The AECF is a non-profit organization, unlocking the potential of the private sector to positively impact the lives of rural and marginalized communities in Africa. With the vision to build ‘’A prosperous and Enterprising Rural Africa’’, AECF provides high-risk, small and growing businesses with patient, low-cost financing and advisory support services to pilot, refine and scale their operations and ideas.

The AECF was launched in 2008 at the World Economic Forum Africa as an initiative of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to respond to the need for an Africa-based impact fund that would support inclusive African businesses, particularly in the areas of finance and agriculture.

The fund has supported 268 companies across 26 Sub-Saharan countries, in more than 40 value chains in agribusiness and renewable energy. AECF is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

2.0 REACT SSA – Sudan Programme

REACT Sub-Saharan Africa (REACT SSA) is a Swedish International Development Authority (Sida) funded programme that provides financing and technical assistance to innovative renewable energy businesses/ business ideas across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The programme commenced in November 2017 and will run for five years in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Somalia together with a regional component to support technical assistance, advocacy and learning activities.

REACT SSA is expected to catalyse the private sector by supporting transformative business models to accelerate access to low cost, clean energy i.e. cleaner fuels, cookstoves, alternatives to grid power including stand-alone solar home-systems, solar lanterns for lighting and charging mobile phones and decentralized mini and microgrids.

The programme is supporting activities that demonstrate how new knowledge in renewable energy technologies can be put into practice in ways that benefit the poor, especially women. It will also provide an evidence base to address challenges in policy concerning the uptake of renewable energy in participating countries. These include inadequate legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks; lack of funds to expand rural electrification programmes; pricing distortions that are disadvantageous to renewables; high upfront capital costs and financial institution reticence to clean energy lending and limited relevant skills and expertise.

3.0 Phase 1:

AECF conducted a fact-finding mission in Sudan and subsequently designed a development programme for REACT SSA Sudan in the initial design phase that culminated in July 2019. The duties and responsibilities relating to this initial phase were as follows:

a. Undertake detailed stakeholder, market and risk assessments. The consultant will conduct a market assessment of the Renewable Energy Market and related services in Sudan and also identify and map potential stakeholders. A risk assessment and risk profiling including an audit of risk mitigation approaches in Sudan will also be conducted

b. Detailed Design of REACT SSA for the Sudan Programme, based on findings; programme design of proposed intervention for Sudan, which will include a programme implementation framework, work plans, results frameworks.

c. Supporting logistical arrangements, for programme development and validation meetings with the government departments and stakeholders in Sudan

d. Work with AECF team to provide the necessary technical and logistical information required during the programme period.

e. Any additional tasks will be assigned by the REACT SSA Programme Manager from time to time.

The outputs and reporting requirements for the initial design phase were:

a. Stakeholder, market and risk assessment reports

b. REACT SSA – Sudan Programme Proposal with implementation framework, work plans, results frameworks and organisational staffing plan.

4.0 Phase II – This engagement

AECF is now looking to engage a Consultant to update sections of the design report and refine the report to capture developments that have come into play since the submission of the initial design report.

5.0 Purpose and deliverables of the Assignment

To provide Technical Support for the Design Phase of REACT SSA – Sudan Programme. **

3.1 Specific Duties and Responsibilities of the Consultant:

c. Update the design report and refine the report to capture developments that have come into play since the submission of the design report as follows:

d. Assessment of private sector, humanitarian agencies, CSOs and NGO outlook for project participation and possible models, and anticipated requirements and roles; in-country stakeholder’s consultative meetings and site visits to project sites;

e. Updating legal and statutory implications of AECF implementing in Sudan to reflect any new regulations ;

f. A detailed assessment of Sudan’s financial and banking sector and sustainable energy policy.

g. Work with AECF team to finalize the Design of the REACT SSA Sudan Programme.

h. Any additional tasks or logistical support that will be assigned by the REACT SSA Program Manager from time to time

3.2 Outputs and Reporting Requirements.

An updated REACT SSA – Sudan Programme Proposal.

6.0 Duration of Service

The task should not take more than 40 days consultancy days, in May and June 2020 and expected to commence by 1 May 2020.

7.0 Proposal submission

a. Interested consultancy firms and individuals are requested to submit their technical and financial proposals to procurement@aecfafrica.org by 5:00 PM E.A.T on 28 April 2020.

b. The Subject of the email should read “Technical support for Design, REACT SSA Sudan”. The AECF shall not be liable for not opening proposals that are submitted with a different subject.

c. Interested and qualified individual consultants are invited to submit their proposal(s) comprising of the following:

a. An understanding of the consultancy requirements.

b. Detailed reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments.

c. Relevant services undertaken in the past five (5) years.

d. Financial proposal showing clearly the budgeted cost for the work to be conducted by the consultant under the scope of work above

e. Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. Financial proposals will not be opened until the conclusion of the technical evaluation and then only for those proposals that are deemed qualified and responsive.

f. The Financial proposals shall include all applicable taxes quoted separately. If taxes are not mentioned in the financial proposal, The AECF shall consider that they are included in the prices provided.

8.0 Qualifications.

· At least 5 years’ experience in development, management and /or monitoring of RE programmes in Sub Saharan Africa.

· An in-depth understanding of the RE industry, including an understanding of the RE regulatory and policy environment in Sudan.

· Demonstrated capacity to deliver in the timeframe outlined.

· Fluency in written, spoken English and Arabic.

· Current placement in Sudan is preferable.

9.0 Management

The lead consultant will report to the REACT SSA Programme Manager.

10.0 Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria will be used for the evaluation:

No.

Criteria for Assessment

Marks

1.Understanding of the terms of reference-10**

**

• Description of problem to be solved-5
• Understanding of what AECF is expecting from the work-5

2.Methodology and work plan-15**

**

• The relevance of the methodology proposed to the needs of the assignment-10
• Adequacy of the work plan, including key deliverables and capacity to deliver within a realistic timeline based on the consultancy days designated for the task-5

3.Technical experience of staff offered-45**

**

• Relevant tertiary level qualification and years of professional experience-10
• Registration and other relevant statutory documents (this applies to institutional consultants)-5
• Geographical Reach: Demonstrate relevant geographical experience, knowledge and reach to effectively carry out the consultancy-10
• Evidence of similar previous experience in the last 5 years including reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments;-20

4.Financial Proposal-30**

**

-Clarity, relevance, reality to market of value/value for money of cost for the assignment (inclusive of any applicable tax)

Total Score-100**

**

N.B: In deciding the final selection of qualified bidder, the technical quality of the proposal will be given a weighting of 70% based on the evaluation criteria above. Only the financial proposal of those bidders who qualify technically will be opened. The financial proposal will be allocated a weighting of 30% and the proposals will be ranked in terms of total points scored.

11.0 Disclaimer

AECF reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party.

a. Interested consultancy firms and individuals are requested to submit their technical and financial proposals to procurement@aecfafrica.org by 5:00 PM E.A.T on 28 April 2020.

b. The Subject of the email should read “Technical support for Design, REACT SSA Sudan”. The AECF shall not be liable for not opening proposals that are submitted with a different subject.