Background:

 

The Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Project (PIGGAREP) is a continuation of the close collaboration between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to build the capacity of the PICs to deal with the challenges of Climate Change

 

The global environment and development goal of PIGGAREP is the reduction of the growth rate of GHG emission from fossil fuel use in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) through the removal of the barriers to the widespread and cost effective use of feasible renewable energy (RE) technologies. The specific objective of the project is the promotion of the productive use of RE to reduce GHG emission by removing the major barriers to the widespread and cost-effective use of commercially viable RE technologies (RETs). PIGGAREP consists of various activities whose outputs will contribute to the removal of the major barriers to the widespread utilization of RE technologies (RETs). The project is expected to bring about in the PICs: (1) Increased number of successful commercial RE applications; (2) Expanded market for RET applications; (3) Enhanced institutional capacity to design, implement and monitor RE projects; (4) Availability and accessibility of financing to existing and new RE projects; (5) Strengthened legal and regulatory structures in the energy and environmental sectors; and, (6) Increased awareness and knowledge on RE and RETs among key stakeholders.

 

In FAO’s effort to assure a positive balance and synchronicity between food security, environment and bioenergy development has collected and discussed experiences from around the world and is emphasizing and developing tools which enable those involved and potentially impacted to plan and make informed decisions and choices about the type of biofuel, its production processes and the best processing and use. These tools and related information access will be made available to facilitate this evaluation and possible follow up action.

 

The Solomon Islands Government (SIG) is one of the participating PICs in PIGGAREP and has plans to investigate and develop alternative, cheaper and environmentally friendly forms of fuel to be used as a partial substitute for imported fossil fuel. Indeed, one of the activities in its 2009 Work Plan and Budget is a Biofuel Development and Expansion project and through the policy statement of the Energy Division of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, the SIG has outlined its desire to venture into the development and expansion of the biofuel sector as an alternative to providing electricity to the population of the Solomon Islands.

 

Coconut Oil ( CNO ) is the biofuel that would be dealt with in this activity. The goal of the project is to establish whether CNO is technically and economically viable for power generation in the Solomon Islands (both in rural and urban areas), and more specifically at the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority’s (SIEA) power station at Lata and at a community-based power generation project at Nangu. Both are located in the Santa Cruz Islands group in the remote Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands .

 

The FAO, the Solomon Islands’ Energy Division and SPREP / PIGGAREP are hereby putting out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to qualified and experienced registered consultancy firms and individuals to undertake a Feasibility Study for the future Development and Expansion of Biofuel use at Lata and Nangu in the Solomon Islands.

 

Instructions to Offerors:

•  The Proposal must cover all the objectives, outputs and activities as specified in the ToR

•  The Proposal must include costs for professional fees and logistics

•  The Proposal must include:

i) An updated CV of the individual/s who will undertake the market and supply feasibility study

ii) A summary of recent work in the areas to be covered by this consultancy (including client and work produced);

iii) Information on availability;

iv) Total person days proposed for the work on the consultancy and daily rate in US$

v) A methodology and work plan (maximum 10 pages)

vi) The total proposal and the Annexes should not be more than 30 pages 

•  As this task will involve specialized skills, experience and qualification, the proposals must specify such experience and qualification of the individual(s) who will undertake the assigned task(s);

•  As part of the capacity building effort of PIGGAREP, a preference is stated for proposals that makes use of partnerships and are jointly implemented with local experts and which allow for the participation of 1-2 staff of the Energy Division in relevant activities of the study.

•  The consultancy will preferably commence as early as possible;

•  The offer must be in the English language only;

•  The above-mentioned documents, information and requirements are mandatory and as such are required to form a complete tender. An offer will be rejected unless it is substantially responsive;

•  If the Proposal is received prior to the formal submission date corrections/modifications can be made up to that date;

•  The Proposal must be submitted in electronic format only (Word and PDF format, 1 MB max) by email to the e-mail address specified below and

The task will be undertaken at Lata and Nangu, both of the Santa Cruz Island group in Temotu Province.

The exact number of working days will be determined subsequently between the successful Contractor, the SIG and PIGGAREP Project Management Office (PMO).

 

The final working plan will be determined subsequently between the successful Contractor, the SIG and the PIGGAREP PMO. Acknowledgements of the receipt of quotations will be provided by e-mail. Successful as well as unsuccessful offerors will be informed by e-mail once the evaluation and selection process are completed.

 

Award of Contract and Evaluation Criteria:

 

Quotations will be evaluated jointly between SPREP, FAO, UNDP and the Solomon Islands ’ Energy Division according to the following criteria:

 

1.   Price (20%)

2.   Specific experience in biofuel studies and biofuel installations for power generation in both urban and rural areas and in small island, or developing country, environments (30%)

3.   Experience in the Solomon Islands or SIDS, Qualifications & Experiences of the Team who will be directly involved in conducting the consultancy (20%)

4.   Methodology/Work Plan (30%)

 

All quotations must be addressed to:

 

The Director of SPREP and copied to the FAO Sub-regional Representative and the Solomon Islands Energy Office.

 

Director of SPREP SPREP P.O Box 240 Apia , Samoa Telephone: +685 21929 Facsimile: +685 20231 E-mail:    sprep@sprep.org

FAO Sub-regional Representative Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands Private Mail Bag Apia , Samoa Telephone: +685 22127 Facsimile: +685 22126 E-mail:    fao.sapa@fao.field.org

Director of Energy Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification P.O.Box G37 Honiara , Solomon Islands Telephone: +677 21522 ext 206 Facsmile: +677 25811 Email: john@mines.gov.sb

 

 

Note that the contract will be between SPREP and the winning bidder.

 

Contact Information:

 

Solomone Fifita

Manager – PIGGAREP

P.O Box 240 Apia , Samoa

Telephone: +685 21929 Ext 274

Facsimile: +685 20231

E-mail: solomonef@sprep.org / pmpiggarep@gmail.com

 

Deadline for the submission of quotations is 5 p.m 30 0ctober 2009 ( Samoa time)