Antecedentes

The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs). UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF pursues innovative financing solutions through: (1) financial inclusion, which expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in the local economy, while also providing differentiated products for women and men so they can climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; (2) local development finance, which shows how fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion, women’s economic empowerment, climate adaptation, and sustainable development; and (3) a least developed countries investment platform that deploys a tailored set of financial instruments to a growing pipeline of impactful projects in the “missing middle”

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is implementing the designated components of the Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) Programme funded by the European Union (EU).

Under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The general objective of the programme is to consolidate stability in Northern Uganda, eradicate poverty and under-nutrition and strengthen the foundations for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. The Programme is intended to eradicate poverty and under-nutrition and strengthen the foundations for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development in the sub-regions of Acholi, Lango, Teso, West Nile and Karamoja, and as such promote sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. It provides support in the three focal sectors identified in the National Indicative Programme (Food Security and Agriculture; Transport Infrastructure and Good Governance). UNCDF established the Local revenue enhancement grant (LREG) fund under the governance component for 18 core local governments in Northern Uganda, which is a matching grant aimed at strengthening capacities to improve service delivery and local development through supporting and improving Own source Revenue (OSR) administration and management with year III allocation majorly emphasizing automation of local revenue to improve efficiency in local revenue mobilization.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Objectives of the Consultancy:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide Technical Assistance to 18 District Local Governments to develop technical specifications, support procurement and supervise solar installation in Northern Uganda.  This aims at providing climate smart and sustainable long-term solution to the electricity challenge of most rural lower local governments, at the same time increase local revenue generation process and therefore improving service delivery to the people in northern Uganda.

Key Tasks:

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the  UNCDF DINU Programme Manager  and working closely with UNCDF Lead Governance Specialist and staff of Local Government Finance Commission (LGFC) and the District LGs, the Consultant is expected to provide technical advisory support to UNCDF in the course of tendering the Contract for the development of technical specifications, support procurement of Solar Power Systems, and Supervision of installation Works at 18 District Local Governments of Northern Uganda, including, but not limited to the performance of the following tasks:

• Conduct data collection and engagement with the LGs to understand the demand/load and agree on clear technical specifications and use it to improve the existing specifications and BOQs. This should be based on the existing needs to support solar installation in the selected sub-counties and or town councils of the 18 DINU local governments.
• Review the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) prepared for the purposes of tendering the abovementioned goods and  services, including all specification, implementation/installation plans, if any, that are most appropriate to achieving the targeted outcome and results of the project.
• Act on behalf of UNCDF as the technical expert during the bid evaluation days, providing thorough analysis of every offer that will be received, including a substantive value-for-money assessment, with the end in view of determining the best and most compliant contractor for the project.
• Review and assist in the finalization of the evaluation report, ensuring the proper technical justification for the non-acceptance of the rejected bids, and the recommendation to award.
• Respond to any technical query that the UNCDF Procurement Review Committees and UNDP Advisory Committee may raise, and participate in the negotiation meetings with the candidate contract awardee, as may be necessary;
• Participate in technical follow-up meetings and periodic coordination meetings that will be held between UNCDF and the contractor, as may be necessary, or as and when required and called by UNCDF; and
• Provide UNCDF with technical advice on ad hoc basis during the entire implementation of the project, as and when called by UNCDF.
• Support and supervise installation of the systems and its accessories ensuring that the suppliers provide high quality products and accomplish task on time in the form of random inspection of at least 50% of sites in each of the 18LGs

The Consultant shall submit weekly progress report and to be submitted to UNCDF officially by email. UNCDF shall work in joint collaboration with the District team to supervise the works and jointly certify all works completed The Consultant will furnish a detailed activity schedule within 7 days after commencement of the works which will be used to guide all parties with the monitoring and supervision of the progress of the works. The Consultant may also be requested to prepare periodic progress reports as requested by district team and UNCDF.

