Historique

Important notice to the Applicants!

Only those applications would be considered that have been submitted to the following e-mail address: procurement.kz@undp.org with the indication of IC_Ref.2019-031 in the subject line. The deadline is 5PM (Nur-Sultan time) October 20, 2019.

For detailed information on the position, required documents to be sent and evaluation procedure please refer to the Terms of Reference. Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the following

e-mail: syrym.nurgaliyev@undp.org copying meruyert.bolyssayeva@undp.org

Projects:                         

1) UNDP-GEF Project “Derisking Renewable Energy Investment”

2) UNDP-GEF Project “Sustainable Cities for Low Carbon Urban Development”

PROJECTS DESCRIPTION:

The objective of UNDP-GEF Project “Derisking Renewable Energy Investment” is to promote private sector investment in renewable energy in Kazakhstan in order to achieve Kazakhstan’s 2030 and 2050 targets for renewable energy. The project targets both large-scale and small-scale renewable energy. The goal of this project is to achieve energy market transformation in Kazakhstan by significantly scaling-up the deployment of renewable energy in electricity generation, from a 0.77% share of renewable energy to a 10% share by 2030, which makes for 10-fold increase in renewable energy-based energy generation to be facilitated by the project. In large-scale renewable energy, the project will promote Kazakhstan as a prime destination for international investment. Technologies will include wind energy and solar photovoltaic (PV). In small-scale renewable energy, the project will promote investment in “RES for urban life”, on-grid small-scale renewable energy applications, targeting urban households and businesses; and “RES for rural life”, both on-grid and off-grid small-scale renewable energy applications, targeting farms and rural SMEs. Technologies may include solar PV (roof-top), solar water heating and small-scale wind. The project will promote the latest business and finance models for small-scale RES developers (for example, third-party ownership models). The design and implementation of this project make use of the ‘Derisking Renewable Energy Investment’ (DREI) methodology developed by UNDP, which is a model for quantitative and qualitative comparison of the cost-effectiveness of different public instruments in promoting renewable energy investment.

The project aims to have supported renewable energy projects that will have generated some 460,000 tonnes of CO2e. In addition, it is planned that by the end of the project that the project will have supported 9.5 MW of direct, small-scale RE production producing approximately 500GwH of electricity.

The project started in February 2018 and is scheduled to run for some 5 years. It has a GEF budget of some $4.51 million USD and co-financing is envisaged of some $51 million USD.

The project is structured under three components:

Component 1 – Large-Scale Renewable Energy: Policy and Financial Derisking Measures

Component 2 – Renewable Energy for Life: Policy Derisking

Component 3 – Renewable Energy for Life: Financial Derisking and Incentives

with cross-cutting activities related to knowledge management, and monitoring and evaluation included within these components.

A main focus of UNDP-GEF Project “Sustainable Cities for Low Carbon Urban Development” has been on developing and supporting the creation of a financial support mechanism to support the implementation of low carbon NAMA projects in Kazakhstan. The project has an ambitious target of some 15 NAMAs realized by the end of the project and some $70 million in co-financing realized and a lifetime target of 370,000 tonnes of CO2e reduced from the investment projects supported by the project. Due partly to the fact that there were delays in setting up the financial support mechanism and partly due to the difficulties of many companies in securing loans for their projects to go ahead, it is now clear that it is unlikely that this target will be met by the original planned closure date of the project (April 2020) and therefore it is likely that a request will be need to extend the project duration.

Component 3 is the main component of the project; it is aimed at creating and testing financial and technical support for low-carbon urban projects. During the implementation of the Project and discussions with stakeholders, the financial and technical support mechanism was developed and integrated into existing subsidy and guarantee systems on the basis of DAMU Entrepreneurship Development Fund JSC with a focus on ongoing projects to reduce energy consumption and, as a result, greenhouse gas emissions . The mechanism was launched into the test phase at the end of 2017, since then (as of August 2019), 108 applications have been received, 32 of which have already been awarded funding and projects have been launched for a total investment of about $ 10 million US dollars at current exchange rate. Another 39 approved applications are awaiting consideration by commercial banks for a loan with a total volume of expected attracted investment about 38 million US dollars of. There are 23 approved applications which were denied bank financing due to an alternative source of funding.

From the beginning of the implementation of the financial support mechanism, there has been a great demand from the private sector for participation in support mechanisms for such projects, which made it possible for the first time in Kazakhstan to attract private financing for municipal / city energy saving projects. Today, demand for these projects is also present, but banks still take a conservative approach to evaluating applicants and applications when they set out requirements for collateral with additional assets. Many entrepreneurs do not have prior experience with banks and need to gain knowledge and skills in preparing investment projects. Other barriers include administrative obstacles to small and medium-sized businesses for their involvement in energy efficiency projects in the regions, lengthy procedures for the coordination of technological solutions of projects with suppliers of energy and etc.

For the sustainable functioning of the project support mechanism, a strategy for the further vision of this mechanism has been developed. The draft strategy was created and presented to the beneficiary. The draft strategy proposes the continuation of the mechanism for supporting energy efficiency projects at the expense of the state budget. The strategy reflects assessments of direct and indirect benefits for the state, provided that such projects are supported. It is proposed to provide support for projects at the expense of the state budget by developing a separate special program aimed at stimulating investment in NAMA projects. Several support instruments are proposed that the government can provide: a) a subsidy on the interest rate on a commercial loan, b) an investment subsidy on the main debt on a commercial loan, c) a partial guarantee on the volume of a commercial loan, d) a conditional placement of budget or borrowed funds in banks on special credit lines intended exclusively for financing NAMA projects. The Strategy also proposed alternative national sources of financing for NAMA projects - development of “green financing” - “green bonds” (this area is also considered as a source of concessional and targeted financing for NAMA projects). The strategy describes the procedure for issuing "green bonds" and their circulation, considering national financial legislation. The strategy will be discussed with national partners and supplemented by the end of 2019.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The international CTA will provide the advisory and planning support to all elements of the Projects, the specific technical contributions and oversight to selected components. As well to provide advisory and technical assistance to support implementation and further development of the Projects.

