Background

Barbados is still largely reliant on the use of fossil fuels (89%). Under the Electric Light and Power Act (ELPA) there is no provision for licenses to independent power producers. A pilot project approved by the regulatory authority (FTC) expired in 2012, and capped renewable energy generation to a cumulative 2 MW. Government solar investments are limited due to the economic climate. It poses a risk to disaster response at hurricane shelters and health centers, given the typical power outages for several days after extreme events. There are few demonstration projects in public buildings or educational institutions to raise public awareness. And the solar water heating (SWH) boom of the past decades has not been replicated with other technologies (e.g. solar PV). Several barriers constrain Barbados’ plans (presented in the following table). Their comprehensive analysis to confirm their nature (e.g. extent, root causes, inter-relationship) will be included in the final project document to be presented at the GEF CEO endorsement stage. The purpose of the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) is to develop a medium-sized project (MSP) proposal based on the Project Information Form (PIF) that will engage stakeholders and will support specific studies and analyses which will result in the full preparation of the project “Promoting Solar Photovoltaic Systems in Public Buildings for Clean Energy Access, Increased Climate Resilience and Disaster Management”.

This preparatory phase aims at finalising the studies and arrangements for the submission of this MSP to the GEF. The present Terms of Reference are related to the contracting of a Consultant to support the preparation of final Project Documentation for the “Promoting Solar Photovoltaic Systems in Public Buildings for Clean Energy Access, Increased Climate Resilience and Disaster Management” project under the Global Environment Facility’s System for Transparent Allocation of Resources 5 (GEF STAR-5) for Barbados, as outlined in the Initiation Plan (IP). The Consultant will work in close collaboration with UNDP’s Energy, Environment and Climate Change Programme Manager and the relevant government Ministries and departments.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific objectives

Through up to two missions to Barbados, the Consultant will be responsible for overall leadership and coordination of the PPG team, providing support to the PPG energy expert(s) and key national project stakeholders as they execute the PPG implementation plan.

Nature of services

Tasks will be carried out in close collaboration with the Energy and Telecommunications Division of the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados, which has oversight for energy policy implementation; and Barbados Light & Power Co Ltd (BL&P), the electric utility company. Other key stakeholders to be consulted include the Ministry of the Environment and Drainage, Fair Trading Commission (FTC), the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Emergency Management (DEM). Through these activities, the consultant will be pivotal in the mobilisation of co-financing for the project and in raising awareness among key stakeholders on the project, its objectives and strategy.

An inception workshop in Barbados will constitute the introductory mission of the PPG team at the start of the contract, allowing initiation of dialogues with national stakeholders and field visits. As PPG team leader, the Consultant will ensure that:

• Missions and consultations are coordinated between team members to ensure maximum efficiency and reduce burden on stakeholders;
• The team’s approach takes account of local norms and sensitivities;
• Timelines are agreed for draft and final deliverables among PPG team members, particularly for outputs requiring collaboration;
• Draft deliverables from the team members are all completed to enable review by relevant national stakeholders, UNDP and GEF as appropriate, to allow submission of final documents by the agreed deadlines.

Further, the Consultant will:

• Provide overall orientation to the consultant team in relation to GEF requirements and international best practices for project planning and monitoring;
• Review, provide feedback, and validate the results of the studies undertaken and recommendations made by the Energy Systems Experts, as well as information provided by national stakeholders, checking for the technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and incrementality of proposed MSP activities;
• Provide the consultant team and key project stakeholders (in particular the project executing agency, the Energy and Telecommunications Division) with guidance on methodologies for baseline data collection and collation;
• Provide guidance and orientation on indicators and quantified targets to track project progress and effectiveness;
• Lead the process to revise documents in response to comments from UNDP and GEF, with ultimate responsibility for finalisation.

Expected Ouptuts:

Specific deliverables for which the Project Document Specialist will have lead responsibility, will be a complete and technically sound UNDP Project Document and a duly completed GEF CEO Endorsement Template, approved by the relevant agencies, and including (but not limited to) the following components:

• Inception report describing the outcomes of the inception workshop, stakeholders consulted by the PPG team, itemising of field visits, and outline of timelines for submission of draft and final outputs by each team member;
• A set of relevant co-financing letters for the project whose total amount meets the target proposed in the PIF;
• Excel sheet with the GEF CC-M Tracking Tool;
• IP Completion Report;
• Detailed project strategy, including:
• Alternatives to project strategy; cost-effectiveness of project strategy;
• Stakeholder analysis (based on preliminary results from the assessments carried out by the energy expert(s));
• Baseline analysis (building on the baseline assessments/reports made by the PPG energy expert(s));
• Summary of local, national and global benefits of the MSP;
• Logical framework analysis, including detailed description of project outcomes, outputs, activities and indicators, with deliverables, timing costs, and responsibilities;
• Risk assessment and corresponding mitigation strategy;
• Replication plan to sustain post-project interventions;
• Monitoring and evaluation plan (including M&E budget);
• Implementation arrangements for the MSP;
• Assessment of social, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities, including gender aspects;
• Incremental cost analysis;
• Detailed budgets (in required formats);
• Terms of reference for key project staff and contractors;
• Recommendations (including costs and proposed timing) for capacity building activities during the MSP.

Location and Duration

The Consultant will be home-based, and undertake a maximum of two (2) field missions and consultations in Barbados.
The assignment is expected to be a total of 40-50 working days over a 6-to-9-month period (depending on GEF review feedback).

Consultancy deliverables

Expected time allocated to tasks and deadlines are as follows:

• Inception report (2 working days, due: 31 May 2014);
• Detailed project strategy and relevant PPG reports (15-20 working days, due: 31 August 2014);
• GEF Endorsement Request and other required GEF documentation (5 working days, due: 15 September 2014);
• UNDP Project Document (10-15 working days, due: 30 October 2014);
• Co-financing letters for the activities of the project (5 working days, due: 15 November 2014);
• IP Completion Report (3 working days, due: 30 November 2014).

Application Requirements:

• A detailed curriculum vitae or completed P11 form (preferred);
• A price proposal quoted in United States dollars (US$);
• Contact details of three referees.

 

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Interacts, establishes and maintain effective working relation with a diverse team, both as a team leader and a technical coordinator;
• Displays a good understanding of issues related to protected areas and stakeholders engagement in GEF projects;
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Writes and speaks clearly and convincingly;
• Practices attentive and active listening;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing point of view;
• Ability to communicate effectively in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences;
• Skills in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations;
• Skills in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others;
• Demonstrate excellent inter-personal, communication, problem-solving and negotiating skills;
• Good understanding of the region’s norms, practices and cultural sensitivities;
• Skills in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• MSc in energy systems, environmental management, physics, electrical engineering or related discipline
• PhD would be a MSc in energy systems, environmental management, physics, electrical engineering or related discipline

Experience:

• 10 years’ experience in natural resource or energy management and policy;
• 5 years’ experience working in project development and project management 3 years’ experience working with UNDP and/or GEF project cycles and processes;
• Experience engaging with stakeholders at multiple levels (grassroots/community, national, regional);
• Previous experience preparing successful UNDP/GEF full-sized project documents, with at least 3 examples;
• Previous experience working within the Caribbean in renewable energy, electrical utilities or related field would be advantageous;
  
• Alternatively experience working in SIDS is desirable.

Language:

• Excellent command of written and oral English.