Key Deliverables and Payment Terms

1. Inception Report presented to LGFC,LG, MoEMD and UNCDF stakeholders detailiing workplan, methodology and work/travel schedules (10% of total payment)

2. (a) Updated Needs Assesment Report detailing the actually demanded services per each of the sub-counties/Town councils (This should build on the existing needs assesment report); (b) Revised and finalized TOR ready for tendering arising out of Needs Assessment report for the sites and solar specifications/bills of quantities (Updating the existing ToRs). With technical specification needs for solar installation and bills of quantities per the identified sub counties in each of the local governments, (20% of total payment 20% upon presentation and approval of Needs assessment Report and ToRs/BoQs by  Stakeholders LGFC,LG, MoEMD and UNCDF stakeholders). 

3. Procurement process completed: (a) Final list of questions raised by bidders and responded to, for the duration of the selection process until all bids are received; (b) Duly signed and cleared Bid Evaluation Report – 20% receipt & acceptance by the Lead Governance Specialist, UNCDF; (c) ACP Approval of the Procurement Case – 20% receipt & acceptance by the Lead Governance Specialist, UNCDF (20% of total payment)

4. Installation and quality assurance suppervision reports - for a minimum of 50%* of the sites, receipt & acceptance by the Lead Governance Specialist, UNCDF (*50% of the total payment.This percentage is estimated and subject to change depending on the findings during the actual implementation.  UNCDF recognizes that the change in the percentage of sites to be supervised may lead to proportional adjustment in prices, which shall be based on the actual unit price submitted by the offeror).

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the  UNCDF DINU Programme Manager  and working closely with UNCDF Lead Governance Specialist and staff of Local Government Finance Commission (LGFC) and the District LGs, the Consultant is expected to provide technical advisory support to UNCDF in the course of tendering the Contract for the development of technical specifications, support procurement of Solar Power Systems, and Supervision of installation Works at 18 District Local Governments of Northern Uganda, including, but not limited to the performance of the following tasks:

The selected consultant shall be required to confirm and sign a Declaration of Impartiality confirming non-association with any of the companies that will be subjected to evaluation of firms that bid for supply of solar solutions. UNCDF shall also undertake due diligence to clear the successful firm(s) of any conflict of interest, real or perceived, by verifying any and all possible associations with the companies being reviewed, in terms of their previous, current or future engagement, relationships and affiliations of any form.   

Duration of the Work

The consultant is expected to be engaged not later than mid-October 2021 to March 2022 through a non-exclusive Individual Contract (IC). The IC is intended for on-call intermittent engagement for a maximum of sixty-four (64) working days spread over a period of six (3) months, subject to extension based on project needs, budgetary considerations, and satisfactory performance review. During this period, specific service requests (also known as call-offs) can be placed by UNCDF at any time, in the form of issuance of Purchase Orders, indicating the total cost of the services for the duration of the call-off, which shall be based on the daily fee of the consultant.  Depending on the volume of work and the frequency of engagement, UNCDF may engage the consultant for number of days less or more than the maximum indicated.

Duty Station

The Consultant shall be home-based in Kampala Uganda and shall perform the duties remotely by means of electronic communications but also required to travel to the 18 Districts and any of the 72 sub counties/town councils of the 18 DINU local governments as listed here - 772 sub county councils of the 18 DINU local governments.docx. A minimum of 50% of the sites will be supervised by the consultant, however UNCDF reserves the right to amend the number of sites depending on the actual findings and needs that may be determined during the implementation.

Language requirements

The official language of communication on the assignment shall be English. All deliverables produced by the consultant shall be made available in English in hard / printed copy and in any other suitable digital forms (such as html, pdf, and doc).