SCOPE OF THE WORK:

Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager the Chief Technical Adviser will have the following specific duties:

For both projects:

• Provide technical expertise and strategic guidance to all projects components, assuming quality control of interventions, and support the Project Managers in coordination of the implementation of planned activities as stipulated in the projects document/work plan;
• Promote project implementation through provision of policy advice, technical expertise and participation in the working and high-level meetings with the key project stakeholders
• Work closely with the Projects Managers in coordinating and facilitating inputs of government agencies, partner organizations, scientific and research institutions, subcontractors, and national and international experts in a timely and effective manner;
• Review key reports of national and international consultants and prepare comments to these reports;
• Provide strategic advice on the overall project implementation strategy to the Projects Managers;
• Support the Projects Managers in reporting to the Project Board on the progress of projects implementation, achievement of projects results and impact in accordance with the project’s logical framework matrix, including participating in Project Board meetings;
• Support the Projects Managers with preparing the annual PIRs for the project; Support the PMU in project-related meetings, as might be required;
• Supporting the Projects Managers to monitor project risks and implement all risk mitigation measures during all project phases;
• Provide strategic advice on the overall project implementation strategy to the Project Manager and to the UNDP Country Office including focusing on issues related to projects sustainability and the sustainability of project results;
• Support Projects Managers in establishing co-operation with international project partners.
• Integrate good international practices in the area of projects interests creating linkages with other similar UNDP GEF projects in other countries and in Kazakshstan and making recommendations to help build similar practices within other related projects.

Project-specific “Derisking Renewable Energy Investment”:

• Support in the implementation of the financial derisking instruments and financial incentives (what includes but not limited with review and providing comments to the received applications from potential applicants-private investors);
• Support adaptive management activities for the project which includes support for the introduction of the required changes to the project design and associated changes to the Project Document based on the outcomes of evaluations; provide recommendations for the necessary changes in the Project Document that will serve as a basis for the following Project revision;
• Support the Project Manager in the preparation and implementation of project evaluations which includes the MTR (mid-term review) and the FE (final evaluation) of the project.

Project-specific “Sustainable Cities for Low Carbon Urban Development”:

• Support in the implementation of the financial mechanism for low-carbon urban projects and development of proposals for its sustainability and development;
• Assist with screening of applications to the DAMU entrepreneurship development fund and making recommendations on which projects to select for loan financing;
• Supporting the project extension request including writing justifications to support the extension of the project;
• Provide input and review of technical reports, including communication materials of the project, including assisting with preparation of a short video on project activities, where appropriate.
• Input into the monitoring and evaluation, and provide support in the identification of project issues and implement adaptive management solutions to bring the project back on track, as needed;
• Participate in person in Project Board meetings and Providing inputs where appropriate
• Support the Project Manager in the preparation and implementation of project evaluations which includes the FE (final evaluation) of the project;
• Preparing in close cooperation with the Project Manager, lessons learned study for the project to be completed before the end date of the project
• Advisory and technical assistance to support implementation and further development of the climate change and sustainable energy Projects Portfolio.

Compétences

• Demonstrated analytical skills and experience in designing and/or advising technical assistance projects; and excellent presentation skills and experience in conducting stakeholders’ consultations;
• Team-oriented with the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
• Good communication skills and ability to cooperate;

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Master’s degree in Energy, Economics, Environmental Sciences or a closely-related field;

Experience:

• At minimum 10 years of experience in designing and/or advising technical assistance projects in the area of energy, preferably in renewable energy, energy efficiency area;
• At least 7 years of experience working in or with the private sector on energy projects (preferably renewable energy\energy efficiency projects), which includes experience with financing renewable energy\energy efficiency projects and successful capital raising;
• As minimum 5 years of experience working with international institutions/organizations. Working experience within UN system would be an asset;
• Experience with international projects financed by Global Environmental Facility and\or the Green Climate Fund would be an asset;
• As minimum 5 years of experience and good knowledge of working on energy projects in developing and/or transition economies, CIS countries;
• Specific working experience with designing and/or implementing financial support mechanisms including experience with banking/finance/loans/investment.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in spoken and written English and Russian (required) 

The following documents only in PDF should be attached to the application (proposal) and sent by e-mail to the following address: procurement.kz@undp.org indicating Ref. 2019-031 in the subject of the letter no later than 5PM (Nur-Sultan time), October 20, 2019:

1. A duly drafted Offeror’s letter confirming interest and readiness for the assignment; Financial proposal, including the fixed total contract value, with a breakdown of costs in accordance with UNDP template (see Annex I);
2. Detailed personal CV, where previous work experience in similar projects should be included, as well as contact details (email and phone number) of the Offeror;
3. Other documents certifying work the experience, expertise and skills (qualification improvement certificates/diplomas, awards, etc).
4. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment (Maximum 1000 Characters).

There should be max 2 e-mail transmissions.

Application Procedure: Only full submitted application will be considered!!!