UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Energy is one of UNDP’s six signature solutions – alongside poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, and gender equality - to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. As per UNDP’s new Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the first objective of UNDP is increasing energy access for those furthest behind. By speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach and in crisis contexts, it aims to increase access to clean and affordable energy for 500 million people. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to approximately 600 million people without access to clean, affordable energy, making the region a key focus of UNDP’s new Strategic Plan energy objective and scaled up energy offer, which seeks to provide access to clean and affordable energy to 500 million people by speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach strategic partnerships and targeted stakeholder engagement. RBA’s Africa Promise pledged to provide at least 100 million people with access to Energy by the end of the current Strategic Plan.

Under the UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa, or “Africa Promise”, The Zimbabwe Country office and the Ministry of Energy and Power Development are implementing the Africa Energy Offer to accelerate access to sustainable, affordable, and clean energy that will catalyse SDGs achievement in Zimbabwe. This intervention will catalyse strategic investment in the energy sector in Zimbabwe to improve access to electricity which currently stands at 41%, leaving an estimated 9,3 million persons without access to clean and affordable energy. This offer will be implemented under the UNDP Zimbabwe Poverty Reduction, Environment and Climate Change unit in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Department of Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy, The Rural Electrification Fund and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.

RATIONALE

The objective of the Project is to encourage private sector investment in RE through viability gap funding to increase electricity access by developing off-grid community projects in rural areas as a pilot model. The expectation is also to dramatically lower the cost of production per kilowatt hour of energy. The intervention is hinged on the Viability Gap Funding Framework to guide the implementation of viability gap funding, an incentive for promoting RE investment as provided for in the NREP.

SCOPE OF WORKS

The Government of Zimbabwe and UNDP Country office through the UNDP Energy offer programme require the services of an Individual Consultant to undertake the development of the National Viability Gap Funding Framework. This entails:

• Conduct Stakeholder consultations meetings,
• Develop the procedure for application and approval of Viability Gap Funding for rural area off-grid community projects for increasing access to electricity,
• Conduct a validation workshop for the National Viability Gap Funding Framework,
• Drafting the final National Viability Gap Funding Framework.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The key deliverables under this consultancy are:

• Inception report detailing the assignment methodology and work schedule,
•  Draft Viability Gap Funding Framework,
• The National Viability Gap Funding framework, detailing the procedure for application and approval of Viability Gap Funding for rural area off-grid community projects for increasing access to electricity.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards,
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability,
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

• Judgement/Decision-making
• Strong technical skills and analytical capacities, sound judgment;
• Strong technical problem-solving skills;
• Ability to understand and establish priorities and work by objectives.

Teamwork

• Ability to work in a team and establish effective working relationships with people from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds;

Ability to work under stress and work overtime when required.

• Excellent knowledge of the UN system and UN joint country programming processes (CCA/UNDAF),
• Good knowledge and experience with the national development frameworks, especially Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) PRSP, SWAP, key legislation, etc.
• Specialised technical knowledge, including in conducting external programme evaluations, data collection and analytical skills, mainstreaming the HRBA to programming and gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations, and transition contexts.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork and adept at working with people of diverse cultural and social backgrounds,
• An understanding of and ability to abide by the core values of the United Nations.

The Individual Consultant required for this assignment should have expertise in Renewable Energy, Energy economics, Energy finance with relevant experience in developing and modelling energy preparatory phases for independent power production. The Consultant is also requested to submit samples of previous works carried out within a similar scope (further to the short bio description).

Education

• Master’s degree in Finance, Development Finance, Climate/Renewable Energy Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration, or other relevant qualifications.

Experience

• At least 8 years’ experience in the finance sector, preferably with development bank, commercial bank, investment funds, micro-finance, investing in emerging or low-income markets, sustainable or impact finance, investment research, venture capital, private equity or development finance,
• Experience in developing and modelling renewable energy project independent power production
• Proven ability to develop strategic documents, guiding framework, policies in renewable energy investment landscape of Zimbabwe,
• Specific knowledge and experience in structuring and/or providing financing to sustainable energy projects (specific experience in solar PV projects would be an advantage),
• Understanding of the challenges of the private sector in the Southern Africa region, particularly Zimbabwe, related with access to finance,
• Experience in organizing and facilitating public and private sector stakeholder dialogue activities (workshops and multi-level meetings),
• Experience working for UNDP or another international development organization in the energy field is an asset;

Language

Excellent oral and written skills;

Duration of Assignment

• This assignment will be conducted over 44 Working days.
• IC Expected to Travel to all the 8 Provinces in Zimbabwe.

Impact of Results

The purpose of the consultant is to provide specialised consultants services under the UNDP Energy Offer project in liaison with the Ministry of Energy, Rural Electrification Fund, ZERA and UNDP Zimbabwe Country Office and Regional/HQ teams and other partners.

Application procedure:

Applicants are requested to upload copies of:

• Latest CV highlighting the relevant experience;

• Updated P11 Form template of which can be downloaded from this website http://www.sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

•  A detailed technical proposal on undertaking the tasks and evidence of previous work;
• Financial proposal (All-inclusive daily fee): Interested individuals are kindly requested to submit an all-inclusive daily consultancy fee using the template which can be downloaded from: https://www.dropbox.com/s/789q1hvdrdgwqqc/PPG_Cons_Letter%20of%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx?dl=0

Please group all your documents (CV, P11, Technical Proposal, Financial Proposal and Certificates) into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Incomplete applications will not be given consideration.

Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application
Please note that only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted

Evaluation criteria:

The Consultant will be evaluated based on qualifications and the years of experience, as outlined in the qualifications/requirements section of the ToR.  In addition, the Consultant will also be evaluated on the following methodology:
Technical Criteria weight: 70%;
Financial Criteria weight: 30%;

The award of the contract shall be made to the Consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the Terms of Reference.

Payment Terms:

The consultant must send a financial offer based on Daily Fee.  The consultant shall quote anall-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the consultancy in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. Travel costs and daily allowance cost should be identified separately.

Payments will be made based on the agreed financial proposal (contract is based on daily fee) and released upon submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating deliverables achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.

The qualified consultant shall receive a lump sum service fees upon certification of the completed tasks satisfactorily, as per the following payment schedule:

Note that all payments to the IC are dependent on the satisfactory completion of deliverables.

Payment is linked to deliverables as per below:

Inception report detailing the methodology, workplan and milestones as per the TORs- 20%

Draft Viability Gap Funding Framework- 40%

Final draft of the Viability Gap Funding- 40%

INSTITUTIONAL ARRAGEMENTS FOR MANAGEMENT OF THIS CONSULTANCY

• The principal responsibility for managing this assignment lies with the UNDP Country Office, Zimbabwe. Under the overall supervision of the UNDP Programme Specialist,
• The consultant, through the coordination of UNDP will be expected to work closely with Government officials and other partners,
• The consultant may be requested to work with an international consultant appointed by UNDP to provide technical assistance.

“UNDP is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Well qualified candidates, particularly women and people with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.