there will be implementation of various productive use activities, specifically electric vehicles for transport of goods and persons.

The project will make available a comprehensive suite of detailed information and economic analysis, technical assistance facilities, grant funding, concessional debt, and risk mitigation facilities to selected private sector companies (“Partners”) who will develop, deploy, and operate each of the nine sites identified for the project. The project consists of three distinct components :

• Mini-grids : Renewable energy generation and distribution to households, SMEs and agricultural/irrigation anchor customers ;
• Irrigation services : implementation of large-scale water pumping and distribution systems to farmers ;
• PUEs : Operation of electric vehicles and other productive use activities such as agricultural processing.

NOTE : This request for Expressions of Interest is in respect of the mini-grid component only.

Additional information on the other components will be forthcoming.

Expressions of Interest :

Experienced private mini-grid developers are invited to submit Expressions of Interest via this website in order to be pre-qualified for participation in the forthcoming DREAM Request for Proposals. The sites will be awarded in lots; we expect to select a minimum of two and maximum of three Partners to execute the mini-grid component.

Eligibility criteria :

• Applying Company must be incorporated in one of the AfDB member states ;

• Demonstrated ability to successfully develop, implement, and operate mini-grid projects in rural Africa (minimum 2 live sites in operation today) ;

• Adequate financial means and governance processes to manage third party funding ;

• Demonstrated ability to implement data gathering and regular reporting during course of the project ;

• Capabilities with respect to personnel and implementation.

In addition, each applicant will need to pass background checks :

• Debarred firms check ;
• Anti-money laundering ;
• Corruption / PEPs.

Background information here: [Link(s) to Odyssey data room with selected background information].

Submit your Expression of Interest here https://odysseyenergysolutions.com/dream/ . The application window will close on 11^th January 2022 at 12:00 CET. No submissions after the deadline will be considered, and only submissions made via this website will be accepted.

NOTE : Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals during the forthcoming Request for Proposals. The funding partners reserve the right to reject any or all responses without recourse.

Eligibility

Do any of the following apply to your Firm / Company / Organization and/or to (any of) the Director(s)

Partner(s) /Proprietor(s):

Have you or your principals been subject of legal proceedings for insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership or your business activities suspended for related reasons?

No

Yes

If ‘Yes’, please provide details:

Have been convicted of a criminal offence related to business or professional conduct?

No

Yes

If ‘Yes’, please provide details:

Have you had any contracts terminated for poor performance in the last five years, or any contracts where damages have been claimed by the client?

No

Yes

If ‘Yes’, please provide details:

Conflict of Interest

Please provide answers to the following statements :

To the best of your knowledge, have you or any employee or staff member of your organization or firm, ever been employed by AfDB, the Rockefeller Foundation, MoWE or ATA?

No

Yes

If ‘Yes’, provide the name of the person in your organisation, and a description of the employment period, including job description, the duration of the employment period and reasons for leaving.

Is any employee or staff member of your firm, company or organisation related (by blood, marriage or otherwise) to any employee of the Rockefeller Foundation, MoWE or ATA?

No

Yes

If ‘Yes’, please provide the name of your staff and the name of the staff member of they are related to. State the nature of the relationship.

References :

Briefly outline a maximum of three (3) relevant past and present partnerships, contracts, financing, project contracts, memberships, etc. that are similar to the needs of the DREAM Project.

1

2

3

Financier / Donor

Value of Contract (USD)

Contractor Contact

Duration of Contract

Description of Works (200 Character limit)

Financier / Donor

Value of Contract (USD)

Contractor Contact

Duration of Contract

Description of Works (200 Character limit)

Financier / Donor

Value of Contract (USD)

Contractor Contact

Duration of Contract

Description of Works (200 Character limit)

The DREAM Project reserves the right to contact the contact persons indicated without any further permissions from the applicant.