Competencias

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to the UN’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; and
• Ability to maintain effective rapport with different kinds of people.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

A bachelor’s degree in Electrical engineering and any other related field. Masters or postgraduate diploma in a similar field shall be an added advantage. The consultant shall be a qualified Electrical Engineer with at least

Experience:

The consultant shall be a qualified Electrical Engineer with at least

1. Five (5) years of professional experience in installation and operation of Solar Power System especially in the environment of least developed and developing countries.
2. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the development and design of solar installation solutions, technical specifications
3. Relevant experiences working with government agencies, international organizations and financial institutions will be an asset.

The consultant will have no affiliation of any form – previously, presently and in the future – with any of the potential or actual offerors to the procurement that will arise from this work.  UNCDF reserves the right to conduct such investigations as part of the assessment of the applicant to this assignment, before, during or after the life of the contract.

EVALUATION PROCESS 

Cumulative analysis:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

(I)  Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and having no conflict of interest with any of the SME projects under due diligence. A Declaration of Impartiality will be completed by the shortlisted candidates. UNCDF shall provide the shortlisted candidates with the list of SMEs in order to undertake due diligence to clear the shortlisted consultants of any conflict of interest, real or perceived, by verifying any and all possible associations with the companies being reviewed, in terms of their previous, current or future engagement, relationships and affiliations of any form.  In the event of any conflict by one consultant, the SME involved will be assigned to the other consultant, and will be replaced by another SME with whom the first consultant has no conflict with. 

(ii) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. Example 70%-30%. (Technical Criteria weightL 70%; Financial Criteria weight: 30%)

Evaluation shall consist of the following steps: 

Step 1: Longlisting, where candidates will be evaluated based on the following mandatory minimum criteria:

• A bachelor’s degree in Electrical engineering and any other related field. Masters or postgraduate diploma in a similar field shall be an added advantage. The consultant shall be a qualified Electrical Engineer.
• Five (5) years of professional experience in installation and operation of Solar Power System especially in the environment of least developed and developing countries

Step 2: Shortlisting -  The evaluation panel shall meet to establish a shortlist based on the following criteria. 

Technical Evaluation Criteria

• Relevant Qualification (See Education and Experience)– 15%
• A minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience – 15%
• Substantial experience in working with SMEs such as providing BDS support, developing business plans and excel financial models and; Significant experience in writing/editing reports for large organizations, especially within the UN system or large national or international organizations – 20%;
• Description of approach/methodology and its appropriateness to the assignment- 20%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation. 

Step 3: Financial Evalutaion - The following formula will be used for evaluation of financial proposals: Lowest priced proposal / Price of the proposal being evaluated x 30

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application must contain the following:

(a) Personal Profile: 

• Approach/Methodology on how the assignment will be executed (1 page). 
• Confirmation indicating availability to take up assignment for the whole period.  
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or P.11 Personal History Form (available at http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc), stipulating applicant’s official name the qualifications and professional experiences (with similar projects) relevant to the assignment/TOR and the contact details (email address, telephone numbers) of 3 professional references. 

 (b) Financial proposal: The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum amount that is inclusive of professional fees and other incidentals that the consultant expects to incur during the performance of the work. For this purpose, please complete and submit the Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability (Please click here for document) and Financial Proposal (do not upload your financial proposal online, please send it separately to the email address  financial.proposal@uncdf.org  with the subject line: 102049 - Consultancy, Technical Assistance to 18 District Local Governments to develop technical specifications, support procurement and supervise solar installation in Northern Uganda

Any individual employed by a company, organization or institution who would like to submit a proposal in response to this Individual Contract notice must do so in their individual capacity.

If an applicant is employed by a company, organization or institution, and s/he expects her/his employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing her/him to UNCDF under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNCDF. 

All documents must be submitted: electronically, both the technical proposal and financial proposal

Failure to submit all the above-mentioned documents may result in rejection of the application.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when traveling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org   If the consultant is over 65 years old, UNCDF reserves the right to require full medical certification and clearance from the consultant’s physician prior to commencing the travel.

References

UNDP’s Individual Consultant’s General Terms and Conditions are provided here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf